AFCB are now in the habit of making money

Looking at the club finances for the period ending 30 June 2017, it was pleasing to see that AFCB managed to make a profit of £14m. The rise in staff costs have risen dramatically though to £71.5m when you consider turnover was £136.5m. So more than half of the money that comes into the club now goes on wages. It is right that the players and other staff are rewarded though for their abilities to keep the club in the Premier League, but I wonder what it means going forward to attract the best players to the club.

The coffers are starting to swell at AFCB.

Last summer AFCB only made three summer signings in Asmir Begovic, Nathan Aké and Jermain Defoe at a cost of approximately £30m. The salaries will have pushed that spend up further but it is always a challenge to keep spending within the club's means even when the Premier League's TV deals are bringing the club over £130m. It goes to show also how important it is for AFCB to finish in the top half of the table, if they can again to get the extra millions to make that difference which could mean an additional player or not depending on the club's finish.

The spending on players is only one side of the picture though and more progress has to be made with the academy and development of youth players if the Cherries are to grow as a Premier League club. It is simply not sustainable to keep splashing out on players, even if AFCB did great business to get three players for an average of £10m a piece last summer. Defoe was of course a free transfer but such deals don't come along often and Defoe's salary will be among the highest if not the highest I'd expect at AFCB. It is a balance of how AFCB want to spend their money for the good of the club and while players will always be the biggest cost, it would be pleasing if AFCB could start to be able to be a profitable club that is building its finances rather than just breaking even.

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We don't know how long AFCB will be able to stay at this level and while it has broken the club transfer record last summer, it is prudent if it can remain competitive without having to do that every season. You can see why the issue over the rent for Dean Court was not a payment that AFCB could just allow to grow if so much of their cash flow was taken up in staff costs and to attract players the like of Nathan Aké Jack Wilshere and Jermain Defoe the club has to invest in competitive salaries. Once the new training pitch complex is built and the fan base can expand with a new stadium, AFCB will be in a much better position to build its long-term future.