AFC Wimbledon’s financial situation has improved recently thanks to the Dons’ successful signing of Josh Davison and former fan favorite Jack Rudoni.
But now that Jack Rudoni has gone on from Huddersfield Town to Coventry City and Davison has secured a move to Tranmere Rovers after a poor two-year stint with Wimbledon, with the Dons earning their money from a ‘percentage of the profit’ clause, there’s a problem.
After Davison’s departure, the Dons still need to sign a marquee player this summer and get a fourth striker. Given the amount of money available, Lyle Taylor and Wimbledon should collaborate now or never.
AFC Wimbledon’s recent cash boost
The Dons haven’t been in a position where several moves have succeeded in bringing in money for the team for a considerable amount of time.
Even if players were stars in their Wimbledon teams, the majority of fans would readily tell you that they made very little money when they moved on.
But since 2021, the club’s selling culture has been gradually changing. It currently appears that the goal is to make the most money possible through as many channels as possible, with player sales at the forefront of that.
The only player to leave for a fee this summer has been Davison. However, the Dons have seen a significant increase in funds over the last few weeks and months thanks to clauses inserted into the transfer agreements for Jack Rudoni and Ali Al-Hamadi.
Although the money from Al-Hamadi’s move to Ipswich was already substantial, the Dons have now received a sizeable sum of money from the deal’s add-ons, which many fans on social media had assumed would center around promotion to the Premier League.
Rudoni’s far more recent move to Coventry is believed to have earned roughly £800k, as a result of a condition inserted into the initial agreement that saw Rudoni go from Plough Lane to Huddersfield.
Even though Josh Davison’s transfer fee isn’t even close to what the Dons probably paid for him back in 2022, these three financial boosts come at a critical moment for the team as they attempt to pay off debt from their Plough Lane move and the rising cost of football in general.
But with the squad still lacking a star player and now short on strikers, getting the team ready for another season of League Two football should take precedence over trying to manage the debt as best as possible.
Lyle Taylor to AFC Wimbledon: It’s now or never
There are still very little links between Taylor and Wimbledon, with the original link, which emerged at the start of June remaining the most up-to-date.
However, the fact is that in the article, Taylor has stated he is open to the move, and for what has seemed like a while now, the ball has been in AFC Wimbledon’s court.
The problem is, though, now that pre-season is round the corner, and with coffers loaded with money, a move for Taylor makes sense as the club can afford his relative superstardom, and he needs the maximum amount of time to find fitness ahead of a season in which he will turn 35.
There would be no problem with finding a place in the team for him, as Wimbledon under Johnnie Jackson seem to favour a two-striker formation, and Wimbledon still need a fourth striking option.
However, the problem revolves around his fitness, as stated above.
If he contracts with the team in the offseason and stays healthy, he will need to play well in order to have any chance of contributing to the team and not being a financial burden.
If the Dons decide to move forward with the reunification, Taylor will be a major risk taken, but his signing will undoubtedly be well-received by supporters, who will no doubt be dreaming of a season similar to 2015–16—just one where they might advance automatically instead of making the playoffs.
Leave a Reply