FM13 - Loan System: What I'd love to see.

Hi all,

Just my thoughts on where I'd like to see the loan system going for FM13. Would love to know your thoughts. As a back ground, the way I like to play FM is to develop youth players, either through my own academy or buy young players and the develop them.

Loan back after transfer

I know it's possible to loan a player back to a previous club on the game, but I would really like to see this become part of the transfer negotiations within the game when buying a player. For example a fee could be agreed with a club where £x is paid up front, £x for performance related achievement and a 12 month loan to the selling club would be agreed at that time. I think this is a great way for players to continue to develop, but also a great way for the selling club (in most cases the smaller/lower in the football pyramid) get some much needed cash but also get another season out of their star player, giving them time to replace them.

Increased loans between top division clubs

Over the last couple of years this has become something that many clubs are involved in, but in the game it's amlost impossible to loan players to other teams in the Premier League for example. In real life over the last few seasons there were loads, Caulker from Spurs to Swansea, Sturridge from Chelsea to Bolton, Bentdner from Arsenal to Sunderland, Naughton from Spurs to Norwich, Walker from Spurs to Aston Villa, Welbeck from Man U to Sunderland, Adebayor from Man City to Spurs the list goes on. But on FM I can never manage to do this.

AI asking to loan players within the same division

Again this rarely (ever?) happens in FM. As a manager of a top club I would expect to other teams in the same division asking to loan my younger players but this never happens. Occasionally after I offer them out I will get offers, but I think the AI should be more active in this. Perhaps this comes back to the bigger issue of AI squad management (that I also hope gets an over haul in FM13) but it might be to do with how the loan system works.

I would love to hear what other players think.

Rich

The loan back as part of a transfer is something that has been brought up for years. I'd certainly love to see it, and it could work both ways too.

loan back could also work for the club buying the player because they'll get game time at the smaller club, before moving to the bigger club

Some great points there. I would also like to see the AI developing and playing their youngsters at an early age instead of loaning them out to five different clubs in five seasons, which is something that I have noticed further into the game (2025)

AI asking to loan players within the same division happens more frequently in Italy, both IRL and in FM, though they often take shape in form of co-ownership deals rather than "regular" loans, though they function much the same.

I'm not sure how it is IRL but it would be nice with a clause that guaranteed the player going out on loan x number of matches minimum or a penalty fee would kick in. This would make sure that the player will get the match action needed to further develop.

loan back could also work for the club buying the player because they'll get game time at the smaller club, before moving to the bigger club

Setting the transfer date to 'End of season' can do this atm. It might not be the same, but I do this with players I know won't get game time at my club. Depending on the league they are playing in, it often helps giving them a whole 12 months more at their club. You effectively now own them, it's just the transfer will go through a year later.

Also, I use it when I have a player that I know I will sell/retire, so I already have a player lined up and signed before he gets poached or his value increases.