Knowing your place in the global football transfer market food chain means knowing when to sell your best player.

But getting the best possible price only comes when you have the maximum number of options.

For Viking FK, that meant taking the decision to upgrade their TransferRoom subscription to VIP in order to get their hands on the Plus Pitch feature - meaning they can pitch one player to 20 clubs of their choice, create a buzz in the market and bring more clubs to the buying table in quick time.

Sporting Director Erik Nevland says: “We would like to do quite a lot of business in the coming transfer windows, so upgrading to Plus Pitch was aimed at getting the right direction in the market. There has been some interest in our players through TransferRoom, and what the Plus Pitch tool helps you do is make a potentially bigger sale for one of those players by targeting interested buyers.”

Viking have access to TransferRoom through Norway’s league-wide deal on the platform, but went the extra step to ensure they get offers exceeding their expectations for their top talents, just as Eliteserien rivals Stabaek managed.

Nevland continues: “On the TransferRoom platform, it’s nice to see what clubs are looking for. When you’re on it every day, you can see club requirements changing all the time, so you know when and where you can Plus Pitch for the most success. It builds your market knowledge and simplifies the sales process.”

Maximising revenues from transfers releases vital funds to acquire new talent at Viking, which like all clubs in the Norwegian top flight are operating with smaller budgets compared with their peers across Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. 

That emphasises the need to get value for money on incoming transfers, with TransferRoom’s Expected Transfer Value tool offering clubs like Viking a real-time reliable assessment of the value of more than 75,000 players worldwide.

Whether as a buying or selling club, xTV allows Viking to make more informed decisions when entering negotiations.

Nevland continues: “For a club like us with a limited budget, it is always difficult in the transfer market because you have to find players with potential and you can't always get the players that you want to get in. 

“TransferRoom helps to make you aware of players that are available and could be a real possibility. If you’re already scouting some players, then you can see on TransferRoom if they might be available and their estimated market value, as well. 

“The Expected Transfer Value gives a picture, a benchmark, to start a conversation with a club.”