Small Swedish club win big with Olsen’s Roma transfer

STOCKHOLM: The multi-million euro transfer of Swede Robin Olsen from Danish side FC Copenhagen to Serie A club AS Roma has provided an unexpected boost for a small lower-division club where the national team goalkeeper rediscovered his love of the game.

Malmo side Bunkeflo FF, who compete in the eighth tier of Swedish football, usually have to scrape by financially, but thanks to Olsen’s recent transfer they could see a huge windfall of around

€

60,000 (RM285,000) hit their bank account.

As one of the clubs where Olsen played between the ages of 12 and 23, they are entitled to so-called solidarity payments under FIFA rules after Olsen was sold to Roma

€

by the Danes for an initial 8.5mil

€

(RM40.5mil), rising to 12mil (RM57mil) with add-ons.

Five per cent of the transfer fee will be taken from FC Copenhagen’s cut and distributed among the clubs where Olsen learned his trade, including Bunkeflo.

Not bad for a club used to raising its funds from a combination of cheap membership fees, local sponsors and hot dog and coffee sales on match days.

“A big sum like this could of course contribute in terms of security and flexibility,” club chairman Calle Wadenhammar said.

“I’d like to see it used in a way that benefits the whole area, making spontaneous football and activities possible for the kids who are there,” he added.

Struggling to make a breakthrough as a young keeper, Olsen dropped from the third tier of Swedish football to join Bunkeflo in 2010. — Reuters