David Healy insists Linfield can’t complain about their current position in the transfer market after the Blues “cherry-picked the best players from the majority of clubs for the last 25 years” – but highlighted the importance of ensuring new financial regulations are followed.

Unlike full-time rivals Larne, Glentoran and Coleraine, Linfield haven’t received outside investment and remain a members-owned club, although chairman Roy McGivern told the News Letter earlier this year that “discussions are ongoing” over potentially selling a minority stake.

Having won the Premiership title by 22 points during the 2024/25 campaign, Linfield slipped to fourth last term and were 11 points adrift of third.

Healy has signed four new players this summer – Ryan Nolan, Kobei Moore, Aiden Glavin and Dylan Wells – while 11 departed at the end of last season as the Northern Ireland legend reshapes his squad.

placeholder image — Linfield manager David Healy. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

In July 2024, the NI Football League announced plans for new ‘Financial Compliance Regulations’ which will be fully implemented by the end of next season – with clubs who fail to fulfil the aggregated two-year break-even compliance set to be hit with point penalties.

Healy doesn’t have any complaints about the current position Linfield find themselves in, but insists it’s crucial financial rules are adhered to.

"Financially, we're not at the same level as some of the clubs,” said Healy. “We are (feeling impact of it), but as Linfield manager over the last 11 years, I can, we can, have no argument.

“Linfield have cherry-picked the best players from the majority of clubs for the last 25 years.

"The landscape has changed a lot. Now we're becoming the club that may be losing players to some of the other clubs in the league.

"There's no argument from me because six, seven, eight years ago, we could go to Larne, Coleraine, Crusaders, you could go to any club, and basically because we were offering three nights a week, offering a few pound more.

"It's just on a bigger scale at the minute.

"I have no arguments with it and there's no complaints from me, as long as the guidelines (are followed) and no club's going to be put in danger in the next 12 months or 24 months, where there's a chance where somebody may go out of business – and that's important.

"NIFL are bringing in the legislations and the new laws, (it’s important) that the protocols are followed, that nobody's going to be put in danger.”

A number of Healy’s former players will return to Windsor Park with Ballymena United, who are managed by ex-Blues star Oran Kearney, for this weekend’s Premiership opener.

"I have a strong relationship with Oran,” added Healy. “I’m pleased to see Oran back – not so pleased when you’ve to go head-to-head with him because he's a brilliant manager.

"He certainly feels as if he's recruited well.

"Some of the players that have gone in will certainly add to where they were last year, which is important for a club like Ballymena.

"They brought 10 or 11 players in, probably six or seven ex-Linfield players, there was already one or two there like Matthew Clarke.

"It will add to the game, there will probably be a lot more eyes on the game.

"Oran is an ex-Linfield player. He knows the requirements here and that's probably why the majority of these players who have been at Linfield and had success here, he's trying to build a culture (at Ballymena).

"They're hopefully prepared and better prepared than maybe bringing in somebody who hasn't been successful.”