Quick Check: Gainers and Losers from this summer’s transfer window!
Sep 3, 2016 at 2:13 PM
With the close of the summer’s transfer window on Wednesday night, it’s time to take stock. With an international break this week to keep us waiting, the Premier League season starts in earnest as of now.
The summer’s gone better for some clubs than others, though…
WINNERS: Manchester United
It’s been a bit of a splurge summer at Old Trafford – splashing out £150m on three players, and bringing a fourth in without a transfer fee, but with massive wages.
As much as United have spent, though…it looks like it’s worked. There were a few holes in the squad left to Jose Mourinho by Louis van Gaal, and they’ve all been expertly plugged with exciting, quality players. Also, Paul Pogba. World transfer record. That’s a big deal.
There’s no reason this transfer dominance can’t continue into the future, either – the club have more money than God and twice the arrogance. Juggernaut United are back.
LOSERS: Swansea City
Swansea are in trouble.
The arrival of Francesco Guidolin inspired a fightback at the end of last season, keeping the Swans out of the Championship, but they desperately needed to strengthen over the summer.
In the event…not so much. Key men Andre Ayew and Ashley Williams left, to be replaced by a striker whose effectiveness is still in question in Borja Baston, and a defender who’s never played in the top flight.
WINNERS: Newcastle
Alright, so they’re still in the Championship – but Newcastle have actually had a very, very good transfer window. Moussa Sissoko hasn’t looked switched on in a black and white shirt for a long while, and his sale means that the Magpies emerge from the window with a tidy £30.5m profit on their overall business.
That’s despite bringing in 11 new players of their own – with the likes of Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie adding real quality.
Rafa Benitez has been ruthless in cutting the deadwood from his squad, and a leaner, meaner team look set to have a real crack at the Championship title this season.
LOSERS: West Brom
West Brom’s summer was less a story of the deals that did happen, and more than ones which didn’t. Linked with stars left, right and centre, their big deadline day signings were…Hal Robson-Kanu (eight goals in his last 92 Championship games) and Allan Nyom.
For a team who were looking to push on this season, it’s a massive let-down. Saido Berahino’s stayed, but he’s been getting less and less effective over the course of the last year or so – and now he’s likely to leave for next to nothing either in January or at the end of his contract next summer.
WINNERS: Manchester City
It feels a bit weird to be putting City in this category – it was barely a fortnight ago that they looked like completely tossing away their first summer under Pep Guardiola by just strengthening the positions where they were already good.
To be fair, they have done quite a bit of that. Where Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, Nolito and will fit into an attacking corps which already features Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Kelechi Iheanacho, Kevin de Bruyne and Jesus Navas is a mystery.
But eventually, the weak spots were firmed up. John Stones has looked massively impressive in his young City career, and the double-move to bring in the excellent Claudio Bravo while also taking the chance to let Joe Hart grow as a goalkeeper abroad for a season was quietly masterful.
LOSERS: West Ham
West Ham were very clear at the start of this summer – they wanted a Big Marquee Signing to kick off life at the Olympic Stadium.
Michy Batshuayi came and went.
Alexandre Lacazette stayed in France.
Nobody, ultimately, would come to West Ham. They brought in Andre Ayew from Swansea for £20m – less a marquee, more of a tarp draped over some sticks – and he got injured straight away.
The deadline day deal for Alvaro Arbeloa said it all. West Ham reached for the stars, but overbalanced and fell in a big, smelly cowpat.