The transfer window power rankings: Prem teams business rated and slated |
- The transfer window power rankings: Prem teams business rated and slated
- Broadcast deals fuel record-breaking window
- Man United move is a dream, admits Falcao
| The transfer window power rankings: Prem teams business rated and slated Posted: 02 Sep 2014 01:52 AM PDT 20) Burnley In:George Boyd (Hull), Lukas Jutkiewicz (Middlesbrough), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Matthew Gilks (Blackpool), Steven Reid (West Brom), Michael Kightly (Stoke), Marvin Sordell (Bolton), Matt Taylor (West Ham), Stephen Ward (Wolves). Out:Chris Baird (West Brom), David Edgar (Birmingham), Joseph Mills (Oldham), Luke O'Neill (Scunthorpe), Junior Stanislas (Bournemouth), Brian Stock, Keith Treacy, Micah Evans, Nick Liversedge (All released). Manager Sean Dyche admitted he found the transfer marketa more challenging place now that the Clarets had clambered into the top tier. And with the club keen on preserving their treasure chest of cash, big-money deals were never going to be on the agenda. George Boyd's deadline day arrival from Hull proved the most extravagant (£3m), with Middlesbrough forward Jutkiewicz (£1.5m) filling in for the stricken Sam Vokes, A late loan move for Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah could turn out to be a useful piece of business as the Lancastrians bid to beat the drop. 19) West Brom In:Craig Gardner (Sunderland), Joleon Lescott (Man City), Chris Baird (Burnley), Sebastien Pocognoli (Hannover), Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kiev), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool), Jason Davidson (Heracles Almelo), Cristian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Georgios Samaras (Celtic), Silvestre Varela (Porto), Sebastien Blanco (Metalist Kharkiv). Out:Billy Jones (Sunderland), Nicolas Anelka, Zoltan Gera, Diego Lugano, Liam Ridgewell (All released), Steven Reid (Burnley), George Thorne (Derby). West Brom's summer acquisitions are probably best described as a mixed bag. You've got a hard-on-his-luck title winner (Lescott), a weathered relegation scrapper (Gardner), a loanee from the top four with a point to prove (Wisdom) a striker we know will be awful (Samaras), a big-money signing who could just be awesome (Ideye) and Chris Baird (Baird). Still, the losses shouldn't sting too much - Liam Ridgewell and Billy Jones were the only two of the seven players to exit the Hawthorns this summer who started over half the Baggies' Premier League matches in 2013/14. West Brom's season could depend on how well those players new to English football adapt. 18) Aston Villa In:Aly Cissokho (Valencia), Kieran Richardson (Fulham), Carlos Sanchez (Elche), Joe Cole (West Ham), Philippe Senderos (Valencia). Out:Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord), Jordan Bowery (Rotherham), Samir Carruthers (MK Dons), Marc Albrighton (Leicester), Joe Bennett (Brighton), Janoi Donacien (Tranmere), Gary Gardner (Brighton), Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg), Daniel Johnson (Chesterfield), Antonio Luna (Verona), Jed Steer (Doncaster), Yacouba Sylla (Erciyesspor), Aleksandar Tonev (Celtic), Nathan Delfouneso (Released). Randy Lerner's search for a buyer meant summer signings at Villa Park were always going to be at a premium, but boss Paul Lambert appears to have been shrewd with the limited resources at his disposal. A late move for Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley failed to materialise, but two players who have signed on the dotted line, Philippe Senderos and Kieran Richardson, have made an impression in Villa's promising start to the campaign, while Colombia international Carlos Sanchez is considered"a great coup" for the club. 17) Tottenham In:Ben Davies, Michel Vorm (Both Swansea), Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders), Federico Fazio (Sevilla), Benjamin Stambouli (Montpellier). Out:Heurelho Gomes (Watford), Jake Livermore, Michael Dawson(Both Hull), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders), Zeki Fryers (Crystal Palace), Lewis Holtby (Hamburg), Sandro (QPR). There can be little doubt this was the most uneventful summer window in the North Londoners' recent history. No key departures, no arrivals over £10m, no failed last-minute moves for unsuitable players. Spurs have bought sensibly and methodically, trimming the flabbier areas of the squad where required. That's not to say there haven't been things for fans to get worked up about - not least the departures of popular trio Michael Dawson, Sandro and Lewis Holtby (the latter only on loan, but the signs don't look good for his future in N17). If there's one thing Spurs lack, it's creative options, and for that reason Sigurdsson - already performing well back at Swansea - could be the one they most regret letting go. The fact they seemingly haven't improved anywhere near as much as the rest of last year's top seven (perhaps with the exception of Everton) will also be a concern. If it wasn't already clear Mauricio Pochettino's brief at his new club was to get the best from last summer's 'Magnificent Seven', it certainly is now. 16) Sunderland In:Jack Rodwell (Manchester City), Will Buckley (Brighton Hove Albion), Patrick van Aanholt (Chelsea), Jordi Gómez (Wigan Athletic), Billy Jones (West Bromwich Albion), Costel Pantilimon (Manchester City), Santiago Vergini (Estudiantes - Loan), Sebastien Coates (Liverpool - Loan) Out:Ignacio Scocco (Newell's Old Boys), Carlos Cuéllar (Norwich), Phil Bardsley (Stoke City), Jack Colback (Newcastle United), Craig Gardner (West Bromwich Albion), Billy Knott (Bradford City), John Egan (Gillingham), Kieren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Louis Laing (Nottingham Forest), Reece Noble (Durham City), Oscar Ustari (Newell's Old Boys), David Vaughan (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Pickford (Bradford City - Loan), Scott Harrison (Hartlepool United), Andrea Dossena, Jordan Laidler, Alejandro Rodriguez Gorrin, Jordan Watson. Sunderland battled relegation last season and manager Gus Poyet has moved to make sure it doesn't happen again. The Black Cats' summer signings have mostly been low-key yet subtle improvements. Jack Rodwell will hope to get his once highly-promising career back on track while Will Buckley, Pat Van Aanholt and Billy Jones in particular look useful purchases. Jack Colback's move to Newcastle left a bad taste but Jordi Gomez is a decent midfielder who's looked okay in his cameo appearances to date. No deal is hugely glamorous, but Poyet will hope the signings will be enough to push Sunderland up the table. If he can get fellow countryman Sebastien Coates back to the kind of form that made him one of the world's most coveted defenders at youth level several years ago it would be a fantastic one-year loan signing. 15) Crystal Palace In:Chris Kettings (Blackpool), Fraizer Campbell (Cardiff), Brede Hangeland (Fulham), Martin Kelly (Liverpool), Wilfried Zaha (Manchester United), Zeki Fryers (Tottenham), James McArthur (Wigan), Kevin Doyle (Wolves). Out:Neil Alexander (Hearts), Kagisho Dikgacoi, Daniel Gabbidon (both Cardiff), Dean Moxey (Bolton), Jonathan Parr (Ipswich), Aaron Wilbraham (Bristol City), Jose Campana (Sampdoria), Jack Hunt (Nottingham Forest). Palace's inability to sign top targets was a significant contributor to Tony Pulis' shock departure from Selhurst Park and, sure enough, by the window's end business was mixed.James McArthur was a solid deadline day arrival, Fraizer Campbell will prove excellent value from Cardiff at just £800k, while Zaha's loan return should be the grounding move the youngster needs to reignite his career. New boss Neil Warnock's final day dealings were a little worrying, though. Palace snapped upZeki Fryers (Spurs, £3m)andKevin Doyle (loan)and were also linked with Championship-quality players in Lee Peltier (Huddersfield) and Chris Wood (Leicester). In future, Eagles fans might appreciate a little more ambition. 14) Leicester In:Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa), Leonardo Ulloa, Matthew Upson(both Brighton), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Danny Simpson (QPR), Nick Powell, Tom Lawrence, Jack Barmby(all Manchester United), Ben Hamer (Charlton). Out:Lloyd Dyer (Watford), Sean St Ledger (Released), Zak Whitbread (Derby), Neil Danns (Bolton), Marko Futacs (Mersin IY), Paul Gallagher (Preston), George Taft (Burton Albion), Ryan Watson (Northampton), Adam Dawson (Notts County), Jacob Blyth (Burton Albion), Conrad Logan (Rochdale). For a while it looked an underwhelming window for Nigel Pearson's mob, but the outrageous coup of former Inter Milan and Argentina virtuoso Esteban Cambiasso eventually got Foxes hearts racing. Record signing Leo Ulloa (£8m) has already shown glimpses of the form he'll need this season after beefing up the attack from Brighton, while Marc Albrighton and Danny Simpson both add Premier League experience and valuable competition to a youthful squad. Defensive additions wouldn't have gone amiss, but barring injuries, Leicester look well prepared for a good crack at their first top-flight season in 10 years. 13) Swansea In:Lukasz Fabianski (Arsenal), Bafetimbi Gomis (Lyon), Stephen Kingsley (Falkirk), Marvin Emnes (Middlesbrough), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Tottenham), Jefferson Montero (Morelia), Federico Fernandez (Napoli), James Demetriou (Nottingham Forest), Giancarlo Gallifuoco (Tottenham Hotspur), Modou Barrow (Ostersunds FK). Out:Leroy Lita, Jernade Meade, David Ngog (All released), Michu (Napoli), Ben Davies, Michel Vorm (Both Tottenham), Alejandro Pozuelo (Rayo Vallecano), Chico Flores (Lekhwiya SC), Jose Canas (Espanyol). Some of the big stars of the last two seasons may have gone - most notably 2012/13 talisman, Michu - but the fact Wilfried Bony will still be in South Wales when the Premier League resumes on September 13 should be seen as the summer's major triumph. The returning Gylfi Sigurdsson already looks a superb addition, while Lukasz Fabianski is a more than capable replacement for Michel Vorm. Although they may be a little short of cover at full-back, the fact there was no late drama highlights how well run a football club Swansea City currently is. 12) Everton In:Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea), Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros), Christian Atsu (Chelsea), Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea), Brendan Galloway (MK Dons) Out:Mason Springthorpe (Ellesmere Rangers), Apostolos Vellios (K. Lierse S.K.), Shane Duffy (Blackburn), Magaye Gueye (Millwall), Matthew Kennedy (Hibernian), Hallam Hope (Sheff Wed), John Lundstram (Blackpool). If any statement needed to be made by Everton this summer, the permanent capture of Lukaku from Chelsea was as good as any. Roberto Martinez Co. focused all of their efforts on tying down the burly Belgian for good after his successful loan stint at Goodison, and eventually won the battle by almost doubling their transfer record (£28m from £15m) to sign the 21-year-old. Everton were more in danger than ever of being left behind by the big boys, but the arrivals of Gareth Barry, Muhamed Besic and Samuel Eto'o have proved the Toffees still have the firepower to upset the odds. A top-class centre-back wouldn't hurt in January, though – Martinez's men are ill-equipped to deal with injuries at the back. 11) Stoke In:Bojan (Barcelona), Mame Biram Diouf (Hannover), Steve Sidwell (Fulham), Victor Moses (Chelsea), Oussama Assaidi (Liverpool), Phil Bardsley (Sunderland). Out:Cameron Jerome (Norwich), Michael Kightly (Burnley), Ryan Shotton (Derby), James Alabi (Accrington), Daniel Bachmann (Wrexham), Jamie Ness (Crewe), Jermaine Pennant, Matthew Etherington, Lucas Dawson, Juan Agudelo (All Released). Mark Hughes can reflect on a job well done as his Stoke side attempt to improve on last season's 9th place finish. With Asmir Begovic's services retained between the sticks, Steve Sidwell adds strength in depth to a midfield already possessing Steven N'Zonzi and Glenn Whelan, while Bojan's eye-catching arrival from Barcelona has been somewhat upstaged by Mame Biram Diouf's solo stunner at the Etihad. The icing on the cake was a late deal to bring Oussama Assaidi back from Liverpool; the lively wide-man scoring four goals last season including a corker against Chelsea. 10) West Ham In:Mauro Zarate (Velez Sarsfield), Cheikhou Kouyate (Anderlecht), Aaron Cresswell (Ipswich), Diego Poyet (Charlton), Enner Valencia (Pachuca), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal), Diafra Sakho (Metz), Alexandre Song (Barcelona), Morgan Amalfitano (Marseille). Out:Joe Cole (Aston Villa), Jack Collison, George McCartney, Jordan Spence (All released), Matt Taylor (Burnley), Mohamed Diame (Hull). Sam Allardyce may already be under pressure thanks to defeats in each of his team's first two Premier League home matches (not to mention a shootout loss to Sheffield United in the League Cup), but Hammers fans should at least be happy with the club's summer dealings. Central midfield should certainly now be an area of great strength, with Alex Song paired with Cheikhou Kouyate, who has started the season in superb fashion. Mauro Zarate could be the key figure, however - he's the man most likely to give the locals the kind of entertainment they crave. 9) Southampton In:Dusan Tadic (Twente), Graziano Pelle (Feyenoord), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Fraser Forster (Celtic), Shane Long (Hull), Florin Gardos (Steaua Bucharest), Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid), Sadio Mane (Salzburg). Out:Andy Robinson (Bolton), Tom Leggett (Aston Villa), Isaac Nehemie (Aston Villa), Danny Fox (Nottingham Forest), Lee Barnard (Released), Guly do Prado, Jonathan Forte (Both released), Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Gaston Ramirez (Hull), Jos Hooiveld (Norwich). The Hampshire side recovered well from that early-summer upheavel to the extent that it could reasonably be argued that they're actually stronger now than they were in May. They certainly appear to have strengthened in more positions than they've weakened. The signings of playmaker Dusan Tadic and defender Toby Alderweireld are particularly impressive, as was holding on to Morgan Schneiderlin. Sure, they probably over-paid for Irishman Shane Long, but having squeezed so much out of Liverpool for Lovren and Lallana, they could probably afford to be a little generous. Crisis, what crisis? 8) Arsenal In:Alexis Sánchez (Barcelona), Calum Chambers (Southampton), Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United), David Ospina (Nice), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United). Out:Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Johan Djourou (Hamburg), Thomas Eisfeld (Fulham), Zak Ansah (Charlton Athletic), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City), Zachari Fagan (Welling United), Bacary Sagna (Manchester City), Chuks Aneke (Zulte Waregem), Nicklas Bendtner (Wolfsburg), Leander Siemann (Porto B), Ignasi Miguel (Norwich), Ryo Miyaichi (FC Twente - loan), Wellington Silva (UD Almeria - Loan), Carl Jenkinson (West Ham United - Loan), Benik Afobe (MK Dons - Loan), Jon Toral (Brentford), Daniel Boateng (Released), Chu-Young Park (Released). While some will inevitably complain, Arsenal have had a good summer in the transfer market, clearing out much of the deadwood that hung around the squad like a bad smell (Bendtner! Park!) while making intelligent and important signings in all areas of the pitch. Alexis Sanchez is the kind of world class player for whom Gunners fans have been crying out for some time, Mathieu Debuchy is a decent enough replacement for Bacary Sagna (though a possible weakening) and in Calum Chambers and Danny Welbeck they've bought potential. In Welbeck's case now is the time to prove himself after struggling for minutes in his favoured position at Manchester United. Remaining question marks regard the lack of cover at centre-back and continued absence of a defensive midfield destroyer, but Arsene Wenger has numbers in midfield and will feel very satisfied with his summer business. 7) Newcastle In:Remy Cabella (Montpellier), Jack Colback (Sunderland), Facundo Ferrerya (Shakhtar Donetsk), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Siem de Jong (Ajax), Ayoze Perez (Tenerife), Emmanuel Riviere (Monaco), Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles (Both Nottingham Forest). Out:Romain Amalfitano (Dijon), Mathieu Debuchy (Arsenal), Hatem Ben Arfa (Hull), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Roma), Adam Campbell (Fleetwood), Dan Gosling (Bournemouth), Sylvain Marveaux (Guingamp), Jonathan Mitchell (Derby), Conor Newton (Rotherham), James Tavernier (Wigan), Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles (Both Nottingham Forest), Shola Ameobi, Michael Richardson (Both released). Alan Pardew can have few complaints after this summer's transfer to-ing and fro-ing. The Toon's 2013/14 petered out in pathetic fashion after Yohan Cabaye's departure to PSG in January with no replacement provided. But owner Mike Ashley has plunged into his deep pockets to fund no fewer than nine signings that Pardew believes has made Newcastle a more settled side. While the new boys will need time to gel, midfield pair Remy Cabella and Jack Colback have shown early promise, with the former Sunderland man claiming United now have the tools to betargeting European football again. 6) Liverpool In: Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Alberto Moreno (Sevilla), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Dejan Lovren (Southampton), Lazar Markovic (Benfica), Divock Origi (Lille), Emre Can (Bayer Leverkusen), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Lawrence Vigouroux, Kevin Stewart (Both Tottenham Hotspur), Javier Manquillo (Atlético Madrid). Out: Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace), Jack Robinson (Queens Park Rangers), Conor Coady (Huddersfield Town), Pepe Reina (Bayern Munich), Villyan Bijev (Slavia Sofia), Oussama Assaidi (Stoke), Jakub Sokolik (Yeovil Town), Michael Ngoo (Kilmarnock), Luis Alberto (Malaga - Loan), Iago Aspas (Sevilla - Loan), Andre Wisdom (West Bromwich Albion - Loan), Brad Smith (Swindon Town - Loan), Tiago Ilori (Bordeaux - Loan), Joao Carlos Teixeira (Brighton - Loan), Jordon Ibe (Derby County - Loan), Daniel Agger (Brondby), Sebastien Coates (Sunderland - Loan), Yalany Baio, Yusuf Mersin, Michael Ngoo, Craig Roddan, Stephen Sama (all Released). Brendan Rodgers has had a busy summer at Liverpool. The Reds have essentially sold their Ferrari and used the money to refurbish the whole house. Rodgers lost Luis Suarez but has bought in numbers to ensure last season's small squad is beefed up both in quality and quantity to deal with the added challenge of Champions League football. Rodgers' eye for talent doesn't look to have failed him this summer. Though Rickie Lambert may struggle for game time and Dejan Lovren must prove he's ready to lead a defence chasing trophies, the signings of Adam Lallana, Alberto Moreno, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic look like superb business. Mario Balotelli meanwhile is the ultimate wild card, with potential to make the £16m paid to AC Milan look a steal. £117m has been spent at Anfield and, all things considered, it looks to have been spent well. 5) QPR In: Sandro (Spurs), Niko Kranjcar (Dinamo Kiev - Loan), Alex McCarthy (Reading), Steven Caulker (Cardiff City), Leroy Fer (Norwich City), Jordan Mutch (Cardiff City), Jack Robinson (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Mauricio Isla (Juventus - Loan), Eduardo Vargas (Napoli - Loan). Out: Loic Remy (Chelsea), Danny Simpson (Leicester), Yossi Benayoun (Maccabi Haifa), Esteban Granero (Real Sociedad), Julio Cesar (Benfica), Tom Hitchcock (MK Dons), Aaron Hughes (Brighton Hove Albion), Mo Shariff (Bradford City), Gary O'Neil (Norwich City), Dylan Carreiro (Dundee), Dylan Carreiro (Dundee - Free), Joe Lumley (Accrington Stanley - Loan), Jack Robinson (Huddersfield Town - Loan), Angelo Balanta, Hogan Ephraim, Andrew Johnson, Stéphane Mbia. Much as he may provoke the disdain of many a football fan around the country, you can't fault Harry Redknapp's ambition in the transfer market. For a newly promoted side, the signings of Sandro, Mauricio Isla, Leroy Fer and Eduardo Vargas are excellent, and if QPR's new signings adapt sufficiently to life in west London then Redknapp's side should have more than enough about them to stay up. Loic Remy was always likely to leave and there are question marks about the defence, though Steven Caulker should provide a sturdy presence and Rio Ferdinand's experience and professionalism could prove invaluable, but overall QPR look stronger rather than weaker and well-equipped in their bid for survival. 4) Man City In:Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando (Both Porto), Willy Caballero (Malaga), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal). Out:Alvaro Negredo, Bruno Zuculini (Both Valencia), Gareth Barry (Everton), Javi Garcia (Zenit), Jack Rodwell, Costel Pantilimon (Both Sunderland), Joleon Lescott (West Brom), Jason Denayer (Celtic), Godsway Donyoh (Falkenberg), Adam Drury, Ellis Plummer (Both St Mirren), Alex Henshall (Ipswich), Emyr Huws (Wigan), Greg Leigh (Crewe), Marcos Lopes (Lille), Karim Rekik (PSV), Albert Rusnak (Cambuur), Reece Wabara, Alex Nimely (Both released). Deadline day began with talk of the Blues bagging Radamel Falcao, yet ended with the Colombian hitman opting for the red half of Manchester and City a striker light after Alvaro Negredo's surprise return to Spain with Valencia. Manuel Pellegrini had acted early to strengthen two key areas of his side: adding midfield enforcer Fernando and central defender Mangala. But the champions' strikeforce suddenly looks a tad on the light side with Sergio Aguero still gradually returning to full fitness having missed a hefty chunk of 2014. 3) Hull In:Jake Livermore, Michael Dawson (both Tottenham), Robert Snodgrass (Norwich), Tom Ince (Blackpool), Andrew Robertson (Dundee United), Harry Maguire (Sheffield United), Brian Lenihan (Cork City), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Mohamed Diame (West Ham), Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton). Out:Shane Long (Southampton),George Boyd (Burnley), Joe Dudgeon (Barnsley), Abdoulaye Faye (Released), Matty Fryatt (Nottingham Forest), Conor Henderson (Crawley), Robert Koren (Melbourne City), Nick Proschwitz (Brentford), Cameron Stewart (Ipswich), Conor Townsend (Dundee United), Mark Oxley (Hibernian). A madcap deadline day has essentially prepared Hull for a Europa League campaign that doesn't exist. Whatever was slipped into Steve Bruce's morning coffee did the trick: in came attacking quartetMo Diame (£3.5m),Abel Hernandez (£10.5m), Hatem Ben Arfa andGaston Ramirez(both loans) as the affable Geordie packed his tired Tigers midfield with punch. Those new bodies complement the functional arrivals of Jake Livermore and Tom Ince (among others above), leaving Bruce with a competitive squad capable of building on last season's 16th-place finish. 2) Manchester United Ins: Angel di Maria (Real Madrid), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Ander Herrera (Athletic Bilbao), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Daley Blind (Ajax), Vanja Milinkovic (FK Vojvodina), Radamel Falcao (Monaco - Loan) Outs: Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Alexander Buttner (Dinamo Moscow), Patrice Evra (Juventus) Bebe (Benfica), Rio Ferdinand (QPR - Free), Nemanja Vidic (Inter Milan - Free), Federico Macheda (Cardiff City - Free), Jack Barmby (Leicester - Free), Louis Rowley (Leicester - Free) Ryan Giggs (retired), Angelo Henriquez (Dinamo Zagreb - Loan), Nani (Sporting Lisbon - Loan), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace - Loan) Javier Hernandez (Real Madrid - Loan), Tom Lawrence (Leicester), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal), Nick Powell (Leicester - Loan), Michael Keane (Burnley - Loan) Where to begin? £145m spent, Manchester United's summer looks a strange mish-mash. In come world class players that didn't address weaknesses that appeared to most need strengthening, out go a bucketload of experience in defence and 10 senior players. As such, it's difficult to really gage whether this summer was successful or not. Squad players that looked certain to be shipped out weren't (Marouane Fellaini, Tom Cleverley, Anderson to name but three) while players who many thought Louis Van Gaal would revitalise have been unceremoniously dumped (Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck). Welbeck's departure in particular is a break from tradition for the Red Devils - a Manchester boy, die-hard United fan and hugely popular figure, sold to a main rival. Incoming are players with varying reputations. Angel Di Maria is perhaps the one true risk free deal, one of the best players in world football, but question marks remain over Radamel Falcao after a serious knee injury kept him out of the World Cup. Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind meanwhile have the task of proving they're up to the challenge of reinvigorating a club that has mortgaged its future on their success during a summer of total upheaval. 1) Chelsea In:Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Diego Costa, Filipe Luis (both Atletico Madrid), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Loic Remy (QPR), Mario Pasalic (Hajduk Split). Out:David Luiz (PSG), Romelu Lukaku (Everton), Ashley Cole (Roma), Frank Lampard (New York City), Samuel Eto'o (Everton), Demba Ba (Besiktas), Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland), Fernando Torres, Marco van Ginkel(both AC Milan), Tomas Kalas (Cologne), Mario Pasalic (Elche), Lucas Piazon (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Oriol Romeu (Stuttgart), Nathaniel Chalobah (Burnley), Patrick Bamford, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamal Blackman(all Middlesbrough), Josh McEachran, Bertrand Traore, Wallace (all Vitesse), Stipe Perica (NAC Breda), Gael Kakuta (Rayo Vallecano), Ulises Davila (Tenerife), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach), Islam Feruz (OFI Crete), Marko Marin (Fiorentina), Joao Rodriguez (Bastia), Matej Delac (Arles-Avignon), Cristian Cuevas (Universidad de Chile), Sam Hutchinson (Sheff Wed), Henrique Hilario (Retired). Quite simply, the big winners of the summer. Finding an upgrade on Fernando Torres was the No.1 priority for Jose Mourinho, whose astute captures – most notably proven goalscorer Diego Costa and assist machine Cesc Fabregas – are good enough to fire Chelsea to the title. What's more, it's all been achieved at marginal cost; Romelu Lukaku and David Luiz were shifted for a combined £78 million, leaving the Blues' bank balance intact and Roman Abramovich one happy chappy. Throw in Filipe Luis as an upgrade on Ashley Cole, the loan return of Thibaut Courtois and homecoming of Didier Drogba, and you have yourselves a near-perfect transfer window. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Broadcast deals fuel record-breaking window Posted: 02 Sep 2014 01:46 AM PDT Estimated spending in the transfer window – which shut on Monday – for Premier League clubs exceeded £830 million, smashing the previous mark set last year. Manchester United broke the English transfer record when paying £59.7m for Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria in the headline deal. But the likes of Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Diego Costa (Chelsea), Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City) and Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea) all moved to the Premier League in deals worth £30m or more. In a desperate bid to return to former glories, Manchester United were the biggest spenders, outlaying a reported sum of £150m, and Dan Jones – partner in Deloitte's sports business group – believes a new TV rights deal and the World Cup are why clubs have splashed the cash so significantly. "This summer transfer window has again been one of records with Premier League clubs spending more than in any previous transfer window," Jones said. "Gross spending of £835m by clubs across the league has broken the record set last summer by over £200m. "In a summer where the world's best players were on show at the World Cup we have again seen how Premier League clubs are able to successfully compete on a global stage in terms of attracting talent. "We continue to see the increased resources that Premier League clubs enjoy, as a result of improved broadcast deals, translate into investment in players. "Last season the average Premier League club received over £25m more in central broadcast distributions than they did in 2012/13, which has helped fuel a new record spend this summer. "With Premier League clubs in a stronger position to afford increased transfer and player costs than ever before, the key challenge remains pursuing their ambitions responsibly. "Regulations are now in place at both a league and continental level encouraging clubs to balance their costs with revenue. "We hope that while increased revenues continue to allow the league to attract top players, they will also result in a more profitable picture across the league in the years to come." This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Man United move is a dream, admits Falcao Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:57 AM PDT Falcao joined United on a season-long loan from Monaco after Monday's transfer deadline closed, with special permission given to the Old Trafford outfit to complete the deal. The 28-year-old forward can be bought by United at the conclusion of his loan spell and that is a move the player would clearly embrace. A delighted Falcao told MUTV: "For me, it was a dream to play in the Premier League. "I always wanted to be here because this league is very good, it has very good teams and Manchester United is the best team in England. Everything is perfect for me. "I am very happy to be part of this big club. I've waited for this moment during a lot of the year." Falcao admitted that he was nervous his move to United would not go through, with a delayed flight that took him to Manchester only adding to the drama. But with the move now sorted, Falcao – who scored 13 goals in 22 appearances for Monaco – is keen to link up with manager Louis van Gaal and his new team-mates. "It was a very long day," he added. "It was hard, difficult. We were waiting until the last minute but I didn't lose my faith. Now I want to say thank you to God for this. I'm very happy. "I am very excited for that [to work with Van Gaal]. Van Gaal is a very good trainer with a lot of experience. I want to do the best for the team, for him and for the supporters." Falcao's arrival capped a big transfer window for United, who also signed Angel di Maria, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind. It took their reported spending to approximately £150 million as theyseek to recover from a terrible start to the season. Van Gaal's men have taken just two points from three league matches, while MK Dons stunned them 4-0 in the second round of the League Cup, but Falcao is confident they can respond. "We have very top players," he continued. "I admire them. I want to meet them for the first time. I am sure that this season will be great for us." This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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