What an outrageous summer transfer window it’s been forÂthe Premier League.The English top flight spent more than £1billion on new signings, whilst no less than 13 clubs smashed their record transfer fees.Some decided to get their business done early, such as Manchester United.But in a welcome change from the norm compared toÂrecent years, there was still plenty of drama left duringÂthe dying embers of the summer window as yesterday’s 11pm deadline loomed.Indeed, a whoppingÂ66 players either joined or left a Premier League club yesterdayÂ(or both), giving Jim White copious ammunition as Sky Sports conductedÂtheir annual countdown.But not every deal was quite so inspiring and not every Premier League side enjoyed a Deadline Day to remember.So with all signings confirmed and the dust beginning to settle, Football FanCast presents it’s SIXÂWinners and SIXÂLosers from Summer Deadline Day 2016…
WINNERS – LIVERPOOL
Liverpool were relativelyÂquiet on Deadline Day, barring the exception of one incredibly notable departure – Mario Balotelli.
Indeed, after just one Premier League goal, countless controversial antics, an abysmal loan spell at AC Milan and unexpected links with League One side Port Vale, the Reds finally managed to get the £16million flop off their hands and the Anfield wage bill.
He’s joined Nice on a free transfer so yes, Liverpool have lost at least £16million on the Italy international. But considering how his career has seriously tanked (not to mention some of the fees going around in the Premier League this summer) that’s a more than acceptable loss for the Merseysiders.
LOSERS – EVERTON
Everton started Deadline Day chasing down deals for Yacine Brahimi and Moussa Sissoko, two attacking players who have already proved their ability in the Champions League with FC Porto and the Premier League with Newcastle United respectively.
But they ended it with just one signing to their name – Enner Valencia, who couldn’t even hold down a spot in West Ham’s starting Xi, on a season-long loan.
Most disappointing (or in other words, Loser-ish), was their failed pursuit of Sissoko. At one point the Frenchman was reported to be en route to Merseyside for a medical, but it now appears the Toffees were simply used as leverage to force through a more lucrative deal with Tottenham Hotspur.
Seemingly realising they’d been done up like a kipper, Everton withdrew their interest just half an hour before the 11pm deadline.
WINNER – DAVID LUIZ
David Luiz completed a spectacular return to Chelsea just before yesterday’s 11pm deadline, with the west London club forking out £30million to re-sign the Brazil international.
That means since January 2011, over £100million in transfer fees has been paid to sign a centre-back famed for his notorious lack of defensive instincts and seemingly unquenchable lust for wandering out of position to launch a 60-yard through ball.
Clearly he wasn’t Chelsea’s first choice of defensive addition, or else his move to Stamford Bridge wouldn’t have come at the final hour. But Luiz is undoubtedly delighted to return to a club he loves and just imagine how much his agent has pocketed over the last five-and-a-half years!
LOSERS – WEST BROM AND SAIDO BERAHINO
To think West Brom turned downÂtwo bids worth around£20million back in July now seems rather incredible.
Indeed, Berahino’s summer move never happened and he’s now marooned at the Hawthorns until January at the earliest, despite still being a somewhat marginalised figure in Tony Pulis’ first-team plans.
But in truth, it’s not the 23-year-old who is the biggest loser here. John Stones and Raheem Sterling have proved young, home-grown talent can command incredible transfer fees but with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, the Baggies now look set to lose Berahino without taking a single penny.
Was it worth it, just to proveÂthey won’t be bulled around? No.
WINNERS – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
To say we’re overly convinced by Tottenham Hotspur’s last-minute signings would be untrue but nonetheless, the north London club created a very exciting Deadline Day for it’s fan base.
Daniel Levy’s got previous when it comes to late business and that was certainly the case yesterday as Spurs came out on top in the battle for Moussa Sissoko – who paraded himself on Twitter with a Spurs shirt just before the 11pm cutoff.
But he wasn’t the only arrival at White Hart Lane; the Lilywhites also snapped up prodigious duo Geroges-Kevin N’Koudou and Pau Lopez from Marseille and Espanyol respectively. The former’s transfer saga has been one of the most arduous of the summer, so fair play to Spurs for poking fun at themselves on social media.
LOSER – JACK WILSHERE
Full credit to Bournemouth for pulling off one of the coups of the summer from their perspective. At the same time, however, Jack Wilshere’s loan move to the Vitality Stadium represents a harrowing fall from grace for the Arsenal midfielder, who was once deemed English football’s answer to Andres Iniesta.
Indeed, in just a matter of months, Wilshere has gone from being viewed as such a special talent he deserved a place in England’s Euro 2016 squad despite hardly kicking a ball in over a year to joining a Cherries side who could slump out of the Premier League come the end of May.
Likewise, Wilshere’s move casts serious doubts over his future at the Emirates. Whilst at Bournemouth, the likes of Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny have the chance to prove the Gunners don’t need the 24-year-oldÂat all.
WINNERS – STOKE CITY
Going into Deadline Day, Stoke City needed three types of signing – a quality striker, a solid defender and a back-up goalkeeper – and by 1pm yesterday, the Potters had nabbed all three.
Indeed, Netherlands centre-back Bruno Martins-Indi arrived from FC Porto in the morning, Lee Grant later followed on a six-month loanÂfrom Derby County and just after lunch, Mark Hughes secured the services of Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony for the season.
The Potters have endured an underwhelming start to the current campaign, finding themselves rock bottom of the Premier League table with just a single point. But with three additions that not only bolster their squad but also the starting Xi, Stoke should comfortably get their season back on track after the international break.
LOSERS – THE MANCHESTER CITY FOUR
It always seemed inevitable Pep Guardiola would ruffle the feathers amongst City’s first-team squad during his first summer window at the Etihad. But seemingly clinging onto their massive contracts, getting rid required the Citizens to agree four loan moves as the deadline loomed.
Some landed on their feet better than others; Wilfried Bony remains in the Premier League with Stoke City, Samir Nasri boasts Champions League football with Sevilla, Eliaquim Mangala is now at ValenciaÂandÂJoe Hart will be spending the season at Torino – who finished mid-table in Serie A last season.
Nonetheless, all four players have had to accept dropping down a level of quality when compared to the Premier League title-chasing Citizens, now lead by arguably the greatest manager of his generation in Pep Guardiola.
WINNER – MOUSSA SISSOKO
We’ve touched upon his saga twice already but Moussa Sissoko comes away from Deadline Day as one of its undoubted winners.
Indeed, despite spending the vast majority of last season stumbling around the pitch like a spoilt child as Newcastle plummeted into the Championship, the France international found not one but TWO Premier League clubs prepared to pay £30million for his services in the final stages of the summer window.
As aforementioned, Everton were seemingly used to drum up interest and Tottenham Hotspur eventually obliged. No doubt, the race for his signature added a few extra digits to Sissoko’s wages and he’s now joined a club who’ll be playing in the Champions League this season. Talk about landing on your feet.
LOSER – AIDEN MCGEADY
Aiden McGeady’s prodigious crossing ability was once the stuff of folklaw, as stories of elegant and skillful displays made their way back to England during his time in Russia.
But since signing for Everton in January 2014, the Irishman quite simply hasn’t lived up to his billing, going on to make just 43 appearances across all competitions.
The 30-year-old was shipped out to Preston, who are currently second-bottom of the Championship, on a season-long loan during the final hours of deadline day. And most insultingly of all, Everton felt McGeady’s departure didn’t even deserve it’s own tweet – lumping him in with Crewe-bound youngster James Yates.
WINNER – SAM ALLARDYCE
In a distinct variation from the norm, Sam Allardyce could enjoy Deadline Day with his feet up watching all the drama unfold on Sky Sports, rather than taking 50 phone calls at the same time trying to get a last-minute deal for Carlton Cole over the line.
Nonetheless, it was a great Deadline Day from the England manager’s perspective. Allardyce made it clear only those playing regularly at club level would be called up to his squads and two of the Three Lions’ biggest talents – Jack Wilshere and Joe Hart – undoubtedly understood the warning.
They could have spent the season wallowing on the bench at their respective parent clubs but Hart opted for guaranteed game-time with Torino whilstÂWilshere agreed a loan move toÂBournemouth. That doesn’t ensure either a place in Allardyce’s long-term plans, but the England gaffer will be pleased both have given themselves a chance.
LOSERS – THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
The Premier League shattered all spending records this summer and more than £100million was spent on Deadline Day alone. But one question continues to linger; is the English top flight actually better for it?
Of all the Deadline Day deals, none truly stand out as decent value for money; Chelsea paid over £30million for David Luiz and £23million for a defender in Marcos Alonso who looked incredibly average at Sunderland, Spurs paid a club-record sum for the notoriously inconsistent Moussa Sissoko, Leicester City coughed up £29million for a 28-year-old striker with no experience in Europe’s leading top flights and even stingy Sean Dyche spent £10.5million on a Championship midfielder in Jeff Hendrick.
Indeed, it seems the true winners on Deadline Day were the selling clubs from the Championship and abroad, squeezing every possible penny out of the Premier League and its £5billion TV deal.
Nonetheless, we at Football FanCast aren’t complaining too much – summer Deadline Day 2016 was undoubtedly one to remember!