English Premier League: Transfer market's biggest winners and losers

English Premier League - EPL: Transfer market's biggest winners and losers

By AFP
October 06, 2020
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp´s desires had been well catered in the transfer market. Photo: AFP

Premier League clubs on Monday went on a spending spree before the international transfer window closed.

Manchester United and Arsenal made the biggest headlines on deadline day with deals for Edinson Cavani and Thomas Partey respectively.

Lets take a look at how the top teams fared in the summer market:

Liverpool

What do you give the manager who has everything?

Heading into the final days of the transfer window, it seemed Jurgen Klopp´s desires had been well catered for as he bolstered a squad that powered to the title last term and won the Champions League just two seasons ago.

Klopp´s headline addition was Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who arrived from Bayern Munich in a £20 million ($25 million) swoop.

The Reds boss also spent £41 million on Wolves forward Diogo Jota, while Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas arrived from Olympiakos as back-up for Andrew Robertson.

But Sunday´s astonishing 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa has cast a fresh spotlight on Liverpool´s squad and the glare wasn´t entirely flattering.

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Liverpool have conceded 11 goals in just four league games this season, with Joe Gomez looking especially vulnerable amid suggestions Klopp should have brought in a centre-back to provide competition for the berth alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.

Manchester City

Frustrated by the defensive deficiencies that ruined City´s bid for a third successive title last season, Pep Guardiola spent over £100 million on a pair of centre-backs.

Nathan Ake was signed from Bournemouth for £41 million, but after the Dutch international was part of a back four that conceded five goals at home to Leicester, Guardiola decided to double down on the position with a £61 million move from Benfica´s Ruben Dias.

Dias is regarded as a natural leader and he will need to live up to that billing as City have looked bereft of organisation and fight since Vincent Kompany´s departure to Anderlecht last year.

Ferran Torres´s £20 million arrival from Valencia seemed an extravagance given City´s wealth of options on the flanks.

Manchester United

Lurching from one bungled deal to another, United endured a troubled transfer window that added to boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer´s problems on the pitch.

United´s third place finish last season raised hopes of a big leap forward fuelled by a host of star signings, but instead they became embroiled in a protracted and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho.

READ: Robert Lewandowski crowned UEFA men's player of the year

Ed Woodward, who takes the lead on United´s transfer deals, also failed to land Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish and Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele.

Signing former Paris Saint Germain striker Edinson Cavani, 33, on a free transfer on deadline day smacked of desperation and did little to appease frustrated fans still fuming after Sunday´s 6-1 thrashing by Tottenham.

Porto left-back Alex Telles also arrived on Monday for £13.5 million, but neither he nor Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, who joined for £40 million in the close-season, are likely to set pulses racing.

Chelsea

Snap judgement suggests Frank Lampard was the window´s big winner.

Looking to close the gap on Liverpool, Lampard convinced Blues owner Roman Abramovich to bankroll a £200 million spree that landed German forwards Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech, Leicester defender Ben Chilwell, Rennes keeper Edouard Mendy, plus Thiago Silva on a free transfer.

Whether Lampard will be able to gel those new signings into a cohesive unit is the question that will define Chelsea´s season as a success or failure.

The chasing pack

The teams hoping to break into the top four all strengthened their cases with some astute deals.

Arsenal met a £45 million release clause to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey just minutes before the deadline, a deal that followed their signings of Chelsea winger Willian and Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes earlier in the window.

READ: Jurgen Klopp fears for international players' health amid spiking Covid-19 cases

The return of prodigal son Gareth Bale on loan from Real Madrid was a coup for Tottenham, who also signed Matt Doherty, Sergio Reguilon and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Unbeaten table toppers Everton have been revitalised by the arrival of Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez from Real Madrid, while Carlo Ancelotti´s rebuild included deals for Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ben Godfrey and Robin Olsen.

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