5 big money moves that did not go through this summer

It has been a thrilling transfer window in Europe this summer. The World Cup in Russia caused a great dilemma for a number of clubs, who were forced to wait to get their business done. Thereafter, it was a mad rush for teams to get deals through the door, and an awful lot of money has been spent.

We have seen a host of big money moves go through over the past couple of months, some more notable than others. The most significant transfer of the summer saw Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the world, move to Juventus in a deal worth £105 million. This is a massive loss for Real, who failed to replace him, but it could take Juventus to the next level.

Over in England, the big story was goalkeepers. Liverpool broke the world record to sign Alisson from Roma, only for Chelsea to break that record within just a few weeks when they splashed out £72 million to bring Kepa Arrizabalaga to the club from Athletic Bilbao.

There was slightly less money spent than in past windows, with the early closure of the English transfer window to blame. Premier League clubs completed their business three weeks earlier than usual, and although they were still able to sell players, the majority of them refused to do so.

But there were some players who didn’t get the move they were expecting this summer. Here are five major transfers that didn’t go through.

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#1 Paul Pogba to Barcelona

Pogba has struggled to have an impact in Manchester

Of all the players in the world at the moment, none get the same level of attention that Paul Pogba does at Manchester United. The Frenchman returned to United for a world record fee in 2016, but we are still yet to see the best of him in a United shirt. He has played in multiple positions, but he still hasn’t done enough to show that he was worth the £89 million the Red Devils paid for him.

Because of his poor relationship with Jose Mourinho, there were rumours about a move away from Old Trafford this summer. It was Barcelona who came in with a bid for the French World Cup winner, with an offer of £45 million, plus Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina. That was rejected by United, and the pair instead joined Everton. Because the English transfer window closed just days after Barcelona’s bid, United refused to sell because they could find a replacement. However, this is one worth keeping an eye on in January.

#2 Harry Maguire to Manchester United

Maguire has proved himself as an excellent defender

There is no doubt that Jose Mourinho was looking to bring more players to Old Trafford this summer. He ended up bringing in Fred and Diego Dalot, but it was clear that his number one target was a centre back, and in particular, Harry Maguire, who had a superb World Cup with England. It was suggested that United would have to pay Leicester City a record fee for a defender to secure Maguire’s signature, which currently stands at £75 million.

However, United weren’t prepared to pay that much for Maguire, and they eventually finished the window without bringing a new centre-back to the club. This clearly frustrated Mourinho and has been one of the reasons for his obvious anger with the board. His side have also started the season poorly, and they have looked very vulnerable defensively. It may have been a different story had they been able to secure the signing of Maguire.

#3 Nabil Fekir to Liverpool

Fekir came very close to leaving Lyon

Many feel that Liverpool have done the best business of any team in the Premier League, having bought in Naby Keita, Fabinho and Alisson amongst others. One player they missed out on though was Nabil Fekir, who they had an interest in throughout the summer. They came close to signing the Frenchman before the World Cup got underway, but the move fell through.

There were rumours that he failed his medical at Anfield, while it was also reported that Lyon became frustrated that Liverpool were taking too long to complete the deal. Fekir would have been a good addition to their side, as he is a man capable of picking the passes in the final third, which is perhaps what the Reds are lacking at the moment. There is a possibility that Liverpool will return with a bid in January, so this deal may not be dead just yet.

#4 Kylian Mbappe or Neymar to Real Madrid

Mbappe had a magnificent World Cup in Russia

When Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus earlier this summer, thoughts immediately turned to who would replace the Portuguese superstar at Real. Many expected Real to look for another Galactico to replace Ronaldo, and given the worries over Financial Fair Play at PSG, Mbappe and Neymar looked like obvious targets for the Spanish giants.

Neymar was superb for Barcelona in LaLiga, before making the switch across to France last summer in a world record deal worth £200 million. However, he never looked happy in Paris last season, so there was always the possibility that he may make a return to Spain. Mbappe, on the other hand, had a quite brilliant World Cup in Russia and looks all set to become one of the best players in the world. However, Real couldn’t agree a deal to bring either player to Spain, and they didn’t sign a direct replacement for Ronaldo, which is likely to pile the pressure on Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio.

#5 Willian to Barcelona

Willian was the subject of interest from a number of clubs

Another Barcelona target that the Catalan giants failed to secure this summer. They made three bids for Willian over the summer, the highest of which was £60 million, but they saw all of them knocked back by Chelsea. Barcelona were looking to sign the Brazilian to give them another option going forward, a direct winger who wants to go past players and get to the byline.

Had Antonio Conte remained at Chelsea over the summer, it seems inevitable that this is a transfer that would have gone through. Willian grew frustrated with a lack of action at Stamford Bridge last season and was even left out of the FA Cup final despite being in excellent form. He has clearly been convinced by new manager Maurizio Sarri to give it another go at Chelsea and has obviously been guaranteed more chances in the Premier League.