The transfer season is littered with transfers of players clubs don’t need, but end up signing, either as a statement or with the intention of ‘giving the fans what they want’ or sometimes just because they played well in the World Cup (I am looking at you, James).
Take for example the transfer rumour involving Kieran Tierney to Manchester United, the 20-year-old Celtic left-back has been linked with a £15 million move to the English giants despite them having 5 players in the squad who can play in the position (Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson). I know, ridiculous.
But, there are a few transfers which on paper at least seem to be the perfect marriage, for the player, the club, the agent, the player’s family, and…I know you get the point. So here are five of those
#5 Javier Hernandez to Manchester United
Manchester United signed Javier Hernandez from Guadalajara for around £ 6.38 million in 2010, and by the end of that season, he had replaced Dimitar Berbatov as the first choice striker at Manchester United, with Wayne Rooney behind him.
In his 158 appearances for Manchester United (most of which are from the bench), he scored a staggering 59 goals among which quite a few were ‘Fergie time’ winners. When he signed for Bayer Leverkusen for just £ 8.5 million, it surprised teammates and fans alike, and he has gone on to score 39 goals in 76 appearances for the German giants.
Last season, Jose Mourinho in a press conference said, “We have some players that are not really players in love with the goal. They are good players, they can create, but naturally they are not the kind of guy that is a killer.
“I'll give you a simple example, in the way we play at Old Trafford, in the way we dominate opponents, the way we play in their box, I think Chicharito would have 20 goals, easy”, so why not throw a £14 million towards Bayer and outbid West Ham?
Well, the phrase “some questions are best unanswered ” was created just for occasions such as this.
#4 Jack Wilshere to Everton
Jack Wilshere’s current Arsenal contract ends at the end of next season, with no news of Arsenal offering the midfielder a new contract. Take a moment and let that sink in. When he broke through at the age of 17, he was hailed as the next big thing in English football (as was Theo Walcott or Tom Cleverly, but that besides the point) compared to the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Steven Gerrard.
10 seasons after his debut for Arsenal, he has gently fallen under the radar. His loan spell at Bournemouth showed, that given the opportunity he has the necessary talent to reclaim, at the least, his national team spot.
But, with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey ahead of him in the queue, he might not get the game time he needs at Arsenal. Everton, however, can do with a player like him, and if he is able to get back to his best, they can see themselves breaking their ‘seventh’ ceiling.
But, then again, they can keep him for, “What do we think of Arsenal?”.
#3 Jonas Hector to Liverpool
Jonas Hector is a left-back. He is not a right-footed winger, who wants to play in central midfield, neither does he forget during spells in games that he is actually a defender. Add to that, he is the first choice for his national team (who are, in fact, the reigning World Champions), and might be in his prime at 27, he seems like a no-brainer for Liverpool.
What’s more, he will be available to the Merseysiders for a fee around £20 million, which is exactly £40 million less than what Chelsea are willing to pay for another left-back Alex Sandro. But, why buy a left back when you have James Milner right?
#2 Kostas Manolas to Barcelona
The most reliable theme in Barcelona’s defence of the La Liga, and their Champions League campaign was them being exposed at the back when the duo of Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique weren’t available to lead the defence.
It is quite astounding to see the underinvestment in defensive positions of one of the biggest clubs in world football. Kostas Manolas, has been one of the most consistent defenders in the Serie A in the last season or two, and he has what none of the current Barcelona centerbacks has, raw pace.
The Greek international, has been scouted by Chelsea and have been linked with Manchester United, but his set of skills would be perfect for the Blaugrana as they aim to reclaim their League title and challenge in the Champions League. He would be available for anything around the £30 million mark.
#1 Kylian Mbappe to Arsenal
There is no secret to the fact that Arsenal desperately want Kylian Mbappe. Arsene Wenger has spoken of the prodigious talents of young Frenchman on more than one occasion, “He thinks that he needs to play but I would say as well on the other hand that the boy has made enough impression to be basically sure a club who spends a 100 million for you is basically to make at the start at least the red carpet”, he said.
“Nobody will buy a player for a 100 million and say, "Come on, sit in the stands"”, the Frenchman confirmed, virtually assuring Mbappe that he would be willing to pay £100 million for him, and would make him the main man at Arsenal. Make no mistake, despite, the absence of a League title in the last 13 years or Arsenal’s shortcomings in the Champions League, Arsene Wenger is one of the best managers around in terms of developing talent. He has an intimidating list of players on that list.
It makes sense for Mbappe to move to Arsenal as well, with the World Cup coming up at the end of next season, he would get plenty of game time (which he probably won’t if he moves to Real Madrid) and will be playing in League which is famously one of the most difficult to play in.
But, despite all this, it does really seem that the move, most likely, won’t happen. Only if they got the fourth spot.
