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I composed an article a few weeks ago regarding which Premier League top six club was having the best transfer window.
The window ended on 9th August 2018, so there can be no other incomings or outgoings for any PL club. Players may leave for other countries, but cannot transfer between English teams. This marks a change from recent years, in which the window concluded after the season had started.
At that time, I deemed Liverpool's window to be the best, so it's time to see if I have revised my views since then. I had thought Liverpool made the highest profile signings, addressed key areas, and been the boldest of all clubs vying for the League and/or Champions League places.
A lot has happened for all of the clubs since then and we shall see how each has featured. Some clubs made some prominent deadline day signings, whilst others didn't. Even clubs outside the top six made some good signings like Yerry Mina to Everton.
Karius's errors cost Liverpool in the Champions League Final, and signing Alisson was a key measure in rectifying this. Moreover, Keita and Fabinho will add more pace, steel, and creativity in the midfield, and possessing this is key for any top team in the modern era. They also still have Salah, Firmino, and Mane, and Alexander-Arnold impressed a lot in the World Cup. Holistically, the team looks strong, and they have added very well to their existing line-up.
Akin to the prior article, I will come to a grading based on:
- Signing star factor
- Signing suitability (are key areas addressed)
- Will it help a team win trophies, or be better tactically
- Position relative to the other top six
The notion of "winning" a transfer window is silly, since it's not a trophy. But it's prime to see who will or won't prosper in the coming season.
Given how competitive the top six is, and the evident Champions League placements on offer, there is a lot of incentive to get the right players in. These clubs will be competing often for the same players, so it's key to get them in, and embed them as best as possible.
Will Liverpool have definitively "won" the transfer window? Let's see, shall we?
Tottenham Hotspur (6th)
RATING - 2/10
Despite the stadium debt, and a relatively settled side, Spurs fans and possibly Pochettino himself would be upset at not getting anybody.
What Tottenham need, possibly, is a real top-level signing. Somebody of genuine world-class stature, who can propel them from top four to league champions.
But this costs money, and that's something Spurs don't have at a premium, given current circumstances.
And their neighbours and "friends" Arsenal - whilst not strapped for cash in a major way - have bought reasonably, and not really big name players either.
United have signed Dalot, and Everton have signed several players who are not top-level, but affordable.
Tottenham, even with the stadium project, should have a ring-fenced transfer budget, and not to exercise this at all is negligent. Daniel Levy is pound for pound the best CEO/MD of any PL club. Considering Spurs' position when he and ENIC head Joe Lewis took over in 2001, vis a vis today, his input has been stark.
Nonetheless, Tottenham have a good team with some genuine world-class talent (namely Kane and Lloris), and numerous good players (Alli, Eriksen, Son, Dembele, etc.) A top-four place is not beyond them, but it's telling that they are not progressing. The stadium alone shouldn't hamper them.
Manchester United (5th)
RATING - 5/10
Mourinho has been very jittery in pre-season, and in some cases rightly so.
Even Alexis Sanchez, who joined them from Arsenal in Jan 2018, has been vocal in them getting top quality players.
However, they have gained Fred, Dalot, and Grant, but this may not be enough to close the gap on their "noisy neighbours".
City were a level above United and all others, and in fairness United already hold a top team with many great players. Pogba is a World Cup winner, and Lukaku had an excellent World Cup with Belgium. de Gea's WC was relatively poor, but he still is a top GK. Sanchez is yet to hit top form, whilst Lingard did well for England, and Rashford still has room for development.
A top-four place looks solid, but more is needed to catch City.
Manchester City (4th)
RATING - 5/10
Riyad Mahrez is a top player, no doubt.
But to be fair City didn't need to do much. Largely since:
- Tactically they are the strongest
- They have the best first XI
- Pep is arguably the best manager in the world right now
- They won the league in record fashion - literally
Complacency is seldom good. But then strengthening must occur practically and strategically. And with a balanced and winning team, it's often dangerous to change things to a high extent.
What City need is to win the Champions League, or at least challenge for it strongly. Retaining the league should be important, but Pep will be judged possibly more on his CL showings.
It may not be an outstanding window for them, but players should always be bought strategically, and not ad hoc to satisfy fans or the media.
Chelsea (3rd)
RATING 7/10
Chelsea fans were panicking towards the end, but they made some positive moves:
- Hazard, Willian, and Kante are staying
These are three world class players, who had they left would have caused a major crisis. Kante is a recent World Cup winner, and retaining him was essential, given the importance midfield control has in contemporary football.
- Replacing Courtois
Courtois departed for Real Madrid, whilst they have got Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao in kind. This denotes a world record transfer fee for a keeper, though it remains to be seen how well he can do in a new league and country.
- Jorginho
Jorginho adds more steel and creativity in the middle, and can greatly complement Kante.
The only negative is not improving their attack, with Morata not performing at all for them. This may be a hindrance to them getting top four, or challenging for the league.
Arsenal (2nd)
RATING: 7/10
Arsenal's signings haven't been big world-class names per se.
But unlike prior windows; there are some positives:
- Areas addressed
Lichtsteiner (right-back), Sokratis (centre-half), Torreira and Guendouzi (central midfield), and Leno (GK), have all been areas that the club needed to strengthen.
Past windows have seen piecemeal action, and not getting top strikers, defenders, or midfielders, when required. The commonly cited point amongst Arsenal fans in this fashion is only signing Petr Cech in the 2015 summer, which highlighted internal failings at the club and an inability to challenge properly.
- Rapidity
Most of the transfers were done early, and there was no last minute rush as per recent seasons.
With a new tactical approach, and existent talent like Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ozil, etc. could top four be back on? Who knows? It's clear that under Emery, Arsenal will hold a new look and new shape, given the apparent tactical and organisational issues at the club recently.
Liverpool (1st)
RATING: 9.5/10
Liverpool, by far, "win" the transfer window.
They made the highest profile and most astute signings, and surely are now best placed to rival City for the league.
Klopp also now has a team with the prolific Salah, Firmino and Mane in attack, and van Dijk in defence, to win the club's first league title since 1990.
Karius was an evident weak link last season, however, Alisson can surely make up for this.
So can Liverpool win the league? It remains to be seen, of course. But they are primed in a way to achieve this, arguably in the best means in PL history. They came close in the 1990s under Roy Evans, and flirted with it somewhat under Houllier and Benitez. And of course, a "slip" up cost them in 13/14. But this season it looks like Klopp is amassing a top squad, and it could be a decent year for them overall. His signings necessitate not just a PL challenge, but a trophy of some sort, whether the League Cup, FA Cup, or even Champions League.
Winning the transfer window though is one thing. But winning an actual trophy - and not just hypothetical/imaginary constructs - is something else. Liverpool are well-placed to do so, but teams have bought well before and not succeeded. Let's see how well they can do now, given their transfer window success.
