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With 2018 coming to a close, football has overseen many glorious moments. From the golden generations of Croatia and France battling it out for the World Cup to Real Madrid winning the Champions League for a record 13th time, the footballing fraternity has seen it all. On a similar note, the football transfer market has also taken off with the same gusto and importance. The BPL saw two promoted teams spending more than 100 million for the first time in the history of English football. Recording breaking transfers were also the trend with multi-million deals for goalkeepers and defenders throughout the year. We take a look at the top five transfers that were done in 2018 and the impact it had on the team and possibly the league as well.
Honourable Mentions
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool FC to FC Barcelona, Jan 2018)
At the end of a very tiring and nagging transfer saga which had Liverpool and Barcelona fighting over Brazilian midfielder, Philippe Coutinho, a reported €130 million bid was accepted for the then-Liverpool player. While Coutinho took his time initially to get accustomed to Barca's style of football, he has enthralled the Camp Nou with his clever footwork and artistic skill on the ball.
Alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, Coutinho has scored four goals and one assist this season, adding to the eight goals and five assists he contributed in the 2017-18 season for Barcelona. With a pass success percentage of 87.3% according to WhoScored, Coutinho has been adored for his performances by one and all. Aged only 26, Coutinho is still to hit his prime and could be vital for Barcelona in the coming years as they eye for another historic treble.
Jorginho (Napoli to Chelsea FC, July 2018)
The arrival of former Napoli boss, Maurizio Sarri and "Sarrismo"/"Sarriball" has attracted a lot of attention towards Chelsea, who were in a rather delicate situation with Antonio Conte. During this period of time, Chelsea were able to steal Jorginho from the hands of Manchester City, whom Pep had earmarked to lead City to another emphatic title win.
Signed for a fee of €57 million, Jorginho is the key to Sarriball. He acts as the pivot and a key part through which Sarri dictates his style of play on to the pitch. With his ability to ease off the pressure and infiltrate the half-spaces, Jorginho utilizes his clever passing to initiate the transition from defence to attack quickly. With a goal on debut, Jorginho has been tidy with his performances and has impressed the Blues faithful with the Italian even breaking the Premier League record for most touches in the match. An average of 90.7 passes per game is an indication of Sarri's style of play and with 1.5 tackles on an average, per game, Jorginho has also proven his worth in the defensive third. Playing as a regista, similar to Andrea Pirlo, Jorginho will need to keep up his good performances for Chelsea to stay in the contention for the Champions League spots.
#5 Alisson Becker (AS Roma to Liverpool FC, July 2018)
Brazil International, Alisson Becker's deal to Liverpool for an estimated £66.9 million initially broke the transfer record for a goalkeeper. With a record transfer came huge aspirations and mounting pressure as he was touted to be the perfect player to complete Klopp's master plan. With the expectations of the Kop, Alisson Becker replied emphatically. With 10 clean sheets in the Premier League, Alisson leads the charts for most clean sheets and has easily been the best goalkeeper in a league that boasts of David De Gea and Hugo Lloris.
Apart from a mishap against Leicester City, Alisson has been assured on the ball and his ball playing abilities has added another dimension to an already-rampant Liverpool side. His save to deny Arkadiusz Milik for point-blank range against Napoli in a do or die match was magical. Performances against Chelsea and Manchester City and a total of 36 saves in the Premier League have enhanced his reputation has one of the best shot-stoppers in the world. With Alisson in the side, Klopp might be able to bring the Kop their first Premier League title in ages.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF to Juventus FC, July 2018)
Five-time Balon D'Or awardee, Cristiano Ronaldo's move worth €100 million to Juventus was subjected to jubilation from the Juventus fans and an equal amount of regret from the Madrid faithful. Considering his age, extracting a fee in excess of €100 million is a testament to the Portuguese attacker's talent and reputation. While Madrid have been struggling since the sale of their record goalscorer, Ronaldo has been flying high in the Serie A with his league-high 11 goals keeping Juventus at the top of the table. CR7 has also assisted five goals and his partnership with Mandzukic has been critically acclaimed by many.
Despite his age, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down with a huge 6.8 shots per game ratio and as many as four man of the match performances in the league. He even broke the club's record by becoming the fastest player in Juventus' history to reach 10 goals. While he has been relatively lethargic in the Champions League, Juventus will be hoping that Ronaldo fulfills the very purpose of his purchase by propelling them to the UCL Trophy come May 2019.
#3 Paco Alcacer (FC Barcelona to Borussia Dortmund, Aug 2018)
Dortmund have a knack of signing great talents to replace their outgoing talents and they have done it again once again with Paco Alcacer. With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving for Arsenal in January, Dortmund had tried Michy Batshuayi on loan to a fairly successful extent. But with the summer loan signing of Paco Alcacer, they have hit the jackpot.
Paco Alcacer has been netting goals for fun with a league-high 11 goals in the Bundesliga. What makes Paco's transfer even more mind-boggling is the fact that he has scored a goal in every 40 minutes playing for Dortmund in the Bundesliga. A classic case of being in the right place at the right time, Alcacer has already scored dramatic goals against the likes of Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and a thirty minute, match-defining hat-trick against Augsburg. With Dortmund already exercising their option to sign the Spain International at the end of the season, Paco Alcacer and his goals would be critical to leading Dortmund to their first Bundesliga title since 2012.
#2 Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao to Manchester City, Jan 2018)
Signed for £57 million to counter City's defensive woes, Aymeric Laporte has been sensational for the Citizens. With Laporte in the side, City have been nearly invincible with his astute reading of the game and extensive range of passing. Complemented by John Stones and Vincent Kompany, Laporte has been ever-present and virtually undroppable for Manchester City and has put in an average of 1.2 interceptions per game along with a pass percentage of 92.4. His partnership with John Stones is highly talked of and has seen them concede only ten goals in the Premier League, second to only Liverpool's tally of six. His performance in a gruelling 2-2 draw against Lyon, where he scored a goal was one of many instances where Laporte has shown his class and skill extensively.
While Deschamps has ignored Laporte for national duty, there is no denying that Laporte is one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. With quality left-sided centre-backs being very rare, City have found an astute player who could lead the line for them for at least the next 10 years.
#1 Virgil Van Dijk (Southampton FC to Liverpool FC, Jan 2018)
Netherlands captain, Virgil Van Dijk's transfer to Liverpool for a record-breaking £70 million was critically debated. Some wondered whether the fee was too high. After eleven months, the transfer fee looks quite less for his impact on Liverpool FC. Van Dijk has been exceptional for Liverpool and has been virtually unstoppable at Anfield with the Reds not losing a single game at their home since his arrival. With a meagre tally of six goals conceded, Van Dijk has evolved into the Premier League's best centre back.
Exceptional reading of the game, strong and agile - his performances helped Liverpool to a UCL Final where they were undone by Gareth Bale and possibly Karius as well. His stats are impressive with 4.4 tackles being won per game on an average along with 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game for the Reds. He has carried out this form for the country as well with superb performances against Germany and France in the UEFA Nations League. With two man of the match performances in the league and Liverpool sitting unbeaten at the top of the table, it wouldn't be along until greener pastures come calling for the Dutch International. If he continues to perform at the same level of intensity and quality, he could well be considered as one of the greatest signings in Liverpool's history.
