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After a busy and exciting summer of movement, it is time to review the major transfers from around Europe. The archive of Grades from across the summer can be found here.
Gareth Bale – Spurs to Real Madrid (£85.3m) What’s the deal? Real smash the world record to get Bale, the best player in the Premier League last season. Is the price right? As with anything in this price range, it’s easy to see a high number and roll your eyes about how ‘football has gone mad’, but the truth of it is, Real wanted to buy the best player they could, and with Messi off limits, they went after Bale. Spurs didn’t want to sell, or if they did, they wanted so much as to be able to re-build the team with the treasure. You’ve got to pay more for a one bed flat in central London than a 6 bed house in Yorkshire, because that’s what the market says it is worth. Why sign him? It’s almost entirely because Barcelona signed Neymar, so they couldn’t be seen to be left behind. Football wise, he is an upgrade over Angel Di Maria so it does improve the team, but this was about the show, the statement. Why sell him? Lamela, Eriksen, Chiriches, Soldado, Capoue. Basically. Will it work? Bale has already spoken of being second fiddle to Ronaldo so worries about how the two of them will fare together should be eased. On the counter attack Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema could be almost literally unstoppable at times. He won’t get free kicks though, and if he’s cutting across the field to shoot he might find Ronaldo stood there waiting for the ball. However, they are two of the best players in the world so can surely work out how to play together effectively. Real Madrid Grade: A - They’ve bought one of the best players in the world adding even more pace and power to a team not lacking in those qualities. Spurs Grade: A - Although selling Bale is never a good thing, they were able to buy all those players before selling him, so although the clubs they were buying from knew that they would probably have the money eventually, the fact that they didn’t know for sure meant prices weren’t hiked up.
Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil – Real Madrid to Arsenal (£42.4m) What’s the deal? Arsenal finally break the habit of a decade and spend big money for an established world class player. Is the price right? Yes. No player has created more goals than Ozil in Europe over the last five years and he also scores at a good rate too. What they’ve got, is the best player in the team straight away. Unlike some players who have moved for big money lately, Ozil has years of success behind him, and at just 24 years of age, ahead of him. Why sign him? Because they had to. Although this isn’t exactly a panic buy, as last gasp signings go this is as good as there has ever been. Ozil not only immediately upgrades the Arsenal attack, but his presence will change the way Arsenal are viewed by other players. Scooping a starting quality player from Real Madrid is a big deal. Why sell him? With Isco having established himself as an Ancelotti favourite Ozil had already slipped down the pecking order and with the arrival of Bale, he became expendable. Not that Real fans or players agree with that mind. Possibly also sold to re-coup some of the huge outlay on Bale. Will it work? Yes. Ozil is a truly world class player and is slotting in to a team which is playing a style of football he is familiar with. Not only that, but he will have the total trust of Wenger and support from countrymen Mertesacker and Podolski. If anything, he can reach greater heights than at Real with that combination of factors. Arsenal Grade: A++ Yes they should have backed this up with another signing, and yes it’s a shame it came after the season started but objectively speaking, this is the best signing of the entire transfer window. Real Madrid Grade: D Regardless of the progress of Isco or the signing of Bale, this is still Mesut Ozil that they have sold. The reaction of fans and players says how important he was.
Marouanne Fellaini
Marouane Fellaini – Everton to Man United (£27.5m) What’s the deal? United’s only major summer signing follows David Moyes from Everton. Is the price right? No. It’s too much to pay anyway, even if they hadn’t let Fellaini’s £23.5m release clause lapse. Even at that price it would be a lot of money. Fellaini is good at what he does; causing an aerial menace and providing power from midfield, and gives United an extra dimension. But to pay so much money (only £8m less than they offered for Fabregas) for someone who isn’t going to dominate possession or add inventiveness is too much. Good player at what he does, but too much money paid for those skills. Why sign him? United don’t have any power or physicality in midfield. Carrick is tidy and intelligent and Cleverley works hard, but neither have that surging dynamism that Fellaini brings. When he was given license at Everton to roam in to dangerous areas there were games that he simply took over. Why sell him? The money was too good to turn down (although Everton wasted it, as I will cover later) and he wanted to go. Pretty straight forward in the end. They’ll be delighted to get £4m more than they expected. Will it work? It depends what they are using him for. In the Premier League he has shown that he can be an unplayable battering ram and will surely continue to cause chaos, certainly against physically smaller teams. But in Europe? Will he have enough refinement to help United improve on previous showings? Man United Grade: C He’s a good player, but is he a great player? Not in the Fabregas, Thiago, Ozil type class for sure. The mess made over his release clause implies that he wasn’t first choice, and rushing it through on deadline day isn’t very United like. Still, brings a new intensity to the team. Everton Grade: A Although they were lucky to get more than his expired release clause, they still got it.
Erik Lamela
Erik Lamela – Roma to Tottenham (£25m rising to £30m) What’s the deal? Spurs spent the Bale money before selling the Welshman and get a player projected for stardom. Is the price right? It is a lot of money and it’s being paid for a combination of reasons; his potential, his physical stature and his output of the last couple of years. All in all, it’s about right given that talent Lamela possesses is very rare indeed. He’s only 21 and already has a 15 goal season on his record. Why sign him? Lamela offers the mesmeric directness that the club lost with the sale of Bale. He gets goals from wide areas, mostly from cutting in from the right on to his left foot, and has a deft and creative range of range and crossing. At times Spurs were a little one dimensional last season, but he helps to give them a different one. Why sell him? The money was too good and it meant they could tie up a deal for Ljajic quickly. Also means that they are under no pressure to sell club icon Daniele De Rossi any time soon. Will it work? If he can adapt to the pace and hurly burly of Premier League life quickly he can become a superstar. Tottenham Grade: B+ He’s a wonderfully talented player with a lot of potential and gives them something they needed. Roma Grade: B They replaced him quickly, but his presence made them a darkhorse threat for a title push this season.
Mamadou Sakho
Mamadou Sakho – PSG to Liverpool (£15.5m) What’s the deal? Liverpool get their ‘marquee signing’ for the summer by securing the services of Sakho who can play centre back or left back, presumably as Daniel Agger’s long term partner. Is the price right? It is a lot of money, but with PSG not desperate to sell and considering Sakho’s pedigree, captain of PSG at 19 years of age and regular for the French national team, it’s about right. Why sign him? Although Kolo Toure was doing a decent job before injury, he was never brought in as the long term solution. Liverpool have been linked to Sakho a few times this summer and with Toure going down, wanted to capitilise on their good start to the season by adding Sakho. He’s an elegant, ball playing defender but Rodgers will have to coach out his proneness to daft errors. If he can eliminate them from his game he can be an elite player. Why sell him? He bounced around between left back and centre back, never really first choice in either spot over the last couple of years. Some high profile errors cost him the captaincy and untouchable status and with Marquinhos and Digne added this summer, his first team opportunities would have been limited. Mind you, the fans weren’t happy to see him leave. Will it work? It can do, because he has top notch talent. The question mark is really over whether he can stop the mad moments, perhaps caused by loss of concentration, and truly excel. Rodgers is a good coaching manager though so will have ideas on how to improve this in Sakho. Liverpool Grade: B+ Fills a big need and comes with pedigree. Needs coaching and patience but Liverpool can offer him that. PSG Grade: B- Have they given up on him too quickly? What if Marquinhos struggles initially, will they regret it? The fans aren’t happy which is usually a good barometer.
