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The transfer window has been flung open and this summer could be spectacular for player movement given the number of high profile clubs that have changed manager or who are coming off perceived down seasons. Over this summer, I will be explaining and analysing the major moves around and giving each one of them a grade.
Mario Gomez – Bayern Munich to Fiorentina (£16m)
What’s the deal? Gomez doesn’t really fit the bill for Guardiola so was made available. Fiorentina are showing impressive ambition and will be play in the Europa League next year.
Is the price right? This has to be one of the bargains of the summer. £16m for a player who scored every 64 minutes last season in the Bundesliga and who has a career record of 221 goals in 373 games is unbelievable. Yeah, he had a bad Champions League final in 2012 but so what? He’s a goal scoring machine.
Why sign him? Why not? Serie A isn’t a cut and dried league despite Juventus’ recent strength. Pairing him with Stevan Jovetic gives them the best forward pair in the league instantly.
Why sell him? Gomez isn’t a subtle enough player for Guardiola who will prefer a more technical option.
Will it work? Yes, presuming they give him proper supply. He has Jovetic and the newly signed Joaquin to help with that.
Grade: A++ Amazing value for Fiorentina and if they keep Jovetic they can win Serie A.
Arouna Kone – Wigan to Everton (£5m)
What’s the deal? Roberto Martinez takes one of his best Wigan signings with him to Everton.
Is the price right? It’s a bargain, thought to be because of a relegation release clause.
Why sign him? Everton needed a striker. Pure and simple. Jelavic had a very successful first few months in the Premier League in early 2012 but struggled last season. Anichebe is decent but not going to score anyone in to the top four.
Why sell him? It seems they didn’t have a choice.
Will it work? Yes. He scored 13 goals at Wigan last year so could easily take that up to 15-20 with the better supply he’ll be getting at Everton.
Grade: A Fixes a need for a good price. Tidy business.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – Shakhtar Donetsk to Borussia Dortmund (£21m)
What’s the deal? Dortmund swoop in from nowhere and beat Liverpool to the signing of the Armenian.
Is the price right? This doesn’t really fit the usual Dortmund signing pattern, but they do have £32m in the account from selling Gotze. He’s scored a lot of goals in Ukraine and looked good in the Champions League. Plus, buying from Shakhtar is always expensive as they have a lot of money themselves.
Why sign him? They needed to replace the goals and running from deep of Mario Gotze which he certainly offers.
Why sell him? Hard to say, but he seemed to want to test himself in a bigger league to try and prove himself as an elite player.
Will it work? Dortmund have an incredible recent record in the transfer market so it’s easy to assume this will too. The question is, will he buy in to the club’s philosophy? He’s used to being the star man and Dortmund don’t usually buy in to that. He’ll need to knuckle down.
Grade: B They’ve moved quickly and replaced Gotze but I’m not 100% that he was the best option they could get.
Nicolas Anelka – Free agent to West Brom
What’s the deal? Anelka comes back for another crack at the Premier League with his 6th club.
Is the price right? If West Brom have refrained from giving Anelka a huge wage then yes. They tend to pay lower wages and then give pay rises to keep their own so it would be unusual if they break character.
Why sign him? West Brom have lost the pace and goals of Lukaku so needed to bring something new to their attack.
Why sell him? He’d run down his contract in China after it didn’t go at all well.
Will it work? Clarke worked with Anelka at Chelsea so he knows all about his ‘Le Sulk’ personna and is presumably willing and able to cope with that. Anelka revived his career at Bolton playing in a mid table team where he was the big name so perhaps being the big fish could get a good season from him.
Grade: D He’s 34 now and not what he was. Very unlike West Brom to make a signing like this. They tend to prefer careful and good scouting for players who will battle for the club.
Jozy Altidore – AZ Alkmaar to Sunderland (£4m)
What’s the deal? Altidore gets a second try in England as Di Canio continues his entire overhaul of the Sunderland squad he inherited.
Is the price right? Thought to be about £4m with add ons to come based on performance. It’s a fair price to pay given his physical talent and that he’s really only had a couple of good seasons since coming to Europe.
Why sign him? Sunderland need goals and pace in attack. Altidore scored 38 goals in 67 games at AZ and would buy in to Di Canio’s hard work policy.
Why sell him? AZ aren’t what they were and can’t afford to turn down decent money.
Will it work? Possibly, but possibly not. Altidore isn’t going to produce goals on his own, so will need good supply. However, Sunderland’s main problem, and one they haven’t addressed, is that they dont have any creativity. Unless they add some he won’t get to 10 goals.
Grade: C Decent enough if he can step up to the Premier League but needs players to provide for him.
