'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
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.
Stevan Jovetic – Fiorentina to Man City (£22m)
What’s the deal? Man City secure the talented Jovetic, supposedly after interest from Juventus and Arsenal dissipated.
Is the price right? It’s pretty much right, but possibly a tad on the expensive side. He’s only played 5 games in the main Champions League and has a goals to game ratio nearer to 1:4 than 1:2 that is normally desired. However, he is still only 23 so has room to improve.
Why sign him? City needed to add some more creativity and goal threat in deeper forward areas. They needed to replace Tevez.
Why sell him? Fiorentina have already replaced Jovetic by signing Ilicic and Gomez with the money so they were confident with letting him go for the price they were offered. They’ve made a big profit and still have a better attack.
Will it work? It depends. City have a lot of players for those forward areas so Jovetic won’t be guaranteed the kind of game time he probably needs. The other worry is that his injury record is appalling having not managed to play a whole season yet and missing an entire one three years ago. He could be a good partner for Aguero for sure, but only if they get time to build up a partnership.
Grade: B- He’s a quality player, but his injury history is terrible and City are signing so many players that they are creating a log jam upfront so he may not get enough action.
Alvaro Negredo – Sevilla to Man City (£20m)
Whats the story? City turn to Negredo after missing out on Cavani and he arrives with a good record in La Liga.
Is the price right? It’s a fair price but it’s not a bargain or anything.
Why sign him? Negredo is a hold up man and finisher, and City need a clinical striker after the wastefulness of last season. Negredo has six La Liga double figure goal seasons in a row so clearly has pedigree and hasn’t played for a team with the creative capacity that City now possess. He also gives a different physical dimension to Aguero and Jovetic whilst adding some solid hold up and distribution to the front line.
Why sell him? Negredo told Sevilla that he wanted to play Champions League football and the club are trying to make over the team so needed the money.
Will it work? It depends what City expect really. They are theoretically trying to build a team to win the Champions League and Negredo doesn’t seem to have that kind of talent. But, he could easily score 20 goals in the Premier League given the City supply line.
Grade: B Negredo is very good but not exceptional so given the other strikers they have I’m not convinced he’s the man to lead the club to a Champions League win. But, he’s a consistent goal scorer and can help them win the Premier League.
Hulk – Zenit St. Petersburg to Monaco (£52m)
What’s the deal? Not sure where to start with this. Having signed quality players like Falcao and James Rodriguez, Monaco have gone from ambitious to laughing stock. This is a disgraceful transfer.
Is the price right? Is the price right?! Hulk has only had one good season in his career, and has never done anything in the Champions League or one of the top five domestic European leagues. His power and ball striking possibly makes him worth about £8-12m at most because he can be a menace against moderate opposition. But this fee is a joke.
Why sign him? Because Monaco want to recreate Andre Villas-Boas’ Europe League winning Porto team, seemingly in it’s entirety. Oh and, because they can.
Why sell him? Zenit got mugged in to paying what’s believed to be over £40m for Hulk last summer. He had a bad year in Russia and they’ve somehow sold him for a profit.
Will it work? He can do a good job in the French league, maybe 10-12 goals if he gets rolling. That would be a really good contribution from a player they’d paid even up to £12m for. But he’s not as good as what future rivals PSG have and he’s not going to help them win anything in Europe. He can do a good job certainly, but not for anything even barely approaching the money.
Grade: Z- I was going to just use an A to F scale for these, but then this went down so I’ve got no choice but to go to Z-, the lowest I can possibly give.
Lucas Digne – Lille to PSG (£12m)
What’s the deal? PSG showing Monaco how to spend money properly, sign one of the top young, and French, left backs in the world to fill one of few weak spots in the team.
Is the price right? It can’t be denied that this is too much, but in some ways it isn’t. It is a lot to pay for a young man with one and a half seasons under his belt but he looks to have the talent to be really good, and they need French players so they kind of had to pay this.
Why sign him? PSG don’t have a proper left back, so why not sign a young man who looks like the next Patrice Evra to hold the position down for 10 years? He brings width pace and crossing ability as well as toughness in defence. Fills a huge need for a very long time.
Why sell him? It’s a lot of money in the French league, and a lot of money generally for a left back, never mind a 19 year old left back. Good business sense really.
Will it work? Yes. He will start every game straight away and probably for many years to come and is playing in a league he has already thrived in.
Grade: A It’s a lot of money but it was a massive need and he could yet become of the quality of Evra or Lahm.
Vito Mannone – Arsenal to Sunderland (£2.5m)
What’s the deal? After some decent showings when covering for injured Poles, Mannone gets a Premier League starting role for himself with Paolo Di Canio.
Is the price right? It’s a decent price all told. Not too much for it to be a big gamble.
Why sign him? The club sold Simon Mignolet to Liverpool which left them needing a starting calibre goalkeeper. He’s shown himself do be fairly good when deputising for Fabianski and Szcz?sny and obviously did enough to catch Sunderland’s eye. There are those who argue about how important the goalkeeper is but Sunderland fans might well get a lesson.
Why sell him? Arsenal already have two keepers and might be looking for a third. Realistically, they probably couldn’t really stand in Mannone’s way given that he’ll get a starting job.
Will it work? It’s one thing looking OK behind the league’s second best defence but quite another behind what could be an entirely new Sunderland back four. He’s unproven so it’s a big leap of faith when the likes of Mark Schwarzer were available. Not convinced.
Grade: C He’s an OK player I guess but like some of these other signings Sunderland have made, the question is whether they are really getting any better?
