With the transfer window slamming shut we look at some of the transfers that will have the most impact at their new clubs.
Dušan Vlahović - Fiorentina to Juventus (£62.5m)
Juventus enjoyed their best transfer window in a decade securing young exciting talents at reasonable prices, whilst clearing out much of their deadwood. The star signing was of course Serie A joint-top scorer Vlahović, who on his birthday joined the Old Lady and took the number vacated by his idol Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer. This transfer window could have the transformative effect the 2011 summer window did turning 7th place Juve into champions the following season.
Robin Gosens - Atalanta BC to Inter Milan (£20m loan to buy)
A late bloomer, Gosens scored 29 goals and got 21 assists in his 157 games for La Dea since joining from the Eredivise. No mean feat for a left-back! His attacking output has led to comparisons with Andreas Brehme who was voted Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1989 whilst living the “Deutsche Vita” with compatriots Matthäus and Klinsmann at Inter. You would expect Gosens to make an instant impact for the Scudetto holders, fitting perfectly into Simone Inzaghi’s tactics where Ivan Perišić has been valiantly filling in at left wing-back so far this season.
Ferran Torres - Manchester City to Barcelona (£46.3m)
Linked with the club for nearly 5 years, Barça finally got their man. Despite reported financial issues that saw them lose their talisman Lionel Messi in the summer, some “creative accountancy” allowed them to secure one of Spain’s hottest talents. Expect him to take the “David Villa” role as Xavi looks to rebuild the club’s philosophy from the Pep Guardiola era.
Bruno Guimarães - Olympique Lyonnais to Newcastle United (£33.3m)
Although the Saudi billions had Newcastle fans dreaming of Haaland and Mbappé, the Magpie’s secured one of the most sensible transfers of the window. A young, hungry midfielder who will energise the midfield and most importantly, like South American imports Noberto Solano, Tino Asprilla and Jonás Gutiérrez before him his name sounds great in a thick Geordi accent.
Julián Álvarez - River Plate to Manchester City (£15m)
Possibly the most exciting talent to come out of Argentina since a certain other diminutive forward to play under Pep Guardiola. Despite only turning 22 on Transfer Deadline Day, he has an impressive goalscoring record of better than a goal every two games for River. With the attacking talent City have at their disposal, expect him to become a goal machine force of nature over the next few years.
Wout Weghorst - Wolfsburg to Burnley (£12m)
When Burnley lost Chris Wood to Newcastle United, Clarets fans may have worried it was the beginning of the dismantling of their team with the spectre of relegation looming. Few people suspected Sean Dyche had a 2 metre tall Dutchman hidden up his sleeve! With one of the best chance conversion rates in the Bundesliga and costing half the price of the man he’s replacing, this could be the signing to turn Burnley’s season around.
Darío Benedetto - Olympique de Marseille to Boca Juniors (£3m)
A modern day icon for Boca fans, Benedetto was voted Argentinian Footballer of the Year by journalists as he led the Xeneizes to their 32nd national title. Despite scoring in both legs of the 2018 Copa Libertadores final, he was unable to prevent Boca losing to rivals River Plate in the “Final to End All Finals.” After initial success he found himself slipping down the pecking order in Marseille and is understood to have waived a significant amount of contractually entitled wages in order to rejoin Boca and play under Sebastian Battaglia.
Dele Alli - Tottenham Hotspur to Everton (Free rising to £30m)
4 years is a long time in football. In 2018 Alli was valued as the most expensive midfielder in World Football by CIES after back to back PFA Young Player of the Year awards, and started the majority of England’s games at the World Cup. Now he is being sent out to a Premier League rival on a “pay as you play” transfer deal and hasn’t appeared for the national team in nearly 3 years. If anyone is likely to get the best out of him, it is likely to be Frank Lampard who played in a similar position to Alli, and developed Mason Mount into Alli’s successor for England.
Goran Pandev - Genoa to Parma (Undisclosed)
Yup, he’s still going. The Macedonian icon had originally declared his intention to retire after North Macedonia’s appearance at Euro 2020. However, after the tournament was delayed due to the pandemic he continued until 2021. His form at the tournament convinced him to play on, and despite again declaring his intention to retire this summer, you would bet against him extending his career in Serie B. Particularly at Parma’s old folk’s home with a squad including 44 year old Buffon and 37 year old Danilo.
Christian Eriksen - Inter Milan to Brentford (Free Agent)
On the 12th June 2021 the world of football stopped and prayed for Eriksen as he lay on the turf of the Parken Stadium, Copenhagen. Now 7 months after the heroic actions of his teammates and the matchday medical team the Danish playmaker is set to make a miraculous return to the pitch. Released by Inter Milan as Serie A rules prohibit anyone with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator playing in the league, Eriksen was picked up by Brentford manager Thomas Frank who coached him for Denmark at under 17 level.
Rodrigo Bentancur & Dejan Kulusevski - Juventus to Tottenham Hotspur (£25m rising to £55m)
Despite relative success in Turin the pair have been moved on in order to refresh Juve’s stumbling squad and free up funds to allow the signings of Vlahović, Zakaria et al. Bentancur should flourish in Conte’s 3-5-2 becoming the perfect link between defence and attack in the role Lo Celso failed to nail down. Kulusevski has bags of potential but may not have a natural starting place already, hence the initial long-term loan deal. Most likely he’ll start as a “Mezzala” as an outside centre-midfielder, but he may well push forward and be Harry Kane’s long-term strike partner if Son’s injury problems continue.
Kylian Mbappé - Paris St Germain to Real Madrid (Free Agent - End of the Season)
As the transfer window opened Mbappé entered the final six months of his PSG contract and Real wasted no time in securing the services of the most valuable player in the world on a free transfer. Transfermarkt estimate Mbappé to be worth approximately £160m and you would have to expect a team would have to double that to secure his services. Instead Real splashed the cash on his wages on a reported £40m a year, 5 year contract. As with Vlahović he is expected to take his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo’s former squad number 7.