The most memorable transfer window of a generation

The football transfer window is like a kaleidoscope, with all the pieces falling together in intricate, unexpected but often beautiful ways. Beyond the usual personal terms, medical and fax machine lark, the pandemic further added to the complexity, producing a number of unforeseen results — Lionel Messi waving from a balcony in a white “Ici, C’est Paris” t-shirt being one and Premier League fans once again working out how to squeeze Cristiano Ronaldo into their fantasy team being another. So, with the window now shut and the domestic league in full swing, it is worth taking a look at how the so-called top 6 English clubs, the Super League 6, if you will, fared in this quite spectacular transfer season.

Arsenal

The despair engulfing Arsenal Football Club is threefold. Firstly, they have yet to win any of their three games this season, conceding nine goals in the process. Secondly, despite being the highest spenders in Europe this summer, the Gunners are (arguably) no better off than they were last season. Thirdly and finally, they will have the distinct pleasure of watching it all back in a multi-part Amazon documentary at the end of it all.

Of the five signings Arteta has made this summer — Lokonga, Odegaard, Ramsdale, Tavares and White — only Odegaard and White are potential starters. For even the untrained eye, it seemed common sense that a team aspiring for Champions League qualification who then subsequently finished 8th last season would need to adequately address their glaring deficiencies. The lacklustre incomings were followed up by confusing outgoings, or the lack thereof. Saliba’s gone on loan, Xhaka’s contract renewed and something is amiss with strikers Aubameyang and Lacazette.

Arsenal will have a tough time this season and with fan and media pressure building, Arteta’s job becomes increasingly difficult.

Chelsea

Under the previous managerial regime expectations were rock bottom for this Chelsea squad but now they couldn’t be higher. Whilst Tuchel did exceptionally well to guide his team to Champions League glory amid a misfiring Timo Werner it was clear the issue needed to be addressed if Chelsea were to have any chance of challenging for the title this season or even retaining their European crown. For a while Haaland was the top choice to lead the line but they quickly turned their attention to Lukaku and the Belgian has slotted into the side and the dressing room seamlessly.

The Blues finalised a deal for Saúl on deadline day who will provide further depth in midfield. Such is Chelsea’s depth that they go into the season with the likes of Loftus-Cheek and Ampadu as 5th and 6th choice midfielders.

Speaking of backups, the rise of Trevoh Chalobah as a first teamer eased the blow of the Jules Koundé deal collapsing. The transfer did look likely but fell through when Sevilla raised their asking price by €15m.

A Chelsea transfer window is not complete these days without a Hudson-Odoi saga. A loan move to Borussia Dortmund appeared to be on the cards for the 20-year-old but this was blocked by the club for reasons not quite clear. So it will be interesting to see how Tuchel manages such a huge and talented squad going forward.

Liverpool

Liverpool had a quiet window in comparison to their rivals, adding just a singular face to their ranks this summer. Centre-back Ibrahima Konaté was snapped up from RB Leipzig to provide some depth in the backline. The repercussions of their lack of signings remains to be seen but Juergen Klopp’s side do appear to be reaching the end of its cycle despite the obvious quality.

That signing was followed by the departures of Wijnaldum and Shaqiri, who joined Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon respectively.

Man United

Absolutely no one foresaw Ronaldo becoming a Manchester United player again. And yet the club announced an agreement with Juventus on an otherwise uneventful Friday evening when the Portuguese seemed nailed on to join Pep at City.

The United of 2021 is vastly different to one he left behind for Spain more than a decade ago but he will step right into a starting role alongside Ole’s other acquisitions, Sancho and Varane.

United fans including Gary Neville would have us believe the lack of adequate CDM options means they are still unable to win the Premier League but that simply doesn’t wash when you sign 5x Ballon D’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo to the ranks.

Man City

City will have to wait for a new No.9 having failed to pry Harry Kane away from Tottenham or Erling Haaland from Dortmund.

City did manage to land the jewel of English football, Jack Grealish setting a British transfer record. With Gabby Jesus and Ferran Torres fit and firing, City won’t feel a Kane-shaped hole in their team at all.

Tottenham

Daniel Levy showed why his reputation precedes him in keeping Harry Kane out of the clutches of Manchester City in spite of the striker’s best efforts to leave. Going on strike based on the broken terms of a gentleman’s agreement was foolish and as deadline day loomed Kane was forced to backtrack and commit to Spurs, at least for another season.

With the top 6 bolstering their sides and the likes of Leicester, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa building very good squads, the Premier League is looking extremely competitive this season. This transfer window will definitely go down in history as the most memorable of a generation.