Wheeling and Dealing
- Daniel Austin-Chukwu
- Aug 24, 2024
- 4 min read
With the summer transfer window closing in just under a week’s time, clubs across Europe are strategizing what they need to add to their squads, as well as ponder the players that deem are surplus to requirements. We’ve already seen some high profile moves, and there could be a few more yet. So, for this week’s post, let’s go through some of the more interesting moves.
Kylian Mbappé (PSG to Real Madrid)
The biggest move of the summer, Mbappé finally made his long-awaited move to Madrid. The reigning La Liga and Champions League winners were already a force to be reckoned with, and now they’ve added the world’s best player to their ranks. Their front three of Vini Jr, Rodrygo and the Frenchman is going to cause defenders nightmares. It will be interesting to see how they all link up together. Mbappé likes to play off the left, but at Madrid he will most likely be the focal point of the attack. However, the fluidity within the front line means that they’ll be plenty of rotation between the forwards.
Pedro Neto (Wolves to Chelsea)
Once again, Chelsea have been active in the transfer market, signing 10 new players, with Neto being the standout. The Portuguese winger had his previous campaign at Wolves curtailed by injury, but his numbers were decent nonetheless and there’s no doubt he’s an exciting winger. His quickness and his one-on-one prowess are what makes him dangerous. The question is, where does he play? Chelsea have so many wide forwards that his starting spot isn’t guaranteed. He's the type of players that needs minutes under his belt, and the prospect of not starting regularly does question if the move will be the right one for him. Only time will tell.
Micheal Olise (Crystal Palace to Bayern)
It was only a matter of time before Olise left Palace, but I didn’t see him moving to the Bundesliga giants. I always thought he’d end up staying in England. It’s a shrewd piece of business from Bayern at only £35m, and him being only 22, his best years are ahead of him. Last year, he started showing the consistency needed to match the undeniable talent he has. Playing for a far more attack-minded team, I think he's going to do well for his new club. The German media have been critical of Bayern’s transfer strategy over the last few years, but Olise’s move represent a big step in the right direction.
Douglas Luiz (Villa to Juventus)
Villa needed to sell to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and the Brazilian was one of their most valuable assets. He was a vital player for them last season as Villa secured Champions League football, and his loss will be a miss. He has developed into an all-round footballer, doing everything that is required from a central midfielder. The middle of the park is an area where Juventus have some good young prospects but needed to be strengthened further. At 26, he’s at the peak of his powers and has all the tools to become a key player for the Bianconeri.
Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth to Spurs)
This window, we’ve seen a shortage of top strikers on the market, but Spurs have managed to get their man. The price tag is a little steep (£55m and £10m in add-ons), but Spurs fans could hardly care. We saw a different Solanke last season, a real goal threat and someone who’s good at linking up play. However, we’ve only seen one really season from him, at a club where the pressure wasn’t as big. Will he guarantee 15+ goals for Spurs? Can he do it for a team that wants to win trophies and qualify for the Champions League? I guess we’ll get the answers to these questions come May.
Julián Álvarez (City to Atlético)
The Argentine World Cup and Copa América winner has swapped Manchester for Madrid in what is seen as a surprising move. His £82m transfer represents massive profit for the Citizens and is the sort of money is hard to say no to. This is now his chance to be the main man, as he was always playing second fiddle to a certain Norwegian. His versatility will make him the ideal addition, as he’s comfortable playing as a lone striker, part of a front two or even just behind the striker. Atlético could end up being the perfect team for Álvarez to showcase how good he really is, and maybe prove a point to his former employers.
João Neves (Benfica to PSG)
Not many will be aware of who João Neves is. Even myself, I haven’t watched too much of him. All I know is he is highly regarded in his native Portugal as one of the country’s brightest young stars. Him signing for PSG does make sense. The Parisians have made an active effort to stray away from signing superstars, and instead, they are looking to invest in young, up-and-coming talent. This signing is further evidence of that. He’s only 19, so he’s most likely very raw and by no means the finished product. PSG are slowly assembling a midfield in Neves, Zaire-Emery and Vitinha that could be the engine room for the next 5-10 years.
Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern to United)
It’s no secret that one of the areas that needed strengthening is centre-back and they’ve tried to address this early. De Ligt was once regarded as one of the best young defenders whilst at Ajax, but his stock has taken a bit of hit during his time in Germany. He is still a good centre-back, he has a good reading of the game, and his athleticism goes a little under the radar. Ten Hag has coached him during his tenure as the Ajax manager, and the hope is he can produce a similar level of performances at United. I think the question mark is will he be able to solve United’s defensive issues single-handedly? That we’ll find out.
This Week’s Hot Take
We’ve seen quite a few big moves thus far, but I feel this window has under-delivered. Not that this is the best barometer to go by, but there hasn’t been a £100m+ player yet. That could change between now and the end of the month, but it’s unlikely. This could be done to PSR and FFP, which has meant there is more scrutiny on transfers. Overall, it’s been quite an underwhelming summer.
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