I think everyone need’s a bit of reset following Sunday’s World Cup final. What was supposed to be the crowning moment of an entertaining- if needlessly convoluted- tournament soon devolved into an endurance test.
Argentina didn’t want to play football and the extended halftime show just prolonged the agony. Argentina’s post-match antics will live in infamy while Trump attempting to gain Spanish citizenship for the trophy presentation was cringe-inducing. I think this is the perfect time to shift towards the upcoming club football season. I have decided to do a little ranking of what I believe to be the best five acquisitions by Premier League clubs in this window thus far. I haven’t opted for purely headline-grabbers (I personally think Rogers to Chelsea is a crazy deal that will just alienate Cole Palmer). I have looked at all levels of the spectrum, scouring free transfers and mega-money deals to find my five picks.
Sidenote: This list doesn’t include completed deals for players who have already represented their club (Hincapie at Arsenal, etc).
5. Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest to Manchester City) – £116m
I know that the ridiculous price-tag is an eyebrow-raiser. There was a time where a 100m+ price-tag was reserved for Ballon d’Or contenders and goal machines. We are living in different times now. The truth is that midfielders of Anderson’s ilk (and age) are a scarce resource. Anderson is a true box-to-box beast, with the ability to sit in when necessary and progress the ball when his team is on the front-foot. He scored four goals and registered four assists for Forest last season, rightfully earning his place in the Premier League Team of the Season. He and Rodri should dovetail perfectly: Rodri anchors the game in the 6 while Anderson is free to progress the ball as the 8. The signing also works as a bulwark against any Rodri-Real Madrid shenanigans. This has the capacity to be a Declan Rice-style, transformative signing.
4. Andrew Robertson (Liverpool to Spurs) – Free Transfer
This looks like it could be De Zerbi’s low-key move of the summer. The Italian has blown the transfer window apart already this window, spending a combined £237m on the trio of Tonali, Fernandes and van Hecke. These types of bold windows haven’t always been kind to Spurs in the past. The summer of 2013 is a case in point, as they purchased five flops in Soldado, Capoue, Chiriches, Chadli and Paulinho (though Eriksson and Lamella proved more successful). I just think the Scottish captain will give them some desperately needed leadership (not to mention a heap of Premier League experience). He should be the ideal figure to help bed in the new talent.
3. Victor Munoz (Osasuna to Liverpool) – £34.5m
I think this could be the type of electrifying singing that characterized Jurgen Klopp’s early reign at the Reds. Munoz should feel emboldened after being part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad (he was injured but still got a winner’s medal as an unused substitute). Munoz did brilliantly in a struggling Osasuna side last season, scoring six La Liga goals and picking up two assists to help the minnows barely survive the drop. He is a top-class dribbler who loves carrying the ball. In fact, he had an average carry progress of 10.5 meters last season (the most amongst wingers in Europe’s top five leagues). He also completed the most successful dribbles in a single match, bamboozling Rayo Vallecano with 12 dribbles. Munoz could be the ideal vehicle through which Araloa can implement his high-pressing, high-intensity style.
2. Johan Mazembi (SC Freiburg to Aston Villa) – £59.5m
Johan Mazembi is one of the most exciting young prospects in European football. The versatile midfielder is dynamic in every way, industrious enough to play box-to-box and technically gifted to the point that he can occupy the No.10 role. He is almost a two-way replacement for both Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers. The 20-year-old was outstanding for SC Freiburg last season, recording 17 goal involvements in 47 appearances across all competitions. He played a pivotal role in the German club’s run to the Europa League final, earning the Europa League Young Player of the Season award. He also starred in the Swiss World Cup campaign, scoring three goals and assisting two others to underline his burgeoning reputation on the world stage. Unai Emery knows how to nurture young talent and should be able to take Mazembi to the next level.
1. Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa to Manchester United) – £35m
You are going to have to go a long way to beat this signing. Manchester United were quick on their feet in the aftermath of the Ederson deal falling through, initiating a £35m release clause in Youri Tielemans’ Aston Villa contract. And what a signing this is. Tielemans is the very definition of Premier League-proven, fresh off a highly successful- albeit injury-effected- season for Villa. Tielemans is exactly the sort of technically gifted, composed midfielder that United need to better balance their midfield options. His ability to execute line-breaking passes will give them another creative nexus outside of Bruno. Tielemans has also proven to be a big-game guy, scoring a wonder-goal to win the 2021 FA Cup final before netting the 2nd in Villa’s triumphant European League final victory last season. He is also fresh off scoring two goals while captaining Belgium at the World Cup. Tielemans could well prove to be the buy of the season.
