News that Arsenal are exploring avenues to wrangle Vini Jr away from Real Madrid landed like an atom bomb over the weekend. My YouTube feed was suddenly inundated with poorly photoshopped images of Vini Jr proudly donning the Arsenal kit.
5. Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United to Tottenham Hotspur for £92.5m)
The first of two Tottenham players in this lineup, Sandro Tonali is perhaps slightly unlucky to sneak into this last spot. The Italian midfielder has- at times- been a colossus in that Newcastle midfield. He is a hybrid midfielder who can sit deep but also play in a more traditional box-to-box role. I just think that £92.5m is way too much. De Zerbi is rolling like Richie Rich at the moment, looking to take the sledgehammer approach to the transfer window. I just don’t love this signing at this price (especially in tandem with another player who I’m yet to speak of). I always get a bit wary when Spurs flash cash: their track record with marquee signings has been dreadful in recent seasons. Most of their raging success stories are either grown in-house (like Kane) or developed over time (like Bale). Tonali has plenty of upside, but it all depends on the gel of this side (De Zerbi has a proper challenge on his hands).
4. Daizen Maeda (Celtic to Ipswich Town for £10m)
Looking to follow in the footsteps of successful Japanese imports like Endo and Mitoma, Daizen Maeda has been brought in by Gary O’Neill to bolster Ipswich Town in their return to the bigtime. Sure, this isn’t going to destroy Ipswich Town’s piggybank. I just think that the Japanese striker may struggle to adapt to the demands of the Premier League. Maeda has helped Celtic conquer Scotland, scoring 79 goals in 212 appearances. But he isn’t the most technically gifted of players, relying on hard work to mitigate some of his deficiencies. I think his first touch will get ruthlessly exposed by this league.
3. Mateus Fernandes (West Ham to Tottenham Hotspur for £85m)
Former West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes is a central cog in De Zerbi’s new midfield plans. But at £85m! That is insane when you consider that Arsenal are currently trying to secure Bruno Guimares for somewhere in the 70’s. Yes, the Portuguese midfielder is a tremendously talented player. The 22-year-old shone in an awful West Ham side last season, scoring high in defensive metrics while still possessing the ability to make incisive passes going forward. But lest we forget, this is a man who has been relegated in successive seasons (at Southampton and West Ham). I just don’t understand the evaluation.
2. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa to Chelsea for £117)
Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea have already splashed the cash during this window, breaking the British transfer record by buying Morgan Rogers from Villa for an astonishing £117m! And you can see why a club would be willing to spend an obscene amount of cash on Rogers. Still just 24 years of age, Rogers was one of the most exciting, dynamic attackers in English football last season. I just don’t see how he fits in alongside Cole Palmer. Palmer has been Chelsea’s standout player for the last few years and has looked most lethal in that No.10 role. I don’t think Rogers- especially at that price- is much of an upgrade on Palmer. Alonso may look for them to interchange but I still think this could upset Chelsea’s attacking equilibrium.
1. Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea to Aston Villa on Loan)
Viewed by some as one of the great wayward geniuses of European football, Alejandro Garnacho needs some stability (and consistent gametime). Aston Villa have rolled the dice on the flamboyant winger, completing a season-long loan with a conditional obligation to make the transfer permanent. Garnacho’s track record suggests he may struggle to fit into Unai Emery’s high-octane, tactically disciplined playing style. Garnacho essentially downed tools at United before struggling to meet the standards at Chelsea (teammates confronted him for his apparent laziness during the halftime break against Manchester United). Yeah, this could be an absolute disaster.
