Sport
Premier League transfer deadline day 2021: Ranking the title contenders
Transfer deadline day for summer 2021 has come to an end and it can quite confidently be stated that it has been an intense and thrilling window. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect football clubs around the world, it’s not been a straightforward summer for most European teams.
Nevertheless, it has not prevented most Premier League clubs spending without any hesitation. Indeed, four clubs have spent more than £100million and 12 clubs in the top-flight of English football have spent over £50million within the market. Arsenal end the window as the highest spenders in the league, while Everton spent just less than £2million throughout the summer.
However, our focus is purely on the big four sides in the Premier League at the moment and how they went around with their business this summer, whether they completed the signings they needed to take them to next level and who they managed to bring into the club over the last couple of months.
Without further ado, here are the rankings of the Premier League top four sides after the 2021 transfer deadline day closed.
- Manchester City
From being closely linked to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane, to ending the transfer window with only signing Jack Grealish. It’s been an unconvincing summer for Manchester City compared to their usual standards.
Although Pep Guardiola’s side has quality and depth in each area of the squad, a replacement for Sergio Aguero has not been found or an upgrade on left-back Oleksandr Zinchencko, leaving the team with limitations in the starting XI.
Focusing on Grealish, his versatility will come in handy for the side, as he has the capability to perform at a high level as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or on the left wing. This will allow Guardiola to rotate around the options he will utilise in the forward role, with individuals such as Gabriel Jesus, Ferran Torres and Raheem Sterling available to him for that specific position.
Overall, Manchester City have not had a dominant transfer window and the Premier League title race could be more open as a result. They may also have limited their chances of Champions League success. With no signings made in the areas that were required at the conclusion of transfer deadline day 2021, they aren’t much stronger than last season.
What was needed: Centre forward, left back, defensive midfielder.
Who did they buy? Jack Grealish (attacking midfielder), Scott Carson (goalkeeper).
Summer window rating – 3/10
- Liverpool
Given the side’s injury issues at the heart of defence last season, Liverpool were intelligent to make their first signing of the summer a defender in Ibrahima Konate. As both Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have an unfortunate record with injuries, as well as there being no certainty of whether Virgil van Dijk would return to his best from a cruciate ligament injury or not, a centre-back was a huge priority.
Although Konate was the club’s one and only signing of the window, they have continued to show their incredible ability of selling players at a high value through sporting director Michael Edwards, who is leaving the club at the end of the season, and who has been able to sell the likes of Harry Wilson, Taiwo Awoniyi and Xherdan Shaqiri for just under £25million.
In the end, Jurgen Klopp will not be satisfied with the transfer window that the Liverpool owners have delivered. Despite rumours in the build up the 2021 transfer deadline day, a replacement signing not been made for Georgino Wijnaldum, who left the club as a free agent.
On top of that, an attacker has not been brought in to bring further competition to the squad, especially with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane going away for the African Cup of Nations from 9th January 2022 till potentially 6th February 2022.
What was needed: Central midfielder, centre back, centre forward.
Who did they buy? Ibrahima Konate (centre-back).
Summer window rating – 4/10.
- Chelsea
Considering how Chelsea are set-up in a strict and disciplined system under Thomas Tuchel, the understanding of the type of players they required going into the transfer window was quite clear. The main department they needed to strengthen was the forward area, where they have now gone from the inconsistent Timo Werner to a goal-scoring machine in Romelu Lukaku. This, for many, makes the Blues Premier League title favourites over both Manchester City and Manchester United.
Although it had seemed like Chelsea were going to have a quiet transfer window like Liverpool, they managed to complete the signing of Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez on a loan deal in the final moments of the 2021 transfer deadline day. The Spaniard will provide the further quality and extra option in midfield, which is already filled with talented players such as Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante.
Roman Abramovich has done perfectly well to deliver a world class striker and a box-to-box midfielder, helping the side to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League. Though, it would have been a 10/10 window if a centre-back was brought in to upgrade on either of Andreas Christensen or Antonio Rudiger, with a potential move for Sevilla’s Jules Kounde failing to take place.
What was needed: Centre-forward, centre-back, central midfielder.
Who did they buy? Romelu Lukaku (centre-forward), Marcus Bettineli (goalkeeper), Saul Niguez (central midfielder).
Summer window rating – 8/10.
- Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has without a doubt been backed by the Glazers, following the arrivals of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo in a single summer window. The signs were there in the final months of the season, that a dominant partner was required for Harry Maguire, as well as a winger to create chances and provide width, which they found in a matter of weeks after the Euros.
And to top it off, Manchester United hijacked Manchester City’s move of signing Cristiano Ronaldo and have brought him back to Old Trafford neaar the close of the 2021 transfer deadline day, 12 years after he had left the club for Real Madrid. The 36-year-old will bring his winning mentality and experience as a leader into the dressing room, where the expectations on the manager and the squad has now massively increased since his arrival.
However, without the arrival of a central midfielder, the team lacks the needed balance and crucial discipline in the middle of the pitch, as seen in the side’s first few league games of the season. Had they brought in an individual such as Brighton’s Yves Bissouma, the window would have been 10/10.
What was needed: Right winger, central midfielder, centre back.
Who did they buy? Jadon Sancho (right winger), Raphael Varane (centre back), Tom Heaton (goalkeeper), Cristiano Ronaldo (centre forward).
Summer window rating – 8.5/10.
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