Sport
Transfer window winners and losers | 2020/21
With the international transfer window having slammed shut, managers in the Premier League will now have to cope with their squads as they stand until it reopens in January, unless they fancy raiding the lower leagues in the next week. Transfer Deadline day on Monday saw a few panic buys, albeit no crazy transfers, as clubs tried to fix holes in their teams before it was too late. But with finances stretched as a result of the coronavirus crisis decimating revenues it was always going to be a challenge to get deals done. We’ve taken a look at look at some of the transfer window winners and losers after summer 2020/21.
Transfer window winners and losers
Winners
Everton
Signings: James Rodriguez, Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Ben Godfrey, Niels Nkounkou, Robin Olsen
With four wins out of four, Everton top the embryonic league table and that is partly down to a fantastic window in which Carlo Ancelotti did most of the Toffees’ business early. As such they top our transfer window winners and losers list.
James Rodriguez has already had a transformative impact on Everton and he has been joined in a wholly new-look midfield by two other top-class signings in Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Centre-back Ben Godfrey then arrived from Norwich City on deadline day to improve their defensive depth, while competition for struggling goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will come from Robin Olson, after the Sweden international joined on loan from Roma. Great business.
Aston Villa
Signings: Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ross Barkley
Along with Everton, Aston Villa have a perfect Premier League record having produced the result of the season so far, demolishing champions Liverpool 7-2 at Villa Park on Sunday.
New signing Ollie Watkins hit a hat-trick against the Reds to pay off a lump of the £28 million fee that was paid to Brentford for his services, while Emiliano Martinez is a big upgrade in goal.
Signing Ross Barkley on loan from Chelsea is regarded as a coup but their best business might be tying captain and hometown hero Jack Grealish to a new deal. He destroyed Liverpool.
Tottenham
Signings: Sergio Reguilon, Matt Doherty, Gareth Bale, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Hart, Carlos Vinicius
Daniel Levy is one of the canniest operators in the Premier League and, despite some early concerns over a lack of incomings, Spurs had a fantastic window with the return of Gareth Bale on a loan deal from Real Madrid one of the most eye-catching signings of the window.
Matt Doherty and Sergio Reguilon are upgrades on Serge Aurier and Ben Davies at full-back, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg adds steel in midfield.
Cover for Harry Kane also finally arrived in the form of Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius on a loan deal, with an option to buy for £40 million, but Spurs still need a dominant centre-back.
Losers
Burnley
Signings: Will Norris, Dale Stephens
With no points on the board after three poor performances, Burnley supporters could be in for a long season and there have been no major signings to lift the gloomy mood at Turf Moor.
Midfielder Dale Stephens came in from Brighton – six years after Sean Dyche first tried to sign him – but the necessary pace and youth has failed to arrive to help out a small, ageing squad.
Burnley need to get players such as Ben Mee and Jack Cork fit after they were unable to plug gaps and refused to meet Liverpool’s £20 million asking price for Wales winger Harry Wilson. They look set for a very long, difficult season and are top of the wrong section of our transfer window winners and losers.
Fulham
Signings: Anthony Knockaert, Antonee Robinson, Alphonse Areola, Harrison Reed, Kenny Tete, Mario Lemina, Ola Aina, Ademola Lookman
The last time Fulham were promoted they brought in far too many players, seemingly at random, and sunk without trace despite splashing out in the region of £100 million.
Spending has been more limited this time but the same mistakes appear to have been made, with Scott Parker’s squad bolstered by lots of new faces who lack Premier League experience.
Fulham struggled to sign a centre-back despite this being an obvious weakness in the play-off winners’ side, leading director of football Tony Khan to apologise to fans via social media.
They eventually landed Tosin Adarabioyo and Joachim Andersen in a wild trolley dash on deadline day, while midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek came in on loan from Chelsea.
Manchester United
Signings: Donny van de Beek, Alex Telles, Edinson Cavani, Amad Diallo, Facundo Pellistri
Manchester United’s shortcomings were ruthlessly exposed by old boss Jose Mourinho before the window closed with the 10-man Red Devils humiliated 6-1 at Old Trafford.
That led to action on deadline day with Edinson Cavani signing on a free transfer to add to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s attacking options, while Brazilian left-back Alex Telles came in from Porto.
But again it was a story of missed opportunities for United, who wanted to sign an elite winger but failed to land top target Jadon Sancho, as well as Bale and Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele.
Watford’s Ismaila Sarr may yet be an option as players from the Football League can still move clubs, while teenagers Amad Diallo and Facundo Pellistri join United with the future in mind.
United also desperately needed a centre-back with captain Harry Maguire out of form so matching last season’s finish in third place now looks to be a tough ask for them.
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