It would be tempting to think that once the World Cup begins, transfers will just fade into the background, but that is far from the case.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is happy for players to negotiate transfers as long as it doesn’t interfere with his team’s plans, and that’s exactly what Elliott Anderson did when he secured a club-record move to Manchester City.
But what if you don’t make a deal for a nine-figure sum? Don’t think for a second that the club was sitting around waiting for the hidden gem of the World Cup to reveal itself. Oh no, they’ve been working remotely and closing deals.
Xabi Alonso is Chelsea’s first signing, and amidst the commotion of their best players leaving Newcastle, they have actually spent more than £40m on new talent.
Now that the North American tournament is over and the players have proven themselves on the biggest stage, more deals are expected. Morgan Rodgers’ British record move to Chelsea is one example. Bradley Barcora, Yan Diomande, Ferran Torres and Ayyoub Bouadi could all be eligible for big money moves.
But as clubs up and down the Premier League look to strengthen their positions, here are a number of deals you may have missed while watching the World Cup.
Illan Meslier – from Leeds to Arsenal, free
Arsenal are considering signing a new backup goalkeeper and have acquired Ilan Meslier, who became available on a free transfer after his contract with Leeds expired. He was highly regarded when he first established himself in the Whites’ starting XI, but his mistakes continued to pile up and he was dropped at Elland Road. Although he was unable to force a return, the 26-year-old still has time to build a career elsewhere, even if he is set to replace David Raya at the Emirates.
Ilan Meslier was left out after damaging Leeds in the past (Image: Richard Lee/REX/Shutterstock)
Marco Palestra – Atalanta to Chelsea, £47m
Alonso is Chelsea’s new manager and the Blues are no strangers to the transfer market. They signed Atalanta full-back Marco Palestra, but he was set to move to Inter Milan before the Premier League side could show off their financial muscle by securing his presence.
The 21-year-old was previously named Serie A’s Defender of the Year after an excellent season on loan at Cagliari and was signed by the Palestra at Alonso’s request, where he can play in a back four or a back three.
Bazoumana Toure – Hoffenheim to Newcastle, £43m
Newcastle’s transfer window has been a disaster. They sold Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, while also missing out on Victor Muñoz, who chose Liverpool instead. However, they managed to sign Hoffenheim’s Ivorian winger Bazmana Toure.
They paid big for the 20-year-old, who provided 12 assists for Germany last season, and hope to see him blossom over the next few years.
Bazmana Toure moves to Newcastle
Harry Wilson – Fulham to Leeds, free
The Welshman continued to make headlines last season with a string of big goals, some of which showed real quality, but each time he was asked if and when he or his then-manager would sign a new contract with Fulham.
Wilson ultimately turned against Leeds in search of a new challenge, but Leeds cemented their place in the top flight last season, winning the race for the player who scored 11 goals and provided a further eight assists in all competitions last season.
Alvaro Rodriguez – Elche to Bournemouth, £26m
The Cherries, based in Europe for the first time, are becoming one of the best clubs in the industry when it comes to signing unknown talents who go on to become successful. They have now signed Elche striker Álvaro Rodríguez, a Uruguayan former player from Real Madrid’s youth team.
Even though he was playing for a team in a relegation battle, he was still in the spotlight, contributing 12 goals. He will praise their main players as Bournemouth insist their top players are not going anywhere.
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