Clubs conduct targeted strengthening.
The main transfer bomb has already exploded: Chelsea intercepted Mudrik from Arsenal and paid Shakhtar the requested 70 + 30 million euros. But the deals don’t end there, the top European clubs have done a few more deals.
Memphis Depay to Atletico Madrid
The Dutch striker’s previous season with Barcelona was more successful. Now the circumstances have overlapped: first of all, an injury prevented me from keeping fit. Because of him, Memphis missed more than a month and in total played only 2 matches in the Spanish League, scoring 1 goal. And Depay was unlikely to become the main option in the long-term attack: in the summer, the Blue Garnet signed an elite artist Robert Lewandowski, it was not possible to compete with him.
Consequently, since December there has been talk of the possible departure of the Dutch striker. It was reported that the head coach of the Catalans Xavi is against parting with him – he understands the situation in the club and realizes that in the face of financial problems it will be problematic to find another avant-garde player for the depth of the bench. It all boiled down to how profitable the offer would be and whether Memphis itself would request the sale.
Of particular interest to the forward was in England – Chelsea considered the Dutchman an opportunity to strengthen the attacking group (in the end, they took Felix), there was also an option with Newcastle (they were ready to pay 20 million euros). Rumors sent Depay to an already familiar Manchester United – they rejected the option with Felish and were ready to discuss a deal for the Barca striker.
As a result, we managed to reach an agreement with Atlético Madrid. The deal also included a first option to buy for Mattress fullback Yannick Carrasco.
Arsenal take the winger for the rotation
Leandro Trossard has joined the Gunners from Brighton. An important role in this transfer was played by an unsuccessful attempt to get Mikhail Mudrik. The Ukrainian was Londoners’ main transfer target for the winter window. Miner, realizing this, immediately began to dictate terms to him and demanded an amount close to that paid by Manchester City for Grealish. The Gunners gradually raised the offer and even reached €100m as Chelsea entered talks. But the Pitmen have agreed with the Blues to sign the young forward.
Arsenal urgently needed to look for a replacement – so the breeders of the club turned to the option with Leandro Trossard. Such an agreement can in no way be attributed to transfers for the future – the Belgian is already 28 years old, compared to Mudrik, this transition is less profitable from the point of view of the game.
With Trossard’s help, the Gunners will at least increase room for team rotation – before his arrival, Gabriel Martinelli was the left fielder in profile. Sooner or later this would lead to big problems. Leandro will be able to replace Gaby – now the Gunners can play on several fronts and give Gabi a break.
Bayern have found a replacement for Neuer
Jann Sommer’s move to Bayern would hardly have been possible if Manuel Neuer had been in good health. But the German, after failing at the World Cup, also broke his leg skiing.
The German giant began to look for an alternative: until the end of the season, Neuer is unlikely to appear on the field, this segment required a high-quality goalkeeper, so there was no need to worry about the last frontier.
One of the first was a rumor about interest in Dominik Livakovic, who became a bronze medalist with the Croatian national team world Cup. In addition to him, they tracked down Emiliano Martinez: the Argentine is mentally strong, good at 11-meter kicks and became world champion with the national team. The fallback was the aging Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
It is strange that the Bayern bosses decided to transfer Sommer for all intents and purposes. The Swiss is already 34 years old, and the German giant needs a generational change in this position rather than a second-age goalkeeper. In addition, Neuer already has a successor: Bayern Munich signed Alexander Nübel as a free agent, he has now gone on loan to Munich. And it would also be easier for the Germans to rent Jann: after the return of Manuel, the Swiss goalkeeper will no longer be needed, and the player himself is unlikely to accept the role of the second number.
Forward for West Ham
The Hammers have the biggest problems with implementation – David Moyes’ wards recently fought for European competitions, but now they are on the 18th line. West Ham’s Jamaican striker Michael Antonio has lost in scoring – after three consecutive seasons with 10 goals in the current championship, he has only scored twice.
The potential “iron” problem he tried to resolve in the summer, but the signing of Gianluca Scamacca spent the first part of the championship on the same level as Antonio. In the winter transfer window, West Ham bosses made a fresh attempt to find a quality finisher to come out of the prime, signed Danny Ings. The 30-year-old Englishman had his best seasons at Southampton but managed to score 6 goals in 18 games in the current Premier League.
The Hammers don’t have to choose, they urgently need to take advantage of the current situation in the tournament – the 18th team Premier League he can climb up to 14th if he wins in the next round, the density in this part of the table is phenomenal.
