Done Deals
Raheem Sterling
The most expensive transfer of the summer was finally confirmed Tuesday when Manchester City paraded 20-year-old Raheem Sterling around their facilities after signing him from Liverpool. According to several media outlets, the fee paid for the young England midfielder climbed up to £49 million (third most expensive player in Premier League history). After this very public breakup with Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool, it will be interesting to see whether or not Sterling will be able to shine at the Etihad Stadium. Usually deployed on the wings, the Englishman will compete with the likes of David Silva, Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas for playing time.
Manchester United
Getty Images
United’s CEO Ed Woodward has elevated himself to an almost god-like status amongst the supporters after the amazing weekend the club had. Woodward helped to orchestrate three blockbuster signings with German legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, Southampton star Morgan Schneiderlin, and Italian right back Matteo Darmian joining the Red Devils. These players fill major voids that were present at Old Trafford in terms of defensive midfielders and a right back. Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin will provide a formidable pairing in front of the center backs and make United’s midfield one of the deepest in the league. The addition of Darmian means that the team will no longer rely on Antonia Valenica to man the right back position and likely signals the end of Rafeal’s tenure at Old Trafford. Do these signings make the Red Devils a title contender? I sure hope so.
Asmir Begovic
The departure of Petr Cech to rivals Arsenal last week meant that Chelsea were lacking a solid number two keeper to back up Thibault Courtois. Jose Mourinho worked very quickly to fill this vacancy by signing Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian keeper helped push Stoke to a ninth place finish last season and posted seven clean sheets along the way. Begovic told Chelsea’s website that he received no guarantees over playing time during his stay at Stamford Bridge, but there’s no doubt that Chelsea provide a much higher chance of winning silverware than Stoke City. Pending an injury to Courtois, expect Begovic to appear in Capital One Cup games and maybe a Champions League group stage match.
Iker Casillas
The most decorated goalkeeper in Real Madrid history has found a new home. After 15 years in the capital, Iker Casillas said farewell to his boyhood club in a teary-eyed press conference as he left to join FC Porto. The final years of Casillas’ stay in Madrid came with boos from the fans and some time on the bench under Mourinho’s reign of the club. With the increased speculation that David De Gea is set to join the club, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Casillas was pushed out of the Bernabeu. Porto now have one of the most storied keepers in the game on their roster and Madrid fans must now say goodbye to a club legend.
Getting Traction
Angel Di Maria
Just a year after becoming Manchester United’s most expensive signing ever, the rumor mill is starting to report Angel Di Maria might be on his way out of Old Trafford with PSG his likely destination. The French club’s boss Laurent Blanc told reporters that Di Maria is a player they are interested in, but he wouldn’t go as far to confirm the club are actively trying to purchase him. Both Di Maria and Louis Van Gaal have both denied these transfer rumors earlier in the summer, but more and more media outlets are saying a deal with PSG is edging closer and closer. The Argentine playmaker found his opportunities limited last year and the transition to the tougher English game seemed difficult at times. Will this one tough season be the only time that fans see Di Maria in the famous number seven shirt of United?
Xherdan Shaqiri
The likelihood that Xherdan Shaqiri’s short stint at Inter Milan continues past this summer is looking less and less likely by the day. After earlier being linked with a surprise move to Stoke City, Shaqiri’s new destination appears to be Schalke in the Bundesliga. The Swiss midfielder spent three years in the German top division with Bayern Munich before moving to Inter in January so the learning curve that comes with this move may be less dramatic. However, Inter seem to be in the middle of a landmark summer bringing in the likes of Miranda and Geoffrey Kongdobia, but will these big name transfers be enough to keep Shaqiri in the San Siro?
No Comments