My picks for the most impressive transfers are Jermain Defoe, Mohammed Salah, Sean Kolasinac, Vicente Iborra, and Sandro Ramirez.
Jermain Defoe, A “Goal Guaranteer”
”The one thing I can guarantee is goals” was the unequivocal message sent by Jermain Defoe as he was officially unveiled by Bournemouth after exercising a relegation release clause in his Sunderland contract. It’s the second stint for him at the club (2001-2002) when he scored in a club-record 10 consecutive league games.
Courtesy: Daily Mail
His move to The Cherries came as little or no surprise after his erstwhile club got relegated in the 2016/2017 Premier League season. Signing a 34-year old experienced player who has scored over 150 premier league goals was indeed a smart move by Eddie Howe.
Defoe may well be described as a fine wine that gets better with age. At 34, he still does not look tired with the ball. His shooting ability may not be the best of all strikers in the world, but it is something that will still worry a lot of PL defenders.
His last season’s statistics with Sunderland was a testament to that observation. He had an impressive 51% shooting accuracy (slightly below the likes of Aguero, Diego Costa, and Ibrahimovic)–not a bad effort with a relegated club.
His pace of play has diminished over the years, but his potential partnership with Josh King is worth anticipating. King will likely be seen dropping deep and getting the ball forward, while Defoe will frequently play the role of a target man. For the record, Josh King scored 16 PL goals last season, while Defoe had 15.
Indeed, Bournemouth fans can sit back, relax, and watch their darling team score many goals next season.
Early ”Salah” Gift
Following the announcement of the transfer of Dominic Solanke from Chelsea, Liverpool fans started expressing frustration at how little transfer activity was being done by club. But smiles replaced frustration when the club announced the transfer of Mohammed Salah from Roma. The fee is a reported fee of £34.3m.
Salah is a good addition to the already-impressive attack and his performance last year at Roma is sign of good things to come. He provided 13 assists in all competitions last season, showing his already-known ability to create clear-cut chances.
Courtesy: YouTube
In fact he had more assists than Coutino, Sane and Firmino; who were the regular attackers for Liverpool last season. His number of assists was even higher than that of Can, Henderson and Wijnaldum combined.
The Jurgen Klopp-led team will definitely enjoy Salah’s ability to create. Not only can he create chances, his scoring ability is also top-notch. He scored 19 goals in all competitions last season, 5 more than Coutinho, who had 14.
While he may not have the best physical ability, his silky movement out and inside the 18-yard box will prove efficient for Liverpool and dangerous for opponents.
With Coutinho, Lallana, Mané, Firmino and now Salah, Liverpool’s attack will be a nightmare for defenders. At just 25 years old, Salah still has many years to enjoy a footballing career. In the meantime, Liverpool will enjoy this ”Salah gift” while it lasts.
”Hulk” Bargain
Sean Kolasinac. Arsenal now has an aggresive, no-nonsense defender who is strong and quick with great tackling skills. The ”Bosnian Hulk,” as he is fondly called (due to his physique), will be one of the left-back defenders to beat next season.
Courtesy: Mirror
His good tackling skills and interception rate were very effective for Schalke last season.
Those skills were evident in the game against Hamburg, where he made a whooping 12 interceptions–a statistic unatched by any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues … even better than Arsenal’s leftback defenders, Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs. Kolasinac had more tackles on average per game (2.0), and more interceptions per game (3.2), than Monreal and Gibbs.
His level of creativity also fits into Arsenal’s new 3-4-2-1 formation–if Wenger decides to use it next year.
While Kolasinac can play the left-back position, he can also be used in the defensive midfield and centre-back positions. With Gibbs being more consistently inconsistent and Monreal past his best days, Kolasinac is definitely a signing for the present and future.
In a crazy transfer window (where Manchester City bought Kyle Walker for about £50m), signing Sean Kolasinac for zero amount may well be one of the smartest moves made by Arsene Wenger during recent trasfer windows.
It’s a ”Hulk” bargain, you might say.
Package Sent From Spain
Disjointed defence, collapsed midfield, fruitless attack, and poor leadership qualities! These are few of the problems Leicester City had last season. They surrendered the title won a year ao–and did so even before the half of the season. At least they were able to avoid relegation after finishing 12th on the log.
It’s a new transfer window, though, and this club has been making efforts to inject new blood into the team.
Courtesy: Zimbio
Catching almost everyone by surprise was the signing of former Sevilla skipper, Vicente Iborra. Even more surprising was the fact that he was bought for a reported fee of just £10.5m.
Despite not given many opportunities by then-coach Jorge Sampaoli, his impact on the team’s performances can’t be underestimated. Sevilla only lost two of the 12 games he started in the league – at Barcelona and Athletic Club away. He also made a huge difference in the derby match against Real Betis, scoring the winning goal after coming as a halftime substitute.
“Three Europa Leagues, 172 games and 30 goals are the numbers of a colossus that beyond their achievements will remain in the memory for their leadership in and out of the field,” read the statement released by Sevilla after his departure.
Indeed, he’s a player who has leadership qualities needed at Leicester City. Those leadership qualities–coupled with those of the likes of Wes Morgan–will give Leicester City a strong spine next season, something that was responsible for their Premier League triumph in 2015/2016 season.
His versatility is also something to behold. During his years at Sevilla, he played defensive midfielder, a role that made it possible for him to drop deep in the midfield and shield the defence. And while he can also play centre-back defender, his slow pace may prove costly as his weakness there can be exploited easily.
He scored nine, eight, and seven goals in the last three seasons for Sevilla–despite never having been a regular forward. That proves he can proffer more grit for Leicester City in the scoring department.
His impact off the bench is also awesome. Iborra is the first midfielder to have scored a hat-trick as substitute in the 21st century in La Liga. He led Sevilla, a team that won an impressive total of three Europa League titles in four years.
What else can Leicester City want from a £10.5m player? Truly, he is a package sent from Spain!
Bought For Less Than £6M, But One To Watch
It’s normal when a 24-year old striker–a player who had 24 goals and 6 assists in a PL season–decides to leave your favourite team. Surely, that’s how many Evertonians felt after the club announced the reported £75m sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United.
Lukaku definitely left a big void at the Merseyside. But the early purchase of Sandro Ramirez for a reported fee of £5.25m may well calm down the nerves of many Everton fans.
Courtesy: AS English
One might argue that Sandro is not yet Lukaku-esque, but at 22 he’s surely a striker to watch. His high work rate, willingness to press the opposition, and ability to lead the defensive fight from the front, set the tone for his side last year. The Toffees can expect the same next season.
He’s very comfortable on the ball. And his ability to link brilliantly with midfield runners–a Lukaku-esque ability, I might add–makes him suitable for Everton’s style of play.
“There was a lot of interest in Sandro because, of course, he’s a goalscorer. He’s young and he has a big future in the game. We have been trying to bring in good players so we can have greater productivity in the team, and he will bring that. He will bring a lot of good qualities and he’s a really good goalscorer, too.” So said Ronald Koeman said after signing him.
And he’s right! Sandro’s scoring ability–the most important for a striker–is impressive for a player of his age. Last season he found the back of the net 14 times in 28 starts, an average of 1 goal in 2 starts. Five of those 14 league goals came from outside the box, an encouraging statistic.
Sandro boasts terrific technique when striking a dead-ball, and looks to be a genuine threat every time he shoots from distance. That ability perhaps explains why he impressively averaged a shot every 25.17 minutes last season, a rate that’s even better than Lukaku’s (29.7).
Nine of his 14 goals were scored at home, an ndication that he performs better when supported by home fans–and that’s something Everton fans will do next season.
His youthful inexperience may slow his progress a bit in this very competitive league, but the guidance of the experienced Wayne Rooney–another addition to the squad and his probable striking partner next season–will be helpful.
Sandro was part of the Spanish side that recently lost, 1-0, to Germany in the final of the UEFA European U21 Championship. Everton will expect him to channel that experience to the team next season.
He might have been bought for less than £6m, but the former Barcelona player is one to watch at the Goodison Park!
