*All fees are reported and approximate*
20. Sunderland
Given the club’s fondness for coffin-dodgers, Moyes deserves credit for trying to build a young team (only two of their eight signings are older than 22)
IN: Didier Ndong (£13.6m), Papy Djilobodji (£8m), Paddy McNair, Donald Love (£5.5m combined), Adnan Januzaj, Jason Denayer, Javier Manquillo (loan), Steven Pienaar (free)
OUT: Younes Kaboul (£3.5m), Emanuele Giaccherini (£2m), Liam Bridcutt (£2m), Santiago Vergini (£1.5m), Jordi Gomez (£500,000), Jeremain Lens, Sebastian Coates, Adam Matthews, Will Buckley (all loan), Steven Fletcher, Danny Graham, Wes Brown, Steve Harper, Valentin Roberge, Mikael Mandron (released)
It’s been a difficult summer for Sunderland. David Moyes is under pressure already following Sam Allardyce’s departure – Black Cats fans booed their team off the pitch in only his second game – and the Scotsman has resorted to taking risks in the transfer market.
Given the club’s fondness for coffin-dodgers, Moyes deserves credit for trying to build a young team (only two of their eight signings are older than 22). However, while Jason Denayer and Paddy McNair have a lot to offer, Javier Manquillo and Adnan Januzaj have a lot to prove, while a club-record fee could weigh heavily on Didier Ndong's shoulders after just 40-odd appearances in Ligue 1.
In the departures lounge, some big wage-earners have exited but very little has been recouped in transfer fees.
19. Swansea City
Spanish pair Borja Baston and Fernando Llorente badly need to come good for the Welsh outfit
IN: Borja Baston (£15.5m), Fernando Llorente (£5m), Alfie Mawson (£5m), Leroy Fer (£4.75m), Mike van der Hoorn (£2m), Mark Birighitti, George Byers (free)
OUT: Andre Ayew (£20.5m), Ashley Williams (£12m), Alberto Paloschi (£5m), Éder (£4m), Bafetimbi Gomis, Marvin Emnes, Kyle Bartley, Matt Grimes, Franck Tabanou (all loan), Raheem Hanley (released)
Swansea had a profitable summer, fetching handsome fees for Andre Ayew, who’d cost them nothing 12 months previously, and captain Ashley Williams. However, neither player has been adequately replaced, while four forwards have departed. Spanish pair Borja Baston and Fernando Llorente badly need to come good for the Welsh outfit.
18. Hull City
Will Keane and Dieumerci Mbokani’s goal returns must improve if they’re to cover Hull’s shortfall in attack
IN: Ryan Mason (£13m), David Marshall (£5m), James Weir (£5m), Will Keane (£1m), Dieumerci Mbokani, Markus Henriksen (loan)
OUT: Mohamed Diamé (£4.5m), Sone Aluko, Ryan Taylor (both released)
The knock-on effect of the Tigers’ chaotic pre-season was business being done late – so late that they had only 13 senior players fit for the curtain-raiser against Leicester. They won, but still.
Reinforcements eventually arrived in the window’s final two days; by that stage, beggars can’t be choosers. While David Marshall represents a solid acquisition in goal, there’s nobody to replace stopgap defender Jake Livermore, Ryan Mason is an unjustifiably expensive addition to the midfield, and Will Keane and Dieumerci Mbokani’s goal returns must improve if they’re to cover Hull’s shortfall in attack.
On the plus side, few players have departed.
17. Tottenham Hotspur
More worryingly, Spurs approach the 2016-17 campaign with no more depth than when they tired at the end of 2015-16
IN: Moussa Sissoko (£30m), Vincent Janssen (£17m), Victor Wanyama (£11m), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (£11m), Pau Lopez (loan)
OUT: Nacer Chadli (£13m), Ryan Mason (£13m), Alex Pritchard (£8m), DeAndre Yedlin (£5m), Grant Ward (£600,000), Dominic Ball (£150,000), Nabil Bentaleb, Clinton N’Jie, Federico Fazio, Luke McGee (all loan)
’Twas ever thus. Daniel Levy raked in impressively big sums while offering low ones himself, with a rumoured initial bid of £16m for £30m-rated Moussa Sissoko cheeky even by his standards.
And yet, in gazumping Everton, Tottenham’s chairman ended up paying over the odds for second-tier Newcastle’s Sissoko, whose all-action performances in the latter stages of Euro 2016 – following several seasons of mediocrity – must have had Mike Ashley skipping around St James’ Park in delight.
More worryingly, Spurs approach the 2016/17 campaign with no more depth than when they tired at the end of 2015/16. They needed reinforcements, not replacements, and four first-team outfield players coming in with five going out isn’t ideal, especially as several youngsters have also left.
It’s true, though, that the likes of Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen should be considered upgrades on Ryan Mason and Clinton N’Jie. Essentially, Spurs are now stronger, yet thinner. Like graphene, basically.
16. Liverpool
It’s not often a club seeking to turn eighth place into fourth – minimum – ends the summer in profit with half a dozen fewer players
IN: Sadio Mané (£34m), Georginio Wijnaldum (£23m), Loris Karius (£4.7m), Ragnar Klavan (£4.2m), Joel Matip, Alex Manninger (both free)
OUT: Christian Benteke (£27m), Jordon Ibe (£15m), Joe Allen (£13m), Martin Skrtel (£5m), Luis Alberto (£4.3m), Jerome Sinclair (£4m), Brad Smith (£3m), Sergi Canos (£2.5m), Jordan Rossiter (£250,000), Joao Carlos Teixeira (£250,000), Jon Flanagan, Danny Ward, Adam Bogdan, Lazar Markovic, Andre Wisdom (all loan), Mario Balotelli, Kolo Toure, Jose Enrique (all released)
It’s not often a club seeking to turn eighth place into fourth – minimum – ends the summer in profit and with half a dozen fewer players. Nevertheless, Jurgen Klopp identified expendables and they commanded some fine fees, particularly Christian Benteke and Jordon Ibe.
That being said, Liverpool lack a decent left-back and their goalkeeping crisis is set to linger a while longer. Meanwhile, Georginio Wijnaldum’s start to life on Merseyside has been as anonymous as Sadio Mané’s has been explosive. They both must address inconsistency now they have enormous price tags to justify.
15. West Bromwich Albion
It’s been another frustrating window for Baggies fans: much was promised, little was delivered, and Tony Pulis’ side look no less devoid of flair
IN: Nacer Chadli (£13m), Matt Phillips (£5.5m), Allan Nyom (£3m), Brendan Galloway (loan), Hal Robson-Kanu (free)
OUT: James Chester (£9m), Cristian Gamboa (£1m), Rickie Lambert (£500,000), Sebastien Pocognoli, Tyler Roberts (both loan), Stephane Sessegnon, Victor Anichebe, Anders Lindegaard (all released)
The Black Country’s keyboard warriors were unimpressed with Albion’s dealings, taking to Twitter on deadline day to voice rather uncomplimentary opinions on Hal Robson-Kanu.
It’s been another frustrating window for Baggies fans: much was promised, little was delivered, and Tony Pulis’s side look no less devoid of flair.
Still, they got their money back for James Chester, while Robson-Kanu, Brendan Galloway and Allan Nyom represent dependable bargains and Nacer Chadli’s productivity went unnoticed at Tottenham.
14. Everton
They failed to land Yacine Brahimi, Lucas Perez or Moussa Sissoko, who caused some embarrassment by not answering Ronald Koeman’s calls
IN: Yannick Bolasie (£25m), Ashley Williams (£12m), Idrissa Gueye (£7.1m), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£1.5m), Maarten Stekelenburg (£850,000), Enner Valencia (loan)
OUT: John Stones (£47.5m), Brendan Galloway, Aiden McGeady, Luke Garbutt, Conor Grant, Shani Tarashaj (all loan), Leon Osman, Tony Hibbert, Steven Pienaar, Tim Howard (all released)
Evaluating Everton’s summer depends on your viewpoint. On the one hand, they retained Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley while taking serious cash for John Stones.
On the other, more was expected of a club with a new manager, a new director of football and a new influx of cash than deals for three Football League players and hefty outlays for Yannick Bolasie – arresting but erratic – and 32-year-old Ashley Williams. The latter has been magnificent for Swansea and Wales but showed signs at Euro 2016 that his peak may just have passed, in which case £12m is a large sum for potentially one good season.
Meanwhile, they failed to land Yacine Brahimi, Lucas Perez (who joined Arsenal) or Moussa Sissoko, who caused some embarrassment by not answering Ronald Koeman’s calls. In all, Everton’s business was underwhelming. Also, they released Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert, which is just mean.
13. Watford
Roberto Pereyra, Kenedy and Stefano Okaka should liven up the attack and Daryl Janmaat is more suited than Allan Nyom to Walter Mazzarri’s tactical system
IN: Roberto Pereyra (£13m), Isaac Success (£12.5m), Daryl Janmaat (£7m), Christian Kabasele (£6m), Stefano Okaka (£5m), Jerome Sinclair (£4m), Brice Dja Djédjé (£4m), Younes Kaboul (£3.5m), Juan Camilo Zuniga, Kenedy (both loan), Adrian Mariappa (free)
OUT: Matej Vydra (£8m), Miguel Layun (£5m), Ikechi Anya (£4m), Almen Abdi (£3.5m), Allan Nyom (£3m), Daniel Pudil (£1.5m), Jose Manuel Jurado (£850,000), Mario Suarez, Steven Berghuis, Adalberto Penaranda, Obbi Oularé, Tommie Hoban, Mathias Ranégie (all loan), Gabriele Angella, Essaid Belkalem, Juanfran, Joel Ekstrand, George Byers (all released)
Rounding up Watford’s transfer dealings will forever be like herding cats: last season they signed 21 players of 17 nationalities from 10 different leagues, before loaning out five of them and freezing out five more. Paracetamol, please.
Among this summer’s ingoings and outgoings – totalling some £30m net spend – Roberto Pereyra, Kenedy and Stefano Okaka should liven up the attack and Daryl Janmaat is more suited than Allan Nyom to Walter Mazzarri’s tactical system, while player exits have been on Watford’s own terms (Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo both turned down big moves elsewhere). There’s little to get overexcited about, though.
12. West Ham United
It’s no surprise West Ham parted with big sums for unknown quantities: that’s what happens when club owners brag to the world about how much they intend to spend
IN: Andre Ayew (£20.5m), Manuel Lanzini (£9.4m), Arthur Masuaku (£6.2m), Edmilson Fernandes (£5.5m), Toni Martinez (£2.4m), Simone Zaza, Gokhan Tore, Jonathan Calleri (all loan), Alvaro Arbeloa, Sofiane Feghouli, Havard Nordtveit, Ashley Fletcher, Domingos Quina (all free)
OUT: James Tomkins (£10m), Enner Valencia, Reece Burke, Stephen Hendrie, Martin Samuelsen, Josh Cullen (all loan), Joey O’Brien, Diego Poyet, Elliott Lee (all released)
It’s no surprise West Ham parted with big sums for unknown quantities: that’s what happens when club owners brag to the world about how much they intend to spend.
A titanic bid for Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette didn’t come off, though, and West Ham coughed up more than £11m just in loan fees, on top of £45m in securing permanent deals. Jonathan Calleri, on a lucrative loan from Uruguay, and penalty maverick Simone Zaza had better impress. Dimitri Payet remaining a Hammer is easily their best news.
11. Arsenal
Arsenal supporters’ insistence that Arsene Wenger ‘spend, spend, spend’ seemed to suggest the numbers on the cheque matter more than the names
IN: Shkodran Mustafi (£35m), Granit Xhaka (£30m), Lucas Perez Martinez (£17m), Rob Holding (£2m), Takuma Asano (£800,000)
OUT: Serge Gnabry (£4.3m), Isaac Hayden (£2.5m), Wellington Silva (£2.5m), Jack Wilshere, Calum Chambers, Joel Campbell, Wojciech Szczesny, Takuma Asano (all loan), Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, Mathieu Flamini (all released)
To misquote the tag line of Pacino/De Niro snorefest Righteous Kill, there’s nothing wrong with a little buying as long as the right people get bought. Arsenal supporters’ insistence that Arsene Wenger ‘spend, spend, spend’ seemed to suggest the numbers on the cheque matter more than the names.
And so, Wenger’s spent £75m net making minor improvements. Shkodran Mustafi should have a very bright future at the Emirates; whether Granit Xhaka merited £30m, though, or Deportivo forward Lucas £17m after one good season, is more debatable.
Thirty-something midfield deadwood has been cleared, and Calum Chambers will benefit from regular Premier League action at Middlesbrough. The Arsenal futures of Jack Wilshere and Joel Campbell – now out on his fifth loan spell from the club – look bleaker.
10. Chelsea
He’s been slightly less mad at PSG, but as their third-choice centre-back he’s a baffling pick for Antonio Conte, especially at £30m-plus
IN: David Luiz (£32m), Michy Batshuayi (£33.2m), N’Golo Kanté (£30m), Marcos Alonso (£23m), Eduardo (free)
OUT: Mohamed Salah (£14.5m), Papy Djilobodji (£8m), Stipe Perica (£3.4m), Marko Marin (£3m), Juan Cuadrado, Loic Rémy, Kenedy, Bertrand Traoré, Baba Rahman, Nathan Aké, Patrick Bamford, Christian Atsu, 30 others (all loan), John Swift, Marco Amelia (all released)
We aren’t exaggerating when we say Chelsea were higher on this list before they bought two players on the final day.
Oliver Kay’s headline in The Times read, ‘David Luiz’s £32m move back to Chelsea defies logic’, and he’s not wrong. Getting £50m for the Brazilian ‘defender’ during the 2014 World Cup was arguably the greatest individual piece of business Chelsea have ever done. He’s been slightly less mad at PSG, but as their third-choice centre-back he’s a baffling pick for Antonio Conte, especially at £30m-plus.
Marcos Alonso also arrived on deadline day, and while it’s selling the left-back short simply to say his previous English clubs were Bolton and Sunderland, he’s a very expensive reserve. Nonetheless, N’Golo Kanté and Michy Batshuayi are already looking like good purchases, and Chelsea continue to benefit from their lucrative, ludicrous loan system (just the 38 this year) and demanding high fees for unwanted players.
9. Bournemouth
Bournemouth spent freely in 2015-16, so even with Matt Ritchie’s departure being a blow (albeit a lucrative one), nothing drastic was required this term
IN: Jordon Ibe (£15m), Lewis Cook (£7m), Lys Mousset (£5.4m), Brad Smith (£3m), Marc Wilson (£2m), Jack Wilshere, Nathan Aké (loan), Emerson Hyndman (free)
OUT: Matt Ritchie (£12m), Tommy Elphick (£3m), Lee Tomlin (£3m), Tokelo Rantie (£1.5m), Eunan O’Kane (£850,000), Shaun MacDonald (£250,000), Glenn Murray, Rhoys Wiggins (both loan), Sylvain Distin, Stephane Zubar (both released)
Bournemouth spent freely in 2015/16, so even with Matt Ritchie’s departure being a blow (albeit a lucrative one), nothing drastic was required this term.
That explains their focus on youth – Jordon Ibe, Lewis Cook, Lys Mousset and Emerson Hyndman are yet to turn 21 – although the cash splashed on the Liverpool pair of Ibe and Brad Smith raised a few eyebrows. Marc Wilson is a sound replacement for Tommy Elphick. Oh, and there’s Jack Wilshere…
8. Stoke City
If Mark Hughes can rejuvenate Wilfried Bony then he could be a tremendous acquisition on loan
IN: Joe Allen (£13m), Ramadan Sobhi (£5m), Ryan Sweeney (£250,000), Wilfried Bony, Bruno Martins Indi, Lee Grant (all loan)
OUT: Marc Wilson (£2m), Philipp Wollscheid, Joselu (both loan), Steve Sidwell, Peter Odemwingie (both released)
Swooping for Joe Allen after his excellent Euro 2016 was a very positive move, and if Mark Hughes can rejuvenate Wilfried Bony then he could be a tremendous acquisition on loan.
The Potters lost two solid centre-backs in Philipp Wollscheid and Marc Wilson but gained one in Bruno Martins Indi.
7. Crystal Palace
Further jetsam came in the form of Emmanuel Adebayor, Marouane Chamakh and Brede Hangeland, who all left as free agents
IN: Christian Benteke (£27m), Andros Townsend (£13m), James Tomkins (£10m), Steve Mandanda (£1.5m), Loic Rémy (loan)
OUT: Yannick Bolasie (£25m), Dwight Gayle (£10m), Mile Jedinak (£4m), Alex McCarthy (£4m), Jonny Williams, Sullay Kaikai (both loan), Marouane Chamakh, Emmanuel Adebayor, Brede Hangeland, Adrian Mariappa, Paddy McCarthy (all released)
If £50m being walloped on Christian Benteke, Andros Townsend and James Tomkins is some outlay, getting most of it back by selling three surplus players and Yannick Bolasie is some recompense. Further jetsam came in the form of Emmanuel Adebayor, Marouane Chamakh and Brede Hangeland, who all left as free agents.
Coming in, Loic Remy could yet flourish, while France international goalkeeper Steve Mandanda – who missed eight league games in nine years at Marseille – is a fantastic signing for a pittance.
6. Burnley
Patrick Bamford and England international Jon Flanagan are shrewd loan signings, even if – or perhaps because – they each have much to prove
IN: Jeff Hendrick (£10.5m), Steven Defour (£7.5m), Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£2.5m), Nick Pope (£1.1m), Patrick Bamford, Jon Flanagan (both loan)
OUT: David Jones (£1.7m), Lukas Jutkiewicz, Rouwen Hennings, Chris Long, Daniel Lafferty (loan), Joey Barton, Matt Taylor, Lloyd Dyer, Matt Gilks (all released)
Burnley are reluctant spenders, so it wasn’t casually that they dropped £18m on Steven Defour and Jeff Hendrick, who arrives on the back of a breakthrough European Championship. Both midfielders should more than compensate for the loss of the club's 2015/16 Player of the Year, Joey Barton.
Fortunately, there have been no other major departures. Patrick Bamford and England international Jon Flanagan are shrewd loan signings, even if – or perhaps because – they each have much to prove.
5. Southampton
Victor Wanyama’s exit looked inevitable; so did Graziano Pelle’s once it became evident he could earn £300,000 a week in China
IN: Sofiane Boufal (£16m), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (£12.8m), Nathan Redmond (£11m), Alex McCarthy (£4m), Jeremy Pied, Stuart Taylor (both free)
OUT: Sadio Mané (£34m), Graziano Pelle (£12m), Victor Wanyama (£11m), Juanmi (£2m), Paulo Gazzaniga, Sam Gallagher, Jason McCarthy (all loan), Gaston Ramirez (released)
Another year, another set of key players to replace. Yet Southampton have always managed until now, and they’ve recruited well once again.
Victor Wanyama’s exit looked inevitable; so did Graziano Pelle’s once it became evident he could earn £300,000 a week in China. And as the old saying goes, if you have to sell your intermittently exciting attacker to Liverpool, get £34m for him (we may be paraphrasing).
Saints made a division-high £15m in this window, but more importantly, there’s every reason to be excited about their own purchases. Record signing Sofiane Boufal comes highly rated, Nathan Redmond’s adapting quickly to his new position through the centre and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is an absolute steal at £12.8m. Plus, they finally have a competent back-up goalkeeper (not you Stuart Taylor, sorry).
4. Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough seem to have achieved the holy trinity of summer transfers: good deals, made early, without too many important players going the other way
IN: Marten de Roon (£12m), Adama Traore (£4m), Viktor Fischer (£3.8m), Antonio Barragan (£3m), Fabio (£2m), Alvaro Negredo, Calum Chambers, Jordan McGhee (all loan), Gaston Ramirez, Victor Valdes, Brad Guzan, Bernardo Espinosa (all free)
OUT: Albert Adomah (£5m), Adam Reach (£5m), Connor Ripley (loan), Jonathan Woodgate, Rhys Williams, Mustapha Carayol, Damia (all released)
Unexpectedly for a promoted side, Middlesbrough seem to have achieved the holy trinity of summer transfers: good deals, made early, without too many important players going the other way. Even then, £10m for Adam Reach and Albert Adomah is good business.
Deadline day brought a straight swap of wingers with Aston Villa that looks questionable at first but may prove fruitful in the long term; in the weeks before then, though, Boro gathered in a smorgasbord of young talent, established names and fading-but-talented stars with a point to prove. Viktor Fischer’s arrival from Ajax is particularly eye-catching.
Perhaps most importantly, almost all of the new signings look well-equipped to complement an already-successful Boro team, rather than playing as individuals.
3. Manchester United
But although they may be arriving to scratch a Champions League-less United’s itch for prestige, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are indisputably good players
IN: Paul Pogba (£89m), Eric Bailly (£30m), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£26.3m), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (free)
OUT: Paddy McNair, Donald Love (£5.5m combined), James Weir (£5m), Tyler Blackett (£1m), Will Keane (£1m), Adnan Januzaj, James Wilson, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Guillermo Varela, Andreas Pereira (all loan), Victor Valdes, Nick Powell, Ashley Fletcher (all released)
It’s easy to sign world-class players when you’ve £150m spare, and it’s even easier to count chickens in September, but Manchester United’s business in 2016 understandably has their supporters thinking: ‘that’s more like it.’
Even though United haven’t habitually bought ready-made superstars before now, instead creating young talents or nurturing acquired ones, their self-conscious status as The World’s Biggest Club™ sat awkwardly with spending £29m on an uncapped Spaniard, or £24m on a good-ish Southampton midfielder, or £16m on Marcos Rojo.
Of course, marquee signings are good only for a marquee. But although they may be arriving to scratch a Champions League-less United’s itch for prestige, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are indisputably good players, and well suited to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Eric Bailly – the exception, the unproven talent – has started best of all.
Quibbles? They arguably overspent on Pogba and Bailly, and let unneeded-yet-undervalued youngsters leave for pocket change (compare that to Chelsea, for example). Otherwise, it’s been a red-hot summer.
2. Leicester City
Rather than disinterested big names, the likes of Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa have joined the champions
IN: Islam Slimani (£25m), Ahmed Musa (£16m), Nampalys Mendy (£13m), Bartosz Kapustka (£7.5m), Ron-Robert Zieler (£2.6m), Luis Hernandez (free)
OUT: N’Golo Kanté (£30m), Andrej Kramaric (£8.5m), Gokhan Inler (£3m), Ritchie De Laet (£2.5m), Liam Moore (£1m), Tom Lawrence (loan), Mark Schwarzer, Joe Dodoo, Paul Konchesky, Dean Hammond, Jack Barmby (all released)
They say if you’re standing still, you’re going backwards, but Leicester needed stability this summer. Entering 2016/17 without only one of their highly coveted players is nothing short of a miracle, and even better, Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, Danny Drinkwater, Wes Morgan, Kasper Schmeichel, Marc Albrighton and Danny Simpson have all signed new contracts. That’s some achievement for the Foxes, who looked like they might be picked apart, piece by piece.
Elsewhere, they’ve collected reasonable fees for signings that didn’t work out, while dodging the pitfall of listening to player agents over scouts. Rather than uninterested big names, the likes of Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa have joined the champions.
The difference now is that a player such as Nampalys Mendy hasn’t been bought from total obscurity for coppers and flint, as N’Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez were. He cost Leicester a then-record £13m, so more is expected. But Leicester are admirably grounded; they could have spent far more than £19m net.
Ron-Robert Zieler is a particularly shrewd addition to the squad. Before his transfer, the Germany international played every minute of every Bundesliga game for Hannover since April 2011. He’ll push Kasper Schmeichel all the way for a starting spot between the sticks.
1. Manchester City
IN: John Stones (£47.5m), Leroy Sané (£37m), Gabriel Jesus (£27m), Ilkay Gundogan (£20m), Claudio Bravo (£15.4m), Nolito (£13.8m), Marlos Moreno (£4.75m), Geronimo Rulli (£4m), Oleksandr Zinchenko (£1.7m)
OUT: Seko Fofana (£3.8m), Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Wilfried Bony, Samir Nasri, Jason Denayer, Marlos Moreno, Geronimo Rulli, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Manu Garcia (all loan), Martin Demichelis (released)
As with their city rivals, Manchester City have an easy ride because they’ve virtually infinite funds at their disposal; City, in particular, make Bruce Wayne look hard up. So there’ll be plenty of loudmouths insisting Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho are just buying titles: inherit a great squad, spend more, win the league – anyone could do it.
It’s nonsense, of course. Guardiola has the iron will lacking in Manuel Pellegrini (bless him) to make swift judgement calls on big names – most famously, Joe Hart.
Spending £150m is significant even in a billionaire’s playground, and it must go on the right personnel. From 2007-09 Manchester City racked up £175m on transfer fees, and of the 21 players signed, only £12m pair (combined) Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta – and, perhaps, Nigel de Jong – can be said to have had any lasting impact.
Guardiola has identified the players he needs and bought them. It’s simple, really, when you have the money. But for the £110m or so going on the potential in John Stones, Leroy Sané and Gabriel Jesus (who’ll arrive in January), Claudio Bravo, Ilkay Gundogan and Nolito have cost comparatively little.
Manchester City have spent big – but more importantly, they’ve spent right.
