After weeks of probing, days of speculation, hours of suspense and more twists and turns than Mahrez bearing down on an opposing full-back, finally the summer transfer window is now closed. As football fans across the country anxiously watched the clock tick to 1am, there would have either been a feeling of strong satisfaction or devastating disappointment.
So who were the winners and losers on the last day of the transfer window? Below is a short breakdown of which clubs are likely to be the most pleased with their final day business and which clubs are still wishing the window was open for another 24 hours…
Winners
Bournemouth
Arguably the deal of the day goes to Bournemouth FC. Fending off competition abroad and at home from the likes of AC Milan and Crystal Palace, The Cherries managed to sign Jack Wilshere on loan until the end of the season. With his desire to get regular football under his belt, Arsenal’s number 10 was allowed to go out and find a club to get himself back to the level they feel he is capable of reaching once again. This is a real coup for Eddie Howe and it is believed Wilshere came away feeling impressed after their meeting. The added bonus of the England international’s former youth academy team-mate Benik Afobe now plying his trade for Bournemouth, would no doubt have played a part in his decision.
Stoke
Stoke City had a very productive final day of business. With three shrewd loan moves, The Potters looks set to further re-establish their premier league position this year. Signing Dutch international defender Bruno Martins Indi, proven Premier League goalscorer Wilfried Bony and experienced goalkeeper Lee Grant as back up, Mark Hughes’ men look well equipped to build on the silky talents of Bojan and Shaquiri.
Losers
Everton
The Everton fans will be scratching their heads this morning. With their manager Koeman promised funds this transfer window to build a team that could get them challenging for Champions League football, they’ve come away from this window with not much to shout about. Yes, they brought in West Ham’s Enner Valencia on loan, but this doesn’t quite match up to the marquee signing the Evertonian supporters were holding out for. To make matters worse, just when the club thought they had a deal for Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko in their grasp…this signing slipped out of their hands in the final couple of hours of the window, with Tottenham triumphant in securing the French international’s signature.
Sunderland
The margins in the Premier League are now so tight. Therefore, having a top class striker than can put the ball in the back of the net regularly can prove pivotal. Sunderland already boast one of those in Jermain Defoe; the problem is that they are way too reliant on him. There is only so much rescuing the premiership veteran can do and it was clear that this summer Sunderland had to prioritise finding adequate back up for him. Although the Black Cats have swooped for Gabon international Ndong, signing a midfielder wasn’t really top of the fans’ wish list. Moreover, with number 1 goalkeeper Vito Mannone currently injured, Sunderland desperately needed cover to back up 22 year old Jordan Pickford.
As always, this window has demonstrated the dangers of leaving business until the very end… Ultimately, the biggest winners could prove to be both Manchester clubs. Both Manchester United and Manchester city respectively made their statements of intent with flamboyant and pricey signings, early in the window…
Below is a full list of all the final day Premier League transfers:
David Luiz – Paris Saint-Germain to Chelsea, three-year deal
Moussa Sissoko – Newcastle to Totteham, £30m five-year deal
Hal Robson-Kanu – Free agent to West Brom, two-year deal
Jack Wilshere – Arsenal to Bournemouth, season loan
Islam Slimani – Sporting Lisbon to Leicester, five-year deal
Enner Valencia – West Ham to Everton, season loan
Alvaro Arbeloa – Free agent to West Ham, one-year deal
Mario Balotelli – Liverpool to Nice, free transfer
Markus Henriksen – AZ Alkmaar to Hull, season loan
Matt Miazga – Chelsea to Vitesse, season loan
Joel Castro Pereira – Manchester United to Belenenses, season loan
Dieumerci Mbokani – Dynamo Kiev to Hull City, loan
Joselu – Stoke to Deportivo La Coruna, season loan
James Weir – Manchester United to Hull City, three-year deal
Lazar Markovic – Liverpool to Sporting Lisbon, season loan
Jason Denayer – Manchester City to Sunderland, season loan
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Sheffield United to Everton, four-year deal
Pau Lopez – Espanyol to Tottenham, season loan
Juan Cuadrado – Chelsea to Juventus, three-year loan
Georges-Kevin Nkoudou – Marseille to Tottenham, £11m
Allan Nyom – Watford to West Brom, £3m four-year deal
Andre Wisdom – Liverpool to Red Bull Salzburg, season loan
Joe Hart – Manchester City to Torino, season loan
Samir Nasri – Manchester City to Sevilla, season loan
Wilfried Bony – Manchester City to Stoke, season loan
Luis Alberto – Liverpool to Lazio, £6m
Shani Tarashaj – Everton to Eintracht Frankfurt, season loan
Gokhan Inler – Leicester to Besiktas, three-year deal
Lee Grant – Derby to Stoke, short-term loan
Cristian Cuevas – Chelsea to Sint-Truiden, season loan
Franck Tabanou – Swansea to Granada, season loan
Didier Ndong – Lorient to Sunderland, £13.6m five-year deal
Serge Gnabry – Arsenal to Werder Bremen, undisclosed fee
Shay Facey – Manchester City to Heerenveen, loan
Jeff Hendrick – Derby to Burnley, undisclosed fee
Adama Traore – Aston Villa to Middlesbrough, four-year deal
Bruno Martins Indi – Porto to Stoke, loan
Marcos Alonso – Fiorentina to Chelsea, £24m
Eliaquim Mangala – Manchester City to Valencia, season loan
Philipp Wollscheid – Stoke to Wolfsburg, loan
Cameron McJannett – Luton to Stoke, undisclosed fee
Baily Cargill – Bournemouth to Gillingham, season loan
Mihai Dobre – Viitorul Constanta to Bournemouth
Diego Poyet – Released by West Ham