Transfer deadline day rarely fails to serve up drama by the bucketload and this summer’s last-minute dealings were no exception.
Records were broken, big-name targets were obtained and, as always, certain clubs were left to rue to transfers that never were.
Here are the winners and losers on the final day of the Premier League summer transfer window.
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The Winners
Chelsea
The ‘will he, won’t he’ pendulum of the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Chelsea transfer saga eventually swung the way of the former at the 11th hour when the Blues announced they had finally got their man.
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As the deadline loomed, footage emerged of the striker, who recently suffered a broken jaw after a terrifying home invasion, arriving in London to complete his move from Barcelona.
And the reunion of the Gabon international with manager Thomas Tuchel, who was the boss during his time at Borussia Dortmund, could well prove to be one of the signings of the summer, particularly after the departure of Timo Werner to RB Leipzig and Romelu Lukaku’s loan move to Inter left Chelsea a little short on attacking options.
Tuchel also left it late to bolster his engine room in the shape of Swiss international midfielder Denis Zakaria, who joins from Juventus on loan, with the option of a permanent move at the end of the season.
Manchester United
At £85.5m, Manchester United’s signing of Ajax playmaker Antony broke the record for the biggest-ever deadline-day fee.
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The 22-year-old Brazilian winger, known for his trademark 360 spin skill, therefore arrives with the weight of expectation on his shoulders. But Antony will give Erik ten Hag’s side a new type of attacking threat with his ability to cut in from the right.
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It completes a busy window for the Red Devils, with the £70m capture of Casemiro, £56m splurge on Lisandro Martinez, £14.6m switch for Tyrell Malacia, loan of Martin Dubravka and addition of Christian Eriksen on a free transfer giving United’s new manager plenty of options.
After much uncertainty, they’ve also managed to retain the services of Cristiano Ronaldo amid speculation he wanted to leave the club. Whether that will prove to be a help or a hindrance remains to be seen.
Brighton
Graham Potter’s team have been quietly going about their business in the transfer window this summer. And despite losing standout midfielder Yves Bissouma to Tottenham and full-back Marc Cucurella to Chelsea, Brighton may have made something of a deadline-day steal in acquiring the signature of the talented Billy Gilmour.
Still just 21 years of age, the Scotland international has both Champions League and European Championship experience which could prove crucial if Brighton are to continue their fine start to the campaign.
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Everton
Aside from narrowly avoiding relegation last term and carrying that poor form into this campaign, deadline day proved there are still reasons to be optimistic about Everton’s chances this season.
Not only were Frank Lampard’s team able to keep hold of the much-sought after Anthony Gordon after weeks of interest from the likes of Chelsea, they also managed to bolster their midfield options with the signings of James Garner from Manchester United and the resigning of Idrissa Gueye from PSG on a two-year deal. Gueye previously spent three years with the Toffees from 2016 to 2019.
The losers
Arsenal
Despite several shrewd signings earlier in the window, Arsenal were left to wonder what might have been after they were unable to get a deal for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz over the line.
The Midlands side rejected three bids from the Gunners, who were hoping to complement their vast array of creative talent with a more defensively-minded player and bolster the ranks following injuries to both Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny. Even after maximum points from their opening five games, the question of whether Mikel Arteta’s squad has the strength in depth to compete for the Premier League title remains.
Leicester
Much to the frustration of their manager, Brendan Rodgers, it has been a largely passive transfer window for Leicester this summer. The Foxes added just one new name to their squad in the form of Belgian central defender Wout Faes from Ligue 1 side Reims, while there have been several notable exits, including long-serving goalkeeper Kaspar Schmeichel to Nice and Wesley Fofana, who joined Chelsea for just over £72m on the eve of the transfer deadline.
Who were your winners and losers on transfer deadline day? Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Transfers, Premier League, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Antony
