The dynamics of this pandemic-hit transfer window have been different from any other.
Bloated wage bills have forced clubs to belch out top talents on the cheap while many others have to stomach unwanted stars priced out of a transfer.
Already we’re seeing the immediate effect of this unique window as some players have started the 2020/21 campaign rejuvenated, either because of their new surroundings or because of new opportunities with clubs unable to splash out on new names.
Equally, there are those who have been pushed further down the pecking order and unable to secure a fresh start. So who looks rejuvenated and who is languishing? Let’s take a closer look.
REJUVENATED
James Rodriguez, Everton
The Colombian only played eight times for Real Madrid in La Liga last season, scoring once and producing one assist. In half those appearances for Everton, Rodriguez has already trebled his goal tally and doubled his assists mark. If there were any concerns about his acclimatisation to England, he absolutely dazzled in the thrashing rain against Brighton as the Blues maintained their 100 percent Premier League record. Carlo Ancelotti is the manager to bring the best out of Rodriguez and this remarkable free-signing is playing like a free spirit again.
Philippe Coutinho, Barcelona
The irony won’t be lost on Coutinho. The Brazilian showed he is worthy of Barcelona by helping Bayern Munich inflict one of their most embarrassing results upon them. That Champions League game sent Barca into a tailspin, but concurrently lifted up one of their own players. He’s since returned from his Bayern loan bulked-up and full of confidence. Barca’s inability to spend, coupled with the uninviting risk he carries for suitors, has meant the 28-year-old can express himself in a new regime. He’s found the balance between asserting his own creative agency and knowing when to pass responsibility to Lionel Messi, creating two goals and scoring once in his first three La Liga outings.
Aaron Ramsey, Juventus
Ramsey was a bit of an after-thought for Maurizio Sarri, playing just two of their final 12 Serie A games. However, Andrea Pirlo has the Welshman on his mind and is using him much more intelligently. Instead of being stuck out of position and within a rigid structure, largely as a substitute as well, Ramsey has been tasked with a more natural No10 role. He looks freer. The 29-year-old produced one of his best performances in a Juve shirt against Sampdoria, dominating with a stat sheet of one assist, seven big chances created, 11 duels won, five recoveries and a 100 percent dribble success rate. If he can stay fit, Ramsey could be a monster this season.
Luis Suarez, Atletico Madrid
When Messi does what Messi does, these days we tend to shrug. When Barca does what Barca does we tend to do the same then as well. One is different from the other. Indeed, allowing Suarez, arguably Barca’s best-ever No9, to leave for a nominal fee to a direct rival in Atletico Madrid is just the latest in a string of suspect decisions from the club. The Uruguayan was outstanding on his debut for Atleti, rising from the bench to score twice and assist another in a shellacking of Granada. Granted, there’s been less impressive performances from Suarez in the two draws since then, but the 33-year-old has shown enough already to suggest he’s motivated to stick one to his former team.
Hirving Lozano, Napoli
Lightweight and a diver was how Gennaro Gattuso assessed Napoli’s record-signing Lozano last season as he barely featured after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked in December. Now Gattuso will be saying he’s a good listener. The Mexican has been electrifying so far this term. On the right side of a fearsome new Napoli front four, Lozano has scored two in two while finding an instant connection with the vivacious Victor Osimhen. Gattuso has been suitably impressed. “I am not giving anything for free to Lozano. He has become much stronger physically and he doesn’t dive anymore when he feels the contact of another defender. Like I said before last year he was not ready but now he is,” the Napoli boss said recently.
Callum Wilson, Newcastle
Bournemouth stunk out the Premier League last season and Wilson rotted as a result. He didn’t net once after the restart and five of his eight league goals were all scored before the New Year, but a move to Newcastle has freshened him up. He’s already in-tune with the enigmatic Allan Saint-Maximin and his return of four goals plus one assist in four Premier League games has the Toon swooning. Wilson is the first Newcastle player since Les Ferdinand 25 years ago to score four in his first four league games for the club and having reached 45 career English top flight goals, the 28-year-old’s target of joining the century club looks achievable.
LANGUISHING
Mesut Ozil, Arsenal
Once one of the best creators in the Premier League, Ozil can’t even manage to find a creative way to find a spot on Arsenal’s bench. His decline is just sad. For a player who has produced so many unforgettable moments to become so ignored is just depressing. He’s Arsenal’s longest-serving player, has scored 44 times and assisted 77 in 250 games but the chances of those totals increasing appear slight. His £350,000 a week wages have left him buried in No Man’s Land and the German has been unable to follow Gareth Bale’s example and manoeuvre a way out of a similar situation.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Chelsea
Kepa is no keeper. Summer-signing Edouard Mendy is establishing himself as Chelsea’s No1, relegating the world’s most expensive goalkeeper to the bench. The Spaniard may well be locked there until at least January because there’s little chance Chelsea recoup even half of the £71.5m fee they paid for him, while his wages and alarming form have dissuaded anyone from a loan deal. There is talent there for sure, and some of the criticism has been unjustified, yet with one of the worst save percentages in all of Europe last season, Chelsea had no choice but to sink him into the abyss.
Dele Alli, Tottenham
Dele Alli is one of English football’s greatest enigmas. What is his best position? What are his best attributes? Does he really care? The ‘All or Nothing’ documentary did absolutely nothing for Alli’s career as he came out of it appearing like a poor trainer. He’s since fallen out of favour with Jose Mourinho, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy doesn’t want him to go. PSG attempted to sign him on loan but the club refused. Now the 24-year-old is being consigned to the substitutes bench with his Euro hopes fading. Time is on his side and if he can add motivation to his precocious talent, perhaps he won’t languish for long.
Christian Eriksen, Inter
There are shades of Fernando Torres about Eriksen. The Dane checked out at Spurs last season, slumping to four goal contributions in 20 Premier League outings as he made clear in the summer his desire to leave. He moved to Inter for €20m in January and he’s struggled to emerge from the personal downturn. A similar scenario enveloped Torres who declined in his final months at Liverpool before the cursed winter switch to Chelsea. In truth, Eriksen always appeared an awkward fit for Antonio Conte. He’s like the cravat of a team when the Italian coach prefers midfielders like builder’s boots. Eriksen has lacked the aggression and Stefano Sensi has since usurped him of a starting role. There were rumours of a return to the Premier League, but it’s likely one of the best playmakers of recent years will be forced to scrap it out on the bench.
Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona
How much is Dembele actually to blame for the way his Barca career has transpired? Before he joined the Blaugrana he hadn’t missed a single game in his senior career through injury. He’s missed 80 with the Catalan giants. There have been murmurings that Barca’s training has been catered to suit the veteran superstars and for a young speedster like Dembele, that’s directly led to his hamstrings exploding as they’re not used to the load in matches. Maybe that will change under Ronald Koeman but the problem is the team is moving on without him. Ansu Fati is now a sure starter and even Pedri plus Trincao could be ahead of Dembele. That’s before even factoring Antoine Griezmann. There were plenty of suitors to sign the French winger this summer, but he wants to fight for his place at the Camp Nou. He has a battle on his hands.
Milan Skriniar, Inter
It’s been difficult to keep track of Inter’s transfer business this summer. In fact, it’s been hard keeping up with the amount of defenders they now possess. Achraf Hakimi, Matteo Darmian and Aleksandar Kolarov have all been acquired this summer and consequently there were strong rumours Milan Skriniar would be sold. Spurs and PSG have been interested, but suitably put off by the €50m+ fee it would take to sign the Slovakia centre-back. However, Conte doesn’t completely trust Skriniar who has struggled to adapt to Inter’s back three. He’s struggled in the wide centre-back role, particularly in one v ones and with the distance he has to cover when the ball breaks. Danilo D’Ambrosio and Darmian can both operate on the right side and so we could see Skriniar on the bench more often as we did during Inter’s Europa League run.
