Transfers

News, commentary, and opinion about the transfers across the big five leagues in Europe.

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 David

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd., Premier League

Transfer Window Winners And Losers

In a transfer window where COVID-19 really impacted player sales, who won the window in the Premier League. And what teams did not buy well?

Transfer Window Winners

Aston Villa
Aston Villa only secured their Premier League status on the final day of last season – now the club’s owners have backed manager Dean Smith in ambitious fashion to make the most of that escape.

The biggest signing was record buy Ollie Watkins, brought in from Brentford for £28m potentially rising to £33m, the 24-year-old well known to Smith from his time in charge at Griffin Park. Read more... (1134 words, estimated 4:32 mins reading time)

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October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 David

Premier League, Arsenal

Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Complete £45m Deal For Midfielder

Arsenal have signed Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid on a long-term deal after paying his 50m euros (£45.3m) release clause. Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira, 24, has moved in the opposite direction and joined the La Liga side on loan.

The 27-year-old Ghana midfielder made 35 league appearances and scored three goals for Diego Simeone’s side as they finished third in La Liga last season.

Arsenal have been linked with Partey, who has 29 international caps, throughout the summer transfer window.

Partey won the 2017-18 Europa League and 2018 Super Cup with Atletico and signed a new deal at the Wanda Metropolitano in 2018, until the end of June 2023. Read more... (345 words, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

September 6, 2020October 6, 2020 David

Chelsea, Bundesliga

Chelsea Transfer News: Good Summer For The Blues

While transfer deadline day passed without anymore signings for Chelsea, it was overall a good transfer window for Frank Lampard’s side.

The Blues spent more money than anyone in Europe this summer and they got most of their business done early.

Having saved up funds after two transfer windows of no new players and sales of nearly £200m, Chelsea were in a relatively advantageous financial position in the market compared to basically every other team, all of whom were hit to some extent by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more... (360 words, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

August 30, 2020 David

Barcelona, La Liga

No Surprise As La Liga Backs Barcelona In Messi Dispute

No surprise to hear that La Liga have released an official statement backing Barcelona in the contract saga with their superstar Lionel Messi.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has already seen two of the biggest names in the world, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo leave Spain for PSG and Juventus respectively, and the last thing he wants it to see is Lionel Messi playing in another league next season.

So it was not a surprise to see La Liga back Barcelona in the Messi contract dispute, releasing this statement on their website: Read more... (317 words, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)

August 26, 2020 David

Inter Milan, Barcelona, La Liga, Serie A

Messi’s Former Agent Expects Him To End Up At Inter Milan

Lionel Messi “already has a new team” and will join Inter instead of Manchester City, according to the agent who instigated his move to Barcelona as a youngster.

Messi rocked Barcelona, and all of world football, on Tuesday when the six-time Ballon d’Or winner handed in a transfer request.

The 33-year-old is reported to have had a clause in his contract that would allow him to unilaterally terminate their agreement following the 2019-20 season in order to join another club. Read more... (309 words, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

August 26, 2020 David

Barcelona, Inter Milan, La Liga, Ligue 1, Man City, Premier League, Serie A

Lionel Messi Hands In Transfer Request

We knew things were bad at the Camp Nou between the Barcelona players and the board. We knew that Lionel Messi was upset but still we were shocked when the news came out that Messi had activated a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave on a free transfer this summer.

Although his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, Messi and his legal team believe the clause will allow him to terminate his deal unilaterally. Read more... (436 words, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

August 24, 2020 David

Barcelona, La Liga, Ligue 1

PSG Offer Messi Landing Place In Paris

Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel has declared Lionel Messi is “very welcome” to join the club should the Barcelona star decide to pursue a move away from Camp Nou.

The Argentine legend has once again been linked with a possible Barca exit after seeing his side end the season without a trophy and lose 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Tuchel himself failed to guide his side past Bayern on Sunday as the Bundesliga giants claimed their sixth Champions League title with a 1-0 win over PSG. Read more... (369 words, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

August 21, 2020 David

Barcelona, Inter Milan, La Liga, Man City

Barcelona Board Consider Selling Messi

That is not a typo. Some members of the Barcelona board are actually in favor of selling the clubs best ever players, and one of the top five players ever to have played this game.

New Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has publicly said he wants to build the team around Messi, but ESPN is reporting that some directors say that they would be prepared to listen to offers that would allow Koeman to rebuild the team at the same time as reducing the wage bill.

Does Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu really want to be remembered as the president who sold Lionel Messi? Read more... (409 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

July 7, 2020 David

La Liga, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Serie A

Barcelona Fail To Trigger Lautaro Martinez’s Release Clause

Barcelona have no intention of activating the €111 million (£100m) release clause in Lautaro Martinez’s contract at Inter because they don’t have the money, but the Liga giants are still keen to thrash out a deal for the Argentine.

Those at San Siro have made any suitors of their South American forward aware that one window of opportunity will swing shut at the close of play on Tuesday.

For them, that is when the current release terms in Lautaro’s contract will expire.

Barcelona consider that clause to be valid for another week, through to July 15, but have no plans to take it up regardless. Read more... (347 words, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

June 16, 2020June 16, 2020 David

Arsenal, Premier League

Arsenal Transfer Rumors – Gunners Positive On Aubameyang New Deal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he is “pretty positive” about agreeing a new contract with 30-year-old striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Aubameyang’s current deal runs out in June 2021, and Arteta says the club have to show him why he should stay.

“He needs to feel valued, he needs to feel he belongs to us and that we want him,” said Arteta.

The Gabon international says whether he signs a new deal is “possibly the most important decision” of his career. The forward has scored 61 goals in 97 appearances for the Gunners since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2018. Read more... (306 words, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)