Ahoy – here it is, the transfer window. The one stop shop for all your club's problems. A bad centre half? No worries, buy a new one. A striker who can't find his scoring boots? Check out this guy, he scored 15 goals last season. Unsuitable tactics? Incompetent manager? Misguided owners? Don't worry, the transfer market has a solution to all your problems!
The summer transfer window 2017 is unlike any other – you know that the moment a £40 million bid for Sigurdsson is rejected. You know that when Kyle Walker becomes the most expensive defender of all time. You know that when Ronaldo gets linked with a return to Manchester United (oh wait, that happens every summer!).
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EPL has been at the forefront. Not that any one expected anything different. It sounds only natural to us when Bonucci, linked to Man City for £50m, goes to Serie A rivals AC Milan for just £35.2m. The interest of a Premier League club instantly adds a few zeroes to a player's transfer value.
Even with endless reserves of cash, it hasn't been plain sailing for all the Premier League clubs. Sometimes, money is a curse in itself; leading to unrealistic valuations. Sometimes your targets are not for sale. Sometimes your most valuable players kick up a fuss and put in a transfer request.
For varying reasons, here are five EPL clubs who have had an awful summer so far:
#5 Stoke City
Embroiled in a transfer tussle for Porto defender Bruno Martins Indi, Stoke City must have thought they had enough on their plate to deal with. Then star player Marko Arnautovic handed in a transfer request – and seems inevitably poised to join rivals, West Ham.
Having finished 9th in each of his first three seasons at the club, Mark Hughes' Stoke City finished 13th last season, just foir points off 17th position. In a league where newly promoted Huddersfield town have made nine signings already, Stoke can't afford to rest on their laurels. Darren Fletcher's free transfer from West Brom needs to be complemented now with further solid additions.
#4 West Ham
If rumours are to be believed, West Ham's summer could take a significant turn for the better in the coming days, with Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez mooted as possible summer signings. However, that doesn't mask the fact that West Ham have had an awful transfer window till date.
With 62 points in his debut season and an impending move to the Olympic Stadium, the sky seemed to be the limit for Slaven Bilic and his Hammers at the end of the 2015-16 season. However, poor decision making in the transfer market coupled with issues in adjusting to a new stadium, and a return of 45 points did not please any one in the fan base or management.
West Ham have had yet another slow start to the transfer window with just Zabaleta and Joe Hart arriving from Manchester City till date. After his struggles at Torino, the jury is still out on the wisdom behind Hart's acquisition.
West Ham can't afford to repeat the mistakes of the previous window – this season could make or break their long term European ambitions.
#3 Newcastle
Rafael Benitez has overseen a radical change at Newcastle United. Having walked into a club that sleepwalked into defeats, where the fans no longer trusted or loved their own team, Benitez has pulled off nothing short of a "Rafalution" in Tyneside. Instant promotion back to the Premier League as champions, and Benitez's request as a reward for his success was simple – strengthen the squad to cope with Premier League demands.
Newcastle have already missed out on Pepe Reina and Tammy Abraham by dragging their heels. With several players having departed, Newcastle need to bring in fresh faces to improve quantity as well as quality. Either that or risk the ire of Benitez – the manager who agreed to move to the Championship from the Champions League because he was overwhelmed by fans' affection.
Newcastle cannot afford to lose Benitez. Rafa wouldn't want to walk away either; but if speculation is to be believed, he is watching the ongoing transfer limbo with frustration.
#2 Liverpool
Liverpool's transfer window has basically revolved around a list of targets whom their parent clubs do not wish to sell. The saga involving Naby Keita has been going on forever, and even the Mohamed Salah deal took ages to get over the line after the initial links surfaced.
However, the notable blunder was the one involving Virgil Van Dijk. Eager to appease growing fan apprehension, Liverpool briefed the media regarding Van Dijk's decision to join them ahead of Chelsea and Manchester City. All well and good, but Liverpool hadn't even put in an official bid for the player.
The Southampton management was infuriated and promptly reported illegal tapping up of their player. Fearing a transfer ban, Liverpool immediately apologised to Southampton and released a statement withdrawing their interest in the player. FSG have issued more public apologies in their time at the club than they have won major trophies – it is a long summer ahead to right several wrongs.
#1 Chelsea
Where to start? Conte's ill-advised message to Costa regarding his future sparked off a torrid start to the summer. Costa subsequently went public about Conte’s decision and his price instantly dropped several million quid.
Chelsea then intensified their pursuit of a centre-back. Virgil Van Dijk informed them that he wanted to join Liverpool, Bonucci was too expensive and Chelsea ended up signing Rudiger from Roma. If it is potential Chelsea are interested in, then their decision to send Kurt Zouma on loan is questionable. And what about the first team prospects of Andreas Christensen?
Finally, the Blues decided to press ahead and wrap up the long mooted deal for Lukaku, only for United to swoop in and steal him from under their noses. Chelsea now find themselves in the difficult position of having to negotiate a deal for Morata with Real Madrid.
Chelsea have had an awful summer transfer window till date. With all the money being splurged around them, they need to strengthen so that they do not get left behind – the mistakes of summer 2015 after their previous title victory serve as a stark reminder.
