7 bargain transfers of the summer window

The summer transfer window has just come to an end (for most popular leagues), and continuing in the vein of such recent events, astronomical figures have been splashed about. There is now a new ‘most expensive player in the world’ with a bunch of other record-breaking deals in tow. With all these screaming in your face, it is easy to forget that there are still some value-for-money transfers which, quite miraculously, do happen. Here’s a round-up of the eight best ones that happened over the last couple of months.

Samuel Eto’o – Anzhi Makhachkala to Chelsea - [£0]

Samuel Etoo could just prove to be the buying of the season (Getty Images)

After issuing an atrociously obvious ‘come get me’ call to former manager Jose Mourinho, the Cameroonian striker abandoned the fast-sinking ship of Anzhi for greener pastures in London. What’s more, the transfer didn’t cost Mr. Abramovich a dime, except for the wages of course. Given that Eto’o was for a while the world’s highest paid player whose past clubs include Barcelona and Inter Milan, and that he won a stellar treble the last time he played under Mourinho, Chelsea may just have quietly made the bargain buy of the summer.

Andrey Arshavin – Arsenal to Zenit St. Petersburg [£0]

Arsenal have parted with Andrey Arshavin to Zenit St. Petersburg (Getty Images)

After spending a forgettable last two seasons at Arsenal, Andrey Arshavin has finally returned to his motherland Russia; back to Zenit with whom he spent a half season on loan in 2012, in addition to nine full years of service. At 32 years old, he might not be counted among the best of transfers that happened this window, but even Arsenal fans will nostalgically think of this diminutive attacker who produced a fair few moments of magic. If nothing else, to watch him back in action scoring goals and with a smile on his face is definitely worthy of it finding a place on this list.

Maarten Stekelenburg – Roma to Fulham [£0]

Stekelenburg has come in for a replacemet of the old keeper – Mark Schwarzer (Getty Images)

The third and last of the free transfers on this last, Maarten Stekelenburg has been gobbled up by Fulham as part of the mini-exodus at AS Roma. While it has been a slightly unfortunate start to the season, with a shoulder injury sidelining him, it is quite possible that he sees this as his shot to reclaim his spot as the alpha dog keeper of the Dutch national team. Expect him to give it his all and be more than adequate competition to David Stockdale, as well as a replacement for Mark Schwarzer.

Christian Eriksen – Ajax to Tottenham Hotspur [£11.5m]

Eriksen was snapped up by Tottenham (Getty Images)

A player who was only last season being touted as a top target for some of Europe’s elite clubs has been captured in what can only be described as a coup by Spurs. For about an eighth of the price at which they sold Gareth Bale, AVB’s side have signed arguably one of the brightest central midfield prospects, and one that fits perfectly into their style of play. It wouldn’t be surprising if, three years down the line, Eriksen was in the place of Bale while Daniel Levy masterminded the coup of another promising talent.

Wilfried Bony – Vitesse Arnhem to Swansea [£12m]

Wilfried Bony has started well for Swansea City (Getty Images)

The Dutch league’s top-scorer from last season, featuring in several of our player-of-the-month articles, Bony (pronounced Bonn-ee) was always bound to move to a more popular league. After all, having made clear his intentions of leaving the club, Bony held nothing back in his performances on the pitch and showed bigger clubs exactly why they should come get him. Little would even he have expected that his want-away-ness would make his price tag so affordable that Premier-league sophomores, Swansea would snap him up. His performances thus far seem to suggest that the Swans were right in making him their club-record signing, and why richer clubs should keep an eye on who’s flying under the radar.

Jesus Navas – Sevilla to Manchester City [£14.9m]

Navas provides City with an option down the flanks, something previously not available (Getty Images)

For a fraction of what they are used to paying for players in the transfer market, and roughly half of what they paid for Fernandinho, Manchester City have acquired the services of the mysterious Jesus Navas. The Spaniard, about whose personal life little is known except that he gets homesick often, is arguably Spain’s best natural-wide player – a position in which Manchester City could certainly use a boost. Having finished runners-up last year, City might just be propelled one-spot better by their new and old Spanish recruits led by Navas.

Mario Gomez – Bayern Munich to Fiorentina [£17.2m]

Gomez has moved to Fiorentina from European champions Bayern Much (Getty Images)

One of the most sought-after strikers in last summer’s transfer window, Mario Gomez might just be the only person to have been eager to get away from the empire that Bayern seem to be building. Having seen his spot in the starting line-up usurped by the clinical Mario Mandzukic though, Gomez has chosen to move to beautiful Florence where he will fit right into the picture. 112 goals in 172 games was what he scored for Bayern, and at just 27 years of age holds much promise for the Viola.