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The English Premier League, the self-styled “best league in the world” has produced many exciting and often iconic football/sporting moments. Some of these moments have occurred over the course of, and very often, on the last day of the transfer window.
As the transfer window progresses EPL chairmen and managers often become more desperate to appease the fans whilst regularly a chairman or manager feels they are one important/big name signing away from making a title push/European push or saving their club from relegation and the riches garnered from these achievements.
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Occasionally suspicious and underhand dealings come into play. Here are the detailed main stories of the summer transfer window in general, and transfer deadline day in particular, over the last decade.
2006:
Having become uber rich a few seasons back, following the takeover by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Chelsea created a new record for transfer fee paid by an English club when they bought Andriy Shevchenko from Italian giants AC Milan.
The Blues paid the San Siro outfit £29.1million for the Ukrainians’ services and was, at the time, the sixth most expensive transfer in history. German Didi Hamann recorded what was the shortest transfer ever by going to Bolton Wanderers but having a change of heart within a day and joining Manchester City instead.
2007:
Arguably the signing of the 2007 summer transfer window was Manchester United’s acquisition of Carlos Tevez for a fee in excess of £20million. The transfer was complicated by the fact that his previous club, West Ham, did not own the Argentine outright.
Tevez and Javier Mascherano had arrived at Upton Park a year earlier under a cloud, without it being known who owned the players or the length of their contracts, but Tevez would go on to save the Hammers from relegation in his final game for the club, ironically enough by scoring the only goal at Old Trafford.
2008:
Robinho’s transfer from Real Madrid to Manchester City was the biggest and most talked about transfer of the 2008 summer transfer window. The Brazilian was bought for a fee in excess of £30million shortly after the club had been bought by billionaire Arabs.
Following an uninspiring couple of seasons in which the playmaker suffered several injuries he returned to Santos in 2010.
2009:
2009 was one of the quieter transfer windows with not a whole lot of excitement happening. The biggest deal of transfer deadline day was Everton’s purchase of Johnny Heitinga from Atlético Madrid for a fee of £6.2million, with him operating as a defensive midfielder or centre back.
The Dutchman enjoyed a successful five years at Goodison Park, being voted Everton's Player of the Season 2011-'12 before moving on to Fulham.
The biggest move of the entire window was the Roque Santa Cruz’ £17.5million transfer from Blackburn to Manchester City though the Paraguayan would only play 20 league games in his four years at the Etihad Stadium.
One of the main sagas of the 2009 transfer deadline day was that of Richard Dunne’s move from Manchester City to Aston Villa. Following a lot of back and forth and with complications through the Premier League ratifying the deal, the Irishman eventually moved to Villa Park for £5million on a four-year contract.
2010:
The biggest and certainly the best signing of the 2010 summer transfer window was Manchester City’s acquisition of David Silva from Valencia. At the end of his first season in the Premier League, Silva was seen as one of the league’s best playmakers.
Carlos Tevez went on to say: “David Silva is the best signing we (Manchester City) have made." Silva has gone on to win two Premier League titles with City and has been voted onto the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
2011:
Manchester City were once again the biggest movers in the 2011 summer transfer window. They acquired several big name players at big prices but none more so than Sergio Aguero who cost the club £38million.
The Argentine would famously go on to score the last gasp title winning goal at the end of that season and he was voted Manchester City Player of the Season. As of the first two games of the 2016-‘17 season, the diminutive striker has gone on to score an impressive 105 goals and counting from 152 Premier League appearances for the club and looks set to be a star for the club for another few years yet.
2012:
Chelsea were the big spenders of the 2012 summer transfer window. They forked out £32million on Lille midfielder Eden Hazard. The Belgian has gone on to experience highs and lows at Stamford Bridge but he has already won the Premier League (2014-‘15) with the club as well as being voted 2014-‘15 FWA Footballer of the Year and he appears to be returning to his best form now.
2013:
Arsenal were the main movers in the 2013 summer transfer. The Gunners for once splashed the cash to buy Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil for £42.5million. Whilst the German will be disappointed to have only won two FA Cups so far during his time with the club, he has been an invaluable asset, supplying constant assists for his teammates and being awarded Premier League Top Assists 2015-‘16 as well as being voted Arsenal Player of the Season for the same season.
2014:
New Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal did some frantic dealing at the end of the 2014 summer transfer window. He completed the loan deal for Radamel Falcao in the early hours of the morning at the end of the window which came merely days after the £13.8million purchase of Daley Blind and the £59.7million then British transfer fee record signing of Angel Di Maria.
Falcao had moderate success during his only season at Old Trafford and Blind has now become an integral part of United’s plans. Di Maria was a massive flop at United however, leaving the club to join PSG at the end of his first season in England.
2015:
The most unexpected transfer of the 2015 summer window was that of Petr Cech moving from Chelsea to Arsenal for £10million. It was highly surprising at the time that Jose Mourinho would let any of his (then) Chelsea players move to a club which is seen as a direct rival.
2016:
The biggest story from the 2016 summer transfer window was probably the staggering amount of money spent by clubs in the EPL. The total spent by top flight English clubs was a remarkable £1,175,230,000 during the window.
Manchester United of course broke the transfer fee world record when they re-signed Paul Pogba from Juventus for £89.3million. Other hefty transfer fees were those paid for John Stones (Everton to Manchester City for around £50million including add ons) and Granit Xhaka (Borusia Mönchengladbach to Arsenal for around £35million).
