6 Things that could happen as the transfer window closes

Transfers in football have evolved into an obsession. The prospect of landing one of the continent’s hottest talents tends to over-ride the excitement stimulated by a stunning goal or crunching tackle, but the transfer window encapsulates the ever-changing backdrop of football today quite perfectly.As the clock ticks down, pressure mounts on clubs to bring in fresh faces in order to better their forecasted fortunes, but the looming burdens of financial restraints and a strict deadline can take its toll on managers and players alike. Consequently, we see bizarre player behaviour and a scattergun of panic buys and it seems deadline day especially can turn the footballing world on its head.Treated to the weird, wonderful and quite astounding in the past, here’s a look at what we could see before the window concludes.

#1 Red Herrings

Neymar has been linked to United which has been deemed as a ridiculous rumour

Eager to capitalise on this frenzied final few days, the media take centre stage in the transfer window and are not averse to tossing a few names into the mix to spice it all up a little. Most recently, Barcelona’s Neymar has been linked with a move to Van Gaal’s United – a farcical rumour and one which is just a case of flogging a dead horse to capture the attention of the Manchester faithful.

With the window being dominated by bizarre wheelings and dealings, it can be difficult to remain rational and keep your feet on the ground, especially if a mammoth name is being linked to your beloved club, but it’s important to distinguish between deals posing potential and the odd red herring.

Already this summer, we’ve seen Cristiano Ronaldo tipped for a move to Paris, Yaya Toure rumoured to be on his way to Inter Milan and Gareth Bale linked with a return to the Premier League, all of which embed minimal, if any, truth and were thrown together by social networking giants and deluded football pundits.

While you can be assured the mainstream media will remain sensible in their speculations, just be careful you’re not lead astray when you hear Zlatan Ibrahimovich is on his way to your esteemed Port Vale and brace yourself for many a deal to fall through as the window heats up.

#2 Flurry of Transfer Requests

Stones’ transfer request has been rejected by Everton

The recent commotion regarding the John Stones move to Chelsea is a prime example of my next point. Players are, understandably, looking to broaden their horizons and play the best standard of football.

Therefore, much like the Stones situation, when a big club comes knocking, individuals will do all they can to force their dream move and may look to capitalise on both parties’ desperation to buy and sell.

Saido Berahino is another instance. After witnessing Tottenham table £21-million for his services, the young English forward was made well aware he was a wanted man and the promise of European football and a switch to a bigger club prompted a transfer request.

Now, although this is merely a typical occurence in the transfer window, it is something we can expect more and more of as we near September 2nd. Teams will be growing anxious to paper over the cracks exposed at the season’s start and will therefore, pay a little over the odds for a solution. If players hear of new signings arriving in their position, they may feel undervalued and be on the lookout for first team football.

Similarly, if an individual sees such a big offer for them rejected they may feel frustrated with their club for not allowing them to make their own decision. In both cases, writing to your club of your desire to leave can be a fast-track method of making the switch run efficiently.

#3 Helicopters Ferrying About Players

Juan Mata travelled south to Manchester to complete his transfer as soon as possible in the January transfer window

As well as contracts initially, written up on napkins or scrap paper and journalists braving brutal weather conditions to sniff out a story, the transfer window, and namely deadline day, does exhibit an air of class at times.

Logistics can prove the main stumbling block in deals, with players and agents failing to attend personal talks due to road delays or long distances to travel, so seeing players transported between cities by stylish air travel is sometimes a formality.

Coupled with Sky Sports’ Jim White’s booming voice, seeing players shipped across the nation to conclude a deal before the clock strikes midnight can look like a Bond scene but it really is just a means of getting the transfer confirmed quicker and we’ll ultimately see a lot of it come deadline day.

Moves from the North to the English capital are pretty much guaranteed every window and if the likes of West Ham or Crystal Palace see fit to dip into the Summer kitty before the start of September, expect the new signing to make a big entrance.

#4 Players Going AWOL

Di Maria never settled in England and ultimately left United for Paris Saint German

Whether it’s the contagious excitement expelled by the close of a transfer window or the frustration at having to have stayed at a club longer than they would have pleased, some players tend to act a little strangely around deadline day and this is not good news for their respective clubs.

Earlier this month, Angel Di Maria completed his switch to PSG after the Argentine reportedly failed to board a flight to the USA for United’s pre-season tour. His irresponsible actions had no toll on his move and it seemed a case of sparking unnecessary drama to force through a move.

Very seldom do we see a window lacking controversy and I anticipate some players could very well act up at having not got their move away. Peter Odemwingie was another example, after the Nigerian attempted to join QPR from West Brom himself, even though an agreement hadn’t been reached between the two clubs.

They may refuse to play, vanish for a short period of time, bombard the board with transfer requests or simply attack their team on social media, but some moves this window may materialize by virtue of a player making their discomfort known and throwing their toys out of the pram.

#5 Negotiations Going Beyond Stipulated Time

Van Der Vaart’s deal didn’t go through before deadline as there were technical problems involved

Tottenham, and especially Harry Redknapp, are particular masters in this field of the market; just cast your mind back to the pursuit of Rafael Van de Vaart – Spurs claimed they were unable to file the required paperwork before the deadline due to a technical fault.

The EPL eventually allowed the signing to go through despite Tottenham’s failure to register their 25-man squad before the deadline and such belatedness has become a hallmark of deadline day.

Clubs appealing for additional time has become a regular sighting and it’s no surprise; in order to register a player, clubs must send the Premier League all relevant paperwork including the transfer agreement, contract and, if required, the official work permit and International transfer certificate. It all seems very technical which makes ceasing business early in the window all the more important.

Some sides might not decide to go in for a player until it’s evident they’re lacking personnel after a few matches, while other clubs may extensively scout a target before making an offer, which is a time-consuming process.

Other teams venture away from the meticulous and measured approach to adopt the more precarious strategy of making an offer late on deadline day, in hopes of luring a side into selling immediately with a lucrative offer. Leaving it late can be risky, but also effective. One thing’s for sure – we’ll see it in practice at the end of the window.

#6 Carousels at the Death

Who could replace Berahino if West Brom were to sell the striker to Tottenham?

A menacing heading indeed, as are the implications for some teams involved in a footballing carousel at the close of the window. Should a team find themselves tangled in a saga involving a specific player, the club home to said individual may begin looking for a replacement ahead of the inevitable sale. The departure of the player they then choose as the replacement will leave a gaping hole in another team and this ripple or ‘domino’ effect will leave one side short of a first-team starter.

Let me add some context. If West Brom were to cash-in on Berahino and sell to Tottenham, they’d then be on the look-out for a replacement. Charlie Austin has been heavily linked with the Baggies so say Pulis snaps up the QPR forward – the Hoops themselves will then need to bring in a new front-man.

All this time, the clock is ticking down and, should QPR secure a striker from another championship club, it’ll leave that team without a main forward player and this leaves them with a fair bit of cash, but no time to use it.

Carousels tend to be so common at the end of a window because if a club loses a key man late on due to the offer being so irresistible, then they need to find someone to fill the void quickly and clubs are more likely to be forced into sales later in the window.