Summer Transfer Window Series: 2015 Window Top 10 Big Money Moves

And so, the summer chaos is over for another year. I'm not talking about the departure lounge of Manchester Airport, it is of course the transfer window. As part of my latest series, I wanted to review some of the biggest and best Premier League transactions this year, starting with the top 10 huge money moves.

It's been a record summer, with spending rising four per cent to £870m. As a result, we've got a strong top 10, with all of the deals highlighted in excess of £20m. With the new Sky TV deal, valued at a staggering £5bn, set to come into play next year, clubs have realised that they have money to play with, and as a result, are more willing to splash out the big bucks.

10. Pedro Rodriguez - Barcelona to Chelsea (£21m)
We kick off with Chelsea's big-name summer signing. Having struggled through their opening couple of games, claiming just one point, Jose Mourinho felt the time was right to make his move. Despite considerable reported interest from Manchester United, Chelsea met the buyout clause of Barcelona's Pedro, who had found himself less of a fixture at the Catalan club since the purchases of Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Cue merciless chants taunting United on the terraces, and rapid response from Louis van Gaal, claiming they never really wanted him - funny that! Meanwhile, the Spaniard, who has already won two Champions League titles and countless league crowns, has hit the ground running, with one goal and two assists in his first two games.

9. Heung-Min Son - Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham Hotspur (£22m)
The first of our 'panic buys' to enter the list. Not unlike Chelsea, Spurs have had a rocky start to the new season, particularly struggling for goals. With Harry Kane having that typical 'second season syndrome', Tottenham swooped for Son, paying over the odds for a player that, while talented, has often struggled to be prolific. It remains to be seen whether this plays out well, but his debut will be eagerly anticipated by Spurs fans - but the last striker to cost in excess of £20m didn't really work out - Roberto Soldado.

8. Morgan Schneiderlin - Southampton to Manchester United (£24m)
Poor old Southampton. Their strong young side of a couple of years ago has been decimated, with Liverpool and Manchester United particularly guilty of stealing their players. This summer, it was the turn of Morgan Schneiderlin to depart, having come close to joining Spurs last year. At £24m, he seems extremely expensive, and he has hardly had the most auspicious start, frequently giving the ball away in the games at home to Tottenham and Newcastle. Nevertheless, it remains clear that Louis van Gaal considers him a ready-made replacement for the ageing Michael Carrick, and I expect to see the Dutchman continue to give him a chance to repay the outlay.

7. Nicolas Otamendi - Valencia to Manchester City (£28m upfront, will rise to £32m)
Another of Manchester United's failed transfer targets, and the first of Manchester City's big-money signings. Who would have thought that £28m would represent one of the club's cheaper purchases? Though a touch surprising, given the form of both Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi adds further competition and strength in depth for City's European tilt, particularly given the typically ridiculous group the club has been given again.

It does have to be said, however, that one of the key reasons for the move to City is the transfer of Alvaro Negredo the other way last year. Expected cost in the region of £22m, Valencia have simply not got the money, so a part exchange was almost inevitable to come good on the money.

6. Roberto Firmino - Hoffenheim to Liverpool (£29m)
Liverpool have also been busy in the transfer window, financing the signing of Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino in June. The former Hoffenheim man has recently broken into the Brazil national team, popping up with some useful goals in recent friendlies, and seems to have the physical stature to cope with the rough and tumble of the Premier League. As with many of this year's moves, he looks overpriced by my estimation, and has failed to stamp his authority on the team in the opening weeks, but I do believe he adds something different to the Liverpool squad.

5. Memphis Depay - PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United (£31m)
The move finalised earlier than any other, Memphis Depay has had a considerable amount of time to gel with his new teammates, and you have to say it has worked. Of all of the United players so far this season, he has looked the most lively, and demonstrated his quality with his two-goal appearance at home to Club Brugge in the Champions League. Though he is often greedy and at times petulant, he is still young, and should learn quickly how to operate at a club the size of United. As a team, United has yet to hit top gear in the league, and you can be sure that Depay will be at the centre of activity once they do.

4. Christian Benteke - Aston Villa to Liverpool (£32.5m)
Funded by another big-money transfer (which if you don't already know about, I'll get to later, but more importantly, where have you been?!) Liverpool hit the buy-out clause in Christian Benteke's contract to secure his services. A proven goalscorer, Benteke has outperformed a relatively poor Aston Villa side over the last couple of years, and his suitors included a host of Europe's top teams. Though his opening few games for the Reds have been underwhelming, with one goal a relatively poor return at this stage, I am confident he will deliver, but it will be interesting to see how the Belgian deals with the enormous pressure that comes with the status of the club and the price tag over his head in the coming months.

3. Anthony Martial - AS Monaco to Manchester United (£36.6m - could rise to £58m)
Quite frankly, ridiculous. So left-field, they've disappeared off the pitch and out the stadium. I think you get my point. The very fact that Wayne Rooney had to ask who he was demonstrates the fact that this is not a £36.6m man, and his record is hardly justification either. Just eight goals in 31 Ligue 1 appearances last season does not strike of a prolific goalscorer, and with Rooney well and truly out of form, a goalscorer is exactly what United need. The fact that the deal was completed on deadline day reeks of a panic buy from Louis van Gaal following their defeat by Swansea, and with clauses including 25 international appearances and 25 goals over the next four seasons likely to cost the club another £15m, this could be an extremely expensive failure.

2. Raheem Sterling - Liverpool to Manchester City (£49m)
Arguably the most obvious move of the summer (although I would have put the sale of David de Gea to Real Madrid in this category!). Though a silly price, City had identified the player they required to progress their title tilt, and made their move early. With Sterling using every tactic in the book (and a few perhaps not in there!) to get his move, Liverpool handled the situation admirably, maintaining composure and ensuring they got the best deal for the current European Golden Boy. They certainly made City pay through the nose, but given the way the club has started this year, a lot of which is the injection of pace and width that Sterling provides, it does seem like a deal that may pay off for the Blues.

1. Kevin De Bruyne - VfL Wolfsburg to Manchester City (£54m)
And if City's start wasn't frightening enough for their rivals, they've brought in the man who created the most chances in any of Europe's top leagues last year. Though again for ridiculous money, Kevin de Bruyne is another exciting young prospect with proven pedigree, and will add to an already embarrassing forward line containing Silva, Aguero and Sterling. The Belgian has flourished in the Bundesliga, scoring 17 goals and assisting 29 more last season, and I have no doubt that he will do well in the Premier League. He's going to have to though, particularly for the eye-watering sum that was paid for him.

Aston Villa: Time For The Kids To Grow Up

2012/2013: 15th

Player(s) In: Jed Steer (Norwich City, Free), Antonio Luna (Sevilla, Undisc), Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg BK, Undisc), Jores Okore (FC Nordsjaelland, Undisc), Leandro Bacuna (FC Groningen, Undisc), Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznan, Undisc), Libor Kozak (Lazio, £5 Million)

Player(s) Out: Stilian Petrov (Retired), Richard Dunne (QPR, Free), Jean Makoun (Stade Rennais, Undisc), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest, Free), Brett Holman (Released), Darren Bent (Fulham, Loan)

Transfers Review:

                              Comparing the completed transfers to those predicted in my Aston Villa season review post a couple of months ago, we can see that Villa have been far more successful in the transfer window than the papers thought they would. They have also got rid of far more players than initially assumed. In terms of whether they have filled the positions I thought they required, whilst they have bought a central midfielder to replace the retired Stilian Petrov, in Leandro Bacuna, he remains a youngster, meaning that ability may have been brought in, but experience certainly has not. This is certainly something that I feel is needed for Villa to exceed their objectives this season.

                                This lack of experience is illustrated further when we look at the Villains' other recruits. Not a single one older than 24 years old, and covering positions all over the field, Paul Lambert has sent another signal of intent over his transfer policy. He has also let go of several of his most experienced squad members, with Richard Dunne, Jean Makoun and Stilian Petrov all absent from Villa's ranks this campaign. I do worry about the resilience of this Villa side, as less experienced players tend to allow one defeat to turn into four, and we often see more fledgling sides towards the lower end of the Premier League table.

                                 However, Villa's best piece of business this campaign has not been any of their acquisitions. Keeping hold of 20-goal Christian Benteke is undoubtedly the highlight of Lambert's summer. The big Belgian looked destined for a larger club, with both Spurs and Liverpool seen as potential suitors, but after crisis talks with Lambert, he was persuaded to sign a contract extension and stay at Villa. After his outstanding performances last campaign, I am certain every Aston Villa fan will be delighted at that news.

Pre-Season:

                                 Villa's pre-season form has been patchy, with Lambert attempting to give many of his younger players a test. As with last season, youth appears to be the way forward for Aston Villa, with Lambert entrusting his younger players with positions of great responsibility. In their early pre-season friendlies, the mix of new players and inexperience left Villa with only a draw and a defeat to show for it. A 2-2 draw against Wycombe Wanderers was followed by a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Luton Town. As the season moved closer, August's friendlies produced more positive results. An expected victory against Irish champions Shamrock Rovers was followed by a testing tie at home to Champions League quarter-finalists Malaga.

                                    In their final warm-up game before the start of the Premier League, Villa were certainly at the races. In-form Benteke opened the scoring after 12 minutes, before experienced centre-back Ron Vlaar beat Malaga keeper Caballero with a bullet-header from a corner. Benteke seemingly put the game beyond doubt on the half hour, when he won and converted a penalty, taking his personal total to 7 goals in 5 games. Villa 3-0 up and crusing. Their sense of ease did not last long, as firstly new boy Jores Okore miscued a clearance into his own net, before Sergi Darder added a second to make the last few minutes decidedly nervous. But the Villains held on to give themselves a morale-boosting win going into their opening league game at Arsenal next week.

Key Players:

                                      Villa's determination to keep hold of this player over the summer means that there can only be one to watch out for at Villa Park this season: Christian Benteke. After a stunning breakthrough season last time out, the big Belgian will be looking to solidify his reputation in English football, and push Villa away from the drop as a consequence. His goals last time around certainly ensured that the Villains would not be playing Championship football in 2013/14, and all of his pace, power and accuracy will be needed to ensure that Aston Villa finish higher than last year. Villa could perhaps be accused of being a one-man team, as without him they often looked toothless in attack. Lambert will be hoping for as few injuries as possible to his star man, as the replacement is inexperienced in the Premier League.

Key Fixture Dates:
(Based on who I believe are their main rivals this year)

14/09/2013: Aston Villa vs Newcastle
02/11/2013: West Ham United vs Aston Villa
30/11/2013: Aston Villa vs Sunderland
03/12/2013: Southampton vs Aston Villa
07/12/2013: Fulham vs Aston Villa
01/01/2014: Sunderland vs Aston Villa
08/02/2014: Aston Villa vs West Ham United
22/02/2014: Newcastle vs Aston Villa
05/04/2014: Aston Villa vs Fulham
19/04/2014: Aston Villa vs Southampton

Top Goalscorer:

                                         Once again, a simple choice, with the powerful Benteke bearing a large burden on his shoulders for Aston Villa. Excluding a serious injury, I cannot see any other Villa player coming close to scoring the number of goals Benteke does this campaign. The only worry for Villa will be whether they can provide enough service so that the Belgian extends his fantastic scoring run, and betters last season's total.

Prediction:

                                          Aston Villa's initial objective will be to avoid relegation this season, but with the quality in the squad I think they have the potential to progress higher than that. Dependant on the fitness of Benteke, and the progression of many of the youngsters and new signings at the club, the fringes of the top half is about the best Villa can expect from this season. My only concern is that the inexperience rife in the Villa ranks could cause mistakes like the ones we saw from Carl Baker against Reading last year. Experienced players would help settle their younger counterparts down, but the Villa squad doesn't really possess many. For that reason, a top lower half finish is my best guess.

Aston Villa 2013/2014: 12th

Aston Villa: Youngsters Back From The Brink

2012/2013 Season Review:

                With the departure of the largely unpopular Alex McLeish at the end of the previous year, and the arrival of new boss Paul Lambert from Norwich, Villa started the season in positive, albeit nervous mood. With a number of unproven recruits from the lower leagues of English football, and a big Belgian by the name of Christian Benteke, Villa started the season rather worryingly, accruing only one point from their opening three matches. This inconsistent form continued, and whilst Villa did have highs, such as the victory in the Capital One Cup at the Etihad over Manchester City, who had previously gone unbeaten there for the best part of two years, the opening part of the season was one largely of frustration for the Villa fans.

                Of particular frustration for Villa fans at the beginning of the season was Paul Lambert’s seemingly nonsensical decision to leave Darren Bent, a proven Premier League goalscorer on the sidelines for the new signing Benteke. Lambert’s philosophy was clearly one of bringing the youngsters to the fore, and slowly phasing out the old guard. Players such as Carl Baker, Matt Lowton, Fabien Delph, Andreas Weimann and Benteke all received the opportunity to prove themselves on the big stage. For the majority of the season, it appeared as though this decision would backfire on the manager, as his side rarely escaped the clutches of the bottom three throughout most of 2012. Whilst performances were generally impressive, such as the 2-3 defeat at home to Manchester United in November, the lack of experience often led to mistakes, which inevitably cost the Villains points.

                However, as the season progressed, one player began to stand out. Christian Benteke’s power, touch and goalscoring ability soon vindicated Lambert’s decision to leave Darren Bent out. Benteke announced himself on the Premier League stage during the 3-1 victory at Anfield. Two goals, and an outrageous backheel to create the third illustrated exactly why Lambert spent £7 million on him from Genk in the summer. After the euphoria of the Anfield win, typically Villa were brought back to earth with a bump, being hammered in their next outing 8-0 at Stamford Bridge. An appalling run of form during January saw Villa slip into the bottom three once again, battling for survival became their primary aim. A shame after the early season enthusiasm, but foreseeable with the lack of experience at their disposal. No win in 7 League games, coupled with a shambolic exit in the Capital One Cup Semi Final to Bradford over two legs, and a poor defeat to Millwall in the FA Cup Fourth Round, extinguished all hope of a trophy, and placed their survival hopes in the balance.

                The beginning of March saw a dramatic upturn in form and results, as Villa began to believe they could escape trouble. Roared on by the 12^th man in the Holt End at Villa Park, Villa narrowly lost to Man City, but then proceeded to earn back to back victories against two relegation rivals in Reading and QPR. An incredibly valuable time to earn the first back to back victories of the season. These results put Villa on the cusp of escaping relegation. Two further relegation ‘six-pointers’ were to occur before what seemed the inevitable relegation playoff between Wigan and Villa at the DW Stadium on the final day. Firstly, a trip to the Britannia to face Stoke. An outstanding performance that once again threatened to produce only one point instead of three until the 86^th minute. Then, step forward Matthew Lowton, with an absolute stunner from 30 yards into the top corner, to leave the Villa fans dreaming of survival. Even more astonishing was Villa’s 6-1 demolition of Paolo di Canio’s in form Sunderland. A result no-one saw coming, and one that practically guaranteed Villa’s place in the Premier League for next season, rendering the ‘last day showdown’ with Wigan irrelevant.

                Aston Villa, considering the lack of experience within their ranks, have performed well to escape relegation. Having watched them several times this season, they have never produced performances worthy of going down. They have lacked luck and experience, something which Paul Lambert may need to address. However, they showed signs towards the end of the season that they were beginning to gel, something which bodes well for the next campaign.

 

Player of the Season: Christian Benteke – The big Belgian has been a revelation at Villa Park this year. His goals have almost single-handedly got Villa out of trouble and his bullishness and strength on the ball have earned him many plaudits at home and abroad. That £7 million is looking a snip now!

 

Game of the Season: Aston Villa 6-1 Sunderland – Undoubtedly the most unbelievable result and performance from the Villa players, arguably the culmination of all of Lambert’s hard work to gel such an inexperienced team. Headed by hat-trick hero Benteke, this is the Villa side the claret and blue army from Birmingham want to see more of next season.

 

Summer Transfer Targets (Who I Think They Need): Keeping hold of Benteke is an absolute must for the Villians, as they appear resigned to lose Darren Bent this summer, after several months of bench-warming duty. A little more steel and experience in the midfield would be useful, in order to replace the retiring Stilian Petrov, who has served the club admirably, and on a personal note, it was wonderful to see the club and the fans honour him with the minutes applause every home game. In terms of signings, perhaps someone like Wigan’s James McCarthy, or Stoke’s Dean Whitehead to sure up the midfield. Other than that, the progression of the youngsters should allow Lambert to challenge for a top 10 berth next year.

 

Transfer Gossip Links:

In:

Dwight Gayle (Peterborough, CM)

 

Out:

Darren Bent (Fulham, ST), Christian Benteke (Arsenal, Liverpool, Juventus, ST)