With games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the Premier League is set to have a busy week. In addition, clubs won’t be allowed to make any signings after September 1 because of the transfer deadline, which isn’t until January....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Among the well-known athletes who could move before the window closes are Antony, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Youri Tielemans.
1. Wayne Rooney to Manchester United
After his explosive performances at Euro 2004, Rooney was always going to be difficult for Everton to hold onto, but his final destination was far from certain.
With their chairman Freddie Shepherd eager to pair Rooney with Alan Shearer up front, Newcastle United once held the top position to recruit the teenager.
However, Manchester United ultimately outbid the Magpies, and it was they who closed the transaction on the 2004 deadline day.
Rooney went on to become the club’s all-time leading scorer, winning five Premier League championships and a Champions League in the process for a fee of £30 million, which at the time was not exactly a modest sum.
2. Claude Makelele to Chelsea
Makelele, one of the most significant players in Premier League history, joined Chelsea in 2004 as the 13th and last signing of a frenetic summer of activity.
The fact that they were able to wrest him away from Real Madrid was somewhat surprising in Spain (Zinedine Zidane is well known for his criticism of the deal), but a sum of £16 million was enough to bring the Frenchman to west London.
Makelele was a specialized holding player who did the grunt work so that others might succeed in an era of box-to-box midfielders.
He was so prosperous that, at least in England, the post was given his name. Makelele played a key role in Chelsea’s championship victories in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
3. Ashley Cole to Chelsea
Chelsea, their manager Jose Mourinho, and Cole were all fined after the Blues were found guilty of “tapping up” the left-back in one of the most contentious moves in Premier League history. In the end, Chelsea paid £5 million for Cole and sent William Gallas the opposite way to get their man.
The England full-back developed his defensive abilities at Stamford Bridge, where he was a model of consistency. He eventually became an all-around full-back.
Cole won the Champions League, the Europa League, four FA Cups, a League Cup, and the Champions League in west London, which is a bit unexpected considering he only won one Premier League championship there.
4. Hugo Lloris to Tottenham
In September 2012, veteran goalie Brad Friedel was doing an excellent job as Tottenham’s No. 1 goalkeeper, but the team realized they needed to replace him as soon as possible.
Lloris was brought in for less than £12m, and by November he was Tottenham’s top choice despite having to wait initially while Friedel fought for the gloves.
Lloris has now developed into a pillar for the Spurs. With 420 games played across all competitions, the club captain will likely end the season in sixth place on Tottenham’s list of all-time top appearance makers, barring injury.
5. Marouane Fellaini to Everton
Everton, despite financial limitations, consistently competed for European slots under David Moyes’ leadership. When the Toffees paid £15 million to Standard Liege in 2008 to get Fellaini, they broke their previous transfer record.
At Manchester United, Fellaini was typically positioned in a deeper midfield position, but Moyes moved him farther forward when he was at Everton. In his first season, he was the club’s joint-leading scorer, and in his final year at Goodison Park, 2012-13, he scored double digits.
