Three months ago, Sky Sports Digital editors took on the challenge of identifying the maximum of 20 footballers probably to establish the next window of movement.
Three months later, we thought we’d take a look at how they got us.
So you can check that we haven’t cheated, here’s a link to the original article.
So how did we do it? Here are the 20 players, reorganized to reflect their influence and effect on this summer’s manic market.
What we wrote: ”There is no chance of Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona this summer. The Argentine star has promised to remain at least until the end of his existing contract in 2021. But that window generated many hypotheses about his long career after a tumultuous crusade at Camp Nou. Messi is volatile and frustrated at Barca and, for the first time, leaves seriously next year after breaking negotiations on new contracts. He’s fed up with conflicts with the board and widespread rumors that he’s the one who’s shooting at the club. In the countryside, Barcelona is also in disarray. A primary restructuring is underway with Ronald Koeman about to be appointed new chief.
Messi’s messy attempt to integrate tactics with Barcelona into the history of summer and, in retrospect, our mistake of not going a little further with our confidence that the Messi-Barcelona love story is heading to a division.
We knew, as noted, that Messi was volatile and frustrated. What we didn’t know how frustrated and volatile he had become, culminating in the extraordinary and intoxicating days of August when Messi faxed a request for movement, captured the attention of the world and attention all Premier League fans . . . before turning back instead of facing Barcelona on the court, he rides in the summer of 2021.
What we wrote: “Few players generate as much interest and intrigue as Jadon Sancho before the signing window. The 20-year-old, who turned his back on Manchester City to sign for Borussia Dortmund in 2017, has produced another stellar season. “in the Bundesliga, with City’s rivals Manchester United now leading the line for signing. Dortmund still hold the starting value of 120 million euros (108 million pounds) in their head. But Manchester United expect to pay much less in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, with Sky Sports News reporting that they would seek an agreement of around 50 million pounds. It would be a smart deal if they could succeed, but at the time of writing, clubs are caught up in an end.
And in the cul-de-sac, they stayed. ” Sancho to Man United “Array at least in retrospect, or the saga of summer and saga that does not.
Although United never gave up the chase, it was also not controlled to catch up or fit Dortmund’s assessment, leaving the German club why we kept talking about Sancho in the final weeks of the summer window. As for Dortmund, Sancho had become a Dortmund player from the moment his self-imposed deadline came here and left in early August. “Ahh, ” we said, “they’re bluffing. ” Ahh,” we say now in a slightly different tone, “they weren’t. “It is a conscience that Man United is also said to have been long to accept.
What we wrote: “The fate of Gareth Bale in Real Madrid has become a soap opera. During his recent move to the glory of La Liga, he noticed himself to the fullest joking in the stands, an unusual repositioning with little chance of regaining his place in the teamArray. “The challenge for Real Madrid, of course, is that Bale has a contract – and also incredibly lucrative – until 2022. »
Problem solved and stylish. In a deal that accelerated to completion, Bale’s departure from Madrid and his return pass to Tottenham were sealed for a few dizzying days at the end of September. Injuries have prevented any comments about him from affecting him since his reinstatement. the last word deserves to pass to their list in Spain and to the 4 Champions League titles. Has Bale actually passed backed those shores as the ultimate British export of success in football history?
What we wrote: ” Arsenal would have intensified their summer search for Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid, and it is clear why he is such a requested player. Patricia’s intentions and her forty-five million pound termination clause make it one of Europe’s highs However, Arsenal will have to sell before they can save money. They may only generate a budget with the possible sales of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Mohamed Elneny, Lucas Torreira, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sead Kolasinac, being too complicated to achieve such a change in ins and out in a single summer move window.
They left him late, but Arsenal had his boy with a few hours to lose in what turned out to be Deadline Day’s biggest deal. Among the possible sales we mentioned, Mkhitaryan and Torreira left, while Kolasinac’s proposal to return to Gerguyy collapsed almost accurately when Arsenal activated Partey’s release clause. Welcome to the Premier League.
What we wrote: “Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and even Everton, Newcastle and Wolves: they’ve all been connected to the Colombian sometime in the last decade. Array, at 28, he still has a long way to go. “to offer (he has scored 15 and made 20 assists in 67 matches at Bayern), however, his salary will be a challenge for many, estimated at around 160,000 euros consistent with the week. Even if James goes to an agreement at a discounted price, say 20 million pounds, poses a threat to many Premier League teams, it will be desirable to see where he is even though everything is going and whether a stage replacement can push him to recreate the way he became one of the tops sought after. world players at the 2014 World Cup.
Bravo Everton, they took the threat and now they reap the reward. Of course, there is the caveat that it is still early, but as inspiration for his promotion to the most sensible of the Premier League, Rodriguez already seems reasonable at all costs.
What we wrote: “It turns out that Thiago Alcantara’s stay in Germany is over after Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Bild: “Alcantara needs to leave. Career. ” What will be this new adventure remains to be decided, but the Spaniard Foreigners will not lack contenders. Liverpool would also be interested in signing the 29-year-old – whose father is Brazilian champion Mazinho – to add a touch of style to the champions’ professional midfielder.
Planned and delivered, with built-in tactical explanations for more depth
What we wrote: “Jack Grealish admitted that” he wasn’t quite sure “of his long career at Aston Villa, and this is not unexpected with the exaggeration that surrounds him. Only Kevin De Bruyne has had more opportunities in the Premier League season, and The Captain of Villa has benefited from nearly a quarter of the club’s purpose opportunities only Array. However, Man United’s interest was cooled by the survival of Villa, who placed more than 80 million pounds on Grealish’s head.
From United’s point of view, it is understandable why this value proved so prohibitive: Danny van de Beek is trading at less than half. The result was that Grealish signed a new five-year contract with Villa within a few days of the start of the Significantly, the agreement includes not only a pay increase, but also a larger termination clause. If the Premier League becomes Villa’s established home, grealish is imaginable to be a single-club player throughout his career. Tissier, anyone?
What we wrote: “There is a great expectation around Germany’s best prospects, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. Chelsea have already picked up rb Leipzig’s maximum sense and is ahead of the time keeping them away from Bayer Leverkusen as well. But at only 21 years of age, Havertz will charge a height price.
They were, and he did. A five-year, 76 million-pound deal signed in the first week of September.
What we wrote: “How do you solve a challenge like Mesut Ozil?” Are there even clubs interested in signing it and paying their colossal salary after the monetary pressure of the coronavirus pandemic?Will Arsenal even pay part of its salary to the winner of the World Cup from the club?
Problem unresolved. The window closes with the German still at Arsenal, still without a minute of football played since March, and remains the highest-paid player in the Premier League. It’s an ordinary and outrageous situation. Arsenal’s efforts to get rid of Ozil were no secret, but Ozil is not in favour of a move, even if his arsenal days have apparently ended.
What we wrote: “Could Chelsea’s frenzy continue over summer spending with a change to Ben Chilwell of Leicester?Frank Lampard is known for being a fervent admirer of the left-back, who has inspired the Foxes for more than 3 seasons and has a starter for England in the process . . . Leicester, however, probably wouldn’t let him leave for little money.
Well, we’re right. In the end, despite Leicester’s insistence that Chilwell “is not for sale,” cash spoke and Chelsea received his man for 50 million pounds. As we said, it’s not cheap.
What we wrote: ”Eberechi Eze is a QPR player – in many tacticsArray . . . This season has added paint speed and tactical sensitivity to his ballless game, which has generated significant interest in the Premier League. an offer of 8 million pounds for Eze, plus four million pounds of add-ons. However, QPR estimates it at more than 20 million pounds.
We even called the duration of the payment correct: Eze bought through Palace in late August for 16 million pounds in advance with four million pounds in possible add-ons.
What we wrote: “Don’t you forget the commotion created during the lockdown when Harry Kane told Sky Sports he’d be in a position to leave Tottenham if he felt the club wasn’t making progress?”I love Spurs, I’ll always love the Spurs, but it’s one of those things: I’ve always said that if I don’t feel like we’re moving in the right direction or in the right direction, then I’m not someone. stay there for fun, ” said Kane. ” It all depends on what happens as a team and how we progress as a team. So, it’s not certain that I’ll stay there, but neither is it. “
Six months after that warning at the Spurs, Kane remains a Tottenham player. Surprisingly, there has been a slight murmur of hypotheses about his long career over the summer, but at some point Kane’s warnings will actually be implemented, unless, of course, the Spurs continue to make the progress he demands. Judging by last weekend’s demolition at Old Trafford, staying with the Spurs probably wouldn’t have been a bad choice after all.
What we wrote: ”Despite the interest of Chelsea, the club that launched Rice at the age of 14, West Ham has made it clear that they do not need to sell to the England international. The Hammers rejected reports in early August that they had earned 50 million pounds they would be offering Chelsea for their star boy Array. History tells us that there will come a time when West Ham will have its most productive skill, but at least for now, they are in control.
And history doesn’t repeat itself. While Chelsea may or may not have been interested, all that is mentioned in the end is that West Ham never gave Rice a boost.
What we wrote: “Another summer, some other guessing game where Philippe Coutinho will end up betting as his season loan with Bayern Munich approaches. The Bundesliga champions have the chance to sign the foreign Brazilian from Barcelona for 120 Million euros this summer, however, they are unlikely to accept it after a disappointing crusade in Bavaria that has seen Coutinho ruled key games at the club.
There has been a lot of talk about a return to the Coutinho Premier League this summer, but the Brazilian has instead started the season in Barcelona. Bayern.
What we have written: ”Bayern Munich contract rebel David Alaba may be a Premier League player in the coming weeks, as negotiations on his long career with Bundesliga champions reach a milestone. defence, which is entering the last year of his current contract with Bayern.
Let’s be honest, this was a smart idea, it made a lot of sense, but it didn’t really start, which, when you see the defensive disorders of so many Premier League clubs and Alaba’s undeniable class, is more than surprising.
What we wrote: “ Manchester United are watching Juventus winger Douglas Costa as they embark on their summer moving business; It turns out to be his backup plan for Jadon Sancho. It is understood that United’s recruiting team has been following Costa’s progress to a great extent this season. as they look to recruit a wonderful player in the coming weeks.
Then Sancho no Array . . . but neither does Costa, the striker who returns to Bayern.
What we wrote: ”Fake summits have long been discovered on the way to the signing of The Man-Mountain of Napoli Kalidou Koulibaly, nicknamed ”K2”, but the Italian club is in a position to make the top defender wanted on the global if a wonderful silver deal ends for Lille striker Victor Osimhen. Liverpool’s strict play policy prohibits them from spending more than 60 million pounds for a 29-year-old man. But Manchester City, financially stocked and not linked to a Champions League sanction, may simply abandon the same old-age profile and start a promotion. However, Nathan Ake’s signing with his spouse Ayermic Laporte has cooled interest in Napoli’s defense.
Even after Ake’s arrival, Man City was expected to make a move for Koulibaly, but opted for Dias and Napoli’s defense remains a Napoli defender.
What we wrote: “Who deserves to be interested? Almost every team in the world. Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool is a fan. Part of the appeal is that coaches don’t want to have a role for him in his lineup. A plan B for a man. A bank option capable of converting any game. If there’s a problem, it can be just the price. At 24 and under contract until 2023, wolves are well aware of their value. payment can be up to 135 million pounds.
Perhaps that’s why this specific movement never came to fruition. Liverpool, of course, came knocking on the Wolves’ door, but they searched for Traoré’s teammate Jota.
What we wrote: “Tyneside has a wonderful new artist Array . . . Steve Bruce would possibly have imposed a series of fines for “earrings, headbands and all sorts,” but he believes that the arrival of Nice’s 17 million pounds last summer is the “best pound per pound in the Premier League” and has warned contenders – PSG, Napoli and Arsenal have been connected to a move – that ‘there’s no chance’ he’ll leave. It’s a bullish speech, but it’s Newcastle, where anything can happen.
For once, however, it is a story that did not take place in Newcastle. Despite the collapse of the Saudi-led acquisition project, Saint-Maximin remains in Newcastle and it turns out that they have not had to fight, that is, difficult to retain their star. Active See you next year.