Winners and Losers from the 2024/25 Summer Transfer Window
18/09/2024 11:24:51
With the summer transfer window now closed clubs will have make do with what they have now until January at the earliest unless a free transfer or two pops up on the market between now and the new year.
In this week’s column I will look at which clubs in the Premier League had the best transfer window, which clubs might struggle due to a lack of or poor transfer dealings and who I think are the most interesting signings of the summer transfer window.
Which clubs will be happiest with their Transfer Window?
West Ham United under new Coach Julen Lopetegui will be happy with the business they have done in their first window since the departure of David Moyes. The Hammers have upgraded their defence massively with the additions of Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Aaron Wan-Bissaka replacing Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma and Ben Johnson.
In midfield West Ham have also improved the quality of their squad with the signings of Guido Rodriguez for free and Carlos Soler on loan from Ligue 1 giants PSG, while in attack, Crysencio Summerville from Leeds will add depth to the left-hand side and Niclas Fullkrug should provide a lift to the team and the fans.
Brighton are another side with a new manager, and they have certainly backed him in the market doing some fantastic transfer business, as they look to take the next steps in their development as a major Premier League club.
Full back Ferdi Kadioglu was impressive for Turkey during the Euros and will provide depth and quality to either side of Brighton’s defence. Fabian Wieffer and Matt O’Riley, setting aside the latter’s unfortunate injury picked up on his debut could potentially be difference makers in midfield for Hurzeler, while Yacubah Minteh has already added a pace and power to Brighton’s right-hand side.
Arsenal came so close to winning the Premier League last season and the Gunners have made the kind of signings that could see the club finally get over the line for the first time since 2004. The left-hand side of the defence has been an issue for a while for Mikel Arteta and he has set about solving it with the acquisition of Italian centre half/full back Riccardo Calafiori from Genoa who will provide top quality cover and competition for both positions.
Arteta has also added to his midfield with the smart signing of Euro 24 winner Mikel Merino from Sociedad who will surely come into the midfield alongside Rice and Odegaard once he recovers from injury. Deadline day was generally quiet this summer, but Arsenal did provide us with one of the more interesting deals when they brought in Raheem Sterling from Chelsea. The England international has worked with Arteta previously at City and the Arsenal boss will hope that that version of Sterling that can re-emerge while on loan at the Emirates.
Who Will Be Underwhelmed by Their Business?
Everton fans will surely be dreading another season of constant struggles after their terrible start to the season and the underwhelming business they did in the summer transfer window. Doubts over the club’s ownership always meant that a summer splurge was unlikely at Goodison Park but only adding Iliman Ndiaye, Jake O’Brien and Tim Iroegbunum as well as Oriel Mangala and Armando Broja on loan is already having consequences for the club. It probably doesn’t help fan unhappiness either when the club’s biggest signing of the summer, Jake O’ Brien has yet to play a minute in the Premier League.
Wolves lost two of their best players Pedro Neto and Max Kilman in the summer window and Gary O’ Neil hasn’t exactly been backed with ready-made replacements. The club’s policy of bringing in young players like Andre from Fluminense and Rodrigo Gomes from Braga to replace the likes of Neto may bring long term benefits but for this season the club may have to rely on O’Neil’s much respected coaching ability to carry the club to Premier League safety.
Newcastle can possibly be viewed as the most disappointing club of the transfer window. Eddie Howe and the club’s fans would surely have hoped to use this summer window to kick on once again after last season’s up and down campaign which was blighted by injuries, but only Lloyd Kelly and the permanent transfer of Lewis Hall can be viewed as first team additions. The heady days of signing the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Alex Isak are seemingly already beginning to fade for Newcastle, while the ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of Crystal Place centre half Marc Guehi and the failure to add a quality right sided attacker just compounded what was a poor transfer window for the Magpies.
“Brighton are another side with a new manager, and they have certainly backed him in the market doing some fantastic transfer business, as they look to take the next steps in their development as a major Premier League club.”
What Signings Stand Out?
For me, Savinho joining Manchester City and Manchester United bringing in Manuel Ugarte are the most interesting signings of this summer’s window. In Savinho, City have signed a wide man with blistering pace who is hopefully going to excite everybody with his quick feet and dribbling ability, while United fans will hope that Manuel Ugarte is the holding midfielder that can finally bring balance to their team and stop them being carved open so much under Erik Ten Hag.
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✒️ Liam Lacey – Football and GAA Sports Expert
Liam Lacey Liam Lacey is a sportswriter from Ireland. Liam has been an avid sports fan for as long as he can remember with a particular interest in the GAA, football and tennis.
Liam is also a huge tennis fan and like so many has looked on with amazement as the trio of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic took the men’s game to a whole new level for so long. In his downtime, Liam enjoys watching a good movie or TV series. He likes to attempt to try and play football, but he has finally come to the conclusion that he is better off writing and talking about sport than he is trying to make his mark out on the pitch!
