The summer transfer window is now closed when it comes to getting players from overseas domestic leagues, and there was a bit of a late movement on the transfer deadline. Atletico steal Arsenal headlines after signing Thomas Parti from Madrid. Manchester United took some steps, including signing Edinson Cavani, and some other teams will be able to secure some interest, low-risk loan moves that can pay off. But who are the winners and losers since Monday?
Losers: Fulham
They needed a big increase in central defense, and they didn’t get it. Joachim Anderson is not the answer to his defensive difficulties. He’s a decent defender and has a good size, but if he were anything great he wouldn’t look more than one for Denmark? On Leon’s way to the Champions League semifinals, he played just six games throughout the competition. He did not play in the quarterfinals or semifinals at all and was a sub in the 16-second leg round against Juventus.
What they reported did not land the right defender.
Winners: Benfica
This is the team that got the defender. Here you have Benfica selling Ruben Dias to Manchester City for a million dollars, while Nicolas Otamendi was landing as part of the deal, when a man named Fulham missed – Jean-Claire Todibo of Barcelona. Todibo is quite experienced, but Schalke showed a glimmer of elite potential when he was on loan last year. Benfica cash, get two good defenders and once again knock the winners away.
Not to mention the earlier signing of Gremio’s Everton Sebolinha in the window.
Loser: Lionel Messi
Barcelona had a chance to impress Messi ahead of his expected departure next summer and perhaps win. So have the club brought in top-level players who have elevated this team? No. No Memphis Depp, no best striker when sending his best teammate Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid. On Monday, they only announced that their fiscal year 2019-20 ended with a loss of € 97 million ($ 115 million), largely due to the effects of COVID-19. The jury is still out on whether the money was spent on Serigino Dest, but Barca doesn’t look any better than what we actually saw in August.
Winner: Edinson Kavani
A really nice paycheck he has to be an instant starter on the side that never changed Romelu Lukaku’s output. Cavani still has plenty left in the tank and will rest well and be hungry to deliver. Sure, United’s troubles are in the back line, and it doesn’t really do anything to fix it, but it will win them some games and early matches.
Winner: Defending Arsenal
Landing for Arsenal will be a huge move by Thomas Parte. He is better than Lucas Torrera (borrower at Atletico Madrid) and Matteo Guendozi (owed to Hertha Berlin) and has the greatest advantage of the Gunners’ defense here. We all know it’s an inconsistent defense that is fixed with Gabriel, but what he brings to the center defensively should reduce the workload for those defenders and help them suffer less defensively over the counter.
