After the world’s biggest soccer showcase, there could be more activity on the transfer market for clubs in the English topflight. The league remains one of the most competitive in the world and will obviously attract a number of top international players with some lucrative contracts.
Early this week, Football365, a well-known English football website, reported that there had been a total of 81 transfers out of the 20 Barclays Premier League clubs to other various clubs around the world.
Most notable of those who left were David Luiz from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain in France, Ashley Cole from Chelsea to Italy’s Roma, Alexander Buttner from Manchester United to Dynamo Moscow in Russia, Nemanja Vidic from Manchester United to Inter Milan in Italy and Yossi Benayoun from Queens Palace Rangers to Maccabi Haifa in Israel.
There had also been intra-Premier League moves. Bacary Sagna left Arsenal for Manchester City, Lukasz Fabianski also left Arsenal to join Swansea City and likely become their number one goalkeeper ahead of Michel Vorm.
Jole Cole left West Ham United for Aston Villa, while in their bid to compete in the Premier League, Burnley signed a number of players, after their promotion last year. Their new players include Michael Kightly from Stoke City, Matthew Gilks from Blackpool, Matthew Taylor from West Ham, Marvin Sordell from Bolton and Steven Reid from West Bromwich Albion.
Crystal Palace, who offloaded a few players on free transfers, had only signed Chris Kettings on a free from Blackpool. Hull City signed Jake Livermore from Tottenham, Robert Snodgrass from Norwich and the promising Tom Ince from Blackpool.
Liverpool has been active in the transfer market, bringing in Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, who contributed to a combined 24 goals last year for Southampton, who have also lost Luke Shaw, who signed for Manchester United.
Stoke City signed Phil Bardsley and Steve Sidwell from Sunderland and Fulham respectively. Sunderland released six players on free transfers and added goalkeeper Costel Pantillimon from Manchester City, central midfielder Jordi Gomez and right back Billy Jones from West Brom. Swansea signed goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, midfielder Raheem Hanley from Blackburn and striker Marvin Emnes from Middlesbrough.
West Bromwich Albion signed Craig Gardner, Joleon Lescott and Chris Baird, all on free transfers from Sunderland, Manchester City and Burnley respectively, while West Ham United bought Aaron Cresswell, from Ipswich Town and Diego Poyet from Charlton Athletic.
Chelsea signed Diego Costa from Athletico Madrid and Cesc Fàbregas from Barcelona. Liverpool signed Emre Can from Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa signed Philippe Senderos from Valencia.
Manchester City signed Fernando from Porto and Willy Caballero, a veteran goalkeeper from Málaga, while Manchester United’s big move so far this summer besides signing the promising Luke Shaw, has been attaining Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao.
Newcastle Siem de Jong from Ajax Amsterdam and Ayoze Pérez from Tenerife Stoke City decided to add some pace to their attack by signing Mame Biram Diouf from Hannover 96.
Post published in: Football