It’s been a record breaking transfer window with well over £400m having being spent this month alone. Here’s a look at what has happened and who got the best deals.
Liverpool
Liverpool were involved in the first big deal of the window, agreeing to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for a club record £75m – a world record fee for a defender. That deal was funded however with the £142m sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.
Although, Jurgen Klopp decided against replacing the Brazilian in what could be a very risky strategy indeed, with the race for the top four looking like it could be going down to the wire.
Rating: 6/10
Everton
Across the other side of Stanley Park, Everton finally replaced Romelu Lukaku with £27m Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun. While the striker is yet to open his account for the Blues, he has shown glimpses of his qualities, but its far too early to tell how he will adapt to life in the Premier League.
They also brought in Theo Walcott from Arsenal in a £20m move, with the England international making an instant impact. The winger grabbed an assist on his debut before scoring his first two goals for the club in Wednesdays win over Leicester.
They have also swooped for Eliaquim Mangala on loan until the end of the season with Big Sam hoping he has the same impact as Mamadou Sakho did for his Crystal Palace side last year.
One criticism would have to be not being able to sign a decent and natural left-back to replace the injured Leighton Baines, while also losing Ross Barkley to Chelsea for just £15m
Rating: 7/10
Chelsea
Speaking of Chelsea, the Blues did some decent business, in what can be described as a transfer window where they ‘plugged the gaps’. Antonio Conte’s desire to sign a new striker, midfielder and left-back have been no secret since the summer.
They landed the aforementioned Barkley from Everton, as well as left-back Emerson Palmieri from Roma. Then, on deadline day, and having been linked with every striker from across Europe, or so it seemed, they finally landed Olivier Giroud from Arsenal for a very modest £18m.
Rating 7/10
Arsenal
Arsenal were the big movers and shakers in the window, especially on deadline day, securing a club-record deal to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
They also signed his former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United, while also getting Mesut Ozil to agree to a new mega-money deal.
As we’ve said, Giroud left as part of a deal to get Aubameyang into the club, while Mkhitaryan’s arrival saw Alexis Sanchez leave.
They were also unable to sign a much needed central defender, with a derisory £12m offer being rejected for Jonny Evans on deadline day.
Rating 8/10
Manchester United
As we’ve just said, Arsenal allowed Alexis Sanchez to join Manchester United in what was one of the most high profile free transfer swap deals of all-time, with the Chilean taking the famous Manchester United number 7 shirt.
Despite reports of a number of midfielders being targeted however, Jose Mourinho was unable to add any extra faces to his squad aside from Sanchez.
Rating 6/10
Manchester City
Manchester United’s signing of Alexis Sanchez was a direct kick in the face of Manchester City, who had been heavily linked with the forward.
However, after missing out on the Chilean, they turned their attentions to Riyad Mahrez, but were also forced to abandon their plans to sign him after Leicester priced them out of a move.
Their only signing was the club record acquisition of Aymeric Laporte for £57m. However, personally, with Stones and Otamendi playing so well together, I’m not entirely sure that such a big outlay was needed on a new centre-back.
Rating 5/10
