Robin van Persie and Luka Modric have hogged the headlines this off-season but they’ve not moved, so Sports Pundit has taken five to look at the big transfers around the Premier League.
The Title Contenders
Manchester City Arrivals: None Departures: Owen Hargreaves (released)
The Sky Blues haven’t done much business this off-season but boss Roberto Mancini does want a handful more signings with the likes of Robin van Persie, Javi Martinez and Daniele de Rossi all linked with Eastlands. At this stage, there’s been no major departures although Aleksandr Kolarov, Carlos Tevez and Micah Richards have had interest.
Manchester United Arrivals: Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Nick Powell (Crewe) Departures: Park Ji-Sung (QPR), Fabio da Silva (QPR – loan), Tomasz Kuszczak (Brighton), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Michael Owen (released)
Sir Alex Ferguson is clearly looking to bolster his midfield options with Luka Modric a key target, along with young Brazilian talent Lucas Moura. Kagawa may just be a gem of a signing too. The Red Devils haven’t had any major departures, with Park, Fabio and Owen having limited roles last term.
Arsenal Arrivals: Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), Lukas Podolski (Koln) Departures: Denilson (Sao Paulo – loan), Manuel Almunia (released)
The Gunners have added two attacking weapons in Podolski and Giroud, however there remain doubts about their ability to compete for the title. Robin van Persie’s situation remains a big issue and rightfully so.
Chelsea Arrivals: Oscar (Internacional), Eden Hazard (Lille), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Thorgan Hazard (Lens) Departures: Didier Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Jose Bosingwa (released)
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has spent big this off-season with massive amounts of cash shelled out to secure the talented Oscar and Eden Hazard, while Marin’s arrival has gone under the radar. Drogba’s exit is a blow to their attacking options, meaning Romelu Lukaku and Daniel Sturridge need to really step up. Other veterans Frank Lampard, Petr Cech and John Terry remain at the club.
Tottenham Arrivals: Jan Vertonghen (Ajax), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Hoffenheim) Departures: Ryan Nelsen (QPR), Niko Kranjcar (Dynamo Kiev), Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Ledley King (retired)
Spurs have had a bit of a makeover this off-season with Harry Redknapp replaced by Andre Villas-Boas. The Portuguese boss has lost veteran defenders Nelsen and King, but Vertonghen arrives from Amsterdam on a £10million deal. Sigurdsson is a shrewd acquisition too, given his impact at Swansea last term, but hanging on to Luka Modric will be the key to their top four ambitions.
Liverpool Arrivals: Fabio Borini (AS Roma) Departures: Fabio Aurelio (Gremio), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Maxi Rodriguez (Newell’s Old Boys)
New Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is slowly making changes at Anfield, and the future of Andy Carroll remains a big talking point. Fabio Borini has been brought in from Serie A to bolster their attacking line following the departures of Kuyt and Rodriguez. There’s still more work to be done at Liverpool this off-season for them to be genuine top four hopes.
The Rest
Newcastle Arrivals: Gael Bigirimana (Coventry), Romain Amalfitano (Reims) Departures: Danny Guthrie (Reading), Leon Best (Blackburn), Peter Lovenkrands (Birmingham City), Alan Smith (released)
Everton Arrivals: Steven Naismith (Rangers) Departures: Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Marcus Hahnemann (released), James McFadden (released)
Fulham Arrivals: Hugo Rodallega (Wigan), Sascha Riether (Koln – loan), Mladen Petric (Hamburg SV) Departures: Andy Johnson (QPR), Danny Murphy (Blackburn), Bjorn Helge Riise (released), Orlando Sa (released)
West Bromwich Arrivals: Claudio Yacob (Racing Avellaneda) Departures: Nicky Shorey (Reading), Keith Andrews (Bolton), Somen Tchoyi (released), Marton Fulop (released), Paul Scharner (released)
Swansea City Arrivals: Michu (Rayo Vallecano), Chico (Genoa), Jonathan de Guzman (Villarreal - loan) Departures: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Hoffenheim – loan return), Ferrie Bodde (released)
Norwich City Arrivals: Michael Turner (Sunderland), Robert Snodgrass (Leeds United), Jacob Butterfield (Barnsley), Steven Whittaker (Rangers) Departures: Adam Drury (Leeds United), Zak Whitbread (released), Aaron Wilbraham (released)
Sunderland Arrivals: Carlos Cuellar (Aston Villa) Departures: Michael Turner (Norwich City), Craig Gordon (released)
Stoke City Arrivals: Jamie Ness (Rangers) Departures: Andrew Davies (Bradford), Jonathon Woodgate (Middlesbrough), Danny Collins (Nottingham Forest), Salif Diao (released), Ricardo Fuller (released)
Wigan Arrivals: Fraser Fyvie (Aberdeen) Departures: Hugo Rodallega (Fulham), Mohamed Diame (West Ham), Chris Kirkland (Sheffield Wednesday), Hendry Thomas (released), Steve Gohouri (released)
Aston Villa Arrivals: Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Matthew Lowton (Sheffield United), Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar) Departures: Carlos Cuellar (Sunderland), Emile Heskey (released), Brad Guzan (released)
QPR Arrivals: David Hoilett (Blackburn), Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United), Fabio (Manchester United – loan), Robert Green (West Ham), Andy Johnson (Fulham), Ryan Nelsen (Tottenham), Samba Diakite (Nancy) Departures: Paddy Kenny (Leeds United), Danny Gabbidon (released), Danny Shittu (released), Fitz Hall (released), Akos Buzsaky (released)
Reading Arrivals: Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest), Adrian Mariappa (Watford), Nicky Shorey (West Bromwich), Pierce Sweeney (Bray Wanderers), Garath McCleary (Nottingham Forest), Danny Guthrie (Newcastle), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Stuttgart) Departures: Andy Griffin (released)
Southampton Arrivals: Paulo Gazzaniga (Gillingham), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), Steven Davis (Rangers), Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) Departures: Radhi Jaidi (retired), David Connolly (released)
West Ham United Arrivals: Ivan Ramis (Real Mallorca), Raphael Spiegel (Grasshoppers), Modibo Maiga (Sochaux), Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton), Mohamed Diame (Wigan), Stephen Henderson (Portsmouth) Departures: Robert Green (QPR), Freddie Sears (Colchester), Julien Faubert (released), John Carew (released), Abdoulaye Faye (released), Papa Bouba Diop (released), Frank Nouble (released)
