The 2021 Summer Transfer Window was a bizarre transfer window. While some clubs got the player who they wanted, there were clubs who failed to sign players or paid huge money for young players so let’s go through some of the losers of the 2021 Summer transfer window.
▶ LIVERPOOL
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Liverpool had a great start to the summer transfer window as they had agreed to sign Ibrahima Konate but paying his release clause of 36m pounds. Considering last season’s problem it seemed like Liverpool were on the right track by signing a young defender with huge potential but what they really needed was a striker and a midfielder to replace Gini Wijnaldum. Since signing Konate, Liverpool have been silent while their competitors Chelsea, Man United, and Man City all went on to sign some quality players to improve their squad depth.
▶ ARSENAL
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Despite signing six players, Arsenal makes it to the Losers list of the transfer window. It all started with the 50m pound signing of Brighton defender Ben White as many believe that the player was overvalued and Arsenal paid for him irrespective of that. Then came another big-money signing and this time it was Aaron Ramsdale for 24m pounds from Sheffield United. Nuno Traveres and Albert Lokonga had a combined fee of 22m pounds. A few weeks later, they announced the signing of 35m Real Madrid star Martin Odegard and on deadline day, they spent 17m on Takehiro Tomiyasu of Bologna spending a total of 148 million pounds this summer.
Spending money doesn’t guarantee results, especially when it’s spent on second-tier talent. Arsenal could find that out the hard way this season.
▶ BARCELONA
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While some clubs like PSG and Manchester United had one of the best transfer windows in their history, Barcelona had it worst. The Catalan side signed Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay right at the start of the transfer window but could not register them because of their wage bill. Due to this issue, Barcelona had to let go of one of the greatest players in world football – Lionel Messi. Right on deadline day, the club also lost their number 7, Antoine Grizemann as he moved back to Atletico Madrid on a loan deal and signed Frankie De Jong to replace him. From having Messi, Aguero/Depay, and Griezmann in their front three, they went to Brathwaite, De Jong, and Depay which sums up their transfer window.
▶ HARRY KANE
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One of the best strikers in the premier league announced before the transfer window opened that he wants to leave Tottenham and play in the Champions League next season. With that, Tottenham, who were not happy with the striker’s decision, set a 150m price tag on the England captain. One club that was interested in signing the striker was Manchester City who were the only club that could afford Kane financially. The English star is one of the best in the world but somehow didn’t get a move as no club paid the 150m asking price for Kane. Ultimately, Kane announced that he was staying at the club this season with the hope to switch clubs next year.
[Image Credit: Harry Kane]
Shashank Iyer