Value For Money - Summer Transfers 2017
Neymar for £195m and Coutinho potentially going for more than £100m - is there any value for money in the transfer market anymore? Gems like Kante (£8m) and Van Dijk (£12m) are hard to find and with clubs spending outrageous fees this summer I take a look into this summer’s transfers to try and find the best bargains you may of missed.
Sead Kolasinac: Free
The last time a Premier League club signed a left back from Schalke - Leicester won the Premier League. Is history about to repeat itself again? Maybe, but then again this is Arsenal we’re talking about.
Kolasinac arrives at the Emirates on a free with a reputation for being aggressive and dynamic, and he looks set to bring some much needed steel to Arsenal’s back line. A reliable left back and a force of nature going forward, Arsenal may have finally fixed the evident left back position they’ve been struggling to fill since Ashley Cole left in 2006.
Vicente Iborra: £13.5m
Three Europa Leagues and over 170 games for an overachieving Sevilla, I think it's fair to say Iborra brings a vast amount of experience to a Leicester team that fell apart towards the end of Claudio Ranieri’s reign. Standing at 6ft 5, the Spaniard will bring height and flair to Leicester’s midfield, and will be a great asset at both ends of the pitch.
With the departure of Kante last summer and growing speculation about Drinkwater's future, Iborra could play a massive role in helping fill the void in the centre of the Foxes’ midfield. At only £13.5m, could Iborra be the next Kante?
Mario Lemina: £15.3m
Southampton may be known for selling players for huge prices, but it's the transfers coming in that many scouts wish to emulate. As a Saints fan, I’ve always found transfer windows to be more exciting than frustrating. Last year it was the signings of Gabbiadini and Boufal, and this year it is the signing of Lemina.
The Gabonese midfield enforcer comes with experience playing at the highest level with Juventus where he was part of the team that won two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias. Primarily a box-to-box midfielder, Lemina has played in multiple positions including wingback, centre back, and winger, meaning the Saints have got themselves a very versatile player. With the likes of Pogba going for £95m, Lemina could prove to be a steal at just over £15m.
Steve Mounie: £12m
With Huddersfield Town being promoted to the Premier League for the first time, there was no doubt that they would would need to be smart when it came to transfers this summer. Having already signed Aaron Mooy and Tom Ince for club record fees, Huddersfield decided to break their transfer record again for the third time by signing Benin international Mounie, who managed to score 14 league goals last season - only one less than a certain Mbappe.
Mounie could be the most important signing for Huddersfield this season, considering they only managed 56 goals in 46 games last season in the Championship. With great physical attributes, Mounie could become a surprise package similar to that of Benteke a couple of seasons ago.
Sandro Ramirez: £5.4m
After selling Lukaku for £90m to Manchester United, the only question on most Evertonians’ minds was who were they going to replace him with? Luckily for the fans they were treated with an array of strikers, with the likes of Rooney, Davy Klaassen and Sandro all making the move to Goodison Park this summer.
One in particular that could have the potential to make a real name for himself this year is Sandro Ramirez. Coming through the ranks of La Masia and breaking into the Barcelona first team requires some significant talent. After leaving Barcelona for Malaga last season, Sandro managed to score 14 goals in 30 games, showing glimpses of his composure and finishing that led to many scouts taking notice. At only £5.3m this could be potentially the best transfer of the season!
Josh Haokip is the Community and Partnerships Manager over at The Idle Man, an online menswear retailer dedicated to providing the best in mens fashion from T-Shirts to Jackets as well as catering to brands such as Barbour, Levi’s and The Idle Man label. Alongside the online shop The Idle Man Manual is a blog dedicated to offering men style advice as well as stories and guides about music, grooming and lifestyle.#StyleMadeEasy