English clubs capitalize on downfall of European elite

The most bizarre transfer window in the past decade slammed shut an hour before midnight on August 31st, 2021.

249 players came in and 250 went out the doors of the 20 Premier League clubs as they reshuffled their packs ahead of a long campaign.

Around £1.2 billion was spent on the world’s finest players, despite the financial implications forced on clubs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘Big 6’ fronted most of that bill as they tried to tempt the world’s top players to the self-proclaimed ‘best league in the world’. 

As we reflect on the summer business, we’ve been left scratching our heads wondering how it all happened. There are obvious reasons why certain individual transfers happened, but why did all these big transfers happen this summer and was there any reason for it? 

People who follow the game closely, including fans and experts alike, have offered their opinions, with many suggesting that ‘a domino effect’ occurred with clubs scrambling to replace players they had moved on. To add to that, some suggest that clubs felt they had to make blockbuster signings “because their rivals did”. 

Earlier in the window, Manchester United wrapped up the never-ending Jadon Sancho saga while also acquiring World Cup winning centre back Raphael Varane for £34 million pounds.

These transfers, along with the Lukaku and Ronaldo deals, begs the question: why are the other league’s top talent coming to the Premier League?

As I mentioned at the start, every club around the world were affected financially by the pandemic. However, the Premier League, and more specifically, the big clubs, seem to have been able to pick up where they left off and continue to splash the cash while other European giants flog their star players to the highest bidder in order to pay off their debts. 

Whatever the cause was for the window just gone, one thing is for certain. England’s top division has pulled clear of it’s continental counterparts and has consolidated its position as the best league in the world with the best players on the planet continuing to eye a move to Premier League.

The new season is off to a flyer and I think its fair to say that we are seeing Europe’s best teams, under the best managers in the world, battle it out week in, week out for the English crown.

 

Stephen Reynolds

Image Credit: Getty Images