Title contenders strike as Arsenal lose out in EPL’s $3bn deadline day bonanza: Full Wrap
Title contenders strike as Arsenal lose out in EPL’s $3bn deadline day bonanza: Chelsea’s transfer business is now over after the club previously confirmed the acquisition of center-back Wesley Fofana, 31, from Leicester in a deal for about £70 million.
Although the club has already spent almost £268 million on players this transfer window, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a former striker for Arsenal, has just joined from Barcelona, despite the fact that the player fractured his jaw in a violent home invasion in Spain over the weekend.
Aubameyang made a free transfer from Arsenal to Barcelona in January.
Aubameyang wrote, “Some violent bastards stormed into our home on Sunday night and threatened my family and my children only to take some goods.”
The 33-year-old said, “They hurt my jaw, but I’ll heal quickly. Thank God, no one else was hurt physically.”
Now that Fofana is on their books, Chelsea is apparently planning to move Marcos Alonso to Barcelona, with the Premier League giants reportedly willing to offer up to £20 million to complete the transfer.
Manchester City’s title bid addresses a critical need
Manuel Akanji, a Swiss international who previously played for Borussia Dortmund, has joined Manchester City on a five-year contract, bolstering their injury-riddled defense.
After recent injuries to center backs Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake, Akanji will provide the Premier League winners additional defensive depth.
Akanji, who reportedly cost City £17 million ($29 million), said on the club’s website, “I am thrilled to be here and can’t wait to get started.”
“Over the past several seasons, City has been among the strongest teams in Europe. Coming here seems like the ideal next step in my career since they are fantastic to watch, play an exciting kind of football, and contend for trophies year in and year out.
The 27-year-old joined Dortmund in 2018 from Basel and played there for four and a half seasons.
After former Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Sergio Gomez, and Stefan Ortega Moreno, Akanji is City’s sixth summer acquisition.
Txiki Begiristain, director of football of Manchester City, stated, “We have been impressed with his (Akanji’s) achievements throughout his time at Dortmund, where he has evolved into a very excellent defender and one who is ready to compete in both the Premier League and Champions League.”
“He possesses every quality we look for in a center back. He will compliment the other defenders on our squad and our style of play because he is powerful, fast, at ease in possession, has a fantastic passing range, and he is all of those things. On September 14, Akanji and Haaland may play their old team at the Etihad Stadium when Dortmund takes on City in the Champions League group stage.
A WORLD RECORD MOVEMENT AS MAN UTD ATTACKS ONE OF ITS PRIMARY TARGETS
On the day of the Premier League’s transfer deadline, Manchester United spent the most money, splashing out £82 million ($94 million) on Brazilian striker Antony of Ajax.
United led the way as Premier League teams (£2.1bn, $A3.6bn) exceeded the all-time record spending total for a whole season in the face of Britain’s cost of living issue.
Because United and its domestic competitors have not discovered any outrageous fee or pay demands beyond them, the £1.86 billion ($A3.2bn) record from 2017–18 was exceeded.
The 20 Premier League teams’ combined gross expenditure as of last Thursday was £1.5 billion ($A2.6 billion), breaking the previous high set by English clubs in 2017 of £1.43 billion ($A24.3 billion) during the close-season window.
Additionally, it was more than the total season-long spending of £1.44 billion ($2.45 billion). After going back to his old club Ajax to recruit Antony, United manager Erik ten Hag was in charge of the most of the expenditure.
The fourth-most expensive player in Premier League history is the 22-year-old.
The most expensive deadline day signing in Premier League history, the 22-year-old Brazilian striker has a deal until 2027 with an extra year option.
The cost includes prospective add-ons worth up to five million euros.
Antony stated in a statement posted on Manchester United’s website that “this is a great time in my career to be joining one of the most legendary teams in the world.”
His transfer cost broke the previous Eredivisie player record of 86 million euros set by Frenkie de Jong’s switch from Ajax to Barcelona three years prior.
Ironically, de Jong was United’s top target in the transfer market this year, but they were unable to get him.
Antony has scored two goals in nine senior appearances for Brazil and 31 goals in 134 club games for Ajax and Sao Paulo.
He will be reunited with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, who has previously taken defender Lisandro Martinez from the Dutch powerhouses to United.
In terms of new hires since Ten Hag took control, Antony joins Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, and Casemiro, a fellow Brazilian.
Martin Dubravka, a goalkeeper for Newcastle, was also hired by United after a season-long loan.
The 33-year-old had been a member of Newcastle’s roster since 2018, but Nick Pope’s transfer from Burnley cost him his spot.
Dubravka will act as United’s backup goalkeeper to David de Gea and is thought to have cost the club £2 million on loan.
United is obligated to sign the Slovakian international for £6 million if he starts a predetermined number of Premier League games.
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