The 2016/2017 season was a big one for Timo Werner as it was a season in which he moved from Stuttgart to a highly-ambitious club named Red Bull Leipzig who were aiming to upset the dominance of Bayern Munich and announce themselves on the European stage.
With the Primary Transfer Window now closed, it presents the perfect opportunity for our first dedicated review of the MLS. A total of 37 ‘significant’ transfers were completed during the window. The League’s dealings in the window are found to be the most accurate that we have ever recorded.
After the completion of the January transfer window, we look back and assess the business conducted by Club's over the season and the key dealings which took place.
The impact of the Coronavirus outbreak is being felt across the globe, with almost 600,000 confirmed cases and over 25,000 deaths at the time of writing. In football, the vast majority of leagues have been suspended until May at least, with play now expected to continue into the Summer. However, it remains to be seen how this may impact the Summer Transfer Window.
In 2017, Nathan Ake moved away from Chelsea to Bournemouth in search of first team football. Since then he has gone from strength to strength as he helps the south coast club to solidify their position in the Premier League. Whilst the club may be battling to avoid relegation this season, Ake has still continued to impress and has led to some teams towards the top of the table showing an increased interest in the Dutch international defender.
When Gabriel Barbosa (Gabigol) burst onto the scene as a 16 year old at Santos, many of Europe’s largest clubs began tracking the young Brazillian. The forward eventually joined Inter in the Summer of 2016, which was regarded as somewhat of a coup for the capital Club. However, any initial excitement generated by this signing quickly turned to disappointment. After returning to Brazil, his form has rebounded, once again drawing attention for the player from Europe, with a host of clubs again beginning to circle for his signature.
An exodus in Naples appears likely after a disappointing start to the season for Napoli, which has already seen Carlo Ancelotti replaced by Gennaro Gattuso. A consequence of the Neopolitan’s poor start to the season is that De Laurentiis is rumoured to be ready to let many of the team’s star players leave the Club. One such player is centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly. Previously one of the most sought after defenders in European football, the Senegalese captain now appears free to move in the upcoming January transfer window. But where is he likely to end up?
Jadon Sancho may have had a short career so far but he has already become one of the most sought after players in world football, with a host of high profile clubs looking to prize him away from Borussia Dortmund. The 19 year old was recently left out of the Dortmund squad to face Borussia Monchengladbach and fined a weeks wages after returning late from England duty, as well as being benched for their Champions League clash against Barcelona for turning up late to a team meeting. These issues have meant that clubs across Europe are now queuing up to try and secure his signature.
Despite only being 19 years old and still in his first season in Serie A, Sandro Tonali is already being linked with a host of top European clubs. The 19 year old defensive midfielder is currently playing for Brescia Calcio, who he joined in January 2018 and is already considered one of the most exciting talents in Europe.
With the Summer Transfer Window now complete, it's time for our annual review of the business conducted. Which Club spent the most efficiently and which was the most inefficient? Which player proved to be the best value? The review also looks at Leagues as a whole and a new feature for this year, efficiency tables, which ranks each Club in the seven European leagues considered by transfer efficiency?