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Confessions of a shopaholic

By Shreyas Rai

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Best transfer windows

The Red Devils finally earned the signature of French centre-back Raphael Varne. A player who brings a championship pedigree to the Red Devils was the latest addition to Ole’s star-studded shopping list. While PSG and Mauricio Pochettino’s catalogue of transfers is endless. From Los Blancos’ captain Sergio Ramos to European Champions Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Parisians are enjoying one of the best transfer windows in their history.

 

With this summer’s shopping time exhausting soon, we ponder upon the best transfer window hauls in the history of football. From Drogba’s signature to Alisson’s appointment, the catalogue of best transfer windows has all in-store.

Real Madrid 2009 and 2010

Notable signings 

2009- Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Arbeloa 

2010- Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Ricardo Carvalho 

Los Blancos’ love story with the transfer window has been magnificently beautiful. While squads struggle to bolster their rosters once a year, the mastery of Florentino Perez captured signatures of galacticos over two summer windows in a row. Two of the best transfer windows of all time, Real Madrid’s shopping spree in 2009 and 2010 earned the Los Blancos the European stars shining brightly on their outfits. Real Madrid evidently struggled in front of Spanish rivals Barcelona as Pep Guardiola’s managerial tactics outshone Perez’s army.

 

And after a depleting summer at the Bernabeu, a revamp was predicted and Real Madrid’s spending spree in the shopping window of 2009 stunned the world, but time has proven it was worth the investment. Manchester United’s striking sensation Cristiano Ronaldo switched to Spain, and you don’t need the record books to explain Ronaldo’s impact on Los Blancos. While poacher Karim Benzema was also swept in the same transfer window along with the flamboyance of Kaka and the leadership of Raul Albiol. Xabi Alonso’s signature completed Perez’s dream of a revamp as Ronaldo and Alonso combined together to land various European titles to the white shades of Madrid.

 

But, Perez’s shopping catalogue didn’t stop as he added a few other names to his mouth-watering cart the very next summer. Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria were the two names that controlled the moment at Bernabeu. While Ozil weaved his magic in the centre, Di Maria galloped on the flanks delivering the perfect deliveries for Ronaldo to pounce on. A wonderful connection, Real Madrid constantly conquered Europe winning the prestigious title again and again stamping their authority across Europe and it was all because of the 2009 and 2010 transfer window that helped recapture the capital club’s glory.

Chelsea 2020

NOTABLE SIGNINGS-

Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell

Italian grandmaster Maurizio Sarri’s catastrophic connections with the Blues players saw him pack his bags and depart from Stamford Bridge. The next candidate in Roman Abrohamvich’s musical chairs was a former player and midfield magician Frank Lampard. Once donning the armband for the Blues, the leader of the ship was now managing Stamford Bridge. Word spread out that Abrahomivch’s juggling nature could take a backseat with Lampard’s arrival, as the Russian billionaire gave Lampard exploiting rights.

 

While Frank’s shopping cart was lengthy and costly, it helped the Blues regain their authority in the English land. Lampard captured the signatures of Ajax’s star-studded winger Hakim Ziyech, RB Leipzig’s goal-machine Timo Werner, and Bayern Leverkusen’s sensation Kai Havertz. While PSG’s captain Thiago Silva joined hands with the Blues, Ben Chilwell and Malang Sarr completed Chelsea’s defining summer shopping.

 

As a result, the starving spectators at Stamford Bridge are still rejoicing on a defining victory against the toughest outfit in England, Manchester City. Although Lampard enjoyed Chelsea’s triumph from his television set, the foundation he laid saw Stamford Bridge and Chelsea proudly gallop towards their second European victory. Although Lampard departed from the Blues, the English midfielder didn’t leave without throwing Chelsea into the best transfer windows of all time.

Inter 2009

NOTABLE SIGNINGS

Diego Milito , Samuel Eto’o , Wesley Sneijder , Thiago Motta , Lucio, Goran Pandev 

It was a semester’s worth of work that resulted in a European triple. It doesn’t get much better than that in the short term. While Jose Mourinho and company swept in domestic silverware, a jaw-dropping performance at Madrid, was the last piece in Inter’s treble-winning puzzle. Out of the five summer purchases, only Thiago Motta missed out on a starting eleven spot after being sent off against the Blaugranas in the semis.

 

While Jose Mourinho’s tactics were world-class, the soldiers chosen for battle completely complemented his managerial masterclass. Lucio was a tough and muscular centre-back, Motta was a sassy player in the heart of Inter’s midfield, Samuel Eto’o and Milito were fearsome central strikers who could demolish outfits on any given day, while Dutch winger Wesley Sneijder could sniff opportunities and pounce on them like a hungry goalscorer and Pandev’s heroics were on display in the 2020 European Championships while donning North Macedonia’s jersey.

 

Although the window solved the Italian’s short-term headaches, the signings couldn’t revive Inter in the long term. Jose Mourinho’s quest for silverware was limited to one campaign, as most of the newfangled names on the roster were aged 25 or above with Motta and Milito crossing the 30 marks. Nevertheless, Nerazzurri’s treble-winning campaign will be remembered in the Italian history books and surely the summer will be remembered as the best transfer window in Inter’s archives.

Chelsea 2004

NOTABLE SIGNINGS-

Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Arjen Robben, Tiago, Petr Cech, Mateja Kezman.

Chelsea’s revolutionary summer of 2004 stands as the ultimate benchmark. The alterations may have begun in 2003 with Abramovich’s acquisition and a few key additions, but the upcoming summer was on an entirely new scale. Chelsea invested a lot of money on the signatures of various names across Europe – Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira were a few of them. While Arjen Robben, Tiago, and Petr Cech, even though the latter’s contract was officially signed before the preseason, completed the catalogue. Chelsea established a declaration by bringing in these players, and it benefited the Blues.

 

The signings’ first campaign at Stamford Bridge saw them being crowned Champions of England. While another domestic cup landed in Chelsea’s basket as their quest for glory never stopped. While an additional piece of English silverware fell into Chelsea’s hands once again. Then, in 2012, Drogba, Cech, and Ferreira once again proved why their signatures in 2003 were so quintessential.

 

A mouth-watering night in Munich saw Drogba and Cech emerge as the showdown’s protagonist as the English giants added a golden chapter in their history books. While squads have enjoyed delicious transfer windows seeping in players from all across Europe, Chelsea’s summer of 2004 surely conquers the crown of the ‘Best Transfer Window.’

Leicester City 2015

NOTABLE SIGNINGS

Shinji Okazaki, N’Golo Kante, Gokhan Inler, Robert Huth, Christian Fuchs.

What a transfer window Leicester City had during the 2015/16 campaign, with no massive priced additions and virtually unknown people coming aboard. Leicester’s goal in the transfer season would have been to bolster a side that had barely escaped disaster the previous season, making security a little simpler to fulfill the subsequent season. What transpired was extraordinary.

 

N’Golo Kante was the pick of the signings, as the young French midfielder now has two Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, and the prestigious World Cup under his sparkling CV. While Fuchs and Huth were the vital cogs the Foxes were missing, Okazaki’s uncertainty saw them shock outfits in England’s top-flight.

 

 

From escaping relegation to challenging as Title-Winners, Claudio Ranieri’s soldiers had shown strength and courage. While the experienced campaigners of the Foxes understood Ranieri’s tactics, the newer set of students didn’t take too much time to adapt to their manager’s roadmap.

Shreyas Rai

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