5 best loan deals of this transfer window
This was a transfer window that was unlike any other that we've seen in the recent past. There were only a handful of big-money moves as clubs had been suffering from the financial strain caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As such, we saw a lot of loan deals being sanctioned. Loan deals are a great way for small teams to acquire a player whom they won't be afford to sign on a permanent basis. As for the player, he can go gain some football knowledge and much-needed experience and go back to his club at the end of the spell.
Usually, loan deals are sanctioned for young players but this time around several high-profile players were also loaned out due to various reasons. Let's take a look at the best five loan deals from this recently concluded transfer window.
#5 Alphonse Areola to Fulham
Fulham have tried to make the most of the cards they have been dealt. They have signed goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain on a loan deal. Areola has played for Real Madrid as well and brings in a fair share of experience and quality.
Areola is used to keeping high standards for his game and will definitely want his Fulham defence to do better as they have been leaking goals so far. Areola has now started four Premier League games for Fulham but is yet to keep a cleansheet.
Once his defence becomes steady, we expect Alphonse Areola to perform like the big player that he is.
#4 Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Fulham
Chelsea went on a spending spree this summer and were the most active Premier League side in the transfer market. Frank Lampard was on a mission to bolster his squad and he was not going to settle for anybody. They ended up signing the likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Edouard Mendy, Malang Sarr and Thiago Silva.
Due to the inflow of talent in midfield and the frontline, some of the players who were struggling to break into the first team fell further down the pecking order. As such, Ruben Loftus-Cheek had to move to get some minutes and he ended up joining Fulham on loan.
Loftus-Cheek had missed a fair chunk of last season through an Achilles injury and until then, he had been making a strong case for a spot in the starting XI. At Fulham, he will get plenty of game time and now it's up to the 24-year-old to justify the hype.