5 big money moves that did not go through this summer
It has been a thrilling transfer window in Europe this summer. The World Cup in Russia caused a great dilemma for a number of clubs, who were forced to wait to get their business done. Thereafter, it was a mad rush for teams to get deals through the door, and an awful lot of money has been spent.
We have seen a host of big money moves go through over the past couple of months, some more notable than others. The most significant transfer of the summer saw Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the world, move to Juventus in a deal worth £105 million. This is a massive loss for Real, who failed to replace him, but it could take Juventus to the next level.
Over in England, the big story was goalkeepers. Liverpool broke the world record to sign Alisson from Roma, only for Chelsea to break that record within just a few weeks when they splashed out £72 million to bring Kepa Arrizabalaga to the club from Athletic Bilbao.
There was slightly less money spent than in past windows, with the early closure of the English transfer window to blame. Premier League clubs completed their business three weeks earlier than usual, and although they were still able to sell players, the majority of them refused to do so.
But there were some players who didn’t get the move they were expecting this summer. Here are five major transfers that didn’t go through.
#1 Paul Pogba to Barcelona
Of all the players in the world at the moment, none get the same level of attention that Paul Pogba does at Manchester United. The Frenchman returned to United for a world record fee in 2016, but we are still yet to see the best of him in a United shirt. He has played in multiple positions, but he still hasn’t done enough to show that he was worth the £89 million the Red Devils paid for him.
Because of his poor relationship with Jose Mourinho, there were rumours about a move away from Old Trafford this summer. It was Barcelona who came in with a bid for the French World Cup winner, with an offer of £45 million, plus Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina. That was rejected by United, and the pair instead joined Everton. Because the English transfer window closed just days after Barcelona’s bid, United refused to sell because they could find a replacement. However, this is one worth keeping an eye on in January.