Should the transfer window continue into the season?
Yohan Cabaye was said to be unsettled before Newcastle’s game on Monday
As Arsenal have failed to make any “big name signing” before the start of the season, the fury of the fans and a long running injury list prompted the club to make last ditch bids for various players fitting the bill.
Five days into the start of the season, the North Londoners are yet to make a signing. Arsenal made as many as 12 enquiries in the window. Having already been beaten to seven of them, the Champions League spot vying club made three more on the opening day of the season. Though, they are yet to scalp a target, they have successfully sparked a debate – Should the transfer window be open as we enter the season or should it be slammed shut before the start of it?
On Saturday, as Swansea went into the match, there were rumours flying around of Arsenal reportedly having made a bid for Ashley Williams and Michu. Though the rumours had little weight, it was enough to agitate the Swans coach Michael Laudrup, who was quoted while speaking to a set of reporters:
“I accept the rumours are part of the game but, while they don’t affect me, they can affect the players.
“I was at the meeting of Premier League managers in London before the season started, and one of the questions we asked was why we can’t move the transfer deadline to before the season starts.
“The big leagues have all started already so it would suit all of us, but we were told there’s not a lot of interest in moving the deadline forward.
“I can’t understand why that is because I think every manager would be interested in having the window closed by the time the first game starts.”
“Because if I sell someone and try to buy someone else the next day, the price of your replacement goes higher, it’s inevitable.
“But it’s very close to this club’s deadline as far as selling anybody goes.”
Two days later on Monday morning, Arsenal go ahead and launch a bid for Newcastle’s pivotal figure in Yohan Cabaye. This unsettles the player and the manager Alan Pardew, as a result has no option but to leave the Frenchman from the matchday squad. The headlines next day read: “Alan Pardew unhappy at timing of Arsenal bid,”
“You prepare for three days with a player of that talent and that was taken away from us. It had a huge bearing on the result as well,” Alan Pardew claimed following a 4-0 loss at the hands of one of the title favourites Manchester City.
This brings to light the fact how these post-season, within-transfer-window bids unstettle teams, especially the likes of mediocre teams, having to lose their pivotal figure.
The transfer season has always overshadowed the start of the season with the fans craving to see a name coming in rather than concentrating on the league and results alike.
There have been a huge brouhaha and hoopla over the duration of the league. While a set of critics have advocated slamming the window shut before the season started, many are in favour of the current window, claiming it to allow teams to gauge the results and performance and then look for a perfect match.