5 most baffling moves in the 2014 summer transfer window
Danny Welbeck leaving Manchester United to join EPL rivals Arsenal on transfer deadline day was a move nobody saw comingThe 2014 summer transfer window has come and gone, and clubs have lost the chance to increase squad strength for another four months. As the years go by, more and more money is being thrown about during the hasty summer and winter transfer windows. It is probable that confining the transfer period to a few months in the calendar has only increased the transfer expenditure of clubs; it has definitely increased the pandemonium surrounding transfers.In the madness that was the last two months, some deals have been struck between clubs that defy logic, moves that are likely to be of no advantage to either club or player. We have seen badly thought out transactions returning to haunt clubs and players in the past, and there are several candidates for that possibility from among those who have changed strips this summer. Bojan Krkic’s move from Barcelona to Stoke City has befuddled many, but the much-vaunted 24 year old has just not been able to replicate his La Masia form at the senior level, and this might be a chance for a new start for the young man. Danny Welbeck’s relatively short journey from Manchester to London has raised many eyebrows as well, but it needs to be considered that Arsenal were forced to bring a striker in the eleventh hour and were pushed into a decision they did not much want to take. Pepe Reina’s transfer to the Bayern bench does not make any apparent sense either, but he is past his best days and justifiably prioritizes winners medals over playing minutes.These three are those who almost made this list, the following transfer deals are the ones that made even less sense to me.
#5 Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich
The 32-year-old Spaniard has left Real Madrid after his starting line-up spot came under threat with the dual arrivals of James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos, but many are considering that Real have committed a cardinal mistake by letting him go.
Alonso was slated to play at the Spanish capital till 2016, and would possibly have hung up his boots as a Los Blancos player had the contract been respected. Alonso’s intelligence and responsible style of play as a central midfielder has been instrumental to Real Madrid’s recent successes, and they have slumped to a 4-2 defeat to Real Sociedad in their first league match after Alonso’s departure.
The player has claimed that he still feels a ‘hunger’ and that the time is ripe for a new challenge. He has fitted in marvelously at his new role, it would appear – he made his Bundesliga debut against Schalke the day after he arrived, and he has also been seen in a beer advertisement made shortly after his arrival at the Allianz Arena. However, it will be interesting to see if Alonso can find a place in the starting 11 once midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez recover from injury.
Real Madrid have made a bit of a blunder if first signs are anything to go by; Alonso is enjoying his time in Germany now, but is likely to have to sit out when the whole squad is available at Bayern’s disposal; Bayern Munich seem to be the only sure winner from this transaction.
Likely to be laughing to the bank: Pep Guardiola, Bayern Munich
Likely to have regrets: Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid