The summer transfer window opened on June 10, 2022 and shut on September 2, 2022.
Erling Haaland, Raphinha, and Sadio Mane chose their new clubs, while 5-time Ballon D’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo found no suiters.
The Hindu takes a look at what’s going on in the football world, and some of the key learning outcomes from the 2022/23 summer transfer window.
1. Injuries force football clubs to go to transfer market
To win trophies, a football team must have a competitive squad.
So when big clubs lost key players to injuries just days before deadline day, they scrambled the market on the deadline day: a far from ideal scenario.
Manchester City’s injuries to defenders Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte forced them to buy Swiss defender Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund.
Liverpool loaned Arthur Melo from Juventus as injuries to Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita wiped out their midfield.
After N’golo Kante’s hamstring stopped him in his tracks, and Kovacic’s fitness issues kept him on the bench, big spenders Chelsea suddenly found themselves tight in midfield options.
Chelsea asked Southampton to sell them their new midfielder Roméo Lavia, a player Southampton had bought for £12 million not 4 months ago. They offered Southampton a generous £50 million fee for their troubles, as revealed by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano. But Southampton said no, and Chelsea loaned Denis Zakaria from Juventus instead, one hour before the deadline.
2. Young talents with longer contracts are ‘in’
Aurelien Tchouameni joined Real Madrid from AS Roma on a 6-year contract. File | Photo Credit: Twitter/@atchouameni
Manchester United signed 24-year-old Lisandro Martinez on a 5-year contract. Aurelien Tchouameni joined Real Madrid from AS Monaco on a 6-year contract. Wesley Fofana signed for Chelsea from Leicester on a staggering 7-year deal.
Historically, players both young and old, were contracted for a maximum of 4 years.
But this year, football clubs and executive boards seem to be paying more attention to brand value, doubling down on trending, young names and as a result, offering many young players more than 5-year contracts.
Although this increases a club’s liability, a longer contract will slow down the player’s value deterioration and allow football clubs to recover higher transfer fee when another club wants to buy them.
After Premier League clubs shelled £2 billion, it looks like football is becoming a buyer’s world.
3. F.C. Barcelona can blow a fortune for anyone they like
Much has been said about Barcelona’s finances this season. While eyebrows were raised every time they signed a player, it has to be said that Joan Laporta and co. managed it all fairly well.
With Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, and five other marquee names, Barcelona may just go on to lift enough trophies that bring in more prize money.
But even so, was it all so easy for the Catalunyans? Here, The Hindu analyses F.C. Barcelona’s situation in-depth.
4. They are making North London derbies great again
Gabriel Jesus celebrates scoring a goal for Arsenal. File | Photo Credit: Twitter/@ArsenalFC
Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur is on October 1, 2022, and then Tottenham vs. Arsenal is on January 14, 2023.
The North London football clubs had arguably, one of the most productive transfer windows.
After lacklustre decade for the clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham have been in rebuilding mode since the 2021/22 season and finally, the London rivals look prepared to face each other, the Premier League, and the European music better than ever.
Spaniard Mikel Arteta brought the Arsenal-DNA pumping again, while Italian Antonio Conte has brought in his fiery nerves into a rejuvenated Spurs side. Arsenal is on top of the Premier League while Tottenham Hotspur sit on third.
Mikel Arteta has forged a modern-day Arsenal side, full of ballers and creators: Gabriel Jesus is a frightening prospect alongside Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Emile Smithe-Rowe.
Tottenham Hotspur on the other hand has added Ivan Perisic, Richarlison, Djed Spence, Yves Bissouma, Clement Lenglet, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Fraser Forster, and Alfie Whiteman to their squad.
5. Roma have risen from their ruins
AS Roma gave Argentine Paulo Dybala an unveiling of a lifetime. | Photo Credit: AS Roma
Don’t look away just yet from Serie A and Jose Mourinho.
The 26-trophy man José Mourinho, though discarded from Premier League, is famed to get the best out of players... if he manages to form a rapport with them.
Mourinho has revitalised AS Roma in the same league as Juventus, Inter, and AC Milan, winning the inaugural UEFA Conference League in 2021/22. AS Roma is also doing well in the current Serie A campaign, 2 points adrift of the top.
Look at the kind of presentation Paulo Dybala received when he signed for AS Roma. 8,000 fans came to watch him.
Andrea Belotti was asked to ride a gym bike to raise awareness for Rome’s missing children when he came in.
It is tempting to think of these humbling presentations as Mourinho’s attempts to make his team feel a stronger connection with Rome.
But only time will tell if AS Roma’s rebuild with Tammy Abraham up-front, a proper holder in Nemanja Matic, and a creative number 10 will help Mourinho and the Romans rise again.
