TT’s Top 5: Deadline Day movers given a big kick up the ****
With the transfer window closed for business, TEAMtalk picks out five players who have been give a new lease of life following deadline day moves.
Jack Wilshere
If you’d told us a week ago that Jack Wilshere would end up a Bournemouth player by the end of the window, we’d have told you to seek out your nearest doctor. But that’s exactly where the Arsenal and England midfielder ended up as he signed on a season-long loan with Eddie Howe’s side.
Wilshere’s career has, it’s safe to say, stalled in recent seasons with a number of lengthy injuries curtailing the progress of the man hailed as one of the country’s most naturally-gited footballers of his generation.
Now 24, Wilshere suddenly finds himself a big fish in a small pond and he’ll hope to a) stay fit and b) silence his doubters during a loan stint with the Cherries.
Wilshere’s arrival has been described as the “most high-profile signing” in Bournemouth’s history – and it’s hard to disagree.
Best-case scenario: He’ll relaunch his career, play a full season and return to Arsenal as a key man
Worst-case scenario: He’ll fail to shine, slip down a level or two and worse yet, suffer more injury misery
Joe Hart
There’d been a few whispers throughout the months leading up to Pep Guardiola’s arrival that the incoming Man City manager did not fancy Hart’s style. But even with the benefit of hindsight, it seems staggering that the England No 1 now finds himself playing for a middling Serie A side in Torino.
Even though the warning signs were there for the England No 1, the writing was probably on the wall after his dreadful Euro 2016 campaign with England and had his agents been as unscrupulous as some in the game, they’d have sought out a new team for him well before Guardiola marched into town.
Even so, after nearly 350 appearances for City, Hart now finds himself trying to relaunch his career in Italy, with reported moves to Sunderland, Sevilla and Everton failing to materialise.
While his short-term future looks set in Turin, his long-term prospects remain under the spotlight and Charles Joseph John Hart will hope his time in Italy is not a case of out of sight, out of mind.
Best-case scenario: Rebuilds his career in Serie A and secures a move to a top side again, possibly on the continent, next summer
Worst-case scenario: Fails to recover from City and England humiliation and finds his career taking a downward spiral.
Moussa Sissoko
““I’m very happy, very proud to be here,” Sissoko said in his interview since moving to Tottenham for £30million as the minutes ticked away on the transfer deadline.
You do fear the Frenchman, who allegedly refused to take Ronald Koeman’s calls after changing his mind at the 11th hour on a move to Everton, will have to do more than go on a PR broadside to win over sceptical Tottenham fans, however, especially after he proclaimed his love for their rivals Arsenal just a few months earlier.
Indeed, such is Sissoko’s reputation for being a bad apple, it’ll likely take several performances of the magnitude of his Euro 2016 final appearance to win over Tottenham fans.
For a player who has “always dreamed of playing in the Champions League” he’ll soon have the perfect chance.
Best-case scenario: Proves himself worth every penny of his £30m fee, helps Spurs to another top-four finish and a successful run in Europe.
Worst-case scenario: Flops badly and fails to shake off his bad-boy reputation. Leaves next summer saying he ‘never wanted Spurs move in the first place’.
Wilfried Bony
A much-maligned figure at Man City perhaps, but make no mistake, Stoke may just have done one of the best pieces of business on deadline day by signing Ivory Coast striker Bony.
The former Swansea man arrives with a reputation of being one of European football’s most prolific frontmen – netting 130 goals in just 278 career appearances.
While City rarely played to his strengths, Stoke will more than likely very much do so and it won’t surprise us to see him get regularly back among the goals at the Potteries.
Bony – the subject of a viral supporters song well before this summer’s Will Grigg version – could well prove himself a huge favourite at Stoke.
Best-case scenario: Bangs in 20+ goals and underlines status as one of Europe’s best goal-grabbers once again.
Worst-case scenario: Flops badly, returns to City next summer before returning to another club, most likely Swansea, with his tail between his legs.
Samir Nasri
➡️ @SamNasri19 llega del @ManCity cedido una temporada #SevillaFC #LaLigaTransfers https://t.co/qXDtZjKkzO pic.twitter.com/XgjOvVmCcg
— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) August 31, 2016
The third of four high-profile Man City loan exports on deadline day (Eliaquim Mangala being the other) Samir Nasri has been given the chance to resurrect his fading career in the glamorous surroundings of Sevilla.
The Spanish side, who finished seventh last season, are La Liga’s oldest club and known as the one of the traditional ‘best of the rest’ challengers to the unswerving mite of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Sevilla, of course, also have a fairly formidable European reputation having won the Europa League for the last three seasons and qualifying to play in this season’s Champions League. In fact, of all the deadline day movers, Nasri’s move to Sevilla was perhaps the most understated, given the reputation of the club he’s signing for.
But after coming on the field for the closing stages of Sunday’s win over West Ham (am I the only one who feels like that feels like more than four days ago?!) and proving accusations about being “overweight” were unfounded, Nasri’s move to Spain could be the catalyst for more trophy success for the former Arsenal man.
Best-case scenario: Rediscovers his best, helps Sevilla into the top four and Champions League progress. Surely four Europa League titles is a task too far though…?
Worst-case scenario: Struggles to adapt in his new environment and struggles his way through the season before returning to Ligue 1 next summer.
James Marshment