Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
The summer transfer window has shut, and teams from around Europe's elite football leagues will have to wait until January to strengthen their sides once again. The new Champions League format and busy schedule mean that squad depth is essential for managers, fans will be assessing which side made the best moves throughout the window when looking to make a football bet UK.
Throughout the window, there was drama all over the continent. From big money moves to some bargains between clubs, it was a summer defined by astute business - perhaps overshadowed at times by the Premier League's new spending cap, which can account for 40% less money being spent compared to last year.
After a season full of punishments for financial violations - Leicester City only just avoiding a points deduction - some teams were reluctant to splash the cash. Nonetheless, there were some great moves that took place during this window.
In this article, we look at some of the best summer signings of the 2024 transfer window and assess how influential those players will be throughout the upcoming season.
While Raheem Sterling had become an outcast at Chelsea due to new manager Enzo Maresca banishing almost half of his 40-man squad in west London, the winger was given a saving grace by joining Arsenal on loan, reuniting with Mikel Arteta who he worked with at Manchester City.
The move makes sense from the perspective of the Gunners, as they only cover a fraction of Sterling's £300,000 a week wages, and the 30-year-old provides valuable squad depth as Arsenal look to challenge City for the title for a third successive season - Sterling's experience and eye for goal making the move a low risk, high reward situation.
Over in Spain, both Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid have had busy summers for different reasons. The Basque outfit have had to deal with the losses of Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand, with the latter joining Atleti alongside the likes of Julian Alvarez, Conor Galagher and Alexander Sørloth, as Diego Simeone looks to compete for a first La Liga title in four years.
Le Normand, part of Spain's Euro 2024 winning squad, is a versatile defender that can operate anywhere across the backline, something Simeone massively values in his players. The 27-year-old arrives in Madrid for a fee of £30 million, representing a key part of Atleti's rebuild following some underwhelming recent seasons.
Another side attempting to rebuild after a drought of league titles is Juventus, now under the guidance of new manager Thiago Motta.
The Old Lady spent big in the transfer market, having not won the Scudetto since 2020, but the £45 million signing of Teun Koopmeiners, one of the most underrated players in Europe, could be the crucial turning point in their pursuit of Serie A.
Many knew Koopmeiners would be leaving Bergamo at the end of a great season with Atalanta which culminated with Europa League glory in Ireland, and with almost a century of appearances in Italy at just 26 years old, Juve have a quality addition to their midfield, with the combination of physicality and technique something that has been missing since Arturo Vidal left almost a decade ago.
Aston Villa's lukewarm start to the Premier League season has many questioning if they can balance domestic responsibility with a return to the Champions League after securing fourth place last season under Unai Emery.
The Spaniard was busy in the transfer market, bringing eight new players to Villa Park, with the highlight being Amadou Onana from Everton.
The holding midfielder, a replacement for Douglas Luiz who joined Juventus earlier in the summer, will provide physical presence and versatility to Emery's midfielder, and with games coming thick and fast, he has a great injury record which means he can be selected regularly over the course of the season. The fee of £50 million is fair, given the Toffees initially invested £33 million to bring him to Goodison Park.
All good things have to come to an end, and the same unfortunately has to be said for football stadiums too. This article looks at the grounds which are soon to host their last match, the stadiums whose days are numbered and where fans will be watching their football from next.
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My daughter's first ever football match - Orlando City v Atlanta United, August 2019. Written for Izzy to read when she gets old enough. Vamos Orlando
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