Just over a week away from transfer deadline day, with one Premier League game played, blockbuster moves do not appear forthcoming.
Unless you’re a Chelsea fan you’ve probably only seen your team sign one, possibly two players. Liverpool still have not added a first-team player to their squad this summer.
It’s clear the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) are impacting the ability of clubs to do business. As well as that, the season begins in the wake of a disruptive international tournament for the first time in three years.
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If it’s going to heat up it’s going to heat up next week, with transfer deadline day taking place on Friday, 30th August.
However it would seem teams are the victims of circumstance, regardless of how large their financial muscles may be.
Arsenal, who are surely anxious to strengthen after last year’s title tilt, have only signed Riccardo Calafiori. Arsenal have never been better positioned since they moved to the Emirates Stadium. As well as that, they are flush with Champions League money once again.
Nonetheless, reporting suggests they have to sell to buy this summer, effectively operating a ‘one in, one out’ policy.
Similarly, rumours surrounding Brentford striker Ivan Toney speak to the limitations placed on clubs this summer. This may say something about his personality, and his financial expectations are probably too high. However, you wouldn’t have expected the next step in his career to be the Saudi Pro League. Clubs are simply not prepared to put together a huge package for the sake of getting a deal done.
The slow market is affecting individual players too, as we have seen recently with Raheem Sterling. The 30-year-old has resorted to releasing a statement to gain clarity on his status under Enzo Maresca.
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If he’s not going to play, Sterling would rather move somewhere else, but it isn’t that simple. There are many teams who would love to have Raheem Sterling, but at this point none who would love to pay his wages.
We have yet to see the market-setting transfer that gets things rolling. If any team is going to do it, it’s Manchester City, who made £82 million from the sale of Julian Alvarez. Most teams are waiting for the sands to shift and if they do in time, expect many deals to go down on transfer deadline day.
