All around England, people are ducking out of work early (or entirely) for what has become a sort of holiday. What is the best thing about the day of celebration? Just like Christmas, fans of football teams have the chance to receive presents, in the form of new players to bolster their favorite squads. August 31 is Transfer Deadline...
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney checks on Arsenal's Jack Wilshere after Wilshere suffered an injury All around England, people are ducking out of work early (or entirely) for what has become a sort of holiday.
What is the best thing about the day of celebration? Just like Christmas, fans of football teams have the chance to receive presents, in the form of new players to bolster their favorite squads.
August 31 is Transfer Deadline Day across Europe, as the summer window closes at 11 p.m. BST (6 p.m. Eastern time.) It is the final day of 2016 in which players can move from one club to another, and so far, this window has not disappointed.
Tottenham signed French national team midfielder Mousssa Sissoko for PS30 million from Newcastle. Sissoko, who was dominant in the French run to the 2016 Euro final, leaves the relegated Magpies, and should help the Spurs as they look to compete in the UEFA Champions League.
Tottenham swooped in during the final two hours and stole Sissoko away from Everton, which had thought it had the big midfielder. But as can happen in the crazy last hours of a transfer window, desperate teams can change the game.
The deal of the day, however, has seen David Luiz sensationally return to Stamford Bridge, as Chelsea bought back the defender from Paris Saint-Germain. The Blues sold Luiz to PSG in June 2014 for PS50 million, and now have paid around PS32 million to buy back the 29-year-old from the Parisian team. Chelsea also signed defender Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina for PS24 million Wednesday.
Leicester City signed striker Islam Slimani from Sporting Lisbon for PS30, to once again break its transfer fee record. The Algerian froward scored 27 goals for Sporting last season, and will help the Foxes as they try to compete for a second-straight EPL title, and play in the Champions League for the first time. Slimani, nicknamed the "Dragon Slayer" for his exploits in Portugal against Porto, will get a chance to face Porto twice in the Champions League group stage.
Some clubs, like both Manchester teams, got their business done early in the summer, after the transfer window opened on July 1. But for many of the Premier League teams, and also teams all across Europe, this day is equal parts chaos, disappointment, and excitement.
As of late, though, the final day of the summer window has meant more than just players moving clubs. All of the English papers have numerous columns and web pages committed to the news, while Sky Sports News has an entire day dedicated to the coverage, led by Jim White.
The channel used to have reporters live at each club, who would report on the deals all day. That all changed after 2014, in what was the most bizarre, chaotic, and downright weird day of live television coverage ever seen.
Billy Huyton, Manchester United super fan and amateur pugilist who hails from Lancashire, remembers the deadline day of 2014 well.
"My favourite memory of deadline day has to be the 2014 one because a poor reporter outside Everton's training ground was having a sex toy wafted in his ear live on air," Huyton said. "Surprised it took so long for something like that to happen."
The final day of the summer 2014 window was the last time Sky Sports allowed groups of fans live on television with its reporters.
Huyton, who is somewhat of a football knowledge savant, has seen his Red Devils falter on this day over the past few years under both David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal. Moyes, who took charge in 2013 after Sir Alex Ferguson retired, got his United career off to an inauspicious start with a disaster in the summer window. He was sacked in April, after less than a season in charge.
The tide has turned under new manager Jose Mourinho, however, as Manchester United got its business done early in the summer. Midfielder Paul Pogba cam in for a world-record PS89 million, while the Red Devils also acquired Henrikh Mkhitaryan (undisclosed), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (free) and Eric Bailly (PS30 million), who may end up as the steal of the window.
Huyton is happy with the business his squad took care of early, as opposed to under the last two managers. But he has some strong words for some of the players in the United squad that have not lived up to their potential.
"Yeah very glad United have done all their business," Huyton said. "I think of the last few windows before this year, we got Daley Blind on deadline day, but that's the only one that's worked.
I think they might be done. No more incomings. Hopefully (they) get rid of the dross in the squad like (Bastian) Schweinsteiger. Was excited when he joined but he is a disgrace, and hopefully if he doesn't leave he is arrested and imprisoned for stealing a living when other of our brave footballers are on less money for doing more."
One of the teams that is usually on the sideline this day, much to the consternation of its fans, is Arsenal. Arsene Wenger and the owners have been very busy this year though, which should make Azak Fever, one of the Gunners top bods, very happy. His favorite memory of the past few years came on September 2, 2013, as Arsenal signed attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid.
Mesut Ozil celebrates his goal against Spurs "Signing of Ozil fella," Fever said. "I couldn't believe it at the time, and rushed to the Emirates to get the latest. Massive party outside Emirates when the Sky Sports reporter confirmed it. Was like we'd won a trophy."
Arsenal made headlines Wednesday as it allowed midfielder Jack Wilshere, once the hope of all Gunners and many England national team supporters, to leave on loan to AFC Bournemouth. Wilshere (whose injury and games missed lists are the stuff of infamy for Gunners supporters) will now try to help the Cherries stay out of the relegation zone, instead of fighting with Arsenal for a fourth place EPL spot, and a trip to the round-of-16 in the UEFA Champions League.
You can follow all the transfer dealings of your favorite EPL team during the summer 2016 window here, on the Sky Sports website. Sky Sports also has a live blog here, which will follow along as everything happens.
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean