Hal Robson-Kanu – Free Agent to West Bromwich Albion
The most surprising bit about this move is that it didn’t happen sooner. Hal Robson-Kanu may come across as a ‘Championship-Player’, but over the summer, he proved his mettle impeccably at the European Championships in France. When Wales needed him to step up, Robson-Kanu was always there. He’s quick, he’s agile and he’s certainly got an eye for goal. And considering West Brom paid nothing to secure this signing, it certainly is a massive coup.
Jack Wilshere – Arsenal to Bournemouth (Loan)
We’ve heard all the cons about Jack Wilshere, really. He’s injury-prone, he’s rarely fit and doesn’t have the best of attitudes. But Wilshere at his best, is a player capable of walking into any Premier League team out there. Roma, AC Milan and a couple of other big teams were all after his signature, as soon as it emerged that the England international was available for a temporary move. Bournemouth though, appear to have pulled off a massive deal for themselves, by convincing Wilshere to join them.
Markus Henriksen – AZ Alkmaar to Hull City (Loan)
There’s no doubt about this one. Hull City were desperately going after new players over last 48 hours or so, and they appear to have done very well for themselves, particularly with the acquisition of Markus Henriksen on a loan spell. The Norwegian international is a highly-rated attacking midfielder, who is more than capable of getting his goalscoring boots on as well. In fact, he scored 19 goals across all competitions for Alkmaar, last season.
Serge Gnabry – Arsenal to Werder Bremen (Undisclosed)
Arsenal fans must be absolutely flabbergasted, no? Gnabry was brilliant for Germany at the Rio Olympics and continues to look like a player that’s improving every season. Sadly, first-team football was never going to guaranteed, had he remained at the Emirates. And with one year left on his contract, Arsenal opted to cash in and let the player go to Werder Bremen, for a reported fee of 5 million pounds. Top, top signing for the German side.
Ezequiel Garay – Zenit St. Petersburg to Valencia (Loan)
As soon as it emerged that Shokdran Mustafi was leaving, Valencia kicked-off a last-gasp attempt at shoring their defensive department. The result? Mangala on loan from Manchester City and Garay on loan from Zenit St. Petersburg. There are always question marks about Mangala, but Garay is a no-nonsense centre-back, who would undoubtedly step into the shoes of Mustafi this year. And the fact that Valencia pulled this off without needing to break their bank, is incredible.
Wilfried Bony – Manchester City to Stoke City (Loan)
It has not been a comfortable summer for Mark Hughes and Co. They’ve huffed and puffed after potential transfer targets, only to see a large number of them fall through. But thankfully, Hughes did manage to pull off a good signing on deadline day, by bringing Wilfried Bony on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon and criticize Bony for poor performances, but let’s not forget that just 18 months ago, he was a feared poacher for Swansea City. If he’s able to put his City spell aside, and revive his goalscoring form, Stoke City fans could be in for a real treat this year.
Joe Hart – Manchester City to Torino (Loan)
To be fair, Joe Hart is not as bad as they make him to be. Granted, he’s not good on the ball. But Hart is more than capable of being an astute shot-stopper, if his confidence is restored. And he’s gone to a team that’s more than capable of giving him the platform to climb up the ladder, once again. Torino have only kept one clean sheet in their last 14 games, and any improvement, even if it’s minor, will be massively welcomed by their fans. And Joe Hart, who has twice been named in the PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year, is more than capable of making an impact for Il Toro.
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