And breathe…
The summer transfer window has closed for another year with Premier League clubs spending more than £1billion for the first time in history.
Deadline Day itself brought some big deals, including Jack Wilshere’s loan move to Bournemouth, David Luiz’s Chelsea return and Tottenham beating Everton to the signing of Moussa Sissoko.
But the day that held such expectations didn’t deliver for everyone.
So who were the biggest winners and losers from Transfer Deadline Day?
The winners
Stoke City
Mark Hughes had an excellent Deadline Day.
The Potters boss wanted a centre-forward, a strong, focal point for his attack. For just £2million, he’s taken Wilfried Bony, who has a point to prove after his Manchester City difficulties. Bony, with his strength, hold-up play and eye for goal is the perfect foil for Stoke’s creative attackers, Messrs. Shaqiri, Arnautovic and Bojan.
Hughes wanted a left-sided defender, someone to pair with Ryan Shawcross but who can also pass out from the back. In comes Dutch international Bruno Martins Indi, again on loan, this time from Porto.
And he wanted a backup keeper. In came Derby’s Lee Grant, to be No.2 to Jack Butland.
Pep Guardiola
No incomings for Manchester City on Deadline Day, but Pep Guardiola has got rid of those players he didn’t want.
The Spaniard has spoken of his squad being too big recently and wanted to trim it.
Bony, Joe Hart, Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala all departed on loan.
Guardiola has made a statement to his squad with their departures – most notably that of Hart – that reputations mean little to him and he’ll do things his way.
Eddie Howe
When Jack Wilshere had 22 offers on the table for his temporary Arsenal exit, you could have forgiven Eddie Howe if he’d decided to pack up and walk away.
Instead, ably assisted by Wilshere’s best pal Benik Afobe, the Cherries coach has pulled off perhaps the biggest signing in the club’s history.
Wilshere may have a troubling injury record, but when fit and in a rhythm, he’s an excellent footballer.
With regular action, he’ll be a terrific addition for Howe and his hopes of making Bournemouth increasingly upwardly mobile.
Serge Gnabry
Serge Gnabry wanted to return to Germany, to join a club permanently, put down roots and push his career forward.
Despite Arsene Wenger wanting to keep him, even readying a new contract to persuade the 21-year-old, Gnabry stuck to his guns. And he got what he wanted.
Hopefully now, after starring at the Olympics with Germany’s Under-23 side, he can prove himself at the Weserstadion and become the player Wenger has long hoped he would.
Brentford
Scouts have flocked to Walsall in the last nine months, checking out the Saddlers’ England Under-19 international fullback Rico Henry.
Wednesday saw Bees boss Dean Smith – Henry’s former mentor at Bescot – take the plunge and Brentford do a deal to take the youngster to Griffin Park.
Henry has cost just £1.5million up front, with a number of add ons that could total around £4million. But if the player develops as Smith believes, then Brentford have one hell of a property on their hands.
The losers
Emmanuel Adebayor
Fulham.
That was the extent of the interest in Emmanuel Adebayor, on his day a forward of such gifts that he counts Arsenal, Real Madrid and Tottenham among his former clubs, available on a free.
At 32, he’s still fit enough to have a major impact on a team in the top flight.
Yet, after his six month deal at Crystal Palace mustered just seven Premier League appearances and one goal, it seems no one is willing to take on the Togolese star. And that includes a side in the second tier.
Mamadou Sakho
Fifth choice at Anfield, available for loan, the Frenchman wasn’t keen on a move to West Brom. Nor was he overly enamoured with Sunderland.
Instead, he fancied a return to France or a move to Italy. Only his interest in heading to mainland Europe wasn’t reciprocated.
Now he’s stuck at Liverpool, with Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all believed to be in front of him in the centre-back pecking order on Merseyside.
He’s a fan favourite, but not getting a move for regular action is not good for him, Klopp or the Reds.
Sunderland
David Moyes spent big money (£13.6million) to bring Lorient midfielder Didier Ndong from Lorient to the Stadium of Light.
But his Sunderland side needed a real shot in the arm, three or four players to come in and hit the ground running.
That didn’t happen despite efforts to bring in a number of players, including John Ruddy, Steven Naismith.
They did manage to sign Jason Denayer, but few Sunderland fans will be placated by that addition.
Everton
After the disappointment of missing out on Lucas Perez to Arsenal, Ronald Koeman desperately needed a fruitful final day in the transfer market. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialise.
Instead they had bids for Manolo Gabbiadini and Yacine Brahimi rejected before being snubbed by Moussa Sissoko.
Tottenham
OK, so they beat Everton to Moussa Sissoko. But they also paid £30million for him. THIRTY MILLION POUNDS.
For what? For a player that cost Newcastle less than £2m. For a player who goes missing for large parts of every season. For a player who has consistently called arch-rivals Arsenal “the club of his heart”.
Was this really such a great deal for Daniel Levy?
