8 transfer deadline day deals you might have missed: Gomes, Vale…
The summer 2022 transfer window came to a fittingly hectic ending on deadline day. In fact, it was so hectic, there are a few moves that might well have slipped through your net.
It’s been a dramatic few months as Premier League clubs have collectively spent over £2billion on new players with the other major European leagues dwarfed in comparisons.
That continued right up until the deadline, with huge names like Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Marcos Alonso, Antony and Manuel Akanji moving between some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
But some moves went somewhat under the radar. Here are eight deadline-day deals you might have missed.
Andre Gomes
It’s hard to believe now, but a few years back there was a tug-o-war between Barcelona and Real Madrid over the Portuguese midfielder’s signature.
Barcelona won out but as with so many of their signings in the Josep Maria Bartomeu era, it’s all been downhill since then. Gomes ultimately failed to find his spark at Goodison Park and has gradually moved out to the periphery, starting just seven games last term.
He struggled to get much of a look under Frank Lampard and we’re surprised it took him until deadline day to move on. He sealed a loan switch to – *closes eyes and throws a dart at a map of Europe* – Lille. Sure, why not?
Kenedy
This summer’s answer to Lucas Piazon, Kenedy spent seven years on Chelsea’s books, making just 30 appearances amid five different loans away. Amazingly, one of those moves wasn’t to Vitesse Arnhem.
The Brazilian has finally moved away on a permanent deal to newly-promoted La Liga outfit Real Valladolid, where his legendary compatriot Ronaldo Fenomeno is the majority shareholder.
Julian Draxler
The Germany international seemed perfectly happy living in Paris, earning a ludicrous wage and sharing a dressing room with some of the world’s best players.
Draxler has been at PSG for five seasons and remains contracted until 2024. While he only made 13 only starts in all competitions last term, it looked as though he’d stay put forever as a squad filler. Apparently not. He was shipped out to Benfica on a season-long loan.
Jack Stephens
The defender has made over 100 Premier League appearances for Southampton but he’s one of those footballers that we’re not entirely sure if we’d recognise if they walked past us in the street.
The experienced operator will remain on the South Coast away on loan at Bournemouth. It’s his fifth loan from Saints, but first since 2015-16, having been on the club’s books through their decade-long tenure back in the Premier League.
Harvey Vale
Chelsea’s Academy Player of the Year will be getting his first taste of regular senior football out on loan at an ambitious Hull side. Vale will be looking to use the experience as a springboard to stake a claim in the Blues’ first team, as Mason Mount and Reece James did after successful Championship loans.
Xavier Simons (not to be confused with his more famous namesake, now at PSV and formerly of Barcelona and PSG) is another Chelsea starlet worth keeping an eye out for. He also moved to Hull on loan on deadline day.
READ: Harvey Vale’s 55-yard lob: Ultimate proof he’s Chelsea’s latest ‘baller’
Matty Longstaff
We associate Matty Longstaff with precisely two things.
One of the best cartoons David Squires has ever done and scoring a lovely strike to beat Manchester United.
We have a feeling his Premier League debut will be the peak of the little Geordie urchin’s career. We wouldn’t bet on him ever returning to get a spot in newly-minted Newcastle’s squad after a loan away to… League Two side Colchester United.
Happy 21st Birthday to Matty Longstaff 🎉
A winning goal against Manchester United on his Premier League debut. What an incredible moment this was 👏 #NUFC @mattylobby48pic.twitter.com/8Pjn3JIQu9
— ToonArmy (@toonarmy_com) March 21, 2021
Federico Fernandez
Newcastle haven’t gone crazy with glamour signings like Chelsea and Manchester City did back in the day, but they’ve quietly transformed their squad and spent more than any other side in 2022.
They’ve yet to recoup any cash, but have seen a few low-profile outgoings to balance the squad, with the likes of Martin Dubravka, Ciaran Clarke, Isaac Hayden, Dwight Gayle and Jeff Hendrick either leaving on loan or for free.
The latest to leave is Argentinian centre-back Fernandez, who was with the Magpies for four years but was evidently deemed surplus to requirements following the arrivals of Dan Burn and Sven Botman. He’s just signed a one-year deal with La Liga side Elche.
Krzysztof Piatek
There was a period back in the Autumn of 2018 when Piatek looked like the second coming of Gerd Muller.
The Polish striker scored 19 goals in 21 appearances for Genoa, averaging a goal every 93 minutes. That earned a move to AC Milan, where he started like a house on fire with 10 goals in his first 11 appearances.
Four years on and Piatek has proven the stats nerds’ theory of regression to the mean. He hasn’t been able to maintain those goalscoring exploits. After scoring 13 goals in 56 appearances for Hertha Berlin, he’s now back in Serie A at relative minnow Salernitana. Can he capture lightning in a bottle again?
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