The Shift In Transfer Strategy Among The Top European Clubs

It has been quite clear last season that football is changing considerably. The English teams are coming out on top having 4 of their teams competing in the two European finals. Liverpool , Tottenham , Chelsea and Arsenal. Manchester City who were narrowly beaten in the champions league won the domestic treble. But when you look at Manchester City who lost only one game all last season in the league, there is no stand out player. They compete as a unit. They hunt in packs. They get the ball back and go on the attack. Any slackers and Pep has them out of the team. Manchester City are being spoken about as one of the best football teams ever. It is still early days but the way they play is the most exciting football I have ever seen. Liverpool are full throttle. Up there with Man City winning the champions league. Again operate as a unit. No one player is above the team. They are a unit. They are Spartan. Spurs under Maurico Pochettino again are a unit. They have Harry Kane up front but again they operate as a unit. This is where football is going . The galactico era is ending. Teams cannot rely on just one player. Well maybe Barcelona but you saw what happened them when Messi decided to go into hiding against Liverpool at Anfield. So lets have a look at the clubs with the so called world class players. They all failed. Madrid's big gun Bale has had injuries and is on the way out the door but he is happy to play golf everyday for the remainder of his contract. Manchester United Pogba had one good half performance against Manchester City this season. Hardly worth the 120 million fee. He walks around half the time looking disinterested. Alexis Sanchez, another calamitous signing by united on 400k a week and for a 26 year old he looks like his legs are gone. Sanchez was never a popular figure in the dressing room. He was a loner at Arsenal and he is a loner at United. He eats in the canteen on his own and hates Manchester. Wages are good though. Arsenal and Ozil. 250k a week and he walks around the pitch not trying.


Neymar at PSG. Circus. The potential he had a a player. He was under Messi's shadow at Barcelona and wanted his own club. Again injury has been a big problem but taking weeks off for his birthday party and coming back to Paris late from holidays has not been good with him and the fans or the owners. He is busy orchestrating a move back to Barcelona now and it looks like a done deal providing he drops his charges against Barcelona for breach of contract. I think he has to publicly apologies for leaving also.In my opinion Barcelona are mad to take him back but the little dictator is eager to have him back.
So you can see in my last examples why clubs are not eager to waste money on star names. They are going for the young talents who are yet unproven. Spurs have paid £65 million on Ndombele. The French midfielder who Lyon purchased for £7 million last season. He is a solid midfielder but he has only 7 caps for France.

Manchester United have signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka , the Crystal Palace defender that had a good first season with Palace. Again not really proven at the highest level but a decent prospect.
Take De Ligt for Ajax. The young centre half is the after starting a bidding war between Juventus, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. One great season and he is the toast of the town.
Only time will tell if these guys are the real deal. But the good thing is that they are all hard workers and this is what the top clubs are looking for now. Young passionate players that won't get their head turned by fame or instagram followers. The clubs want football to be the number 1. They are earning enough money from TV rights so they no longer rely on a big stars shirt sales. The champions league is too much money now to pander to one players needs or whims. It makes for better matches and the star player is no longer wanted at the club.