2011 Summer's Most Crucial Transfers

Arjblog covers the most biggest transfers this summer - not just the ones with the highest transfer fees but those that made the biggest impact both negative and positive, at new club and old. These are the ten players who either greatly weaken their old side, strengthen their new one, or in some cases, do both.


Any difference is assumed to measure negative impact at the club being left and positive impact at new outfit.


Alexis Sanchez - Udinese to Barcelona


Sanchez is a rampaging bull on either flank who can play wide and drift in or start centrally and move wide. One of the game's premier wingers, his loss reduces the potency of Udinese's attack significantly. Without him the Zebra's lacked a killer punch while Antonio Di Natale had minimal service. Now at Barcelona, he adds yet another dimension to the Blaugrana, where he will play as a robust winger who cuts both in with the ball or goes wide without it. Udinese will drop several places due to his exit alone.

Difference - Massive at old club, significant at new club.

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Francesc Fabregas - Arsenal to Barcelona


Essentially, Arsenal's key player and the best creative midfielder, statistically, in Europe's top five leagues over the last five seasons, Cesc was more than just a captain at Arsenal. Mesmerising yet controlled with the ball, hard-working and dogged without it, Fabregas'  retention is equal parts consistent and prolific, with a tidy ability to finish as well. Scorer of the winning penalty in the quarterfinal shootout over Italy at Euro 2008 and supplier of the winning pass in the final at World Cup 2010, Fabregas, was arguably the best player in the Premiership, when fit. Barcelona are already great but Fab allows them to get even better while securing their midfield for another generation.

Difference - Tectonic at old club, significant at new club.

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Arturo Vidal - Bayer Leverkusen to Juventus


The creator-in-chief at Bayer, the Chilean maestro was crucial to a workmanlike squad, bereft of its top scorer post Christmas; making the runners-up spot in the Bundesliga last season. His vision and awareness are layered on top of solid technique and his craft comes with no small dose of typical Latin flair. At Juventus he is the creative energy that has gone missing for so long and will be tasked with generating the service that allows the Bianconeri's stable of strikers to prosper. Vidal alone will take Juventus back into the top four in Italy.

Difference - Massive at old club, absolutely crucial at new club.

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Europhiles Notebook - Meet Malaga

Malaga and Paris St. Germain are the latest additions to the Jetset, clubs which are owned by either billionaires and or billionaires posing as consortiums, and expected to compete.  This is in marked contrast to clubs like Aston Villa, Blackburn and Roma, who although owned by rich foreigners are not as financially powerful or not expected to compete. And in the case of Rovers, are neither.

So, like with two kindergarten kids kicking up a stormy tantrum, we pause to look further in depth at the two aforementioned clubs, newly rich and full of newsworthy signings ... and Ruud Van Nistelrooy; to see what the hype is all about. Who are on their squads, what are the managers like, can they actually make good on their pre-season ambition ? Arjblog runs the eye over them, starting with the Spanish side.

Malaga CF:


Background:

The club used to once be the reserve team of similarly named Malaga CD. Once the latter folded in 1992, the current club changed its name from CA Malagueno, expanded into the fanbase and acquired the traditions that existed for its one time senior club. A bit like Barnet or Arsenal Reserves taking over Arsenal's premiership credentials. But wait, Arsenal has premiership credentials ? Oh. Malaga CF is now the official successor to Malaga CD and even has a crest that is very similar to that of its former senior team, replete with brown leather ball.