Grading Transfer Deadline Day — Lots of League Switches!
Clubs around Europe certainly made some bold moves!
Antony (Ajax → Manchester United)
€95m + €5m Add-Ons — C
At first glance, Antony’s stats indicate that he is worth the €100m price tag. The Brazilian ranks in the 99th percentile for shots, assists, and progressive passes received per 90 mins, as well as in the 98th percentile for progressive carries and interceptions per 90 mins. Hypothetically, he should be the type of player that can be shoved into any offense and prosper, but Ajax has a history of ball-dominant wingers, while Manchester United enjoys attacking through the middle. More than this, the Red Devils rank among the bottom half of the English top-flight for long-balls per game, so Antony’s speed may have to be implemented elsewhere. Obviously, current United manager Erik ten Hag has a history with the winger, but as Antony is expected to make an immediate difference, club faithfuls may be left disappointed. Not to mention the curious case of what will happen with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Cristiano Ronaldo within the attack.
Andrea Belotti (Free Agent → AS Roma)
Free — A-
It is surprising that it took so long for Andrea Belotti to find a home in Serie A, but Roma boss Jose Mourinho took advantage of his underrated status. Belotti ranks within the 96th percentile for total shots per game in comparison to forwards among the top 5 European leagues. So, pairing him alongside prolific scorer Tammy Abraham should further establish Roma as one of the best attacking sides in Italy.
Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid → Nottingham Forest)
Loan — B
With the unfortunate injury of Bayern prospect Omar Richards, Nottingham’s left-flank was in dire need of rehabilitation. As a club that is already incredibly proficient with their shot-creating, adding an offensive-minded left-back in Lodi will surely be appropriate. Lodi is among the most active wing-backs with Europe on the ball, and will aid Forest with his 3.12 crosses per 90 mins.
Lucas Paquetá (Olympique Lyonnais → West Ham)
€48m + €18m Add-Ons — A
West Ham have struggled for the past few years with creativity in their mid-field, leaving attackers like Michail Antonio to do heavy-lifting that he is incapable of. The Hammers currently rank 17th in the Premier League for shots per game, and Lucas Paquetá’s 5 progressive passes per 90 mins should alleviate this plateau. Paquetá’s 23.22 pressures per 90 mins also ensures that he won’t slack after build-up play.
Edison Cavani (Free Agent → Valencia)
Free — C+
Edison Cavani has not seen much time on the field since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford, but Valencia still have faith in the 35-year-old. In the few games Cavani has played this past year, his scoring output understandably diminished, but he remains one of the best pressing forwards in Europe. At 1 interception per 90 mins, he ranks in the 99th percentile of forwards in the top 5 leagues of Europe. Valencia have had trouble finishing their chances throughout this season, so if Cavani can even look like a shell of his former self, then it is good business for Valencia.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea → Bayer Leverkusen)
Loan — B-
As a Chelsea fan, I am ecstatic that Callum Hudson-Odoi will finally get a proper opportunity to develop. Many skeptics forget that the man is still only 21-years-old, and his performances give little indication as to why he has fallen out of favor with Thomas Tuchel. Hudson-Odoi is quite creative at creating offensive opportunities through his individual playing style, as evident by his 9.43 progressive carries and 4.82 shot-creating actions per 90 mins. This being said, Bayer Leverkusen prefers possession-based gameplay which has elicited aggression out of opponents, emphasized by the club getting fouled 12.8 times per game in the Bundesliga this season. Hudson-Odoi is not a perfect match for the German club, but he’s better off anywhere but Stamford Bridge.
Sergio Reguilón (Spurs → Atletico Madrid)
Loan — A
Sergio Reguilón is ultimately a perfect replacement for the loss of Renan Lodi. If Atletico Madrid plan on playing their full-backs in a similar format, then Reguilón will serve as another defender with an extremely high offensive work-rate. If anything, Reguilón should be much more productive, as his 52 progressive passes outmatched Lodi’s 25 in the 2021–2022 campaign.
Fabián Ruiz (Napoli → PSG)
€23m — A+
PSG desperately needed midfield reinforcements. The Parisian club has completed 620 short passes this season, this accounts for a whopping 94% (!) of their total passes. PSG should not rank 10th in Ligue 1 for progressive long passes when they have the fastest, and most clinical, attacking trio in the world. Fortunately, Fabián Ruiz completes above 10 long-balls per 90 mins, certifying his status within the upper-echelon of playmakers. Marco Verratti is the metronome of PSG’s midfield, but he provides little offensive relief for their attack. Hopefully Ruiz can fill these gaps and be the difference between being a UCL-contender and a UCL-favorite.
