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Transfer deadline day has come and gone and Premier League clubs (even Arsenal!) were not afraid to splash some cash.
We all remember the long, drawn out, inevitable transfers such as Paul Pogba to Manchester United. But here are three last-minute deadline day deals that caught us all by surprise.
1. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal to Bournemouth)
Wilshere has been England’s playmaking midfielder in waiting for years now but unfortunately for England and Arsenal fans, he’s made of glass. The sun rises in the east, Mourinho and Wenger hate each other, Jack Wilshere gets hurt. These are things we know.
Constant injuries have prevented Wilshere from becoming the midfielder Arsene Wenger needed and game time became scarce for the 24 year old. But nothing jumpstarts a stalling career quite like a successful loan move.
Wilshere had offers from Crystal Palace and even Roma, but it was the prospect of playing for Eddie Howe and the Cherries of AFC Bournemouth that excited Wilshere most. So he’s traded in the 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium in London for the 11,000 seat Vitality Stadium on England’s south coast.
2. David Luiz (PSG to Chelsea)
The crazy-haired Brazilian returns to Stamford Bridge! There might not be a defender, or any player for that matter, who hates being restricted to one position on the pitch more than David Luiz. The “center back” likes to get forward, sideways, and everywhere in between. So it was no surprise to anyone when the pragmatic Jose Mourinho sold him to PSG two years ago. But we are all very surprised to see Luiz back in West London.
Stiff competition in PSG’s defense meant the writing was on the wall for David Luiz. And although he’s a fan favorite no matter where he plays, his days in Paris were numbered. Meanwhile, Chelsea spent their summer being turned down by defenders (John Stones, Kalidou Koulibaly, Leanardo Bonucci, etc.) so the Blues decided (were forced) to bring back Luiz. Now the only question is who is crazier on the field: David Luiz or Antonio Conte?
3. Joe Hart (Manchester City to Torino)
New managers mean new hope, new optimism, new tactics, and almost always at least one guy being run out of town. Hello, Pep Guardiola. Goodbye, Joe Hart. The new Manchester City manager has a very specific idea of what his goalkeeper should be able to do, namely: be comfortable with the ball at your feet.
In Pep’s estimation, Hart does not fit that mold. Despite his near decade of service to the club, Hart has not started for City in the Premier League yet this season and is now being shipped to Italy on loan.
Joe Hart has joined the other team in Turin, Torino FC. So while we’ll miss his intense pre-match tunnel shouting. Hopefully he’ll up his national anthem game by being in the same city as Gigi Buffon.
