Transfer to top club remains the goal
When Chelsea FC still saw a need to catch up in the position in front of the defensive line in the final phase of the summer transfer window, Edson Álvarez (25) from Ajax Amsterdam quickly became the focus of the Blues. Because the change period in the Netherlands ended on August 31, one day before the big leagues in Europe, Ajax reportedly rejected an offer for the “six”. Álvarez then did not show up for training, wanting to force a change on Deadline Day. The fact that nothing came of it still annoys the Mexican today. In an interview with the TV channel “ESPNHe said he was “very disappointed” that the move to Stamford Bridge didn’t materialize.
At the time there was talk of an offer of 50 million euros that would have made Álvarez the most expensive Mexican in football history. The right foot is said to have quadrupled his current salary when he switched to Chelsea. “It was a tricky situation,” said Álvarez. The main reason was that Ajax “really could not do anything”. In the event of a sale, Ajax would have had no opportunity to add more to the transfer market and provide an adequate replacement. In addition, there was no other regular “six” in the squad at the time. “There was no other player in my position,” emphasized Álvarez. Ajax only provided reinforcement after the end of the change period in the Netherlands, when the clubless Florian Grillitsch (27) was equipped with a contract.
Harit to Soler: top transfers on Deadline Day in summer 2022
Amine Harit | Schalke -> Marseille | Market value: €10 million
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loan
Serhou Guirassy | Stade Rennes -> VfB Stuttgart | Market value: €10 million
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loan
Wilfried Gnonto | Zurich FC -> Leeds | Market value: €10 million
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Transfer fee: €4.5 million
Ainsley Maitland Niles | Arsenal -> Southampton | Market value: €10 million
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loan
Aster Vranckx | VfL Wolfsburg -> AC Milan | Market value: €10 million
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loan
Wout Faes | Stade Reims -> Leicester | Market value: €10 million
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Transfer fee: €17 million
Stefan Posch | TSG Hoffenheim -> Bologna | Market value: €10 million
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loan
Loïc Bade | Rennes Stadium -> Nottingham Forest | Market value: €12 million
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loan
Billy Gilmour | Chelsea -> Brighton | Market value: €12 million
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Transfer fee: €10.4 million
Maxi Gomez | Valencia -> Trabzonspor | Market value: €12 million
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Transfer fee: €3 million
Idrissa Gueye | PSG -> Everton | Market value: €12 million
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Transfer fee: €10 million
Krzysztof Piatek | Hertha BSC -> Salernitana | Market value: €12 million
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Loan (fee: €1m)
Marcos Alonso | Chesea contract terminated | Market value: €12 million
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Ethan Ampadu | Chelsea -> Spezia | Market value: €13 million
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loan
Justin Kluivert | AS Roma -> Valencia FC | Market value: €15 million
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loan
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang | Barcelona -> Chelsea I Market value: €15m
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Transfer fee: €12 million
Florian Grillitsch | to Ajax after contract end at TSG | Market value: €16 million
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Free transfer
Duje Caleta Car | Olympique Marseille -> Southampton | Market value: €16 million
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Kasper Dolberg | OGC Nice -> Seville | Market value: €17 million
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loan
DanielJames | Leeds -> Fulham | Market value: €18 million
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loan
Arthur | Juventus->Liverpool | Market value: €18 million
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Loan (fee: €4.5m, option to buy: €37.5m)
Gaëtan Laborde | Stade Rennes -> OGC Nice | Market value: €18 million
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Transfer fee: €10 million
Julian Draxler | PSG -> Benfica | Market value: €18 million
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loan
Umar Sadiq | UD Almería -> Real Sociedad | Market value: €18 million
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Transfer fee: €20 million
André Gomes | Everton -> Lille | Market value: €18 million
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Sergino Dest | Barcelona -> ACMilan | Market value: €18 million
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loan
Abdou Diallo | PSG -> RB Leipzig | Market value: €18 million
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loan
Hector Bellerin | Arsenal -> FC Barcelona | Market value: €20 million
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free transfer
Julian Weigl | Benfica -> Gladbach | Market value: €22 million
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loan
Jan Bednarek | Southampton -> Aston Villa | Market value: €22 million
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loan
Denis Zakaria | Juventus -> Chelsea | Market value: €27 million
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loan
Leander Dendoncker | Wolverhampton -> Aston Villa | Market value: €28 million
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Transfer fee: €15 million
Manuel Akanji | Borussia Dortmund -> Man City | Market value: €30 million
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Transfer fee: €17.5 million
Amine Gouiri | OGC Nice -> Stade Rennes | Market value: €42 million
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Transfer fee: €28 million
Carlos Soler | Valencia -> PSG | Market value: €50 million
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Transfer fee: €18 million (bonuses: €3 million)
Álvarez, who extended his contract with Ajax until 2025 in October last year, believes that there will be another opportunity to move to a top club. “I’m convinced that sooner or later a big club will come my way,” he said. It would ‘motivate’ him that clubs are watching him at a higher level. While Álvarez stayed at Ajax and has since made 16 appearances with one goal and two assists, Chelsea signed Denis Zakaria (25) on loan from Juventus for defensive midfield on Deadline Day. The Blues paid a €3m fee (up to €4m possible due to bonuses) and on top of that secured a €28m call option, which can grow up to €33m.
However, it seems unlikely that Chelsea will exercise the option as Zakaria has not been used since his arrival in early September. Recently there had already been speculation about a premature end to the loan.
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