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Activity in the cauldron of soccer transfers rarely fails to whet the appetites of the game's legions of aficionados and prognosticators. This summer's commercial campaigns have already created a gaggle of brow raising expressions of excitement, sprinkled sometimes with confusion, but with nearly a full month remaining until the transfer window closes, this summer looks on course to break all previous spending records. In this article we look at three of the more enticing transfers and what they might mean for their clubs and your fantasy teams.
Some might argue that the 2015 Summer Transfer Window in the Barclay’s Premier League (BPL) has, thus far, not been as loaded with prestige as in years past. The majority of the players on the move were not the sexy "break-the-bank" types, but that being said, plenty of marquee footballers have already changed clubs during a summer that has already seen over 500 million pounds change hands. Some players, already playing in the BPL, leapfrogged to a bigger, wealthier club, whilst others will be playing in the league for the very first time. Although players like Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United), Petr Cech (Arsenal), Morgan Schneiderlin (Manchester United), and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) were all exciting signings, the following three players have the potential to have a very significant impact for their new clubs, both in real terms and from a fantasy perspective.
Editor’s Note: be sure to check out all of our articles, and read more about English Premier League (EPL, BPL) fantasy analysis and European football news.
Raheem Sterling – To Manchester City from Liverpool (49 Million Pounds)
Although he is still only 20 years old, the native-born Sterling undoubtedly has a mountain of hype to live up to given that the former Red arrived at the Etihad tagged as the most expensive transfer in English Football history. Whilst employed at Anfield, the youngster successfully established himself as one of the most exciting budding players in the world. Sterling surged into the echelon of the BPL elite during the 2013-2014 season which saw him playing behind Luis Suarez and a prime-form Daniel Sturridge. Last season however, after losing Suarez to Barcelona and Sturridge to injury, Sterling’s numbers dropped off significantly. However, his performance and versatility made him an attractive target for the world’s elite clubs, resulting in him signing a 5-year contract with City in June.
Fantasy Outlook
Raheem Sterling’s versatility (and heavy price tag) should ensure his regular inclusion in Pellegrini’s starting XI either on the wing or as a high centre-mid. With that said, 9.0 is a steep value for a player who accounted for just seven goals and seven assists over 33 appearances last season. A bold owner may bank that Sterling’s superior supporting cast can only bolster his scoring output, much like when he was paired with Luis Suarez. However, Sterling’s worth, ultimately, may be symbiotically related to the performances of Argentine ace Sergio Aguero. The Argentine striker, who led the EPL in goals last season, is still recovering from his active Copa America stint and until his return, City’s offensive outlook is uncertain.
RotoBaller Advice
A high price tag combined with an utterly crowded midfield and Sergio Aguero’s uncertain timetable for return makes Sterling a risky option to be included in an owner’s initial 15-man squad. Use a transfer on Sterling a few weeks into the season when his partnership with Aguero begins to reveal its worth.
Christian Benteke – To Liverpool from Aston Villa (32 Million Pounds)
If Benteke’s goal from the past weekend is any indication of his season outlook, then Liverpool's owners should be salivating. Benteke arrives at Anfield after an "interesting" season with Aston Villa. Before Tim Sherwood arrived midway through the campaign, Beneteke, and Villa as a whole, couldn’t find the net. After hiring the aforementioned boss, Benteke came to life, scoring 11 goals to close out the season, narrowly leading Villa's escape out of the relegation zone. During the 38-week tragedy that was Aston Villa’s season, Benteke accounted for 49% of all of his team's goals.
Fantasy Outlook
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers determinedly addressed his club’s flaccid offense during the summer transfer window, making Christian Benteke the centerpiece of his new aggressive plans. Last season, the Merseysiders scored 52 goals, 48 less than the previous season, when Luis Suarez and a healthy Daniel Sturridge partnered the best attack in the EPL. With Sturridge’s injuries still nagging, Rickie Lambert off to West Brom and Mario Balotelli on his way to wherever, Benteke and fellow newcomer Danny Ings will be Brendan Rodgers’ first choice strikers. With Jordan Henderson, Phillip Coutinho, and pricey Brazilian newcomer Roberto Firmino handling midfield duties, Benteke is not short of talented partners to feed him scoring chances.
RotoBaller Advice
Christian Benteke’s 8.5 price tag makes him a more economical option than the likes of Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa, and Wayne Rooney. During the first seven weeks Liverpool face less-than-appealing trips to Stoke, Arsenal, and United but have the benefit of hosting Bournemouth, West Ham, Norwich, and Aston Villa. The relatively light home schedule combined with the improved talent in the Red’s midfield makes Benteke an attractive option in any owner’s First XI.
Memphis Depay – To Manchester United from PSV Eindhoven (22 Million Pounds)
The 21-year-old Dutchman, now going simply by ‘Memphis’, was one of the most sought after young players in all of Europe during the summer transfer window. Memphis reunites with his former national team boss Louis Van Gaal, who had been aggressively pursuing the winger for months, striking a deal almost as soon as the window opened. The hype-machine has already aggressively latched on to Memphis and after his setting the Dutch League ablaze with 50 goals and 29 assists in is 129 league appearances, Depay has drawn comparisons to Dutch-great Arjen Robben and even the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo. Van Gaal calmed the hyperbole, insisting that Memphis will be eased into the first team, insisting that despite his Dutch League accomplishments, success in the EPL is an entirely different challenge.
Fantasy Outlook
Memphis seemingly finds himself in the first wave of a budding Galacticos. Despite his jaw dropping numbers in the Dutch League (162 attempts on goal in 30 appearances last season), there is no reason not to believe Louis Van Gaal when he says Memphis will be eased into the starting XI. The foremost reason to trust the boss is the utterly loaded amount of talent currently residing in the United midfield. Memphis will need to battle Juan Mata, Adnan Januzaj, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, and potentially another marquee signee for time on the wing. Memphis’ minutes could suffer even more if Van Gaal reverts back to his debatably successful 3-5-2 and 4-1-4-1 formations. Each of the aforementioned formations would seemingly neutralize the talents of the more offensively-minded Memphis.
RotoBaller Advice
Owners should be wary of Memphis, at least during the first few weeks of the season. Van Gaal has promised that his minutes wont be regular, at least to start the year. With that said, however, Memphis is worth keeping a very close eye on. His superior speed and superlative knack for finding the goal could lead to an eventual regular inclusion in the starting XI, developing into a fantasy points machine. His current price of 8.5 could be the lowest cost we see all season. Much like a boom or bust stock, you don’t want to make a risky buy on Memphis too early but also don’t want to miss out on a bargain. Watch him closely.
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