REBUILDS

Transition is a word gaining fast popularity in football circles. Mostly its a convenient excuse for fans whose clubs have fallen below their usual standards. You've heard that from an Arsenal fan right? Anyways, this year's transfer market has presented with interesting dynamics. Quiet a few  European Giants are making moves that suggest that they may be anticipating a transition, today we look at a few of those clubs and the thinking behind their deals.

 Real Madrid; Los Blancos got off on the wrong foot in this year's window when they lost two of their elite options (Mbappe and Haaland) to somewhat less suited clubs in awkward fashions. And yet according to Florentino Perez, the commitment of the Merengues to the  remainder of their transfer plans is unflinching .I guess calling Madrid a French desert doesn't help with the Mbappe pain either. Anyways, Real Madrid Made a checkmate move of  80 million Euros plus 20million Euros in additional fees for the French sensation Aurelian Tchouameni. Though they have and would make other high end acquisitions notably Antonio Rudiger, this single move stands out, why? It smells like a rebuild. Madrid has been fabled in recent times for their quality in midfield. In the pursuit of La decima, the three-peat and La Decimocuarta we have seen a trio of Casemiro who is a destroyer and breaks down opposition play by any means possible, a  sensational German Toni Kroos who is a deep lying playmaker, and lastly  Luka Modric who is emphatically a complete midfielder and can take on multiple roles. In this phase of Los Blancos rebuild we can confirm that their 5 champions league winning trio has been replaced with Eduardo Camavinga. Federico Valverde and  most recently Aurelien Tchouameni.

Tchouameni profiles as a standing 6, a defensive midfielder but typical to other well skilled players in his position  like Michael Essien and Patrick Viera he isn't shy of going forward. With both Camavinga and Valverde having profiles of complete midfielders we can say that the base of Madrid's midfield is replaced and will serve them well for a very long time.

The next club of Interest is Liverpool. The  reds after losing the league narrowly to the noisy neighbors were expected to upgrade parts of their of team in order to compete better. But it seems that Klopp's men had their hands forced into an early rebuild. Reports from both Germany and England indicate that Sadio Mane is joining the record Meister subject to Medicals. With the Scourers already rapping up a possible 100m Euro deal for the Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez and an earlier 37m Pounds move for Luiz Diaz it seems that Klopp inevitably has a new look for the Kop.

Klopp is an idealistic manager and  requires runners typically pressing players. If you are a pressing trigger then you can always get a start in a Klopp coached side. I think Darwin Nunez fits that profile. It is typical for Uruguayan players to chase a ball until the very last minute even more typical under Oscar Tabarez's youth systems. I think similar to Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez we would see a relentless baller in Merseyside. I believe that Darwin Nunez, Luiz  Diaz and Mo Salah will headline the Scouse's attack next season and I think very little in  terms of goal scoring will change.

The last rebuild worth mentioning is in Munich. Every window in Munich is interesting because Bayern pride themselves with economic sensibility and quite axiomatically the record Meisters have made swift Bayern like moves in the market. Ryan Gravenberch joins Bayern on a 5 year deal from Ajax and the signing of the 20 year old sounds like an insurance for a rebuild. In recent years Bayern have dominated with double pivots; Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2013 and recently Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich. This would mean that in the future Jamal Musiala who briefly played in that role last season should be so comfortable with Gravenberch to make up a scintillating pivot.

Also the Germans want a 24 year Konrad Laimer in their midfield. He profiles like an absolute relentless ball wining pressing machine and is the best the league has to offer. To me this is an upgrade that would solve their pressing issues.

Lastly Robert Lewandowski is unsettled. He wants to leave and why not? The club tried to poach Erlin Haaland behind his back. However the ideal price for the Germans is 50m Euros. If Barcelona, Roberts preferred destination, can meet the price, the Pol would leave Bayern Munich. However anything could happen. In case Robert departs to Chelsea, Barcelona or whatever target he lands at, Bayern doesn't have a pragmatic suitor in today's market. From inside sources Bayern might sign Sasa Kalajddzic from Stuttgart and that might be it. With 5 elite wingers including Sadio Mane and Thomas Muller it isn't above Julian Neiglesman's paygrade to cook up a scary attacking front. 

There are many other moves in this years market but for now these are clubs who seem to have it all figured out. Perhaps in  the next read, we will look at other notable mentions.