Summer transfer window

It’s that time of the season again. At a time when all domestic campaigns have ended across Europe, it is now that the summer transfer window carousel begins to creak into motion. High profile players are regularly linked with big money moves away from their respective clubs with the best transfer rumours often grasping the attention of fans hoping for their team to announce a move for footballs biggest player.

Whilst all the rumours may not be true, many often fabricated for newspapers to improve sales or websites to increase traffic, they make for a interesting topic of discussion between supporters, either face-to-face or through the medium of internet forums. Yet, that is to be expected during the off-season. With no football to give fans a topic of conversation, whether it’s an excellent strike by Arsenal captain Robin van Persie or a dodgy goal-line call from Martin Atkinson, the transfer window provides those eager to continue debates on the game throughout the summer.

With the European Championship currently underway in Poland and Ukraine, the tournament gives some that fix of live football that they crave once the season ends. Furthermore, it allows fans to pinpoint the best players across Europe, discuss how they could and would fit into their team and whether they are a viable transfer target.

Inevitably, the same players would be picked up by the media outlets and linked with high profile moves to the game’s biggest clubs, especially when it comes to likes of Christian Eriksen, Alan Dzagoev and Luka Modric, of Danish, Russian and Croatian descent, respectively. The trio, amongst others, are likely to be linked with a big money summer move, made all the more possible should they enjoy a successful tournament.

With the transfer window now officially open, and teams free to speak to players about the possibility of joining their club, it can be a long summer for those looking to keep hold of their star players. More times than not, the rumours are inevitable and with it, the player in question usually has his head turned by the prospect of joining any of Europe’s heavyweights before the window slams shut on September 1^st.

Not only does this affect teams that have started the new season, it also adds to the fans prepared to go to great lengths to discuss the likelihood of a player making a big money move across the continent. Take Eden Hazard and his move to Chelsea, for example. For a substantial period of time, Hazard was believed to be joining Tottenham Hotspur, having revealed he wants to move to England.

Then it was a straight three-way battle between Manchester City, Manchester United and the Blues, with the Belgium international delaying the announcement of his team of choice for the best part of a week. When he finally declared his decision to join Chelsea, the footballing world breathed a huge sigh of relief at what seemed like a lifetime was finally over.

However, his inability to announce his decision led to copious amounts of discussion suggesting where he best ply his trade next season, what squad he would fit into the easiest and whether his choice of Chelsea would be the right one. With every transfer rumour currently making the rounds at the moment, and the ones still to be thought up by the media, the window certainly makes for interesting discussion between fans of the clubs and players involved. And when there is no football available to some, it is the best way to get that football fix needed to get some through the summer.