What Lukaku, Ronaldo and the 2021/22 summer influx said ahead of their Premier League moves
- Paul Okey
- 6 July 2022
The first quotes from new signings and their managers are always eagerly anticipated and laced with optimism. We look back on six of last summer’s arrivals and see what they said and how they fared.
It's the same every transfer window. The manager has been tracking the player for a long time and is delighted to sign someone with a proven pedigree who will lift the team to another level.
The player, meanwhile, had his heart set on the move once he heard of the club's interest and is coming to win things, once he has earned their place in the team, of course.
Gabriel Jesus is one of the latest players to buy into the formula: "Since day one when I knew I could come to play for Arsenal, I was happy," he said after his Gunners reveal.
We'll come back to him in six months when he's on the bench behind Eddie Nketiah, Arsenal are wallowing in eighth and Mikel Arteta has been sacked.
But it got us thinking back to last summer and how it worked out for some of the 2021 transfer window additions.
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
In much the same way it is becoming harder and harder to remember lockdown, it is also difficult to envisage a time when Romelu Lukaku's return to Chelsea appeared a genuine title-winning move by the Blues.
In his first official interview for the club's official website, Lukaku was asked if he had spoken to Thomas Tuchel about his role in the team. His response was clear.
"Yes, of course," he said. "The conversation was really clear from him, that he wants me to be a presence and a leader in the team. I have to just use all my abilities to make sure I can help the team as much as possible.
"My role will depend on what the game-plan is and what the boss wants me to do. If he wants me to be a focal point or if he wants me to attack the spaces in behind, I can do it. The two years in Italy helped me master all the facets of the game for a striker and now I'm ready."
Romelu Lukaku was in contact with Inter throughout last season 😳 pic.twitter.com/z6PcHtwGSX
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) June 30, 2022
Ready to be a substitute as it turned out. Lukaku started just 16 games for the Blues, scoring eight goals, was unhappy with his role when he did play and was shipped off back whence he came in the summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
It was the transfer of last summer, in the Premier League at least, with Cristiano Ronaldo making an emotional return to Old Trafford.
"Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday," Ronaldo revealed. "I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again."
Just ten months later, Ronaldo is trying to engineer a move away from the club that has a special place in his heart to a club with an even more special place in the Champions League.
He might not be quite so keen to play at full Old Trafford next season.
Josh Sargent (Norwich)
Norwich City manager Daniel Farke was in good spirits last summer after landing Josh Sargent from Werder Bremen, hailing the young striker's goalscoring potential.
"We know we have to be a bit more creative in the transfer market," said Farke. "We think we have a player in Josh who can contribute and develop into a top goalscorer on Premier League level. We see his potential and are delighted to have him with us."
Sargent made 26 appearances for Norwich, scoring twice, with both of his goals coming in their 3-0 win at Watford. Farke was sacked 11 games into the season and Norwich were relegated. So much for creativity.
Nathan Collins (Burnley)
Burnley chairman Alan Pace was also extolling the virtues of an alternative transfer strategy after the Clarets swooped to sign Collins from Stoke City for £12.6million. However, Pace's explanation was a bit lengthier.
He said: "We believe he will be an excellent addition and we see his signing as an ideal start to our summer's business and the new collaborative approach to transfer activity now in place at the club, through our technical committee that involves the manager and his coaching staff, the scouting and recruitment teams, along with our data analytics department."
Despite the 'collaborative approach', Collins played just six of Burnley's opening 23 games. A hairline fracture of the fibula for Ben Mee did see him become a regular in the closing weeks of the season. However, he was unable to prevent manager Sean Dyche losing his job and the Clarets dropping into the Championship on the final day of the season.
Vincent Kompany has since taken Dyche's seat on the technical committee.
Leon Bailey (Aston Villa)
The acquisition of Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen had Villa fans salivating ahead of the 2021/22 season and boss Dean Smith only helped fuel the optimism.
"Leon is a hugely exciting young striker with great pace and creativity," he said. "We are now looking forward to watching him show his skills and talents for Aston Villa in the Premier League."
Bailey, meanwhile, had always wanted to play for Villa, which was handy seeing as though he had just joined them for £25million.
"For me, it's a great club with a big history and it's the right step for me. I'm excited to get started," he said.
"It's always been somewhere that I've wanted to play. I feel like now is the right time and I'm excited about it.
"Hopefully, I can do what I do best and have a great season in the Premier League."
Unfortunately, unless doing what he did best was picking up injuries - Bailey had four injury-enforced absences over the season - the Jamaican winger failed to deliver on his promise.
Bailey made just seven starts for the Villans, producing one goal and although Smith did get to see him show his skills in his final appearance of the season, he was Norwich manager at the time.
Alex Kral (West Ham)
West Ham already had Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal so a third former Slavia Prague player's arrival at the London Stadium made perfect sense. Kral would quickly integrate and help ease the midfield burden ahead of a busy season for the Irons which included European football.
"I am delighted to welcome Alex to West Ham United," said manager David Moyes. "He will provide good competition in the centre of midfield. He is another young, talented player who we feel has a big potential and will be capable of adapting to the demands of the Premier League.
"We've brought him in on loan initially and, hopefully, over the course of the season he will make a valuable contribution, particularly with our busier schedule of fixtures."
Sadly, Kral's contribution to West Ham's Premier League season stretched to just a minute of action in which he attempted but failed to complete two passes.
"We and Alex believed he would play more in England," said Czech Republic coach and master of the understatement Jaroslav Silhavy. Both had clearly forgotten the full 90 minutes Kral played in the EFL Cup against Manchester United.
