No blockbuster transfers as most clubs show restraint (News Feature)

By John Bagratuni Sep 1, 2010, 11:45 GMT

Berlin - Robinho and Rafael van der Vaart were the most prominent movers on transfer deadline day Tuesday while the biggest summer football sale, that of David Villa, took place long ago.

The Spain striker Villa finalised a 40-million euros (50.7 million dollars) switch from cash-strapped Valencia to Barcelona in mid-May before he scored five goals to help his team to their first World Cup title in July 11.

Barca's rivals Real Madrid, by contrast, were impressed by the World Cup showings of young Germans Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira as they landed the duo for 29 million euros - a bargain compared the almost 200 million euros Real dished out for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka 12 months ago.

This summer's big spenders were ambitious Premier League side Manchester City, who splashed out around 150 million euros for the likes of Yaya Toure, James Milner, Mario Balotelli and David Silva.

But City also offloaded Brazilian midfielder/forward Robinho to AC Milan on Tuesday for an alleged 18 million euros.

English champions Chelsea, by contrast, had no major new signings and instead let Germany captain Michael Ballack and England forward Joe Cole move for free to Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool, respectively.

Manchester United were also not big-spenders, and neither were Arsenal.

But Sunderland dished out 16 million euros for Ghana star Asamoah Gyan and van der Vaart finally left Real Madrid after two more or less frustrating years in a 10-million euros deal for Tottenham Hotspur on a last-minute cut-price deal - which still awaited ratification on Wednesday.

None of the big leagues of England, Spain, Italy and Germany recorded record money spent on new personnel and there were hardly any blockbuster moves as well.

The Premier League clubs spent some 350 million pounds (424 million euros) overall in the transfer period June 9-August 31, some 22 per cent down from the 2009 figures, according to the Deloitte sports business group on Wednesday. The other leagues had similar drops in percentage.

Villa's 40 million made him just the seventh biggest all-time move in the list headed by Cristiano Ronaldo's 90 million euros-plus move to Real from Manchester United last year.

The Spanish champions Barca last week also grabbed Argentina captain Javier Mascherano for little more than half of Villa's costs, from Liverpool, and will get around the same sum for sending forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Milan.

France forwards appear to be no massive factor as Thierry Henry left Barca for the United States' Red Bulls New York and Juventus veteran David Trezeguet moved to promoted Hercules Alicante.

In France itself, rising midfielder Yoann Gourcuff left Girondins Bordeaux for Olympique Lyon for 22 million euros. Germany's impressive World Cup run to third place further raised the attractiveness of the Bundesliga - with Schalke 04 the biggest spenders.

Felix Magath's club landed Spanish veteran Raul Gonzalez from Real, Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar from AC Milan and Spanish playmaker Jose Manuel Jurado from Atletico Madrid.

In addition, Brazilian Diego returned to the Bundesliga after just one year, with VfL Wolfsburg spending some 15 million on him.

Apart from Oezil and Khedira, Hoffenheim's Brazilian Carlos Eduardo also left, for 20 million euros to Russian champions Rubin Kazan, who also spent another 18.5 million euros on Nigeria forward Obafemi Martins and Italy defender Salvatore Bocchetti.

Not to be outdone, Spartak Moscow landed former Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi and Ireland's Aiden McGeady while Zenit St Petersburg spent on excess of 20 million euros on Portugal defender Bruno Alvez.

Last, but not least, 2006 World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro left his native Italy to end his career at United Arab Emirates club Al-Ahli, and Germany got a first ever North Korea player when forward Jong Tae Se went to second division Bochum. dpa bag bwh