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Brits Abroad: Sun, Becks and Suspicious Transfers!

By on August 29, 2016

This bank holiday weekend may have seen many Brits go abroad for a last minute break, but it also saw a few British footballers seal a longer stay at a continent destination. Football fans do not often see multiple domestic players depart the home comforts of the English leagues for the learning experience of a spell in Europe. There has of course been the high profile Brits abroad, with former England captain David Beckham having spells at Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Paris St-Germain and Welsh wonder Gareth Bale calling the Bernabeu his home for the last three years.

However, in the summer that saw Britain exit the EU, there has seemed to be more lesser-known players making the transfer to European clubs than usual, which themselves are not historically household names. Some players look to flee the English league nest out of necessity rather than choice, as a lack of playing time means they need to follow their Hart rather than continuing to use their Head and Shoulders. New foreign managers and players coming to the Premier League and Championship is another contributing factor to why some British professionals, both young and experienced, are finally trying their luck abroad.

I will now profile some of the recent transfers of Brits making the big move abroad and one or two which are in the pipeline before the deadline as the official window slams shut on Wednesday night:

Oliver Twist!

Top Premier League sides and German giants Bayern Munich were all reportedly scouting 19-year-old Nottingham Forest winger Oliver Burke, but in a shock transfer Twist, Bundesliga newcomers Red Bull Leipzig snapped him up to make him the most expensive Scottish player ever. RB Leipzig were able to pick a player or two, as not only does Red Bull give you wings, but it gives you transfer funds as a promoted club. Burke was signed for £13 million on Sunday, making him an even more expensive Scottish purchase than striker Ross McCormack, whom Championship club Aston Villa signed from rivals Fulham for £12 million earlier this month. Burke has had a brilliant start to the season for Forest, especially as a tender teenager, scoring four goals in five league games at the start of this season, with six goals in 25 games in total during his short Forest career. The departure of the Scotland international has caused outrage among supporters, who feel their side are selling their best young talent too soon.

Burke has penned a five-year contract with his new German club and the right winger will wear the number 22 jersey. Other non-German players Leipzig have in their current squad include American Terrence Boyd and Swedish international Emil Forsberg. They drew their opening game in the Bundesliga 2-2 with Hoffenheim away from home but are unlikely to trouble the very best Germany has to offer, with Bayern Munich starting the season in commanding fashion and Borussia Dortmund spending over £100 million during the summer. Burke is not the only Scot to play abroad, as midfielder Ryan Gauld made the move to Sporting Lisbon a couple of years ago.

Take Me To Church!

Hozier is not the only who wants to go to Church, as Dutch outfit Roda JC signed Wales striker Simon Church last week. Roda’s prayers were answered when MK Dons agreed to let Church leave for Holland, as the 27-year-old joined the Eredivisie club for an unspecified fee. Church joined the Dons in June 2015 and spent time on loan at Scottish runner-up Aberdeen last season. The Amersham-born player has signed a one-year contract with his new club with an option for another 12 months in the Netherlands. The forward departs the third tier in England for the top flight in a country famous for windmills and tulips.

Follow Football Religiously:

Here are a few other football names with a Religious feel:

  • Simon Church (Roda JC Kerkrade – From to Wales to Windmills)
  • Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace – not Burnley)
  • Christian Fuchs (Leicester – surprise title winner)
  • Gabriel Jesus (Palmeiras, but like the other Jesus – not Navas – arrives under a bright star in December at Manchester City)
  • Victor Moses (Chelsea – can part a defense as easy as the sea)

Joe to Go to Torino!

This move has not been finalized as of yet, but will we see 29-year-old England goalkeeper Joe Hart move from Manchester City to Serie A side Torino on loan? Hart is now the third choice at City, with Claudio Bravo and Willy Caballero ahead of him in Pep Guardiola’s eyes. The Englishman did not have many options open to him in the Premier League – apart from maybe Sunderland – so lets set to switch from playing away at Stoke to going to the San Siro on a Sunday afternoon. Hart will have a medical with Torino on Tuesday, as he pushes through the move before Transfer Deadline Day. The former Birmingham loanee has been named in Sam Allardyce’s first England squad to face Slovakia in 2018 World Cup qualifying, but wants to maintain form and fitness for Allardyce’s future picks this season with Italy an escape route out of Manchester.

The Football Association gave Hart permission to travel to Torino to have talks in Italy about his future and this loan deal he has lined up. The former Shrewsbury youth product is competing with Fraser Forster and Tom Heaton for starting berth in the Three Lions camp and sees joining the side 7th in Serie A a good opportunity to prove his worth to City and his country. Torino have started the season in fine form, winning 5-1 against Bologna at the weekend. Based in Turin, Hart could count Juventus as a local rival, if the loan deal abroad goes through.

Red Bull Salzburg are full of Wisdom this season!

Another “Red Bull” club with a young British recruit for the 2016/17 campaign, as Salzburg look set to sign Andre Wisdom on a season-long loan deal from Liverpool. The former England Under-21 defender seems destined to join the Austrian side on loan, with Celtic previously linked with his Wise defensive services this summer. Wisdom has not seen much game time at Anfield, having loan spells at Derby County, West Brom, and Norwich.

The Reds have also agreed to sell someone who is neither English or British and it is not to a club sponsored by an energy drink, as Spanish forward Luis Alberto is heading to Serie A side Lazio for £4.3million. Alberto and Joe Hart could have shared a private jet from North-West England to Italy on Monday. Alberto might even score past the English keeper this year. Wisdom and Burke may also be getting free Red Bull drinks for the foreseeable future, playing their trade in Austria and Germany, respectively.

Homepage photo credit: Голубович Дмитрий (Soccer.ru) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

About Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis can relate almost anything to football and quite often does! You may have seen Richard's previous ideas and work in the BBC Match of the Day Magazine, from 2011 to present. He is a Manchester United and England fan, but has gone to see Leyton Orient play with his O's season ticket in the 2013/14 campaign. Aside from football, Richard has written articles on Doctor Who and studies English Language and Linguistics at the University of Westminster. Aspiring sports journalist.