PARIS, Sept 2 — The transfer window shut gently across much of Europe yesterday evening with a flurry of loan deals instead of the anticipated bang of a mega-move.
Real Madrid had also been linked with Neymar as well as Manchester United World Cup winner Paul Pogba and Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen as part of the expensive refurbishment of Zinedine Zidane’s squad. Navas, a 32-year-old Costa Rican who won the Champions League three times in Madrid, joined PSG with the younger French international Alphonse Areola moving in the opposite direction on loan.
Barcelona were not entirely inactive. They extended the contract of attacking midfielder Rafinha and then loaned him to Celta Vigo, where he also spent the 2013-2014 season. Turkish giant Fenerbahce signed midfielder Luiz Gustavo, a 32-year-old Brazil international and former Bayern Munich man, from Marseille for €7 million.The 30-year-old Bayern and Germany centre back had been reportedly on the point of moving to Juventus to replace captain Giorgio Chiellini who has suffered a serious knee injury. Boateng decided to stay in Munich.AC Milan swapped players with Eintracht Frankfurt. Croatian forward Ante Rebic moved to Italy on a two-year loan.