Transfers and team sports go hand in hand. Whether it is football, basketball, cricket, or soccer, the switching and trading of players is a common aspect of the gameplay. The reason for a transfer can be many folds. From team members not getting along, to issues with the management, or just fundamental lack of enthusiasm from a sportsperson which reflects in poor performance, switching around is profitable not only for the team but also for a player. History is proof that often a poorly performing player has gone to another team and rising to be the leading member of the squad. With so much at stake, transfer season in an individual sport is a hotly anticipated time for the teams, the players, and even more so for the fans.
County Cricket
Before the worldwide success of the Indian Premier League, it was the English County League that incorporated players from outside into the local games. For many players, it remains the perfect opportunity to get international exposure and hone their cricketing skills. Every year, selection time leads to news about transfers and rumors that surround them. With Essex as the current champions, cricket enthusiasts are keenly analyzing their overseas picks. Peter Siddle now has a two-year contract with the team and will join as a foreign player in 2019 and 2020. This season also saw the club take on Murli Vijay, Adam Zampa and Neil Wagner on board to mix up their order. Earlier this year also saw the Essex head coach Chris Silverwood leave to take charge as the bowling coach of the national team.
Soccer
When it comes to money and transfers, nothing beats international soccer. Every year the top clubs fight for the ultimate in football glory ready to spend millions of dollars in the process of acquiring players. Now, there have been a few bargain moments in the history of football transfers that include greats like Raul and Eric Cantona, but it is the most expensive ones that have always made headlines. 2017-18 saw Virgil van Dijk being picked up by Liverpool for a whopping 75 million pounds. A similar amount was paid for Romelu Lukaku by Manchester United the previous year.
College Basketball
Transfers play an even more critical part at college level sports. College Basketball is an enthusiastically followed sport in the USA with leading players getting a shot at playing in the all mighty NBA. Transfers are the perfect way for players to strengthen their gameplay and simultaneously for the coaches to pick out the best options amongst the players that already have a track record. The 2018-19 transfer season proves that the coming months are going to be one of the most hotly contested ever. The transfers of players like JaQuan Lyle to the New Mexico Lobos and Kavell Bigby-Williams to the LSU Tigers are bound to be game changers.
University Football
Offseason is when most transfers take place in College Football. For some teams getting the right player it a moment of celebration, but there are times when losing out on a star player can lead to major disappointment. The University of Michigan this season saw quite a few players wanting to transfer one after another. Ian Bunting announced his plans to move via Instagram whereas Alex Malzone is going to Miami University in Ohio to play the one remaining year he has. Similarly, Drake Harris left for Western Michigan, and Maurice Ways also chose the Instagram route to announce his departure from the program.