Can you buy from Moldova? Plus EFL recruitment shenanigans - Pro GBE Bulletin 3

Apologies for receiving this email twice, it mistakenly went out with key information earlier this morning. This will not happen again.

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The transfer window took a bit of a turn this week with some interesting moves, especially in the EFL, from the point of view of ESC strategy.

First of all though, we shall run through the business completed in the various leagues that involved GBEs being given out to players.

GBE & ESC Transfers

England

Premier League

Donyell Malen - 25 - [Dortmund - Aston Villa] - 25m (euro) - GBE Autopass

The Dutch international comes straight into action for Aston Villa just ahead of what should be his peak years. Villa are in need of a bit more spark in wider areas and this doesn’t feel like an overpay for a man with such experience, already 41 Netherlands caps and Champions League experience.

Needless to say, with that resume, Malen passes the GBE criteria.

Emmanuel Agbadou - 27 - [Reims - Wolves] - 20m (euro) - GBE Autopass

Staying in the Premier League probably saves a lot more than 20m euro, so when Agbadou came available for Wolves to plug some holes in one of the most porous defences in the Premier League, it probably seemed a price worth paying.

Ligue 1 is a Band 1 league, so Agbadou easily passed the 15pt criteria, but he was probably an autopass as the current first choice centre back for the Cote D’Ivoire.

Woyo Coulibaly - 25 - [Parma - Leicester] - 3m (euro) - GBE Pass

Only 3m euro but it remains to be seen if Coulibaly is expected to be Leicester’s first choice right-back. Serie A is a Band 1 league, so his 60% of minutes for Parma is a comfortable pass for GBE criteria.

Joachim Kayi Sanda - 18 - [Valenciennes - Southampton] - 5m (euro) - ESC Slot used

I’m going to say to very much keep an eye on this piece of business. Whilst Transfermarkt only valued Kayi Sanda at 800k and Saints paid 5m, Kayi Sanda is not your typical third tier player.

Firstly, he played over 1000 minutes as a 16/17 year old in Ligue 2 last year, has represented France at U16-U19 level, and, most importantly, really looks the part on the pitch.

I scouted Valenciennes last season, and Kayi Sanda stood out an absolute mile. This could be great business for Saints, but, being a lower league player, the club have had to use an ESC slot for him.