The World Cup may still be demanding our attention, but try telling that to the football executives working hard behind the scenes to capture the world’s best footballers for their respective teams. In this latest transfer update, we bring you all the completed and soon-to-be completed deals stealing headline space from the World Cup stars.

£30m Luke Shaw Leads Transfer Update

Depending on whom you believe, Manchester United signed Luke Shaw for an overinflated £33m or a shrewd £27m. Here at WorldMobileCasino.com, we believe that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. According to The Guardian, Luke Shaw was signed for £27m plus add-ons – that would put the fee at approximately £30m. Even still, £30m is a hefty fee for a player not yet in his 20s.

Luke Shaw arrives at Old Trafford ready to compete against veteran left-back Patrice Evra for a place in the starting line-up. However, it would be absurd to think that Shaw will potentially just sit on the bench for much of the season behind Evra. And when you consider the shaky state of the central defence after the departures of Nemanja Vidić and Rio Ferdinand, it is not unforeseeable that Evra will play a role in the middle.

After all, incoming manager Louis van Gaal has a reputation for converting players to new positions. Just a look at the example he set with Bastian Schweinsteiger, who didn’t quite make it as an elite attacking midfielder or a winger. But when van Gaal arrived at Bayern Munich, he converted Schweinsteiger into a world-class holding midfielder. Incredibly, the 29-year-old has been even more productive despite playing in a much deeper role.

£29m Ander Herrera is First van Gaal Signing

Remember when the name Ander Herrera came out of nowhere, and seemed to top David Moyes’ list of transfer targets last summer? Well, Moyes didn’t manage to sign the young Spaniard as he had only spent a single season with Athletic Bilbao. Apparently it turns out the football clubs are reluctant to sell impressive young players with their best days ahead of them.

Fast-forward approximately ten months and Louis van Gaal manages to make Herrera his first signing despite devoting his attention to managing the Netherlands’ World Cup squad. Having managed to capture Juan Mata in the January transfer window, Manchester executives have developed transfer expertise and were able to wrap up a deal worth approximately £29m.

The experience capturing Mata clearly paid dividends, as Athletic Bilbao appeared poised to wriggle out of the deal despite United meeting the player’s £28.5m release clause. Confusingly, Bilbao had released a statement in which the club claimed to have rejected the deal – yet Herrera was visiting United’s Carrington training ground and spending time with club legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

What eventually transpired is that Herrera ‘bought himself out of his contract’, which is surprising because we doubt he had £29m just gathering interest in his bank account. The end result was the termination of his Bilbao contract, at which point it was announced that we would start a four-year deal plus single-year option with United.

£12m Fernando Arrives at Etihad

We don’t have to travel far to get to the next noteworthy transfer coming at the end of June. United’s noisy neighbours managed to clinch the £12m transfer of former FC Porto midfielder Fernando. And where United incite cryptic press releases, Manchester City like to get their transfer confirmations from the Lisbon Stock Exchange.

During his time in Portugal, Fernando and four domestic league trophies and a Europa League title back in 2011. At 26 years old, it is surprising that he didn’t command a larger transfer fee. However, that could merely be a reflection on the unglamorous nature of the Brazilian, who boasts a modest goal return of six in more than 200 league appearances.

£30m Sends Fàbregas to Chelsea

Sadly for the Spanish, they just don’t seem to know what they are missing with Cesc Fàbregas. First, Barcelona shipped him off to Stamford Bridge when they have an ageing midfield to rejuvenate, and then Spain manager Vicente del Bosque criminally underutilises the world-class playmaker before exiting the World Cup early in embarrassing fashion.

Despite criticising his current manager back in February, José Mourinho knows that Fàbregas is the missing creative link in his Chelsea midfield. Even though they were once have been at odds – and they were at different teams – Mourinho understands the value of talent – if only Barcelona and Spain were as wise.

And if there weren’t already enough doubters of Fàbregas, just go ahead and add Arsène Wenger to the list. Old Wenger even so far as to claim to Fàbregas and his agent that he would struggle to crack the Arsenal first-11. No wonder Fàbregas opted to sign for London rivals Chelsea. Just imagine the drive he will feel at trying to outperform Mesut Özil in derby games.

£32m Diego Costa to Join Chelsea?

Remember back at the start of June when Diego Costa was playing around with horse placenta in an attempt to heal his hamstring issue to be fit for the World Cup? Based on his lacklustre performances for Spain, it’s safe to say that the Brazilian (he switched his allegiance) wouldn’t have contributed much to the superior performances of countrymen.

In a case of life imitating art, Costa’s sluggish performances on the pitch have only been equalled by Chelsea’s downright lethargic attitude towards completing a £32m deal that supposed to have completed weeks ago. As of the end of June, Atlético Madrid has the following update to offer: “Until we receive the money from his buy-out clause, he remains an Atlético player.”

Surely that tells us that Chelsea’s executives are feeling rather lazy over actually bothering to complete the deal. Either that or Mourinho doesn’t love Diego Costa quite like he used to (injuries will do that to a player). Seriously, though, this deal will probably resolve itself in the next couple of weeks.

Adam Lallana Close to £25m Liverpool Switch

Prior to departing England on an ill-fated quest to claim the World Cup, it was mooted that Liverpool had submitted a £25m bid to Southampton for Adam Lallana. Now back in England after an early exit from Brazil 2014, Lallana is reported to be completing a medical with Liverpool ahead of completing the transfer.

Lallana’s exit will deprive new Southampton manager Ronald Koemon of a third star from the club’s successful previous season, with Ricky Lambert and now Luke Shaw having already left the south coast for richer pastures. Koemon has a thankless task attempting to reach high the bar set by predecessor Mauricio Pochettino.

What is surprising about the deal is that it appeared Southampton would hold for £30m in the Lallana deal, driven by a desire to make more money to cover the 25% sell-on fee the club owes to Bournemouth, the player’s former club. However, it seems like Southampton are willing to make do with a slightly smaller pile of cash.

But the real issue in all of this is that Adam Lallana is a boyhood Everton fan. The Anfield might cheer him when he plays well, but there could be abuse if he struggles, especially against Everton. Anyhow, it should add another interesting wrinkle to the new Premier League season.

Stick with WorldMobileCasino.com for rational football analysis.