Best transfers of the summer: The biggest deals in the Premier League and Europe
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Who have been the best transfers of the summer?
The transfer window is open and already there has been plenty of movement both in the Premier League and abroad.
Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Moises Caicedo all made big-money moves during the summer and more are expected as the September 1 transfer deadline approaches
To keep you in the picture during the close season, we’ll be providing regular updates on the best transfers of the summer.
Harry Kane (Tottenham to Bayern Munich – £100m)
The most high-profile transfer of the summer saw Kane end his 19-year association with Tottenham and join Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
The England captain came on as a substitute in the second half of the DFL-Supercup, but his wait for the first silverware of his career goes on after Bayern lost 3-0 to RB Leipzig.
Kane broke Tottenham’s all-time goalscoring record last season, but with with one year left on his contract he decided it was time to move on.
He said: “It is always going to be a tough decision, I was at Tottenham for 19 years of my life, everyone knows the club is connected with me and my heart. I’m professional and always pushed myself to my limits.
“I just felt like the time was right, I needed to be playing at the highest level, in the Champions League, trying to win titles every year. When I thought about it and Bayern got in touch it was a decision I wanted to make.”
Kane leaves the Premier League only 48 goals shy of Alan Shearer’s all-time record, but hinted at returning one day in a bid to surpass the former Newcastle and Blackburn striker.
“People will talk about Shearer but I have got plenty of football left in my career,” he said.
Declan Rice (West Ham to Arsenal – £105m)
Rice became the most expensive English player in history following a £105m move to the Emirates on a long-term contract.
The England midfielder made 245 appearances for the Irons, with his last helping the Hammers win the Europa Conference League – their first trophy since 1980.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: “Declan is bringing undoubted quality to the club and he is an exceptional talent who has the potential to be very successful here.”
Moises Caicedo – (Brighton to Chelsea – £100m)
Chelsea finally signed the Ecuador international on an eight-year deal for a potential £115m despite Brighton having previously accepted a £111m offer from Liverpool.
The Blues first tried to buy Caicedo during the January transfer window but Brighton were insistent he was not for sale and, after initially stating a desire to leave, he was persuaded to sign a new contract in March until 2027.
During the current window Chelsea had previously only been willing to go as high as £80m, a figure well short of Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s valuation, before finally agreeing to meet the requirements.
Caicedo said: “I am so happy to join Chelsea! I am so excited to be here at this big club and I didn’t have to think twice when Chelsea called me, I just knew I wanted to sign for the club.”
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid – £88.5m)
Bellingham became the eighth British male player to sign for Real Madrid, who are determined to wrest the Liga title from arch rivals Barcelona this season.
The 19-year-old midfielder showed no sign of nerves at his unveiling where he revealed he took the number five shirt as he is inspired by Zinedine Zidane.
Bellingham was named Bundesliga player of the season after his starring role for Dortmund, who missed out on the title in agonising fashion on the final day of the campaign.
He was also one of England’s best performers at the 2022 World Cup and big things are expected of him at Real Madrid which he described as “the greatest club in the world”.
Neymar (PSG to Al-Hilal – £86m)
Neymar became the latest star name to take his talents to the Saudi Arabian Pro League after completing a move to Al-Hilal.
The move ends a six-year stay at PSG, who he joined from Barcelona for a world-record £200m fee in 2017. He leaves the Parc Des Princes having scored 118 goals in 173 matches and won five Ligue 1 titles.
Neymar was left out of Luis Enrique’s squad for the opening league game of the season and did not feature in the Spaniard’s plans.
Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig to Man City – £77.6m)
The treble winners have strengthened their defence with the signing of the 21-year-old Croatia international on a five-year deal.
Gvardiol has spent the last two seasons at Leipzig, making 87 appearances in all competitions, and was key to Croatia’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar at the end of last year.
After making his first senior international start for Croatia in their opening group defeat to England at Euro 2020, Gvardiol played every minute for Zlatko Dalic’s side as they finished third at the 2022 World Cup.
Lionel Messi (PSG to Inter Miami – free)
The 36-year-old Argentina superstar rdecided to join the Florida side once his contract with Paris St Germain came to an end.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi arrived at the MLS strugglers after a season in which he helped his country to World Cup glory in Qatar, as well as PSG to the Ligue 1 title.
That adds to an already huge trophy haul on his CV that features four Champions League successes from his years with Barcelona, for whom he scored a staggering total of 672 goals.
Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta to Manchester United – £72m)
United needed a new striker this summer and having previously been linked with Harry Kane, instead they swooped for Hojlund on a five-year deal.
The 20-year-old, who has scored 27 goals in 87 club appearances and netted six times in six appearances for Denmark, has an option for a further year which would take his Old Trafford stay to 2029.
He began his career at FC Copenhagen before moving to Austrian side Sturm Graz in January last year. His 12 goals in 21 games prompted Atalanta to sign him in August and he scored nine goals in Serie A last season.
Mason Mount (Chelsea to Manchester United – £55m)
Manchester United finally made their first signing of the summer by landing England international Mount on a five-year contract for an initial £55m.
The 24-year-old midfielder came through the ranks at Chelsea and made 129 Premier League appearances for them, scoring 27 goals and providing 22 assists.
Mount, a Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2021, said in a statement from United: “It’s never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career.”
Kai Havertz (Chelsea to Arsenal – £65m)
Chelsea spent big in the 2023-24 campaign, but with a bloated squad and no European football this season their policy of balancing the books shows no signs of abating after selling Havertz to London rivals Arsenal.
The Germany forward joined the Blues from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020, scoring 19 goals in 91 Premier League appearances and also hitting the only goal of the game against Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final.
He told Arsenal’s website: “The mentality in the Arsenal squad is very high and you can feel that. That was one of the reasons why it has been so hard to play against Arsenal recently. The aim is to win trophies and I’m going to give everything to do that for the supporters and everyone at the club.”
Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig to Liverpool – £60m)
Liverpool completed their second signing of the summer with the £60m capture of Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig on a five-year contract.
The move was wrapped up in a couple of days following the Reds triggering his release clause hours before its expiration, and Szoboszlai is honoured to have been handed the number eight as worn by former captain Steven Gerrard.
He said: “When I was a child, to be honest I didn’t watch that much football but of course when it was Champions League or a big game, I was watching Liverpool, the big teams and also the big players – and he was one of the biggest. I’m happy and I can’t wait to get started.”
Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen to Aston Villa – undisclosed)
Villa completed the signing of 24-year-old France winger Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported club-record transfer fee of £51m.
Diaby has 10 senior France caps but was not part of the squad that reached the World Cup final in Qatar last year.
Having come up through the ranks at hometown club Paris St Germain, Diaby moved to Leverkusen in 2019. He scored 49 goals in 172 appearances for the Bundesliga side before completing his switch to Villa Park.
Romeo Lavia (Southampton to Chelsea – £53m)
Chelsea completed the signing of Romeo Lavia from Southampton for a reported £53million, possibly rising to £58m, taking their total number of first-team acquisitions this summer to eight.
The 19-year-old midfielder, who has played just 29 times in the Premier League, signed a seven-year deal having made clear his desire to move to Stamford Bridge over Liverpool, who also had a bid accepted.
Chelsea have now spent more than £350m during this transfer window once performance-related add-ons are taken into account, though that has been significantly offset by fees received for player sales.
Lavia, who made his Belgium debut in a friendly win against Germany in March, will likely compete with Enzo Fernandez and fellow new-signing Moises Caicedo – the two most expensive players in English transfer history – for a starting place in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield.
Sandro Tonali (AC Milan to Newcastle – undisclosed)
Newcastle completed their first major signing of the summer with the capture of AC Milan star Sandro Tonali as they gear up for a return to Champions League football.
The 23-year-old Italy midfielder has signed for an undisclosed fee – understood to be in excess of £50m – on an initial deal which will keep him at St James’ Park until 2028.
Tonali, who has 14 senior caps, captained his country at the European Under-21s Championship in Georgia and Romania in recent weeks and the announcement of his signing came a day after the Italians exited the competition.
James Maddison (Leicester to Tottenham – £40m)
England international Maddison became Spurs’ third signing of the summer after joining the club from Leicester on a five-year deal.
During five largely successful years with the Foxes, Maddison made 203 appearances, scored 55 goals and produced 41 assists.
Maddison also helped Leicester win the FA Cup in 2021 and although he was unable to prevent Leicester suffering a shock relegation to the Championship last season, he was still able to hit double figures for goals.
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig to Chelsea – undisclosed)
The 25-year-old forward made a pre-contract agreement to join the club in December but has now completed the move for a reported £63million on a six-year contract.
Nkunku scored 23 goals in 36 appearances for Bundesliga side RB Leiozig last season and becomes the first major arrival since Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as the club’s new manager.
The Blues scored just 38 goals in the Premier League last season, so Nkunku is an important addition to their squad as they look to get back into the top four.
Harvey Barnes (Leicester to Newcastle – £38m)
Newcastle completed their swoop for Leicester attacker Harvey Barnes after a protracted pursuit.
The 25-year-old winger signed a five-year contract after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee which it is understood could eventually amount to £38million.
A graduate of the Foxes’ Academy, Barnes made 187 appearances for the club, which was relegated to the Championship at the end of last season, and is an FA Cup winner as well as a full England international.
James Ward-Prowse (Southampton to West Ham – undisclosed)
Ward-Prowse made an immediate return to the top flight after joining the Hammers on a four-year contract for a reported £30m.
The 28-year-old midfielder made 410 appearances for Saints and was captain as they were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Ward-Prowse told the club’s official website: “When I think about my game, it is based on hard work, graft, and giving 100 per cent. West Ham United has always been a club that epitomises that.
“You can feel that from the fans and you can see it in the players who are here and the lads that have come through the academy too. I feel as though I will fit straight in and I can promise I will give my all for this football club in my time here.”
Ward-Prowse spent two decades on the south coast having joined Southampton’s academy at the age of eight.
During his time at St Mary’s, he earned 11 senior England caps and scored two goals for his country.
Ward-Prowse scored 17 Premier League free-kicks for Southampton and needs just one more to draw level with the record, held by David Beckham.
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton to Liverpool – undisclosed)
The 24-year-old World Cup winner’s arrival on a five-year contract signals the start of manager Jurgen Klopp’s much-vaunted midfield rebuild which will likely see further additions made this summer.
A fee has not been disclosed but it is understood the Argentina international had a favourable release clause – reported to be as low as an initial £35million – inserted into the Brighton contract he only signed in October to avoid him leaving on a free at the end of the season.
Mac Allister scored 10 goals and provided two assists in the Premier League last season and played a major part in Argentina’s success in Qatar.
Ilkay Gundogan (Man City to Barcelona – free)
The inspirational treble-winning midfielder turned down the chance to stay at City and instead opted to join Barcelona on a two-year contract.
Gundogan, who was manager Pep Guardiola’s first signing in July 2016, signed off in style by lifting the Champions League after victory over Inter Milan in his 304th and final appearance.
During his seven years at City Gundogan won the Premier League five times, in addition to two FA Cups – this season scoring the quickest goal in final history at 12 seconds – four League Cups and the Champions League.
Robert Sanchez (Brighton to Chelsea – £25m)
The Spaniard joined the Blues on a seven-year deal and has already established himself as the club’s number one goalkeeper after making his debut in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on the opening weekend, with Kepa Arrizabalaga joining Real Madrid on loan.
Sanchez, who has made two senior appearances for Spain and was included in both their Euro 2020 and World Cup 2022 squads, made 91 appearances for Brighton in all competitions after progressing through their academy.
Axel Disasi (Monaco to Chelsea – £38.7m)
The France defender made an instant impact on his Chelsea debut, scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool just nine days after joining the club on a six-year contract.
The 25-year-old centre-back played 130 times in Ligue 1 and was part of the France squad that were runners-up at last year’s World Cup.
Jurrien Timber (Ajax to Arsenal – £38.5m)
Timber joined the club he “loves” after the Netherlands international completed a £38.5million move.
The 22-year-old defender signed from Ajax on what is understood to be a five-year contract.
Timber has 15 senior international caps and is believed to have been signed predominantly to play at right-back for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg to Tottenham – £34.5m)
Spurs signed key target Van de Ven on a six-year-contract in a deal which could rise to £43m.
The Netherlands centre-back, 22, made his debut in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Brentford on the opening weekend of the season.
After the game, manager Ange Postecoglou said: “Micky has only had three sessions with us so I could have waited to put him in there, but my feeling is he will be a very good footballer for us and the quicker we introduce him to Premier League football the better he will be.”
Tyler Adams (Leeds to Bournemouth – £23m)
The USA captain became the latest player to join the exodus at Elland Road, although Adams signed for the Cherries on a permanebt deal, unlike the majority of their stars who left on season-long loans.
The 24-year-old midfielder had been linked with both Chelsea and Liverpool during the summer but became the Cherries’ eighth signing of the transfer window under new manager Andoni Iraola.
Edson Alvarez (Ajax to West Ham – undisclosed)
The Hammers snapped up Mexico midfielder Alvarez to fill the gap left by the departure of Rice to Arsenal for a fee thought to be around £33m.
Alvarez, who began his career with Mexico City-based Club America, signed a five-year deal with the east Londoners and moves to the Premier League after clinching two Eredivisie titles during his four-season stay with Ajax.
West Ham manager David Moyes told the club website: “The midfield area was one we were especially keen to strengthen this summer – and Edson will complement the other options we have in that department. He’s an experienced international player, who has enjoyed great success for both club and country during his career to date.”
He has been capped 69 times by his country, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2019 and 2023, in addition to travelling to the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace to Galatasaray – free)
Free agent Zaha completed a move to the Turkish giants after the expiry of his Crystal Palace contract.
The 30-year-old winger had reportedly turned down an offer of £200,000-a-week to stay at Selhurst Park.
The move was announced a day after Zaha used an Instagram post to bid farewell to Palace, the club he joined when he was 12 and scored 90 goals in 458 appearances, describing the club’s shirt as his “second skin”.
Fred (Manchester United to Fenerbahce – £8.6m)
The Brazilian ended his five-year stay at Old Trafford by joining the likes of Edin Dzeko, Dusan Tadic and Ryan Kent at Turkish side Fenerbahce in a deal which could rise to £13m.
The 30-year-old midfielder made 213 appearances for the club since his move to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018.
He said: “Thanks for everything, Manchester United Football Club. Today ends one of the most beautiful stages of my career. I lived the dream of wearing the shirt of one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“Going through ups and downs, I leave with the conviction that I always gave my best during all training sessions and games. It was five years of a true dream for me and my family. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity. Forever a Red!”
Youri Tielemans (Leicester to Aston Villa – free)
The 26-year-old midfielder spent four seasons with the Foxes, but will join Villa on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of June.
Tielemans joined Leicester from Monaco in a £40million deal in July 2019 after a successful loan spell during the second half of the previous season, having begun his career with Anderlecht.
In all, he made 195 appearances for the Foxes and scored 28 goals, including the spectacular winner as they beat Chelsea 1-0 in the 2021 FA Cup final.
Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona to PSG – £43.5m)
The departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar meant PSG had gaps to fill up front which they filled with the capture of Dembele on a five-year contract.
Since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a fee reportedly worth up to £135.5m, Dembele made 185 appearances and scored 40 goals for the Liga giants.
Dembele’s time at Barcelona also saw him win three Spanish league titles, two Spanish Cups and two Spanish Supercups.
The 26-year-old has been capped 37 times for France and featured at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, where Les Bleus finished as runners-up.
Ruben Neves (Wolves to Al-Hilal – £47m)
Wolves captain Ruben Neves joined the Saudi Arabian side for a club record £47million.
The 26-year-old Portugal midfielder scored 30 goals in 253 appearances during six seasons at Molineux.
Neves wiped away tears in an emotional video posted on the Premier League club’s Twitter account, saying he had made “thousands of memories which will last forever”.
Joao Pedro (Watford to Brighton – undisclosed fee)
The Brazilian forward scored 11 goals in 35 Championship appearances for the Hornets last season and has joined the Seagulls on a five-year deal for a fee believed to be around £30m.
The 21-year-old former Fluminense player was a long-term target for Brighton, who did well to fend off interest from clubs across Europe.
Albion technical director David Weir told his club’s website: “He’s a brilliant young talent, technically very good, quick and with an eye for goal. He will complement our existing forward line very well.”
Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich to PSG – undisclosed)
The 27-year-old defender has joined PSG for a reported £34m on a five-year deal.
The 2018 World Cup winner with France won the Treble with Bayern in 2019-20 in his first season with the club following his move from Atletico Madrid and was an unused substitute in the 2020 Champions League final when the Bundesliga giants beat PSG.
He said: “I’ve been waiting to join PSG for a long time, and it’s finally happened. It’s a very special day for me.”
Manuel Ugarte (Sporting to PSG – £51m)
It’s already shaping up to be a busy summer transfer window for PSG, who have parted ways with Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, but brought in several new recruits.
The biggest signing so far has been 22-year-old midfielder Ugarte from Sporting for a reported £51m on a five-year deal.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham had also been linked with the Uruguayan, who has made eight appearances for his country, but PSG won the race for his signature.
Marco Asensio (Real Madrid to PSG – free)
One of PSG’s shrewdest signings of the summer was the capture of Asensio on a free transfer after the attacking midfielder ended his eight-year spell with Real Madrid.
Asensio, who has signed a three-year contract, scored 61 goals and provided 29 assists in 289 appearances for Los Blancos with whom he won the Champions League and LaLiga three times each.
New PSG coach Luis Enrique regularly deployed Asensio in a false nine role during his time as Spain manager.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
