Clubs across Europe’s top 5 divisions have made some huge deals this summer window, however, it is also important to understand which ones are really worthy of the price tags they command. From Real Madrid snapping up Kylian Mbappé on a free transfer to Borussia Dortmund securing Serhou Guirassy for less than £15 million after Artem Dovbyk refused Dortmund’s move, to Paris Saint-Germain tying down the highly-talented João Neves on a five-year deal.
Thus, in this article, we take a look at some of the best pieces of transfer business across Europe’s top 5 Leagues.
Bayer Leverkusen strengthened the middle of the park with the shrewd signing of Aleix García from La Liga club Girona on a five-year deal until June 2029. The 27-year-old Spanish midfielder was a key player and the captain that led Girona to a third-place finish in La Liga last season.
A deep-lying midfielder by trade, the Spain international racked up three goals and six assists from 36 starts last season. García is what you call a modern-day metronome in a pure footballing sense, only second to the likes of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. What really stands out is his ability to play a variety of passes without ever compromising his efficiency.
Among midfielders based in Europe’s top leagues last season, he ranked in the 90th percentile for passes played and received per 90 minutes. This could complement Leverkusen’s possession-driven style as García is a player who loves to get on the ball as much as possible, put his team on the front foot, and look to shift the pattern of attack.
A modern day poacher with an exceptional reading and positional awareness, Serhou Guirassy has been a treat to watch ever since coming to the Bundesliga in 2022. The 28-year-old Guinea international scored a ridiculous 44 goals and added another five assists in just 58 appearances for VfB Stuttgart.
Unlike most poachers, Guirassy has the technical ability and link-up play to bring others into the equation, as well as the tenacity to press and pin the opposition defenders. Thus, getting a player of his caliber at the peak of his powers for just £14.7 million was an absolute bargain for Borussia Dortmund.
Although the departure of Niclas Füllkrug would have hurted the Black and Yellow army, the fact that Guirassy has already racked up nine goals and four assists in just 13 appearances will hardly make most Dortmund faithful miss the German international.
AC Milan is another club which has made the best out of a tricky situation. Paulo Fonseca had a lot of gaps to fill with a limited budget. Thus, bringing in an experienced campaigner in Álvaro Morata for just £11 million on a four-year deal has been a great piece of business.
The 32-year-old had an excellent season with fourth-placed Atlético Madrid in La Liga last season. Despite starting in just 21 of his 32 La Liga appearances, the Spanish captain scored 15 goals and provided three assists. Morata also had an excellent Euros, guiding his national team to their fourth Euros title.
Given statistically, the Serie A’s pace and physicality allows strikers to flourish even in their last 30s, AC Milan will be betting on at least 3-4 good years from the Spain international.
The 21-year-old Luka Su?i? signed a six-year deal with Real Sociedad, with the club looking at him as the perfect replacement for now-Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino. Su?i? won three Austrian Bundesliga titles during his four year stay at RB Salzburg, as well as standing out as one of the few bright sparks from a disastrous 2024 Euros by Croatia.
The Croatia international, however, is more attacking minded compared to Mikel Merino, with the output and positions he takes up on the pitch. Su?i? also boasts a high win-rate for defensive duels, something that is necessary given his lack of aerial prowess.
Overall, Su?i? is a great signing for Real Sociedad and a great replacement to Merino if he can improve aerially. Nonetheless, he is still very young at just 21 years old, and has time on his side to improve on his weaknesses, though due to his inexperience, there are question marks as to how he will adapt to the Spanish league.
Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk lit up the Spanish La Liga in his debut season last season with Girona, scoring 24 goals to finish as the league’s top goalscorer. Moreover, the 27-year-old forward reportedly also turned down deals from Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund before joining Italian giants AS Roma this summer.
Artem Dovbyk has several important traits that make him stand out from some of his counterparts across Europe. His finishing is his greatest skill. The Ukrainian has a natural talent for scoring goals, whether it is hitting the ball right away, taking a touch, or chipping it over the keeper, the 27-year-old’s composure and precision makes him one of Europe’s most in-form forwards.
The fact that they were able to prize away La Liga’s top scorer for just £26 million, reflects an excellent piece of business by I Giallorossi.
While Arsenal fans were crying out for a back-up striker or a wide player, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta opted to increase his options in the backline instead with the addition of versatile defender Riccardo Calafiori from Serie A club Bologna this summer.
The 22-year-old played a key role in Bologna returning to the UEFA Champions League and the Gunners, who themselves struggled for stability especially in the left-hand side of their defence last season, snatched him up in a bid to cross the finish line and beat Manchester City to the league title.
Despite minor niggles and muscle strains sidelining him from time to time, the 22-year-old Italian has delivered for the North London club whenever called upon. With the Italians ability to slot in as a centre-back, left-back and even right-back, he provides tremendous value to Arsenal as Arteta looks to add to last season’s defence that earned them the most clean sheets.
Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé’s stars finally aligned this summer as the 25-year-old France international at last completed his dream move at the third time of asking. Having joined the Galacticos on a free transfer, Mbappé signed a five-year deal worth £12.8 million a year after taxes and will also receive a £106.3 million signing on fee, spread over his deal.
The 25-year-old, who is already the third-highest scorer in France’s history, also came close to joining Madrid two years ago. However, Mbappé had a late change of heart and signed a new contract with PSG until June 2024, a decision he said he does not regret.
However, having made the move to Real Madrid this summer Kylian Mbappé will have to go through a similar transition a certain Cristiano Ronaldo went through in order to hit the heights expected of him by the Galacticos. As a striker, Kylian Mbappé is a rare combination of exceptional speed, clinical finishing, and unparalleled technique. His ability to exploit defensive lines with explosive bursts of acceleration makes him a constant threat in behind. Moreover, Mbappe´s knack for scoring crucial goals in high-stakes matches further solidifies his status as one of the best strikers in modern football.
Dani Olmo has finally returned to Barcelona after a long 10 year gap having graduated from La Masia academy back in 2014. Despite having a majority of his 2023-24 campaign plagued by injuries, the 26-year-old managed to accrue 13 goal contributions in the 25 games he appeared in across all competitions. Olmo went on to have a stellar Euro 2024 campaign, scoring in three back-to-back knockout games, including the one against France in the semi-finals.
An agile, nimble and creative playmaker who can drop deep and collect the ball to advance play into attacking positions as well as make difference in the final third with his chance creation and finishing abilities. The 26-year-old also has good defensive and offensive aspects that can be of use to Barcelona.
He is a player that can suit Barcelona’s squad having been already successful in the Spanish national team that has a similar style to Barcelona. In addition, he has been part of Barcelona’s academy so he understands the concepts displayed in the matches, making it easy for him to adapt.
Bayern Munich finally secured the services of Portuguese midfielder João Palhinha from Fulham on a four-year contract until June 2028 for £42.3m, plus £4.2m in add-ons. The 28-year-old Portugal international joined the Bundesliga club a year after their initial deal to sign him collapsed.
Having joined Fulham from Sporting Lisbon in 2022 for around £17m. The 28-year-old won the club’s Player of the Year award during his opening season at Craven Cottage. Palhinha’s physicality, tough tackling ability, positioning awareness and experience make hims a powerful force in defensive midfield – much like Bayern’s former midfield enforcer Javi Martínez, who Die Bayern have never really replaced in their squad since he departed in 2021.
While he is more likely to be seen dropping back and blocking an opposing attack, Palhi ha is not averse to roaming forward and scoring the occasional goal like Martínez – something Palhinha has been known to do in spectacular long-range style.
After breaking into the Benfica first team in January last year, João Neves went on to become a key player for his boyhood club, making 75 appearances in all competitions and scoring four goals. The 19-year-old Portugal international, who had been linked with Manchester United, eventually made the decision to join French champions Paris Saint-Germain in a deal which could be worth up to £60 million.
Neves played as a deep-lying playmaker for Benfica, typically in a double pivot, controlling possession by frequently dropping deep to receive the ball. A technically proficient player, he actively looks to receive under pressure, using his agility and acceleration to evade opponents and dribble forwards. Neves is a tenacious and aggressive presser. His athletic attributes enable him to excel in the counter-press, where he reacts immediately to losing possession.
One of his key attributes is his ability to dictate possession. Neves ranked second for passes (1,900) in the 2023/24 Primeira Liga, and fifth for passes into the final third (267). For a player with such immense potential and ability, acquiring his services for just £60 million is an absolute bargain for Paris Saint-Germain, especially with someone like Luis Enrique at the helm.
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