August 11 – European football awoke from its spending slumber last week with mammoth deals for Moises Caicedo (Liverpool though Chelsea may have landed him last minute) Josko Gvardiol (Man City) and Rasmus Hojlund (Man Utd) taking centre stage, alongside Portuguese striker Gonçalo Ramos (PSG).
Although Ramos is starting on loan, has an obligation to buy for up to €80 million (add-ins included) as part of the deal. This builds from last week, which didn’t see a transfer fee north of Malcom’s €60m.
Harry Kane’s move from Tottenham to Bayern Munich, when eventually concluded, will top £100 million.
The Premier League are back on top as the week sees eight players with over €15 million in market value entering the competition, including aforementioned big names, whilst only out-of-favour West Ham duo Scamacca and Vlasic depart.
The Saudi Pro League is now buying in young talent to its league. Roger Ibanez from Roma and Franck Kessie from Barcelona both go to Al-Ahli, but it has been a quieter week for the league. Kessie in particular was signed for significantly less than his market value of €25 million, partly undoing the league’s reputation for loose pockets thus far in the window.
Newcastle, fuelled by money from the Saint-Maximin transfer last week, continue their trend of overspending TransferMkt valuations in their €37.2 million capture of young Southampton fullback Tino Livramento. The move follows the Magpie’s acquisition of Harvey Barnes last week, who moved for a similar fee from Leicester City. Both are moving from clubs relegated from the Premier League to the Championship.
AC Milan, as predicted last week, continue their rebuild by signing high-potential young players for around the €20 million mark, with the ambition that in the next couple of years the players could grow together and flower into a winning unit. American midfielder Musah is a smart signing with a high ceiling that will add a much-needed thump of physicality into the Rossoneri midfield.
From a focus on pace last week, the last seven days have been all about muscle. Additions to the list such as Gvardiol, Hojlund, Alvarez, Ramos, Musah, Disasi, Kessie, Berge are all physically strong and that appears to be a quality that top clubs are looking for, be it in defence, midfield or attack.
Note: The table only references players with a market value higher than €15 million according to Transfermarkt.
Contact the writer of this story at Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714280469labto1714280469ofdlr1714280469owedi1714280469sni@o1714280469fni1714280469