The transfer window is now open and teams have wasted very little time getting business done. In the first of a new weekly column, a look at some of the biggest moves this week.
Alexis Mac Allister
Brighton to Liverpool
Fee: £35million
The 24-year-old World Cup winner was not short of suitors following an impressive campaign with Brighton. The Argentina international racked up a FotMob rating of 7.5, netting 10 times in the Premier League as Roberto De Zerbi’s men secured a Europa League spot.
Despite reported interest from Champions League clubs, Mac Allister opted to move to Liverpool in a deal believed to be worth £35million due to a clause in his contract.
It has the potential to be one of the signings of the summer and the Reds finally have a new No. 10.
Lionel Messi
Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami
Fee: Free Transfer
Many expected the legendary forward to head back to Barcelona this summer when his PSG deal expired.
However, with the Catalan club not in the best place financially right now, Messi had to look elsewhere. Despite interest from Saudi Arabia, the 35-year-old decided to take his talents to MLS, joining David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
Jude Bellingham
Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid
Fee: £86million
Real Madrid finally got their man.
Los Blancos beat Manchester City and Liverpool to the signature of Bellingham, agreeing to pay an initial £86million for the highly rated teen.
The 19-year-old almost guided BVB to the Bundesliga title last term and finished the season with a 7.68 FotMob rating having scored eight goals and assisted a further four. In fact Dortmund might’ve held off Bayern Munich had Bellingham been fit for the run in but a knee injury kept him out.
N’Golo Kante
Chelsea to Al Ittihad
Fee: Free Transfer
Chelsea tried to keep the 32-year-old at Stamford Bridge but contract talks hit a snag and the World Cup winner opted to leave the Blues after seven years.
Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad put together an eye watering package to bring him up to the Middle East. He isn’t the only mega star to make that move this summer.
Karim Benzema
Real Madrid to Al Ittihad
Fee: Free Transfer
According to reports, the Frenchman had agreed a one-year extension with Real Madrid before a big money offer arrived from Al Ittihad.
Having decided to leave the Spanish capital after 14 seasons with the club, he had a change of heart and it looked as though he would remain with Los Blancos. Another U-turn saw Benzema agree to move to Al Ittihad and he’s already netted a goal for his new club.
Blink and you really will miss something in the world of Benzema.
Kevin Schade
Freiburg to Brentford
Fee: £22million
Schade joined the Bees on loan in January and despite only appearing in 729 minutes, he did enough to convince the club to part with a club record fee to keep him on a permanent basis.
The 21-year-old German did amass an Expected Goals haul of over two in his limited minutes for the club and he did create eight chances. Going off those early figures, he could prove to be yet another shrewd Brentford signing in years to come.
Houssem Aouar
Lyon to Roma
Fee: Free transfer
Aouar’s career has plateaued a little.
Once touted as the next big thing in French football and chased by the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, both Manchester clubs and Barcelona, the 24-year-old moved to Roma on a free transfer this summer.
His final campaign with Lyon was underwhelming but they’d moved on from him, shaping the team around fresh faces, and it was time for him to go. A revival could be on the cards for the midfield maestro.
Youri Tielemans
Leicester City to Aston Villa
Fee: Free transfer
This one was a bit of a surprise. Not long ago, Tielemans was being linked with Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid. Yet moves failed to materialise last summer and he extended his contract with Leicester.
The Foxes had a season to forget and were relegated but the Belgian midfielder did okay on an individual level, finishing with an average FotMob rating of 7.23. The 26-year-old brings a lot of experience to a Villa side on the rise under Unai Emery. Fast forward 12 months and this could be viewed as one of the smartest signings of the summer.
Konrad Laimer
RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich
Fee: Free transfer
This move has been on the cards for the best part of 12 months. Having rejected a new deal at the Red Bull Arena, Die Roten Bullen decided to let the midfielder run down his deal, reportedly rejecting bids for him in the summer and during the January window.
Bayern finalised it at the end of the campaign, though the manager who initially wanted him, Julian Nagelsmann, is no longer with the club. It will be interesting to see what sort of role he has next term competing for a place in the middle at the Bundesliga champions.
Jefferson Lerma
Bournemouth to Crystal Palace
Fee: Free Transfer
The 28-year-old played a key part in keeping Bournemouth up, appearing in 37 of their 38 matches. He also chipped in with five goals as the Cherries stunned the masses by remaining in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace capitalised on his contract situation to bring him to Selhurst Park on a free transfer. The Eagles have good squad depth in midfield and Lerma will give them even more options next season as they look to build on their last campaign.
(Images from IMAGO)
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