Who are the 5 most expensive transfers this summer in the Premier League? With the Summer Transfer season closed, we now have the answers.
We have just witness one of the most active summer transfer seasons in the Premier League. The transfer window opened on 16 May 2019 and closed at 17:00 BST on 8 August. Since then there have been many deals across the country. Some that have taken stars outside England, while many that have bought them in.
Also read: Alex Iwobi to head to Everton after clubs agree on a deal
For this list we will only focus on the signings that happened within the Premier League and/or incomings from club outside the English league. Loans and swap deals, including player plus cash will not be counted. Which means, transfers such as Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Jaoa Cancelo won’t make this list. With that out of the way, let us look to answer one of the most asked questions at the end of every transfer window.
Who are the 5 most expensive transfers this summer in the Premier League?
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace to Manchester United €55 m)
Manchester United have looked to overhaul their back four and new signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka was integral to that end. The young right-back however didn’t come cheap as United had to fork out €55m to recruit him. This makes him the most expensive English player who was uncapped at the time of transfer. Nonetheless, Wan-Bissaka is an exciting talent who racked up interesting numbers last season.
He had the most clearances, most tackles won, most take-ons completed and most interceptions. To top it all, Wan-Bisakka also had the highest tackle success rate of any defender in the EPL last season.
Wan-Bissaka has been very impressive in the pre-season and fans are eager to see him in action once the Premier League starts. He is most certainly going to start in the playing eleven over the more seasoned Ashley Young.
Rodri Hernandez (Atletico Madrid to Manchester City- €70m)
At 23, Rodri has been bought in to Manchester City as Fernandinho’s potential successor. Both of them play the same role of the deep lying playmaker; A very essential component of manager Pep Guardiola’s 4-3-3 play. However, the midfielder has cost some major money.
Guardiola had to pay €70m to activate his release clause at Atletico to complete the purchase. This has made him the 4th highest incoming transfer in the Premier League this season and the most expensive signing in Manchester City history, even more than the £60m they spent on Riyad Mahrez last summer.
Rodri still has miles to go to be on par with Fernandinho. He is not as fast, strong or athletic. However, at 23, he is more than likely to improve. Fernandinho at 34 is pretty close to the end of his retirement and once he does, Rodri should become more than capable to take his spot by then.
Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon to Tottenham- €72 million)
Tottenham’s new midfield recruit is the 3rd most expensive signing this summer. The dynamic box to box midfielder costed them €62m with a further €10m in add-ons. This has made him the clubs most expensive signing as well as their first singing in two seasons.
Ndombele is a skilful midfielder who tirelessly challenges for the ball when out of possession and creates opportunities for the strikers with the ball in his feet. He was exceptional for Lyon and Tottenham will hope he continues in the same vein.
At 22 he is already brilliant and still young enough to develop even further. Mauricio Pochettino is the perfect man to watch over his growth in the years to come. Ndombele could very well give Spurs the edge this season. However, Pochettino has advised the fans and not to go overboard with their expectations and to be patient as the young Frenchman adjusts to life in the English top-flight.
Nicolas Pepe (Lille to Arsenal €79 m)
Nicolas Pepe has been bought in to provide solution to one of Arsenal’s most problematic area last season. The Winger will most likely play on the right where he can cut in with his left. Hopefully with the same success he had last season in France.
Nicolas Pepe scored 22 goals last season and assisted 11 times as well. Apart from that, he was the only player in Europe’s top five divisions to have 100+ shots, win 100+ fouls and complete 100+ take-ons in the league in 2018-19.
Pepe joined Arsenal in a club-record fee of €79 million (£72 million), eclipsing the previous record of €62 million for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He will wear the number 19 shirt.
Arsenal will hope that Pepe can bring his rich vein of form to England and help solve their problems at the flanks. Mesut Ozil and Henrick Mkhitariyan were both tried to disappointing results and Unai Emery will want the Ivorian to galvanize the wings.
Harry Maguire (Leicester City to Manchester United €87m)
Harry Maguire is this summer’s costliest transfer. In doing so, he shattered the previous record of the most expensive defender set by Liverpool when they purchased Virgil Van Dijk for €81m last season. Maguire was United’s top priority this summer. However, they balked at Leicester’s asking price and waited for too long before finally relenting.
In the end though, Maguire is still a massive upgrade in the defensive line and if he helps fix the leak in the back four then the fans won’t mind the splurge one bit. With Wan-Bissaka on the right and Victor Lindelöf as his partner, there is optimism that United will fare much better than they did last summer. However, much of it depends on the most expensive defender in the world.
And these were the 5 most expensive signings of the English summer.
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