Top 10 Transfer Moves of the Summer (So Far!)

This is an article written by Will Schwartz

With the return of European club football fast approaching, many of the big summer transfers have already gone down, and it’s been a wild window so far. The landscape of the sport is changing once again, with new teams emerging to make a big splash, and the rise of the Saudi Pro League, spurred on by Cristiano Ronaldo’s shocking transfer over the winter, has thrown a wrench into the whole equation. The window is far from over, but it’s fair to imagine that the most intense action is already behind us, so let’s take a look at some of the biggest transfers of the summer thus far, and touch on a couple more bombshells that could happen.

#1: Lionel Messi to Inter Miami

Let’s start with arguably the biggest move, and certainly the biggest star. With many players towards the end of their career making huge-money moves to Saudi Arabia, Messi spurned their offer of over $1.5 billion- yes, that’s billion with a b- and has agreed to join David Beckham’s MLS squad. Miami is a great fit for an Argentine star used to playing in Spain, the city has a heavy Latin influence both culturally and linguistically, and he’ll love the warm weather.

This isn’t just a retirement home either- Miami is currently dead last in the Eastern Conference, so it represents a totally new and very real challenge for Messi. He’ll have former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets alongside him, but otherwise, this will be the worst squad he’s played on in years. After his contract with PSG expired, Leo was free to sign a 2.5-year deal with Miami, who were surely ecstatic to secure his services via free transfer. This move doesn’t impact an elite European club, but is still fascinating and very exciting; I know I’m personally thrilled to be able to sit in the ninth row and watch the GOAT play in my own city this October.

#2: Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid

This is a player whose next move has been speculated for years, with all of the big English clubs hoping to secure the services of the most exciting young English talent in quite some time. Well, if it’s ever going to happen, Bellingham’s Premier League debut will have to wait, as he’s moved on to the World’s biggest and best club, Real Madrid. Of course, Bellingham is only 20, which is part of his staggering value- 103 million Pounds, to be precise. It also means he can eventually move to England, as he will still be just 26 when his contract with Madrid expires.

But for now, he’s set to spend the first chunk of his prime wearing white, and joining up with what is already one of the World’s most talented midfields. Messi is probably the best player ever, and certainly the biggest name on the move this summer, but at the two players’ respective ages, Bellingham is undoubtedly the most valuable footballing talent to switch clubs in this window so far.

#3: Christian Pulisic to AC Milan

Let’s start to dig into the Chelsea exodus and highlight by far my favorite transfer of the summer, if not ever. As an American Milan supporter, I’m unbelievably fired up to have one of our most iconic players ever make the move to Italy, and think he could be an excellent fit for a team that needs more wing talent outside of Rafael Leão. The deal was also an absolute bargain, even with his contract expiring, 20 million Euros was a steal for a player of this caliber. Pulisic’s production and minutes have been down at Chelsea, but anyone who watches the USMNT knows he just needs a fresh start.

You’d expect a contract extension to come through shortly, as it’s become clear that this was the move Pulisic himself was looking for this offseason. Putting this transfer up at #3 on the list is not a reflection that Pulisic is the third-best player making a move this summer, but it shows how big of a move this is for the sport in the United States, and a nod to the excellent value Milan got for buying low on a high-quality player and leader.

#4: Sandro Tonali to Newcastle

Lots of transfers are rumored for months, or even years, and then either fizzle out or finally materialize. This falls into neither category- the move for Tonali came out of absolutely nowhere. Milanistas were sure he would be a career Rossonero, or at least stay for several years, and the rest of Serie A were terrified at the prospect. This move, after just 3 years in Milan, is a sign of just how much things have changed- you would never have seen the old Milan selling one of the most talented, exciting, young Italian players to the Premier League.

It also shows how different Newcastle are from other suddenly-rich clubs, as they’ve built up with strong midfielders and defenders rather than splashing on flashy attackers. This move is a heartbreaker for me personally, but I’m happy to report that it includes the record fee for an Italian at 64 million Euros, although realistically the price for Gianluigi Buffon’s move to Juventus was much bigger for the time (52m in 2001). Things have really deteriorated at Milan in just a year after winning Serie A, as the club looked to be on a wonderful trajectory with a talented young core, but now are in a tough spot. We’ll see if the money from the Tonali transfer helps them rebuild, or if the move marks the start of a worse era.

#5: Saudi League Madness

Let’s take a little bit of a break from the cadence and go through an overview of what’s going on with the Saudi Pro League. After Ronaldo came over in the winter, it seemed like he’d be all alone, but a good amount of European talent will be joining him at the start of next season. He’ll be directly joined on Al-Nassr by Croatian legend Marcelo Brozović as well as Napoli goalkeeper and Colombian captain David Ospina.

There are even bigger names coming to play against Ronaldo on other Saudi sides. Al-Ittihad are bringing in two of the best players in Europe over the past decade, Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté, who has won Europe with Chelsea, England with Leicester, and of course was key in France’s World Cup triumph. Al-Ahli are getting two Premier League stars, Chelsea and Senegal’s tournament-winning goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino, who quietly played unbelievable football this year for the Reds.

Another Senegalese legend is coming to Saudi Arabia, as Al-Hilal will receive Kalidou Koulibaly, another Chelsea exit. He’s joined by fellow Premier Leaguer Rúben Neves, who unlike the other players is coming over at the age of 26, right in his prime. Lastly, Sergej Milinković-Savić is also coming to the team. This wave of talent moving to the Middle East is likely not over, and adds an intriguing wrinkle to just about every transfer situation going forward.

#6: Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea

This time, we’ve come to a talented player coming in for Chelsea rather than departing. That would be Frenchman Christopher Nkunku, who sadly missed the World Cup with an injury, but came back to finish the Bundesliga season strong. He’s had consecutive excellent seasons for RB Leipzig, and will bring explosiveness and creativity to a Chelsea attack that looked completely flat at times last season. This move has been anticipated for quite some time, and was made official with a 65 million Euro transfer fee, and a 6-year long term contract with the club. The Bundesliga to Prem pipeline has yielded some mixed results, so it’ll be fascinating to see how this one plays out for all parties involved.

#7: Dominik Szoboszlai to Liverpool

Here’s another Leipzig sale, no shocker from a club that tends to do excellent business. Szoboszlai is a product of the Red Bull system, having come up through Liefering, then Salzburg and finally Leipzig. The fee of 70 million Euros is more than we usually see Liverpool pay, with a few notable exceptions, but he fills the club’s absolutely desperate need for a star attacking midfielder, and should be a perfect fit in Jürgen Klopp’s system. With a 5-year deal in place, the 22 year old Hungarian talent is at Anfield for the long haul, and with his prime years right around the corner, should be a central piece of the rebuilding project that lies ahead.

#8: Kai Havertz to Arsenal

“Oh Roman do you know what that’s worth?” The words of this iconic Havertz chant rang through Stamford Bridge for a pair of seasons after the silky German scored the goal to lift the Blues to a UCL title. Well, Roman Abramovich is gone and so is Havertz, but we do now know what he’s worth: 70 million Euros. That’s what Arsenal paid to make this shocking crosstown move happen, as Havertz gets a fresh start but stays within the city of London.

Havertz’s talent is undeniable, and he’s certainly performed in some big moments. It’s also likely that his performance was hampered by being in an insanely dysfunctional Chelsea squad this past season. That being said, I’m not sure the price tag makes sense, nor the fit with Arsenal, a squad who needs a true goalscoring machine up top, rather than a creative tactician like Havertz. Mikel Arteta usually knows what he wants though, so it will be intriguing to see this one play out over Havertz’s 5-year contract with the club.

#9: Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool

If you expected Liverpool to be quiet in this summer window (I surely did!) you were absolutely wrong. After years of supporters begging for something to be done about the midfield, the club’s leadership has finally obliged those requests and brought in not just one stud in Soboszlai, but a second, Argentina’s World Cup breakout star Mac Allister. The Qatar Cup is where he became known to the World at large, but make no mistake, he’s been excellent for Brighton the last couple of years, so he already has a Premier League track record and will be able to make an immediate impact. With the generation of players that brought every trophy to Anfield moving on, it’s key to invest in the next steps, and Liverpool have just done that by paying 42 million Euros to bring in Mac Allister, and signing him to a 5-year contract.

#10: James Maddison to Tottenham

It feels like every year there have been rumors about Maddison departing Leicester City to head to a bigger club, and this year, it’s finally happened. Leicester’s relegation was surely the catalyst, as the club needs the money and the player fully deserves to be playing at the highest level. Well, putting “Spurs” and “highest level” together is something of a stretch, but it’s a great opportunity to compete for a major club in an excellent league. The fee of 46.5 million Euros seems fair for both parties, and with a 5-year contract in place, the 26 year old Maddison is set to spend the rest of his prime in North London.

Rumors

Of course, the summer is far from over, and more moves can and will happen. The biggest one on everyone’s mind is of course yet another chapter in the Kylian Mbappé/Real Madrid saga. The French superstar has flirted with the club for years, and has seemingly reached a stalemate with PSG; he will not extend his contract beyond this year, and the club will not let him leave for free next summer, so a sale should theoretically be imminent but who really knows at this point?

Then there’s all of the craziness going on in Milan. Paolo Maldini, who has done an unbelievable job bringing the club back to the top as sporting director, was shockingly fired and the Tonali transfer immediately followed. Leão rumors have been popping up for months, will he finally go? And what about Theo Hernández, the World’s best fullback and Maldini’s protege? Will he stay with his mentor gone? These stories and surely more will define the rest of the window, and could shape the future of any number of clubs.