Top ten most expensive summer moves

Huge sums of money were spent during the summer transfer window as clubs got their teams ready for the new season.

Plenty of sides left it late to sign players on deadline day.

Manchester City led the way, with Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Nicolas Otamendi all landing at the Etihad in big money deals.

Liverpool didn’t slouch either, doing plenty of early business, as Brazilian international Roberto Firmino arrived in a $46.1m deal.

Manchester United also made an almighty splash in the transfer market, beating the deadline to land $56.2m French teenager Anthony Marital.

But who were the biggest summer moves across Europe this summer?

1. $83.2m Kelvin De Bruyne

English powerhouse Manchester City pulled off the summer’s most lucrative transfer, prizing Belgian playmaker Kevin de Bruyne away from Bundesliga runners-up Wolfsburg. The 2015 German Footballer of the Year, de Bruyne joins a City side already loaded for bear in the Premier League. Will the Belgian adapt and thrive after a largely forgettable first stint in the Premier League with Chelsea from 2012-14? Time will tell.

2. $70.8m Angel di Maria

Paris St. Germain took the underperforming Di Maria off of Manchester United’s more-than-willing hands at the beginning of August. Away from the spotlight – and Louis van Gaal – in England, the 27-year-old looks to be finding his groove in the French capital. We hope he is able to continue playing nice with his new manager this time around.

3. $70.3m Raheem Sterling

A tumultuous relationship between Sterling and Liverpool ended when EPL title-hopefuls Manchester City stepped in to snap up the attacker. The Jamaica-born England international was bound to fetch a high price, and affluent Man City finally made a bid that Liverpool deemed acceptable. After scoring just three minutes into his preseason debut with City, the 20-year-old might live up to the price tag.

4. $56.2m Anthony Martial

One of the more questionable transfers of the summer window, Manchester United scooped up Monaco youngster Martial for a whopping fee. The 19-year-old forward has yet to make a senior appearance for France, and Wayne Rooney reportedly had no idea who the player was. But hey, he’s clearly full of promise and talent. And if you have cash to spend, why not spend it?

5. $52.3m Christian Benteke

Benteke represents another expensive gamble on the part of Brendan Rodgers, and is already raising some questions over Liverpool’s approach. Under Rodgers, the Reds have played a passing and possession-oriented game, and Benteke’s bullish manner and tendency to score offset pieces and headers don’t seem to fit that game-plan. Benteke also has a bad tendency to wander offside, and his misfires at Arsenal haven’t reassured Liverpool’s fans. Can he fit in? Not until Liverpool change their approach.

6. $50.2 Nicolas Otamendi

Manchester City’s lackluster title defense last season exposed a glaring weakness: they struggled to contain play right down the gut, with Vincent Kompany in particular exposed. Otamendi, last year’s best defender in La Liga, is a solid attempt to address that. The former Valencia center-back provides both an immediate replacement to Kompany or Eliaquim Mangala as well as a challenge: while both those men have started the season well, Otamendi will push them, and may swiftly take one of their slots.

7. $46.1m Roberto Firmino

The Brazilian attacking midfielder is another gamble on the part of Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, but if he can link up with Philippe Coutinho, he can be a breakout player. Already a star after stellar seasons with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, Firmino has come in and started every single game so far for Liverpool, but has yet failed to find the back of the net. What he can do is provide linkup play and assists – but to do so, he needs to be given some freedom to roam and learn to tolerate the far more physical nature of the English game. Observers feel he is Liverpool’s signing of the season so far.

8.  $41.6m Arturo Vidal

The Chilean was a breakout star last year both with the national team and his old club Juventus, and it was no secret he was on many teams’ shopping lists. Why? He can do it all – pass, possess, contain, assist and score. He’s already impressed at Bayern, but not so off the pitch. He’s serving a two-year ban after crashing his sports car and picking up a DUI, and only recently avoided a trial after reaching a deal with prosecutors. That raised more than a few eyebrows, as Vidal is already known as something of a hothead. But, when he is in form, he’s one of the best in the game right now.

9. $40.5m Julian Draxler

A transfer-record signing by Wolfsburg, Draxler is another multi-tool player that was widely coveted on the continent. Fast, smart and deadly in front of goal, Draxler has big shoes to fill at his new club. He is a direct replacement for Kevin de Bruyne who joined Premier League side Manchester City, Draxler is expected to become a key playmaker and goalscorer at the rising Bundesliga club. The World Cup winning winger has a fierce shot and at just 21years, he has a lot of upside ahead. But should prove to be a good business for Wolfsburg

10. $39.4m: Mateo Kovacic, Jackson Martinez

Martinez’s move from Porto was designed to give Atletico Madrid more scoring punch, but the Colombian is taking some time to settle. Kovacic, meanwhile, represents the rich getting richer, as Real Madrid added to an already talent-laden squad after acquiring the Inter midfielder.

 

Anthony Nlebem