The transfer market is a practical space where contracts are negotiated and finalised between player and club and/or club and club.
It is also the theoretical space where monetary values are attributed to players by clubs and estimated to be as accurate as possible for the sake of minimising expenses and maximising profits.
The first time money changed hands between football clubs for a professional player was in 1893 when Jack Southworth was transferred from Blackburn Rovers to Everton for £400.
Blackburn was distraught at losing their star centre-forward who had helped them win the FA Cup finals in 1890 and 1891.
Southworth went on to score an amazing 36 goals in 31 games for his new club in the 1893-94 season.
Regarding football players’ transfer, the Premier League is establishing itself as the European league with the most money spent on players in recent times.
Find out the most expensive transfers in the Premier League in the just concluded summer window.
Declan Rice – Arsenal (€120 million)
The ‘big transfer’ of the summer transfer window for English football was the deal between West Ham United (Hammers) and the Arsenal Football Club (Gunners) for Declan Rice.
Prior to the transfer, Rice captained Hammers to winning the UEFA Europa Conference League final beating Fiorentina 2-1.
Kai Havertz – Arsenal (€75 million)
Another player who made the newspaper front page news during the transfer market is Kai Havertz. The mesmerising winger was signed by the Gunners from Chelsea for 75 million euros.
The 24 years German professional footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward moved to the Emirate stadium side to enable him to showcase his skills during the season’s UEFA Champions League competitions.
Read also: Fabregas eyes Premier League coaching job after rekindling passion at Como
Dominik Szoboszlai – Liverpool (€70 million)
The versatile Hungarian professional footballer joined Liverpool from the German club side RB Leipzig.
Szoboszlai, who captains the Hungary national team plays as a box-to-box midfielder, right midfielder, or attacking midfielder is holding swell for Liverpool.
Read also: Arsenal vs. Manchester United: Another Super Sunday in the premier league
Mason Mount – Manchester United (€64.20 million)
Mason Tony Mount, an English professional footballer joined Man United from Chelsea for about 65 million euros.
The 24-year central midfielder began his senior club career with Chelsea and joined Vitesse and Derby County on consecutive loans between 2017 and 2019.
Sandro Tonali – Newcastle (€64 million)
Sandro Tonali, an Italian professional footballer who featured for AC Milan in the 2022/23 season as a defensive or central midfielder was bought for 64 million euros by Newcastle United booster their team.
Christopher Nkunku – Chelsea (€60 million)
Nkunku, a graduate of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig of Germany for 60 million euros.
He plays as an attacking midfielder, second striker or forward for the club and the France national team.
Read also: Kane-less Tottenham faces Brentford in Premier League kickoff
Moussa Diaby – Aston Villa (€55 million)
The 24-year-old French professional footballer joined Aston Villa from Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
Diaby plays as a right winger or attacking midfielder for the club and the France national team. Aston Villa signed him for 55 million euros.
Andre Onana – Manchester United (€52.5 million)
Andre Onana who joined Barcelona’s youth system in 2010, and later signed for Ajax in 2015, where he made 214 appearances and won three Eredivisie titles joined Manchester United for 52.5 million euros.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper who until recently played for Inter Milan arrives at Old Trafford to fill David De Gea’s void.
Matheus Cunha – Wolves (€ 50 million)
Matheus Santos Cunha, commonly known as Matheus Cunha, is a talented Brazilian player signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers after his loan spell at Atletico Madrid.
James Maddison – Tottenham (€46.30 million)
Tottenham Hotspur cashed on the relegated Leicester City’s situation to graft James Maddison into their team.
The attacking midfielder began his career with Coventry City before joining Norwich City in 2016
Spurs paid 46.30 million euros to land the star player from King Power Stadium in north London.
