The 2019 transfer window has seen a number of huge deals completed, but which high-profile moves stand out above the rest?
After a dramatic 2018-19 campaign which saw Liverpool win the Champions League and Manchester City secure a domestic treble, English football has reached a new, unprecedented peak.
Three Premier League clubs featured in this year’s Champions League semi-finals, while the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain all suffered early exits.
It will have come as no surprise then, that the top European clubs in question have all spent big money to reinforce their squads in the current market, with a view to knocking the Reds off their perch in 2020.
A number of other household names have also seized the opportunity to strengthen, including Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Tottenham, who have conducted their business smartly in a bid to challenge among the elite next season.
When the new domestic campaigns kick off in August it will be time to see which world-class players integrate best into unfamiliar surroundings and history tells us that some might end up failing to live up to expectations.
However, some superstars were born for the biggest stage and with that in mind, CaughtOffside has compiled a definitive list of the 10 best transfers around Europe so far this summer, which begins with a certain Dutch teenager..
Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax to Juventus)
Matthijs de Ligt arrived in Turin on Tuesday night to complete a medical ahead of a £67.5million switch from Ajax – as per BBC Sport – after one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the year.
The Netherlands defender had been linked with a host of top European clubs over the past 12 months, having enjoyed his best season yet at both club and international level.
De Ligt won a domestic double with Ajax and also helped them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, racking up over 50 appearances across all competitions.
The 19-year-old has opted for Italian champions Juventus ahead of the rest, which gives him the opportunity to link up with five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who was seen whispering sweet nothings into the youngster’s ears after a Champions League quarter-final clash back in April.
The Bianconeri have landed one of the most promising players in world football and the prospect of him lining up alongside Leandro Bonucci in the heart of the defence is a tantalising one, which could reap rich rewards.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea to Real Madrid)
After months and months of speculation, Real Madrid finally managed to lure Eden Hazard to the Bernabeu at the start of June, as he signed a five-year contract with the club to seal a huge £150 million switch from Chelsea – as per BBC Sport.
The Belgian is undoubtedly one of the finest individual talents of his generation and he now has the opportunity to play for the biggest club in the world, fulfilling a long-held dream.
Hazard left Stamford Bridge on a high note, netting twice in a 4-1 Europa League final win at the end of May, which capped a superb campaign during which he managed to post career-best numbers for goals and assists.
Madrid have lacked a real talisman in the final third since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus in 2018, but the 28-year-old has the quality and experience to fill his boots and help the club to erase the memory of last year.
Expect mesmerising dribbling skills, superbly crafted goals and outrageous passing from Hazard in abundance next term, especially if he links up well with Madrid’s other newest attraction Luka Jovic.
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid to Barcelona)
This particular deal seemed inevitable after Antoine Griezmann announced his intention to leave Wanda Metropolitano at the end of last season, following an exhausting pursuit from Barcelona which stretches back two years.
The Blaugrana finally got their man on July 12, as the Frenchman moved to Camp Nou for £107 million – as per the Independent – ending his five-year association with Diego Simeone’s Atletico.
Luis Suarez has served as Barcelona’s only first-choice centre-forward for the last two seasons, with mixed results.
Lionel Messi’s continued brilliance ensured Ernesto Valverde’s side were still contenders for major honours, but a lack of extra quality in the final third has proved telling on a number of important occasions, particularly in Europe.
Griezmann has finished the last five seasons as Atletico’s top scorer, displaying a clinical edge which helped the club reach a Champions League final and win the Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup.
The 28-year-old is also a World Cup winner and his arrival should go a long way to helping Barcelona conquer the Champions League once again in 2020 while also maintaining their dominance of La Liga.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace to Manchester United)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka became Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s second signing in charge at Manchester United at the end of June, completing a £50 million move from Crystal Palace – as per the Irish Independent.
The 21-year-old lit up the Premier League with his performances for the Eagles last term, featuring in 35 matches to help Roy Hodgson’s side comfortably avoid relegation.
Wan-Bissaka is a superb right-back, with a penchant for getting forward to join in attacks and a natural ability to the read the game, which combined with his incredible athleticism, makes him a great acquisition for United.
The young defender was harshly criticised for his displays at the U-21 European Championships with England this summer, but he has already shaken off that disappointment to play a starring role in United’s first two pre-season matches.
Ashley Young will captain the Red Devils when he plays next season, but he might find his time on the pitch limited if Wan-Bissaka gets off to a good start, given his immense potential and infectious energy, which is sure to make him a favourite among supporters.
Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon to Tottenham)
Tottenham completed their first signing in over a year when they secured Tanguy Ndombele’s services from Lyon for a club-record fee of £65 million – as per the Daily Mail – and big things will be expected of the midfielder next season.
The 22-year-old announced himself on the biggest stage with a string of superb performances in the Champions League group stages last year, helping Lyon earn credible draws home and away against Manchester City.
Even Pep Guardiola expressed his admiration for Ndombele, which fuelled rumours of a potential City approach, but Spurs have managed to land the French enforcer ahead of their Premier League rivals.
Ndombele is an all-action midfielder with a penchant for breaking up play in the middle of the park and superb technical ability, which is why he is pushing for a place in Didier Deschamps’ France side ahead of N’Golo Kante.
His arrival could help Tottenham finally break their trophy duck next season, especially if Mauricio Pochettino keeps the rest of his exciting young squad intact.
Joao Felix – (Benfica to Atletico Madrid)
Atletico Madrid sent shock-waves throughout the footballing world when they purchased teenage midfielder Joao Felix from Benfica for a whopping £113 million earlier this month, beating a number of top clubs to his signature in the process – as per the Daily Mirror.
The 19-year-old contributed 15 goals and seven assists to Benfica’s cause in 25 Primeira appearances last season and also had a big impact during their run to the Europa League quarterfinals.
A superb hat-trick against Eintracht Frankfurt in the last eight confirmed that Felix was the real deal and Atletico supporters can now look forward to watching his talent grow at Wanda Metropolitano.
The Portuguese midfielder has been billed as the next Cristiano Ronaldo, but in truth, he shares more in common with former Brazilian footballer Kaka, who is widely revered as one of the best all-round players in history.
Felix will have to prove he was worth Atletico’s sizeable investment quickly next season or risk being branded an expensive flop, but he has already displayed a maturity which belies his tender age and his quality is undeniable.
Luka Jovic (Eintracht Frankfurt to Real Madrid)
Real Madrid relied far too heavily on ageing striker Karim Benzema last season, amid a worrying goal drought for the likes of Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vasquez.
Zinedine Zidane decided that Serbian forward Luka Jovic was the answer to Madrid’s attacking woes and the club duly forked out £52.4 million to bring him to Santiago Bernabeu on a five-year deal, as per Sky Sports.
The 21-year-old spent the 2018-19 campaign on loan at Frankfurt from Benfica before the German club exercised their option to sign him permanently.
Jovic netted 17 goals in 35 Bundesliga games for Frankfurt last season, helping them compete for a place in the top four while also reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League.
The Serbia international is physically imposing and has a superb eye for goal, with the ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play and if he can combine well with Hazard next season, Madrid could well fight for trophies on all fronts once again.
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal to Juventus)
Aaron Ramsey signed a pre-contract agreement with Juventus back in February, which will see him earn £400,000 per week at the Allianz Stadium – as per BBC Sport.
The Welshman was officially unveiled in Turin last week, completing a free transfer from Arsenal after being told he could leave the club at the end of his existing contract.
Ramsey was arguably Arsenal’s best player last season, racking up 40 appearances across all competitions before being struck down with an injury in April.
The 28-year-old was one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League during his 11-year stay at Emirates Stadium and the Gunners will surely be kicking themselves for letting him go for nothing.
However, their loss is Juve’s gain and Italian football might suit Ramsey’s creative, combative style of play down to the ground, while also giving him the opportunity to pick up major honours across all competitions.
Ander Herrera (Manchester United to PSG)
The Red Devils wanted to retain Ander Herrera’s services for at least another year but were unable to negotiate terms on a new contract amid concerns his wage demands were too high.
Step forward PSG, who secured the Spaniard’s signature on a five-year contract on July 5, which will see him remain in France until he reaches the age of 34.
Allowing such a talented and influential player to leave will have surely stung for United, who have been otherwise short of standout performers in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
Herrera always gave his all for the club and his tenacity helped motivate the players around him and drive the team forward during even the darkest moments, which is why he was named Player of the Year at Old Trafford in 2017.
The Spain international will surely thrive in Ligue 1, but he could also help PSG make great strides forward in the Champions League, giving Thomas Tuchel’s side an edge in midfield which they lacked all too often last term.
Rodri (Atletico Madrid to Manchester City)
Manchester City decided to pay the £62.5 release clause in Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri’s contract at the start of July, ending Pep Guardiola’s search for a new holding player.
The Spanish boss had previously made no secret of his desire to bring in a midfielder capable of competing with Fernandinho for a spot in his starting XI, with the Brazilian approaching the latter stages of his career at 34.
Rodri put pen to paper on a five-year contract at the Etihad and his arrival pushes City one step closer towards perfection, adding to a squad brimming with world-class talent.
The 23-year-old only spent one year with Atletico, but he was a key part of Diego Simeone’s line up, helping the team finish second in La Liga while also reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Rodri has been compared to Barcelona playmaker Sergio Busquets, due to his expert positional sense and exceptional passing range. He should slot into Guardiola’s side perfectly come August, especially if he enjoys a strong pre-season with the Premier League champions.