Top 10 Premier League transfer window deals
AFP Sports lists the 10 biggest incoming Premier League transfers of
the close-season transfer window after the deadline passed on Tuesday
(fees approximate and as reported by British media):
Kevin De Bruyne
– Wolfsburg (GER) to Manchester City; £58 million ($89.3 million, 79.8 million euros)
De Bruyne failed to impose himself at Chelsea and was sold to
Wolfsburg in January last year for £18 million, but City saw fit to
break their transfer record for the Belgian playmaker after he scored 16
goals and provided 29 assists last season. The 24-year-old is expected
to line up on the right-hand side of City’s attack, alongside David
Silva and fellow new signing Raheem Sterling.
Raheem Sterling
– Liverpool to Manchester City; £44 million, rising to £49 million
Public refusal to sign a new contract worth £100,000 per week with
Liverpool earned Sterling widespread opprobrium, but did not deter City
from making the 20-year-old the most expensive English player in
history. The England forward opened his City account with a neat volley
in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Watford.
Anthony Martial
– Monaco (FRA) to Manchester United; £36 million, rising to £59 million
The most stunning deal of the European transfer window saw United
sign Martial from Monaco in a deal that reportedly made him the most
expensive teenager in the sport’s history. The 19-year-old former Lyon
youth player made only 52 league appearances for Monaco, scoring 11
goals, and had just received his first France call-up.
Christian Benteke
– Aston Villa to Liverpool; £32.5 million
Having plundered 101 goals in 2013-14, Liverpool managed a meagre 52
last season, the legacy of Daniel Sturridge’s injury problems and Luis
Suarez’s departure to Barcelona. The club took remedial action by
signing burly Belgium international Benteke, who scored 49 goals for
Villa in 101 appearances.
Nicolas Otamendi
– Valencia (ESP) to Manchester City; £32 million
A year after splashing out around £32 million on French defender
Eliaquim Mangala, City went big on another centre-back in the shape of
Otamendi. The 27-year-old was not selected by Argentina for last year’s
World Cup, but played a key role in the side that reached the final of
this year’s Copa America.
Roberto Firmino
– Hoffenheim (GER) to Liverpool; £29 million
Another big-money arrival at Anfield, 23-year-old forward Firmino
signed after four impressive years at Hoffenheim that saw him break into
the Brazil squad. “He is a very, very good player –- he scores a lot of
great goals, and that’s what we need,” said new team-mate Emre Can.
Memphis Depay
– PSV Eindhoven (NED) to Manchester United; £25 million
Blooded by Louis van Gaal at international level, Depay rejoined
forces with the former Netherlands manager after inspiring PSV to the
Eredivisie title with a league-leading haul of 22 goals. A direct,
skilful forward, he scored two goals and made two more in United’s 7-1
aggregate win over Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off round.
Morgan Schneiderlin
– Southampton to Manchester United; £25 million
Emerged as one of the leading holding midfielders in England during
his seven-year spell with Southampton and is now a candidate to anchor
France’s midfield at the 2016 European Championship. Already providing a
calming presence in front of the United defence.
Son Heung-min
– Bayer Leverkusen (GER) to Tottenham Hotspur; £22 million
Seeking a strike partner for last season’s breakthrough star Harry
Kane, Tottenham moved for South Korea international Son, who is a major
star in his homeland. The 23-year-old scored 29 goals for Leverkusen in
87 appearances after signing from Hamburg in 2013.
Pedro Rodriguez
– Barcelona (ESP) to Chelsea; £21.2 million
Decorated Spain international Pedro seemed to be on the brink of
joining United, only for Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea to beat them to the
punch. The 28-year-old forward scored and set up a goal for Diego Costa
on his debut as Chelsea won 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion. “I knew
straight away he would make an impact in this team,” said team-mate Cesc
Fabregas.