With the summer transfer window officially shut, theScore ranks the 20 best moves made across the game’s top leagues.
Honourable mentions include Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Liverpool), Vitor Roque (Real Betis), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), and Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund).
20. Kepa Arrizabalaga ➡️ Bournemouth
Details: Season-long loan from Chelsea
In a desperate bid to stay within the financial rules, Chelsea discarded players like a giddy game-show host giving out prizes. Bournemouth were one of the many beneficiaries of the Blues’ fire sale. Kepa has his critics, but he likely would’ve been Real Madrid’s No. 1 for much last season had he not suffered an untimely injury before a Champions League match last November. Kepa should be a clear upgrade on Neto. – Daniel Rouse
19. Archie Gray ➡️ Tottenham Hotspur
Details: Signed from Leeds United for reported £35M fee
At just 18, Gray has already proved he can perform at a high level in central midfield and at full-back. He was named the Championship’s best young player last season, and £35 million seems reasonable considering his potential. Of course, he needs some improvement to become a dependable fixture in Tottenham’s side, including trying to advance play more often with his excellent passing and boosting his physicality with some time in the gym. – Rouse
18. Robin Le Normand ➡️ Atletico Madrid
Details: Signed from Real Sociedad for reported €34.5M fee
While not a household name, Le Normand is a top La Liga defender with international experience and a European Championship. He started six of Spain’s seven matches at Euro 2024 and helped cement Real Sociedad’s status as a regular participant in European competition over his eight years there. Atletico needed a reliable presence at the back following the departures of Mario Hermoso and Stefan Savic, and Le Normand, who’s hardly missed any games due to injury, fits that description. – Lopopolo
17. Waldemar Anton ➡️ Borussia Dortmund
Details: Signed from Stuttgart for reported €22.5M fee
Dortmund’s capture of Serhou Guirassy is eye-catching after his 28-goal haul in last season’s Bundesliga, but another arrival from Stuttgart could be more crucial to Nuri Sahin’s ranks. Anton skippered Stuttgart to second place last season, missing just one match while the club limited their rivals to 39 goals. The 28-year-old could forge a strong central defensive partnership with Nico Schlotterbeck for club and country. – Rouse
16. Noussair Mazraoui ➡️ Manchester United
Details: Signed from Bayern Munich for reported €15M fee
In the past, Manchester United’s obsession with players who’ve represented Ajax reeked of poor scouting and too much power for manager Erik ten Hag. However, bringing Mazraoui aboard was common sense, especially at that price. Mazraoui should be an obvious step up in quality from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, as he brings the defensive smarts of the offloaded full-back but is better in the attacking department with good assist numbers and a knack for getting himself in the box. – Rouse
15. Teun Koopmeiners ➡️ Juventus
Details: Signed from Atalanta for €54.7M fee
Koopmeiners convinced Juventus to make him the centerpiece of their rebuild back in March when he scored twice in a 2-2 draw against the Bianconeri. Before that, he turned heads as Atalanta’s creator-in-chief, taking on virtually every attacking role as the club swashbuckled its way to the Europa League title. He scored 10 of his 12 Serie A goals last season from outside the penalty area, proving he’s a threat no matter where he is on the pitch. – Lopopolo
14. Michael Olise ➡️ Bayern Munich
Details: Signed from Crystal Palace for reported £45M fee
With 10 Premier League goals and six assists last season, Olise outgrew Crystal Palace and built upon the best spell of his career with France at the Paris Olympics, helping his country win silver. A left-footed right-winger, Olise is a tricky player to mark and loves taking shots under pressure, often dancing in pockets of space as defenders close him down. He also produced the third-most goal-creating actions per 90 minutes during the 2023-24 EPL campaign. – Lopopolo
13. Alvaro Morata ➡️ AC Milan
Details: Signed from Atletico Madrid for reported €13M fee
The captain of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad became available at the right time for AC Milan. In need of a replacement for Olivier Giroud and leadership in the dressing room, budget-conscious Milan activated Morata’s cost-effective release clause shortly after Spain hoisted the trophy in Berlin. While not the most prolific scorer, Morata is a good fit at San Siro, offering the same heading ability and hold-up play that made Giroud a darling. – Lopopolo
12. Yankuba Minteh ➡️ Brighton & Hove Albion
Details: Signed from Newcastle United for reported £30M fee
In just three Premier League matches, Minteh has shown why Brighton broke their club record to sign him. He’s a whirlwind of talent who attacks defenders head-on, making him an irresistible watch. Minteh eases the burden on Brighton’s left-sided dribbler Kaoru Mitoma, who’s no longer the only mazy dribbler in the squad. Minteh bulldozes into the penalty area, but his belligerence on the ball takes nothing away from his touch. – Lopopolo
11. Amadou Onana ➡️ Aston Villa
Details: Signed from Everton for reported £50M fee
Onana has scored twice since making the switch from Goodison Park. But the goals are a bonus feature. Aston Villa nearly broke their club record for Onana’s stellar two-way play, hoping he could help drive Unai Emery’s transitions and take the defensive burden off of more attack-minded players like Youri Tielemans. Once a red card waiting to happen, Onana has refined those disruptive qualities to become a more reliable ball winner in midfield. – Lopopolo
10. Antonio Nusa ➡️ RB Leipzig
Details: Signed from Club Brugge for reported €21M fee
Norway’s latest sensation is already tearing it up in the Bundesliga. Nusa scored seven minutes into his debut for Leipzig, bagged another goal 35 minutes into his second match, and assisted the winning goal in their comeback victory over Bayer Leverkusen. Nicknamed the “Norwegian Neymar,” Nusa can twist defenders inside out. He loves to stretch play and cut infield, and he can do it on the left or right. Leipzig need not worry about losing Dani Olmo. – Lopopolo
9. Ivan Toney ➡️ Al-Ahli
Details: Signed from Brentford for reported £40M fee
The true motives behind Saudi Arabia’s government-backed assault on the transfer market are unsavory. But from a purely football perspective, this is a good move for Al-Ahli. True, Toney had a year left on his Brentford contract, but £40 million for a 28-year-old striker among the Premier League’s best finishers still represents good value. The Englishman should score at a similar rate to Cristiano Ronaldo and Aleksandar Mitrovic in the Saudi Pro League. – Rouse
8. Savinho ➡️ Manchester City
Details: Signed from Troyes for reported €40M fee
This transfer felt wrong. Troyes suffered back-to-back relegations, while their supremely talented winger Savinho flourished on loan at PSV Eindhoven and, most notably, Girona. He then left for Manchester City without playing a game for Troyes. City, Girona, and Troyes are all under the City Football Group umbrella. But whatever you think of the deal’s background, that doesn’t negate the fact that the 20-year-old is immensely skillful and entertaining and looks like a serious bargain at €40 million. – Rouse
7. Joao Neves ➡️ Paris Saint-Germain
Details: Signed from Benfica for reported €60M fee
PSG aren’t gambling on Neves. By the time they decided to fork over the cash for the teenager, he had already made 65 first-team appearances for Benfica. Even then, the Ligue 1 giants paid less than half of the player’s reported €137-million release clause. A defensive midfielder by trade, Neves is composed in tight quarters, like Marco Verratti in his prime. “He’s 19 but plays like he’s 30,” Portuguese teammate Joao Felix said last year. – Lopopolo
6. Xavi Simons ➡️ RB Leipzig
Details: Season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain
It’s hard to understand this deal from a Paris Saint-Germain perspective. Granted, Simons can develop into a leading star of their team next season or into a huge wedge of cash in the 2025 summer transfer market, but couldn’t he do a job for them now? Expect the Dutchman to build on his return of eight goals and 11 assists in the 2023-24 Bundesliga campaign in his second year with RB Leipzig. – Rouse
5. Conor Gallagher ➡️ Atletico Madrid
Details: Signed from Chelsea for reported €42M fee
Atletico Madrid spent heavily this summer and brought in players with the industry and positional discipline that manager Diego Simeone craves – unlike their previous two most expensive signings, Joao Felix and Thomas Lemar. Club-record signing Julian Alvarez certainly fits the bill, but capturing Gallagher also stands out. With regular minutes, he can be a consistent performer, bringing an energy and aggression that perfectly fit Atleti. – Rouse
4. Federico Chiesa ➡️ Liverpool
Details: Signed from Juventus for €15M fee
Sure, Chiesa isn’t exactly the player who helped Italy win Euro 2020. Tearing your ACL will put a damper on things. But he’s still an excellent winger with the appetite to take on defenders and create chances. And at just €15 million, he’s a bargain. Liverpool have taken on little risk with this move and given themselves a chance to independently evaluate whether he has what it takes to potentially replace Mohamed Salah long term. – Lopopolo
3. Raheem Sterling ➡️ Arsenal
Details: Season-long loan from Chelsea
Sterling’s fall from grace at Chelsea was dramatic and cruel, leaving him with the prospect of no football and lonely training sessions until January at least. Mikel Arteta took notice. The Spaniard, who used to work with Sterling as part of Manchester City’s coaching staff, has filled an undermanned part of his squad while also giving himself the challenge of returning the winger to his best. That would be a frightening prospect for Arsenal’s rivals. – Rouse
2. Ilkay Gundogan ➡️ Manchester City
Details: Signed from Barcelona on a free transfer
Paying nothing for a player of Gundogan’s experience, fitness, intelligence, imagination, goal threat, and tendency to deliver in the biggest games is a masterstroke. And City’s 2022-23 treble-winning captain was verging on desperate to return after the bedlam of Barcelona. A happy player, an excellent player, and a player who already has on-pitch synergy with the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva – sometimes, a transfer makes complete sense. – Rouse
1. Kylian Mbappe ➡️ Real Madrid
Details: Signed from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer
The rest of Europe already looked upon Madrid’s attack with great envy. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are arguably the best wingers in the world, Endrick is primed to be a star of the next generation, and midfielder Jude Bellingham was one of the deadliest finishers on the continent last season. And now, Mbappe has joined the fold on a free transfer – an unforgivable embarrassment for PSG – and is awash with ambition after joining the club of his dreams. He scored 256 goals and assisted 95 times in 308 appearances for Les Parisiens. – Rouse
