Blockbuster deals have been in short supply in the current market, with most top clubs spending smart instead of big
The 2024 January transfer window was the quietest in recent memory as purse strings were tightened due to concerns over potential breaches of Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability Rules. Unprecedented new spending records had been posted in the previous three transfer windows, with the Premier League (and more specifically, Chelsea) responsible for most of the eye-watering deals, but it wasn't sustainable.
This summer there has been more of a balance. Money has been splashed across Europe again, but clubs are no longer paying over the odds for their priority targets, and there has been more focus on younger talent instead of established names.
The Premier League has pulled off a few exciting deals, with Manchester United and Arsenal snapping up Joshua Zirkzee and Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, respectively, but the other top four leagues on the continent have generally been more proactive on the recruitment front.
Below, GOAL has ranked the 15 best-value transfers from outside England of the summer so far, from a United States star embarking on a new career chapter to a World Cup winner who has reportedly taken a considerable pay cut to fulfil another lifelong dream…
Getty Images15Sergino Dest (Barcelona to PSV, free)
Sergino Dest's miserable four-year stint at Barcelona is finally over. The United States international never really got the chance to prove his worth at Camp Nou, but a loan spell with PSV in 2023-24 helped him rediscover his passion for the game.
PSV romped to the Eredivisie title and Dest was one of their standout players, until a cruel ACL injury cut short his season, and ruled him out of the Copa America. The 23-year-old is not expected to return to action until the New Year, but PSV still decided to sign him outright, with Barca happy to let him go on a free in order to reduce their over-inflated salary bill. It's a calculated risk that could reap great rewards for PSV if the American makes a full recovery, because has all the attributes to become a complete full-back.
AdvertisementGetty14Joao Palhinha (Fulham to Bayern Munich, €50m)
Bayern Munich thought they'd signed Joao Palhinha from Fulham in a €65m (£56m/$77m) deal last summer, only for the move to collapse after he'd already taken part in his first photoshoot for the club. It was a crushing disappointment that would break most players, but Palhinha returned to Fulham as a man possessed, and the Cottagers probably would have been dragged into a relegation battle had it not been for his colossal displays in midfield.
Palhinha is a master ball-winner who never seems to run out of energy, and even at the age of 29, it feels like he still hasn't quite reached his peak. That's one of the reasons Bayern came back in for the Portuguese in July, and at a reduced price, which could be a major bargain if he proves to be as influential at Allianz Arena as he was in his two years at Craven Cottage.
Getty13Raphael Varane (Man Utd to Como, free)
Manchester United signed Raphael Varane too late. He called time on a glittering career with Real Madrid at 28 to take on a new challenge in the Premier League in 2021, but the physically imposing and technically-gifted defender never reached the same heights at Old Trafford.
Persistent injury problems were the main reason for Varane's decline, and he left Old Trafford as a free agent in June with his stock lower than ever before. The 31-year-old still has plenty of experience and quality, though, which is why his surprise move to Serie A new boys Como might just be a masterstroke. Working alongside Cesc Fabregas as part of an ambitious project in a beautiful part of Italy could give Varane a new lease of life, and he will get much more time to recover between matches with no European football to worry about. His new employers will, thus, be praying that the injury he picked up on his debut on Sunday is not too serious…
(C)GettyImages12Georges Mikautadze (Metz to Lyon, €18m)
Very few casual fans would have heard of Georges Mikautadze before this summer's European Championship in Germany. The Georgia international secured a dream move to Ajax from Metz last year, but only played nine games in all competitions in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign, which led to the Dutch club sending him back to Stage Saint-Symphorien on loan.
Mikautadze couldn't save Metz from relegation to Ligue 2, but he scored 13 goals in 20 league games, and ultimately re-signed for the club on permanent terms. The 23-year-old went on to win a share of the Golden Boot as Georgia upset the odds to reach the last 16 of the Euros, prompting Lyon to swoop for his services. It was a shrewd move that could push Lyon back towards the Champions League places, with Mikautadze now showing real signs of developing into a top-class goal-scorer.
