Counting down the most astonishing bits of transfer business this last year
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As we reach the end of the year, CaughtOffside examines the best transfers in world football over the past 12 months – transfers which include Arsenals £30million summer signing and Chelsea’s dynamic duo.
15) Eric Dier: Sporting Lisbon -> Tottenham Hotspur (£4 million)
Dier was an unknown name to many until his summer move from Portugal to North London. The English youngster was a youth player at Everton through a loan but when that didn’t work out, returned to parent club Sporting Lisbon.
If Dier had stayed at Everton his price would have rocketed to £15 million and Dier would be just another in a long line of premier priced English players that not many people rate. However he returned to Lisbon, buckled down, got game time and developed into an impressive young defender.
Don’t be surprised if the big boys come a’ calling sometime soon.
14) Keylor Navas: Levante -> Real Madrid (€10 million)
Navas was the best goalkeeper in La Liga for Levante last season and was a hit at the World Cup putting in some brave performances for Costa Rica.
His transfer to Real Madrid came as a surprise as Navas was immediately back-up to Casillas but expect him to seriously challenge Real’s captain now he has established himself.
13) Mathieu Valbuena: Olympique Marseille -> Zenit St. Petersburg (£6 million)
It was a shock no English team attempted to hijack Valbuena’s move to Russia, though you’d expect he is on exorbitant wages at the moment with Valbuena himself even saying finances were the key reason for his move.
With three goals and eight assists already this season there might be a clamour of interest in the summer with a predicted fire sale at Zenit following their Champions League group stage failure.
12) Gylfi Sigurdsson: Tottenham Hotspur -> Swansea City (Player Trade)
Swansea were the real winners from this unconventional player swap deal with Ben Davies being traded from the Welsh club and Sigurdsson returning to his old stomping ground.
The Icelandic midfielder has provided eight assists so far this season four of them coming in his first three games back for the Swans.
11) Mario Mandzukic: Bayern Munich -> Atletico Madrid (€22 million)
The big Croat never seemed to fit in Pep Guardiola’s plans at Bayern but he’s certainly crucial to Diego Simeone’s at Atletico, their knack for finding brilliant strikers for relatively cheap fees looks set to continue with Mandzukic tallying up 12 goals in 21 appearances so far.
Mandzukic was crucial to Atletico’s pre-season success of the Supercopa where they defeated Real Madrid.
10) Diego Lopez: Real Madrid -> AC Milan (Free Transfer)
Despite being their first choice goalkeeper, Real did little to keep ahold of Lopez and he swiftly signed for AC Milan in what proved to be a great bit of business.
Milan’s other goalkeeping signing Michael Agazzi needs time to bed in and make the step up from Chievo and Lopez provides the perfect cover and competitions whilst he finds his feet.
9) Antoine Greizmann: Real Sociedad -> Atletico Madrid (€30 million)
Just 23, Greizmann’s high transfer fee just shows how highly regarded he is in Spain.
Last season he scored 16 goals from his left wing position, though he can play anywhere among the forward line and Atletico will be hoping he repeats his impressive feats whilst they try and build a new side following a series of high profile departures in the summer.
8) Toni Kroos: Bayern Munich -> Real Madrid (€25 million)
Still just 24, the decision to let Kroos leave Germany was a curious one form Bayern with the player clearly approaching his prime.
However, Real will have been happy to snap up his signature safe in the knowledge they have one of Europe’s most dominant and incisive midfielders and Kroos has since proven to be the beating heart of a Madrid team that has just won their 22nd straight match.
7) Luis Suarez: Liverpool -> Barcelona (€81 million)
Suarez was able to realise his long standing affinity with Barcelona this summer following his powering season at Liverpool.
Due to his biting antics at the World Cup he had to wait to make his debut and he still doesn’t look to have properly found his feet but you get the feeling once the Uruguayan clicks with his attacking partners Messi and Neymar, Barca will have one of the deadliest forward lines.
Suarez will be hoping he can add to his relatively empty trophy cabinet now he’s at one of Europe’s most competitive clubs.
6) Angel Di Maria: Real Madrid -> Manchester United (€75 million)
After such a poor season by their standards the year previous and the complete lack of European football on offer, it was questionable whether United would manage to attract the world class talent they so obviously craved, but they managed to get their man despite interest from PSG and City.
Whilst he hasn’t set the world alight like his previous season at Madrid and his domineering performances in the World Cup you get the sense once the Argentine gets to grips with the league he will be an unstoppable force.
5) Diego Costa: Atletico Madrid -> Chelsea (£32 million)
There were question marks and doubts over Costa’s ability to succeed at Chelsea following a stellar season for Atletico due to his susceptibility to injuries and his relatively paltry record before 2013/14 but he has proven himself to be every bit of the centre forward Chelsea were crying out for all of last season.
His record of almost a goal per game in the league, 12 in 14 speaks for itself.
4) Xabi Alonso: Real Madrid -> Bayern Munich (€10 million)
Alonso moving to Bayern was a surprising transfer twist and not one that anyone had predicted. And with the current lack of a dominant presence in the Madrid midfielder with Real frantically looking to sign Lucas Silva in January to maintain some kind of midfielder superiority you have to wonder why they decided to move Alonso on and for so little.
Bayern will not mind however with the veteran Spaniard showing just what a class act he is, putting in domineering after domineering performance at the base of Bayern’s attack.
3) Alexis Sanchez: Barcelona -> Arsenal (£30 million)
It’s surprising Barcelona ever allowed Sanchez to go in the summer despite the impending arrival of Luis Suarez with the Chilean forward showing just what a talent he is since his move to Arsenal.
But the Gunners are certainly pleased with Sanchez becoming the main man in North London and the reason Arsene Wenger’s side are anywhere near contention for the top four.
2) Cesc Fabregas: Barcelona -> Chelsea (€33 million)
Whilst Arsenal may have pulled a transfer coup with the signing of Alexis Sanchez they made an equally big gaffe when they declined to use their first refusal on Cesc Fabregas when Barcelona were looking to sell.
The Spaniard’s form for the Blues has been nothing short of spectacular and Fabregas has been one of the league’s best players since he made his Chelsea debut.
1) Robert Lewandowski: Borussia Dortmund -> Bayern Munich (Free Transfer)
Lewandowski may have taken his time to settle in at Bayern but the Germany giants will hardly care considering for one their already skilled forward line but mainly the fact that Lewandowski cost them nothing in the way of a fee and at the same time allowed them to weaken their nearest rival – in a devastating way too it seems for Borussia Dortmund.
He’s certainly an upgrade on the work-manlike Mandzukic who never corresponded with Guardiola’s style and will be eager to improve his trophy record with one of the best sides in world football.