The 10 best signings of the summer transfer window
The soccer world has seen players move teams for eye-watering sums of money this summer, from Neymar downwards. Who have been the 10 best signings?
It won’t have escaped your attention that transfer spending has gone through the roof this summer. That isn’t exclusive to the Premier League, either, despite the fact England makes most of the headlines on this front. Most of the top 10 costliest players may have been signed by English clubs, but there has been big spending across the continent.
It hasn’t just been by the usual suspects either. In net spend terms, Zenit St Petersburg, Lille and Schalke are all among Europe’s top cash splashers. In fairness, after the big spending quartet of PSG, Milan and the Manchester clubs, there is quite a drop off. The soccer money bubble shows no signs of bursting any time soon.
Not that we should automatically equate a large transfer fee with being a good signing. If you look at the most expensive Premier League signings (when transfer inflation is applied), you’ll see the transfers of Andrei Shevchenko, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Fernando Torres to Chelsea are all in the top 10.
That’s a lot of wasted money. No doubt there will be plenty going down the drain this summer too. Injuries, loss of form, failing to settle in a new country and changes in management can all effect the success of a transfer. These excuses will all be used to explain away failed signings in 2017-18.
Still, it’s fun to speculate on who the 10 best signings have been this summer. You won’t agree with all of the choices or the order they are in, and nor should you. All transfer fees quoted are taken from Transfermarkt, for consistency’s sake if nothing else.
10. Dani Ceballos, Real Madrid
£15.30 million from Real Betis
This transfer may initially seem like a surprising inclusion for a list like this. Dani Ceballos may struggle to get much time on the pitch for Real Madrid this season. He definitely looks light a great prospect for the future, though. Long term, the young Spaniard could prove to the steal of the summer 2017 transfer window.
As a general rule, young players struggle for minutes in the top European leagues. This hasn’t been the case for Ceballos though. Only four players who are younger than him played more in La Liga last season. The Sevilla-born midfielder has already racked up 65 appearances in the Spanish top flight, despite only turning 21 last month. Betis spent a year in the second division during his time, else he’d have close to 100 top level games under his belt.
Ceballos also had a good tournament at the recent under-21 European Championship. He made four appearances, and assisted the opening goal in Spain’s 3-1 semi-final victory over Italy. Germany may have won the final, but Ceballos performed well on the night.
His main strengths are his passing ability and his dribbling. Indeed, for his age group he is one of La Liga’s finest opposition blood-twisters.
The good news is that Ceballos is a realist. At his Real Madrid unveiling, the Spaniard noted “I have huge expectation to enjoy, to learn from fantastic players, the players at the highest level, to learn from them and try one day to be like Luka, like Toni – to be a part of the club’s history.”
A wise head on talented shoulders. This kid should go far.