It’s been another busy week in the 2023 summer transfer window, with several high-profile deals completed in the past seven days.
After a few weeks packed with questionable transfers, most of the latest batch of standout moves should turn out to be positive acquisitions.
Let’s look at some of the top transfers completed in the past week, starting with one which saw Tottenham Hotspur lose their talisman.
Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich – £86m
While Harry Kane has finally joined a club that regularly wins silverware, you would be hard-pushed to imagine this was the move he wanted.
Manchester United would have been Kane’s ideal move, but there was zero chance of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy sanctioning that one.
With staying in the Premier League off the table, Kane’s options were limited. That won’t bother him if he wins the Champions League with Bayern.
Fred – Manchester United to Fenerbahce – £8.6m
Fred’s exit from Manchester United will not be mourned by the club’s fans, with the midfielder never quite living up to expectations at Old Trafford.
However, no one could ever accuse the Brazilian of not trying. He’s an honest player who works hard to maximise his limited skill set.
Fred will undoubtedly thrive with Fenerbahce – it’s a great move for him and an excellent one for them.
Ousmane Dembele – Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain – £43.5m
Big things were expected of Ousmane Dembele when he signed for Barcelona in 2017, but things didn’t go to plan for him in Spain.
He bagged 40 goals and 43 assists in 185 appearances for the club – not bad, but not great when you consider what Barca paid to secure his services.
Dembele should find things more to his liking with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Whether he will help them succeed in Europe is another matter.
Edson Alvarez – Ajax to West Ham United – £35m
Edson Alvarez has followed several former Ajax teammates in heading to the Premier League and will be eager to make his mark with West Ham United.
The Mexican international was one of Ajax’s better players during a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, and he will be missed by the Eredivisie outfit.
His ability to win the ball back and make progressive plays should improve West Ham, although his aggressive nature could be problematic with Premier League referees.
Franck Kessie – Barcelona to Al-Ahli – £13m
We’ve spent most of the summer highlighting the underwhelming nature of most of the players who have moved to the Saudi Pro League.
Franck Kessie’s name can now be added to the list after he jumped on the Saudi gravy train by completing a transfer to Al-Ahli.
Any hopes Kessie had of becoming one of the best midfielders in the world are now over. At least his accountant will be happy.
Goncalo Ramos – Benfica to Paris Saint-Germain – Loan
PSG’s decision to sign Goncalo Ramos from Benfica on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy should prove to be an inspired transfer move.
He bagged 27 goals in 47 appearances for Benfica last season and also netted a hat-trick for Portugal at last year’s World Cup in Qatar.
With Kylian Mbappe’s future still up in the air, PSG have bought themselves an extremely useful alternative in Ramos.
