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Transfer Talk: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern & more – the top moves in Europe summer

Jurgen Klopp hails “exceptional” Bellingham amid Liverpool interest

The 2023 summer transfer window is done and dusted meaning we can finally have a few weeks without nonsensical rumours about possible moves.

It’s been a hectic period in the top European leagues, with numerous clubs splashing the cash to boost their hopes of winning silverware.

Barcelona have continued their tradition of spending money they don’t have, pulling yet more of their infamous ‘economic levers’.

In fairness to the reigning La Liga champions, they have undoubtedly made some signings that have met with the Football Today nod of approval.

With that in mind, we have scoured this summer’s transfers to identify which clubs in Europe’s top leagues have completed the best moves.

Jude Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid – £88.5m

Madrid pulled off the top move this summer by splashing the cash to sign Bellingham from Bundesliga giants Dortmund.

The midfielder has hit the ground running in Spain, netting five goals in four games and winning La Liga’s Player of the Month award for August.

The only nagging question remaining about Bellingham is how will England manager Gareth Southgate find a way to ruin him at international level?


Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich – £86m

Bayern finally ended their wait to find a successor to Robert Lewandowski by pushing the boat out to sign Kane from Tottenham.

Kane has scored three goals in three games for Bayern and looks guaranteed to end the campaign as the top scorer in the Bundesliga.

The England captain will undoubtedly win trophies with the German club. One of them will need to be the Champions League for the move to be described as successful.

Christian Pulisic – Chelsea to AC Milan – £20m

Pulisic was among a plethora of underachievers shipped out by Chelsea this summer, and he has a major point to prove in Serie A.

The early signs have been promising, with the United States international showing flashes of the brilliance he previously demonstrated with Dortmund.

The 24-year-old still has time to fulfil his potential, and his cause could be helped by the presence of one of his former teammates.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek – Chelsea to AC Milan – £15m

While Pulisic has dominated the headlines during the early part of the season, Loftus-Cheek has quietly been Milan’s most consistent performer.

In addition to providing a platform for Milan’s attacking players to flourish, he has also demonstrated his ability to be effective in more advanced areas.

Considering that some clubs paid more than £100m for midfielders this summer, Milan’s £15m outlay on Loftus-Cheek is a bargain.

Milan Skriniar – Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain – Free

PSG’s failure to win the Champions League has long been attributed to the club having a soft underbelly – some people might say ‘flaky’.

Their summer transfer business has sought to address those issues by adding much-needed steel to the backbone of the team.

Skriniar looks to be over the injury issues that blighted his final season at Inter and is already forging a formidable defensive partnership with Marquinhos.

Oriel Romeu – Girona to Barcelona – £3m

There have been plenty of ‘flashy’ signings around Europe this summer, which have overshadowed moves for supposedly less talented players.

Romeu’s switch from Girona to Barcelona falls into the category but is a move that will ultimately prove to be an inspired piece of business.

The midfielder is a better player than people give him credit for and will play a key role in Barca’s bid to challenge for silverware this season.

Tijjani Reijnders – AZ Alkmaar to AC Milan – £17m

We head back to Milan for our next top signing, and it is another midfielder who surprisingly failed to attract much interest from elsewhere.

Reijnders looked a class act at AZ Alkmaar last season, netting seven goals and 12 assists in 54 appearances for the Eredivisie club.

The 25-year-old has sparkled for Milan in their first three league games and is expected to prove to be a shrewd purchase by the Serie A giants.

Benjamin Sesko – RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig – £20m

Sesko’s move from Salzburg to Leipzig was agreed last summer, but it was not made official until August 2023.

With Leipzig boasting several other attacking options they have used Sesko sparingly to date, but it will not be long before he becomes a regular starter.

He netted twice in a 15-minute cameo against Union Berlin over the weekend and should score goals for fun in the Bundesliga.

Ilkay Gundogan – Manchester City to Barcelona – Free

After playing a key role in Man City’s massive success in recent years, Gundogan will see out the latter stages of his career with Barcelona.

The German is an astute buy on a free transfer, bringing a wealth of experience to a club that boasts an array of emerging midfield talents.

The 32-year-old has weighed in with a couple of assists in Barca’s first four matches but is confidently expected to increase his output as the season progresses.

Marcus Thuram – Borussia Monchengladbach to Inter Milan – Free

Several top European clubs wanted to sign Thuram on a free transfer from Monchengladbach, but Inter won the race by offering him a bumper salary package.

He looked a little off the pace during pre-season but has slowly started to demonstrate why Inter were so eager to secure his services.

Thuram scored his first goal for Inter in their 4-0 demolition of Fiorentina over the weekend – that effort will be the catalyst for him to enjoy a fine season.

Manuel Ugarte – Sporting Lisbon to Paris Saint-Germain – £52m

Our final top summer signing in Europe is a player who further demonstrates PSG’s desire to add some solidity to their starting XI.

Having initially showcased his tenacity with Sporting Lisbon, the Uruguayan midfielder has quickly shown his qualities with PSG.

Manchester United paid £55m for Mason Mount and Ugarte was available for less? Work that one out if you can.

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