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Top 15 football summer transfers of 2024

By chevaliersports September 5, 2024 0

Finally, the transfer window has shut. And with that, all of us might have our list of yays and nays when it comes to transfers.

While Madrid fans will be ecstatic with the arrival of France sensation Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian wonderkid Endrick, Chelsea are seriously having a headache as to what to do with a squad boasting of 43 players. 43 effing players. Shocking right?

The summer of 2024 has been an eventful one for the football world. While there are way too many arrivals (pun intended) there are few players who have to depart to a different club in search of 💰 or more playing time.

In this article, we will be looking at the top 15 summer transfers that have taken place in the football world in 2024.

Top 15 football summer transfers of 2024

Julian Alvarez (Manchester City to Atletico Madrid)

Argentina’s Julian Alvarez, who played second fiddle to Erling Haaland during his time at Manchester City; wanted to have more playing time. And this season, the midfielder received a bid from Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid who are going through a transition phase.

With a dismal performance coming from Simeone’s squad last season, it was high time they looked for a striker who could land them goals (in dozens). And Alvarez seemed to be a perfect fit. Atletico Madrid announced the arrival of Alvarez from Manchester City in a deal worth £82m (€95m).

Conor Gallagher (Chelsea to Atletico Madrid)

Enzo Maresca’s arrival at Chelsea meant trouble for many. Ex-Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher was one of the many players leaving Stamford Bridge. The Blues midfielder found a new home at 2020-21 La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.

Atlético Madrid completed the signing of midfielder Conor Gallagher from Chelsea in a deal worth around €40 million ($44m). With this signing, Atletico has strengthened their midfield comprising Koke, Rodrigo de Paul, Thomas Lemar, and Marcos Llorente.

Leny Yoro (Lille to Manchester United)

Manchester United had a busy summer. After securing the services of Joshua Zirkzee, the Red Devils beat Spanish giants Real Madrid to get France’s Leny Yoro to Old Trafford.

The center-back moved to the Red Devils in a deal worth £52m plus add-ons. This might seem a very big amount considering the youngster’s age. However, the French center-back is being considered as one of the best teenagers in the football world.

Kylian Mbappe (PSG to Real Madrid)

One of the most anticipated transfers of this season finally happened after a lot of controversy. Kylian Mbappe followed his idol’s footsteps (no points for the right guesses). The 2018 World Cup winner joined 2023-24 UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Mbappé, 25, signed a five-year contract at the club after leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. Madrid president Florentina Perez had been seeking the France captain’s signature since the 2018 FIFA World Cup; the first time Mbappe broke on the international stage. But things couldn’t materialize somehow.

However, now that he has joined his dream club, will the Frenchmen be able to emulate his idol’s success at the club?

Endrick (Palmeiras to Real Madrid)

Real Madrid needs to be credited for their smart transfer business. After getting Kylian Mbappe at the club, the La Liga giants decided to bring Brazilian wonderkid Endrick to Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid agreed a deal to sign forward Endrick from Palmeiras in December 2022, but the prospect could not formally join the club until his 18th birthday on July 21, 2024.

Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig to Barcelona)

After helping his country lift the Euro 2024 trophy, Dani Olmo has decided to join the boyhood club, Barcelona. The Catalans who had shown interest in the La Masia graduate finally secured the player this transfer season.

The La Liga giants have reportedly sent an offer worth €62 million (£53 million) with a €55 million (£47 million) initial fee and €7 million (£6 million) in add-ons. The midfielder has agreed to sign a six-year contract with Barcelona.

Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth to Tottenham Hotspurs)

Seems like Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich has seriously affected Tottenham. The perennial underachievers of the Premier League have failed to convert their attacks into goals. The failure of Richarlison and the constant injury problems of Heung Min Son have put additional pressure on the club.

The North London club has decided to fill the void of a consistent striker by bringing Bournemouth’s goal-scoring machine Dominic Solanke to the club. As per the deal, Solanke cost a total of £65m for the Spurs. The deal will see Spurs pay an initial £55m with £10m possible to follow in bonuses.

Pedro Neto (Wolves to Chelsea)

Chelsea are going berserk at the transfer window this season. Could you believe they have a squad boasting a total of 9 goalkeepers? Wonder what the football pundits have to say about this!!

After signing a total of 13 players this season, the move of Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Blues has met with an amazing response from the fans.

As for the numbers, Pedro Neto has completed his move to Chelsea from Wolves; the Blues will pay £51.4m upfront plus £2.6m in add-ons.

Federico Chiesa (Juventus to Liverpool)

The Arne Slot era at Anfield has begun. After deciding to not do any summer signings (unusual by a club of their standards), Liverpool decided to make a late entry into the transfer window.

Chiesa, the Italian starboy who lit up the Euro 2020 stage with his amazing dribbling skills, decided to make a move into the Premier League. The former Juventus player signed a three-year deal worth €13M; which seems to be a bargain for the 2019-20 Premier League winners.

Manuel Ugarte (PSG to Manchester United)

The lack of powerhouse midfielders has been hurting Manchester United for the past few seasons. Yes, skipper Bruno Fernandes has been holding the fort quite well for the Red Devils. But the need for more players like him is needed at Old Trafford.

And the Red Devils have pinned their hopes on Manuel Ugarte. The Uruguayan international, who plays for Paris St. Germain has arrived at Manchester United. The club shelled out €50 million to secure his services; who was a top target for manager Erik Ten Hag.

Ivan Toney (Brentford to Al-Ahli)

After being linked to a move to Chelsea, Brentford star Ivan Toney has decided to try his luck at the Saudi Pro League. The Englishman has decided to join the Middle East club for a stunning move to Al-Ahli that cost €42M on the deadline day. At Al-Ahli, Toney will earn a staggering £403,000-a-week including bonuses. It means Toney will earn more than 13 times the £36,000-a-week wage he picked up at Brentford.

Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich to Manchester United)

Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United have bolstered their defense with the addition of Matthijs de Ligt. The former Juventus and Bayern Munich player has signed a contract until June 2029, with the option to extend for a further year.

The Netherlands international has signed a deal worth a combined £60 million ($76.6m) including add-ons.

The news will surely boost the hopes of United fans who want to make a return to UEFA Champions League football.

Joao Neves (Benfica to PSG)

After a lot of helter-skelter, Benfica star Joao Neves has confirmed a move to Paris St. Germain.

The young Portuguese player has joined PSG for a five-year deal worth €60 million.

Considered one of the hottest properties in the football world, Neves will surely try his best to win the first-ever Champions League for the Ligue 1 champions.

Michael Olise (Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich)

Looks like last year’s dismal Bundesliga season has made Bayern Munich head back straight to the drawing board and strengthen its squad. To get back to winning ways, the German champions have signed Michael Olise from Crystal Palace.

The Bundesliga side will pay £50.8m (€60m) including add-ons to bring the 22-year-old to the Allianz Arena.

Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid to Chelsea)

After Romelu Lukaku, the only player who can claim to have an amazing agent is Portugal’s Joao Felix. After doing back and forth between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, the winger has finally decided to move back to Stamford Bridge for a seven-year deal worth €50 million.

Other Notable Mentions:

Jadon Sancho (Manchester United to Chelsea)

Victor Osimhein (Napoli to Galatasaray)

Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa to Juventus)

Mats Hummels (Borrusia Dortmund to AS Roma)

So, that’s it. That’s our list of the top 15 summer transfers in football that we feel might be game-changers this season. Were you satisfied with your club’s transfer strategy this season? Comment down below who you think should be bought and who should be sold at your favourite club.

Categories: Football, Sports360

Pep Guardiola masterclass powers Manchester City to the finals of Champions League

Manchester City Rout Everton, Put One Foot in the Premier League Title

By Sports Analyst May 15, 2023 0

Current Premier League table toppers Manchester City thrashed Everton to edge closer to its 3rd successive Premier League title. The Men in Blue won 3-0 with skipper Ilkay Gundogan scoring a double to take his side to a comfortable victory.

Manchester City’s four-point advantage over an Arsenal side who have played a game more means they will win the title on Saturday – if Arsenal loses at Nottingham Forest – or on Sunday if they beat Chelsea.

Arsenal, who have been leading the Premier League title charge have slipped massively after the huge defeat to Brighton. The Mikel Arteta-led side lost 3-0 to Brighton to remove any signs of them winning the Premier League title.

A ruthless display from @ManCity 💪#EVEMCI pic.twitter.com/RSYoedhqKu

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 14, 2023

Pep Guardiola, who is about to lift the trophy for the fourth time in the last five seasons was ecstatic with his team’s victory. The manager commented, “From minute one we took the game in our hands. We controlled the game. We were patient and attacked the spaces.”

Guardiola’s Manchester City are on the verge of completing their treble. The Premier League defending champions have drawn the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Real Madrid. The club will host Real Madrid for the second leg on Wednesday and make another Champions League final.

Additionally, the English club will be facing fellow Manchester rivals; Manchester United in the FA Cup finals on 3rd June at Wembley Stadium.

Categories: Trending News

Breaking: Chelsea sack Graham Potter after six months in charge

By Sports Analyst April 3, 2023 0

After dropping to the lower half of the table in Premier League, Chelsea authorities have decided to sack their manager Graham Potter with immediate effect. Bruno Saltor will take charge of the team as Interim Head Coach.

Announcing the news on Chelsea’s official website, co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said, ‘On behalf of everyone at the club, we want to thank Graham sincerely for his contribution to Chelsea. We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person. He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity, and we are all disappointed in this outcome.”

Club statement.

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 2, 2023

They further added, “Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season. We have 10 Premier League games remaining and a Champions League quarter-final ahead. We will put every effort and commitment into every one of those games so that we can end the season on a high.”

Graham Potter leaves with the second-worst record of any Chelsea manager in the Premier League era (40% win percentage overall, barely 30% in the league). This weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at home, the final straw, was his 8th defeat in 22 Premier League games. At one point, Chelsea had gone without a win in six straight (longest in a decade) and an absolutely futile sequence from November to March saw the Blues win just twice from fifteen games — Chelsea’s worst run for three decades. Potter did eventually arrest the slide, but that turned out to be just a temporary reprieve. He could not find the solutions needed.

With Potter’s exit, there are few names that are expected to take charge of the London-based club. Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Naggelsmann is the favorite to succeed Graham Potter at Chelsea. Former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris St. Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino is also being linked with the high-profile job.

Categories: Trending News

The 15 Strangest Prizes given in Sports

By Sports Analyst February 21, 2023 0

Every sport is played for the reward, be it a golden trophy or a mixer-grinder; the prizes are a must. There are many strangest prizes that have been given out in sports. Some examples include “A full crate of beer” awarded to the man of the match of The Zimbabwean Premier League, a gigantic credit card, and even a live chicken. Some of these odd awards, whether they serve as an acknowledgment for a Man of the Match performance, Player of the Month consistency, or any other honor that recognizes excellent form, actually left us perplexed. Let’s have a look at some of those.

Top 15 Strangest Prizes given in Sports

A chicken

This Man of the Match award from Malawi was more of a local fan’s gesture of appreciation than a full-fledged trophy. Despite this, there is no denying how bizarre it is on its whole. Supporters of Nyassa Big Bullets are accustomed to rewarding their players to encourage them. Hassan Kajoke, a striker of the team, was handed a live chicken in July 2019 after leading the team to a 5-0 victory.

A jeweled dagger

Golf’s Trophée Hassan II in Morocco chooses a jeweled ceremonial dagger over a jacket or cardigan, which are prizes at the Masters and Arnold Palmer Invitational, respectively. Welshman Rhys Davis won it in 2010, but in order to get the weapon on the plane for his return voyage home, he needed a special letter of permission from the Moroccan Royal Family.

Blender

When Luke Wright was given a blender as the Man of the Match prize for his performance in the Dhaka Premier League. The cricketer for England’s post at the time had gone viral. “Pleased we won my first match for Abhanai today. Have to say I have never been given a blender for MoM before,” he tweeted.

A full crate of beer

Champagne may no longer be awarded a Man of the Match trophy in the Premier League, but other nations continue to award alcohol—and in considerable quantities, too. A whole crate of beer has occasionally been given as a reward for Man of the Match performances in the Zimbabwean Premier League, which is sponsored by Castle Lager. Not exactly the best award for a professional athlete.

A cow

Winners of alpine ski competitions frequently receive animals, but this is primarily symbolic. Up until a live calf or $5,000 offer was made to Lindsey Vonn in France’s Val d’Isère. As you would have anticipated, Vonn took the calf, much to the chagrin of the organizer. The cow was valued at $20,000, so Vonn’s decision to buy it was more than savvy.

Bat grip and shoelaces

In the opening ODI of India’s tour to Australia in 2018–19, the speedster bowled superbly. Jhye Richardson took four wickets and only conceded 26 runs. His bowling performance was immensely helpful for the Australians as they won the opening game of the three-match ODI series. Funny enough, the fast bowler received the Man of the Match award during the presentation ceremony in the form of shoelaces and a bat grip.

The India-Australia series is one of the most valuable in sports, as it is widely recognized. The trophies handed out during the series drew criticism from several former cricket players. The Indian team ultimately won the series. However, they were only granted $500, and the organizers received a lot of criticism for this.

A rice cooker

Eoin Morgan played many match-winning performances during his time in the Dhaka Premier League. The southpaw received many Player of the Match awards for his efforts. However, one such prize turned out to be a rice cooker. Morgan assumed the stove was being used as a metaphor for his terrific knock “under pressure,” which made the situation rather comical. But it turned out that one of the sponsors was the rice cooker brand.

Milk and rosewater

Indianapolis 500 victors are given a milk bottle, which they will gulp from and then pour over their heads (they even have to specify their milk preference before racing). Alcohol use is not unlawful in Bahrain, although it is not permitted outside. Therefore, Waard, a non-alcoholic rosewater beverage, is used in place of the customary victory spray at Formula 1 races.

A gigantic credit card

We have no doubt that the Kaiser Chiefs midfielder enjoyed the 2,000 South African Rand that he received from sponsors ABSA bank in April 2014 as a Man of the Match award, but we’re still not sure why the novelty credit card he was given had to be quite so big. This item would have been difficult to transport home, and using contactless payment would require at least two people to operate.

Flip Flops

A prize is a prize, but we don’t think a pair of flip-flops should ever be given out as the Man of the Match award except for the final match before the summer break. However, Ghanaian Premier League team Dreams FC decided to frequently award pairs of the infamously fragile shoes as a reward for exceptional performances via their sponsors. They don’t appear top of the line from the picture below, and the receiver appears more interested in being somewhere else than at the presentation.

A Burger King paper crown

Undoubtedly the least expensive item on this list, Franco Armani of Argentina received a paper crown from one of the fast food moguls following his outstanding River Plate performance against Danubio in March 2018. Armani was forced to give his post-game interview while wearing the crown due to sponsorship obligations, making him appear silly.

Sunshine snacks in CPL

One of the top T20 cricket competitions is the Caribbean Premier League. Since several T20 franchises worldwide had Caribbean cricketers as their main attraction, the West Indies Cricket Board decided to launch its own T20 League. Sunshine Snacks is one of the tournament’s many notable sponsors. Customers of the food companies receive nuts and chips, and they also follow this strategy with Man of the Matches. The sponsor gave players of the match award winners a snack basket, which was hilarious because the players couldn’t eat greasy snacks given the current fitness standards of the sport.

Bananas

Bicyclists adore bananas. They contain carbs to boost energy levels as well as potassium to assist in restoring electrolytes lost via perspiration. The opening stage winner in Alanya is awarded a few kilograms of bananas, proving that no one likes them nearly as much as the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. That might not seem like much, but it makes sense because the city produces most of the fruit in Turkey, with about 40,000 tonnes produced yearly.

5GB of mobile data

In 2018, Hlompho Kekana of the South African team Mamelodi Sundowns went viral after receiving 5GB of mobile data from league sponsors after a performance that won him the “Man of the Match.” Such a prize would come in handy in a place where high-speed internet can be expensive. But it’s not the kind of thing you can put on your mantle and look back on when your career is gone!

A fresh fish

In August 2019, after winning Real Sociedad’s Player of the Month award, current Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard received a sizable fresh fish for reasons that we’ve never quite been able to decipher. He could have been excused for having the same confused look on his face as many others on this list at the age of 16, especially because he was earning a sizable weekly wage.

Categories: Sports360

Top 15 football summer transfers of 2024