No triple-digit purchases
©IMAGO
The previous summer market raised expectations for what was to come in the 24/25 campaign. However, even though the Euro Cup, Copa America and Olympic Games were played, there were no triple-digit signings that broke the window, beyond the arrival of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid as a free agent. Julián Álvarez was the most expensive player of this European summer and Manuel Ugarte closed the moves as the most important transfer of Deadline Day. Clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool did not show up to the party and the investment was discreet, different from what is already customary with Chelsea, the team that has spent the most money on purchases during the last three European seasons.
The transfer of Julián Álvarez was the gold in this summer market, a forward who left Pep Guardiola’s ranks to seek more ownership and prominence under Diego Simeone. Atlético de Madrid hit hard in the LaLiga market with his acquisition by 75 million euros and another 15 million in variables, a transfer that could reach 90 million with certain objectives to be met. Almost 10 million euros separated Álvarez from Dominic Solanke, who was second in the window with his arrival at Tottenham for a figure of 64.3 million, beating Leny Yoro, a defender who moved to Manchester United with a contract agreed for 62 million.
The summer period did not really see any big names in transfers for money. Many of the most important movements were of players in projectionlike João Neves, who was PSG’s biggest bet with a purchase figure of 59.9 million. The French team invested more in the Portuguese than they received from Manuel Ugarte, who only spent one season in Paris before flying to Manchester United. The Uruguayan became the player with the most money moved for his country and 50 million was enough for the British to get the midfielder.
Chelsea was somewhat limited compared to the past two seasons, but still had a market of 261 million outgoing, more than any other club in the 24/25. Pedro Neto was the fifth star purchase of the market and his cost was 60 million, joining João Félix in eleventh place with a purchase price of 52 million, an attacker who was recently loaned to the English team and who will now return as one of the blue team’s top figures. In the top 10 star transfers of 2024/25, only one was owned by Chelsea and no club repeated the position.
Ugarte was mentioned as the biggest move of Deadline Day, not only in terms of cost but also in market value. His move to Manchester United was already agreed, but only became official after Napoli announced the signing of Scott McTominay, who left Old Trafford to play in Italy for a fee of 30.5 million. That is to say, the most important purchases on the last day of summer had United in the middle, with Ugarte and McTominay being men in the same position. The first big news of the day was Aaron Ramsdale, who signed for the newly promoted Southampton for 21.4 million to become their star goalkeeper.
English clubs made their move very late, with Wolverhampton, for example, signing André for 22 million from Fluminense, the most notable South American export of the last few days of summer. Meanwhile, Raheem Sterling (unofficial) underwent medical tests at extreme hours to join Arsenal on loan, a move from Chelsea that took the night watchmen by surprise. There was also the case of Eddie Nketiah, who said goodbye to Mikel Arteta to play for Crystal Palace, a Premier League team that made him their second most expensive purchase of all time, just before the buzzer sounded.
