Les Parisens have signed top class players in the best clubs, while a good number of these players joined for free.
The likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid also feature on the list of the biggest winners and losers of the transfer window. Let’s take a look at how the summer transpired.
Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarouma are top class players and have been playing at the top level for several years mostly the former trio, experienced and gifted. Donnarumma however might be younger in age but he is a very talented goalkeeper, with experience at club and international level. It was great business for PSG to get them all for free.
Talented full back duo of Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes have also joined the club for €60m and on loan with buy option for €40m respectively. Hakimi has already hit the ground running for the Mauricio Pochettino’s side, scoring a goal and assisting twice in four league games.
PSG have a dream summer. Something that maybe has never happened in football history. Their biggest win of the summer might be holding on to Kylian Mbappé, even if it could be that the French forward will leave for free next summer.
Much improvement for a side that reached the final and semi finals of the last two UEFA Champions league campaigns, the atmosphere will be booming with confident that the club might be winning her first Champions league title come the end of the season.
Thomas Tuchel side were not lacking in squad depth but still managed to pull off a fantastic summer to improve on a side that won the UEFA Champions league last season. The club sanctioned the return of Romelu Lukaku in a £98m deal and on the deadline day signed Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on loan with buy option.
Chelsea have the option to sign Saul for €40m which is good deal for both parties. Marcus Bettinelli also joined on a free transfer to serve as the third choice goalkeeper, to UEFA best Men’s Goalkeeper, Édouard Mendy and the most expensive goalkeeper in history, Kepa Arizabalaga.
Playing arguably the best football in the world now, Chelsea’s improvement has been massive since Tuchel took over, and his first summer did not disappoint, despite having a fine squad before taking over.
Not even the club’s most optimistic fan would have hoped for as much as what the club pulled off in the summer. Just three signings that would slot into any team starting lineup in the world, Manchester United are one of the big winners of the transfer window.
Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and capping it off with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo all with less than £130m, it was good business for the club as they look to finally break the trophyless voodoo under Ole Gunner Solskjær.
On the back of winning the LaLiga title, Diego Simeone side did not put their foot off the gas in the transfer window, and even did far better than their rivals, who are currently experiencing financial crisis.
Marcos Paolo, Rodrigo de Paul, Matheus Cunha, Goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte and the return of Antoine Griezmann, Atletico are the best ranked LaLiga team in the summer transfer window.
The confidence will be there that they will be able to defend the league title. But the club will be more ambition and the Champions league will surely be a priority, after the amount invested on transfers.
Inter Milan
After losing Romelu Lukaku, Achraf Hakimi and manager, Antonio Conte, many would have thought Inter are on track to be one of the greatest losers of the summer but their activeness in the transfer window makes them absolutely top rated.
Hakan Calhanoglu, Edin Dzeko, Denzel Dumfries, Joaquin Correa and Goalkeeper Alex Cordaz have all been added to a side that won the Scudetto last season. While top Italian coach, Simone Inzaghi replace Conte.
Replacing the duo lost with like players while also getting the best players from direct rivals. Inter have done pretty well to defend their Scudetto title and perform better in the UEFA competition.
AS Roma
When Jose Mourinho was announced as the next Roma coach, optimism would have been growing in Rome and the excitement level would have been toppled. Romans would have also develop the appetite for trophies given the reputation of their new manager.
Jose Mourinho added Matias Vina, Eldor Shomurodov, Tammy Abraham and Goalkeeper Rui Patricio. The club did very well in preseason and have started the season well with two wins from two, scoring seven time and conceding once in the process.
They also completed a double over Trabzonspor in their Europa Conference League qualification games, winning 5-1 on aggregate. Roma will be hopeful of winning a first silverware since the 2007-08 season.
Leicester City
Brendan Rodgers side continue to get better season in and out and should the consistency extend to the new season, the Foxes might be in the top four come the end of the season.
Patson Daka, Boubakary Soumare, Ryan Bertrand and Jannik Vestergaard have all signed for the club. Ademola Lookman Joined on deadline day from RB Leipzig as they club look for more firepowers.
The ambition is glaring when Jannik Vestergaard was signed from Southampton due to injury to Wesley Fofana. Leicester City are one of the winners in the summer and a big season awaits them.
West Ham United
On the back of a six place finish in the league, West Ham United spent like a top club they are becoming in just the space of the past twelve months. It is not easy maintaining consistency in a competitive Premier League and David Moyes’ side look prepared for battles ahead.
Jesse Lingard, who helped their cause while on loan from Manchester United is not returning to the club, but they have signed the high rated Nikola Vlasic instead, while they have also added Kurt Zouma, Alex Kral and goalkeeper, Alphonso Areola.
The Hammers will be playing in the Europa league so the experience brought by these new signing will be of good effect. They have also started the new season well with seven points from opening three games, while the duo of Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio have been impressive.
The season is early but the signs are looking good for West Ham United, and they could reach better heights come the end of the season.
Arsenal
It continues to get worse for the Gunners as the new season started but the truth that they are the highest spenders in the transfer window must be acknowledged.
Arsenal made six signings, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Ben White, Martin Ødegaard, Aaron Ramsdale and Takehiro Tomiyasu have been added to the side that finished ninth in the league last season.
Though it is not a start to the season Mikel Arteta would have envisioned, they can still be positive given most of their new signings have rarely been available. They will be hopeful for a better start after the international break.
Bayern Munich
The Bavarians have crippled the second placed team in the BundesLiga last season, RB Leipzig. Dayot Upamecano and Marcel Sabitzer have been acquired while manager, Julian Nagelsmann has also moved to the Alianz Arena, replacing Hansi Flick.
Losers
Barcelona
Barcelona experienced their worst summer in the club’s history. They lost Lionel Messi and eventually loaned out Antoine Griezmann. While youngster, Ilaix Moriba turned down new contract and left the club.
They also missed out on the signing of Georginio Wijnaldum in the last minute, and even they struggled to sign and register players amidst financial crisis at the club.
After the free signing of Memphis Depay, Sergio Agüero and Eric Garcia earlier in the summer, one would have thought Barcelona are in for an outstanding summer but it all turned round when the announcement of Messi’s departure was made.
Having struggled in the past few seasons, Barcelona might find it even harder to get on without Messi while they continue to battle with off field issues.
They will hope their new summer signings, along with La Masia talents can help the club maintain her status before they overcome the storm that has crowded the club.
PSG Paris-Saint Germain
One of the two teams existing on both ends of the category, PSG find themselves on this list for the Kylian Mbappé transfer. Real Madrid made a final bid to make the Frenchman the most expensive player in football history but it was turned down.
The club might now lose the player for free if they can not get him to sign a new contract before the end of the season.
Early signs are not looking good for them as Mbappé has reportedly turned down new contract offer by the club.
Arsenal
The second club appearing on both sides of the grouping, Arsenal gets the top spenders tag but many will feel the funds could have been better spent.
Arsenal spent on Aaron Ramsdale and Sambi Lokonga, in areas where they need improving but these players are not better than their counterparts in the same position at the club.
Into the fourth season post Arsène Wenger, the club featured eight players who were at the club during the Frenchman’s reign, in the 5-0 loss to Manchester City in the league. Not encouraging given they have spent over £400m since Wenger left.
RB Leipzig
The Red Bull club finished second in the league last season behind Bayern Munich, but have lost three of the most important figures at the club to a direct rival, Bayern Munich.
Although they did sign players in the summer but losing their best players and manager to a direct threat shows shallow ambition, and so Leipzig is one of the losers of the summer.
Juventus
A lot was expected of the Bianconerri in the summer transfer window having lost their supremacy in the Scudetto race to Inter last season. However, Juventus did little to help themselves in the transfer window.
The loss of Cristiano Ronaldo will be massive setback for Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who have not started the new season convincingly.
Manuel Locatelli was the only major signing, while Moise Kean also returns to the club on loan with option to buy, the same agreement with which Locatelli also joined from Sassuolo.
Juventus are not looking threat enough in the league, moreso in the Champions League, the later which is clash of European heavyweights.
AC Milan
The Rossoneri lost two of their best assets, Gianluigi Donnarouma and Hakan Calhanoglu for free in the summer.
They however did well on the incoming fronts but should have avoided losing both players for free, when they could have earned handsomely had they taken precaution before the duos contract ran out.
