The 2022 summer transfer window is in full swing as spending has reached pre-pandemic levels following the return of crowds back in stadiums. Clubs have been unafraid to make big money moves this off-season and there has been a slew of high-profile signings made by the top teams around Europe, including the likes of Erling Haaland, Raheem Sterling, Darwin Nunez, and Sadio Mane switching allegiances.
Here are our top five moves of the 2022 Summer Transfer Window so far.
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Although this deal does little for Manchester United, it is an almighty coup for Juventus, who have brought back the French superstar for free six years after selling him to the Red Devils for a world-record fee of £89 million. Pogba struggled in his later years at United due to his defensive deficiencies, but those problems will be less stark in the slower-paced Serie A. Although Juventus will be shelling out massive wages on Pogba, the Frenchman is still in his prime at 29 and is arguably one of the best midfielders in the world on his day.
The former World Cup winner can also play in his best position on the left of a midfield three in Turin, and Pogba may be the missing piece for the Old Lady to win the Scudetto in 2023.
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Although Sadio Mane is now on the wrong side of 30, the Senegalese superstar has shown no signs of slowing down and is a major addition for Bayern Munich this transfer window. The former Liverpool star was an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s side that dominated Europe and England over the past few seasons, and the forward can play anywhere across the front three, giving the Bavarian giants plenty of flexibility with their attack.
Mane has scored 67 goals in the Premier League across the past four seasons, and his directness, willingness to press and quality in front of goal will see him thrive in the Bundesliga.
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On the face of it, signing a player with just one year left on his contract for £45 million does not sound like an excellent deal, but there are not too many transfers in this window that improves the team more than Gabriel Jesus signing with Arsenal. The Brazilian is a proven international and a four-time Premier League winner with an incredible goal record at the highest level. Although Jesus disappointed at the 2018 World Cup for Brazil and got lost in the maelstrom of talent at Manchester City, North London could be the perfect landing spot for Jesus to return to his best.
The 25-year-old is the archetypical striker for Mikel Arteta’s system due to his excellent ability to link up play and press from the front, with the Brazilian presenting a monumental upgrade over Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up top.
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The only reason Erling Haaland is not number one on this list is the reported cost of the deal. Although Borussia Dortmund just received the rumoured €60 million release clause for Haaland’s service, the total deal will cost City upwards of £200 million when you include agents’ fees and wages.
However, money aside, this is an incredible coup for the English champions. Not having a centre-forward was one of the few chinks in City’s armour last season, and the team went out and secured the best available one in the market with the addition of the Norwegian phenom. At 21, Haaland is already a superstar, scoring 86 goals in 89 appearances for Dortmund, and the striker will add another unstoppable layer of dynamism and offensive threat to the Manchester City frontline.
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The best transfer of the summer so far has been Raheem Sterling’s move from Manchester City to Chelsea for a reported fee of £47.5 million. Not only are Chelsea getting one of the best players in the Premier League over the seven seasons, but this move also sees them significantly weaken their direct championship rivals. The Englishman has been the top scorer for Manchester City over their past two title-winning seasons and has managed double figures in goals in the league in each of the past five seasons.
At 27, Sterling is approaching the prime of his career and would instantly elevate Chelsea’s chances of competing with the likes of Liverpool and City, improving their offensive firepower for a bargain cost of just under £50 million.
[Featured Image Credit: Arsenal]
Shivaan Shah