Best transfers of the season so far – 2022/23
Transfers, they’re always a gamble.
Some turn out like Eden Hazard at Chelsea, and some turn out like, well, Eden Hazard at Real Madrid – you can never be certain about how successful your investment is going to be. And, with market prices continuously rising to simply unreasonable levels, the ones that pay off are all the sweeter.
With the World Cup just around the corner, now seems like a good time to take a step back and look at some of the signings from around Europe that have really paid off this campaign so far.
The Premier League in particular has had some excellent additions this season, and far too many to narrow down to just four, but we don’t have the space to list them all.
With the likes of Christian Eriksen and Joao Palhinha coming close to making a top four, we’ve decided to name James Tarkowski as one of this season’s best Premier League signings so far.
A far cry from the submissive slop they were last campaign, Everton boast resilience and have the potential to grow under Frank Lampard. A significant role in their development has been solidification at the back, headed by the superb acquisition of Tarkowski – brought in for free from relegated Burnley – who has been predictably resolute for his side.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s whole transfer window was one to celebrate. Both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have to make our top four for what they’ve brought to the Gunners. Arriving from Manchester City for nearly £80m, the dynamic duo looks to have introduced the steel and mentality that – dare we say – winners are made of.
Talking of champions, only Manchester City’s signing of Erling Haaland can top this mini-list. Probably the signing of the summer across the continent, the nightmarish Norwegian has hit the ground absolutely sprinting this season, proving an uncontrollable force for Premier League defences. He’s scary, he’s scoring far too many goals and, for just £51m, he’s definitely the English top flight’s signing of the season so far.
Not too many summer signings have particularly stood out in La Liga this campaign, but one that has proven frugal and effective is Brais Mendez’s arrival at Real Sociedad for around £12m.
Since joining from Celta Vigo in the summer, the attacking midfielder has slotted in seamlessly and has brought tangible quality to the Basque outfit. At the time of writing, Mendez is Sociedad’s leading goalscorer, as well as racking up a few assists, and even grabbed the goal that saw his side beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League group stage.
Not quite as effective, but certainly carrying hefty potential, is fellow Real Sociedad arrival Momo Cho. At just 18 years of age and brought in from Angers as a future prospect, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Everton youngster hit the ground running with a couple of assists in his first three La Liga starts – he’ll look to continue in that vein of form after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Casemiro’s departure might have left a significant problem for Real Madrid this campaign, but the signing of Aurelien Tchouameni has plugged a big hole in midfield. He might have been Spain’s top tier’s most expensive arrival this summer but, having already demonstrated the quality to be a stalwart in Los Blancos‘ midfield for the best part of the next 15 years, the now-France starter could prove a bargain.
The acquisition of Robert Lewandowski could have turned into a sour saga for Barcelona. Having left an incomprehensibly prolific chapter of his career behind, however, the Pole has fitted in well at Camo Nou. Although occasionally underwhelming to a fanbase accustomed to dazzlingly fluid front lines, the former Bayern Munich striker has already hit double figures for goals in La Liga, as well as getting a few assists under his belt.
It’s been a few years since Napoli were truly competing for the number-one spot in Serie A. Following seventh, fifth and third-placed finishes over the last three campaigns, the Neapolitans look unstoppable this year – and their signings have played a fair part in their early-season antics.
The loan signing of Giacomo Raspadori, who has been electric in Napoli’s so far stunning Champions League campaign, has deepened their attacking threat; the South Korean brick wall that is Kim Min-Jae, who arrived from Fenerbahce for around £15m, has made the departure of Kalidou Koulibaly seem like a distant memory; and the star of the show has been Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who, since arriving from Georgian football for around £8.5m, has utterly lit up the Italian top flight as well as the Champions League.
Napoli aren’t the only side to have done fantastic business over the summer, however. Jose Mourinho’s Roma have also impressed in the 2022/23 season’s early stages, with free signing Paulo Dybala (yes, free) slotting in excellently and immediately assuming talismanic responsibility upon his arrival from Juventus.
You might expect to find Sadio Mane’s name on this mini-list, but it’s instead another of Bayern Munich’s summer arrivals to be named among the Bundesliga’s best summer signings. While Mane is still to dazzle as he did in the red of Liverpool, Matthijs de Ligt has hit the ground running in Bayern colours, proving an integral part of Julian Nagelsmann’s much improved and solidified defence this term.
USMNT international Theoson-Jordan Siebatcheu, simply known as Jordan, joined Union Berlin after a sensational loan spell at Young Boys last campaign. Since arriving in the Bundesliga, the striker has played a large part in his side’s early-season, table-topping success, notably grabbing six goal involvements in his first ten league outings.
Another outside frontrunner in Germany’s top tier this term has been Freiburg, who will look to continue pushing for Champions League qualification following the conclusion of our unprecedented mid-season World Cup break. Doing his bit in one of the Bundesliga’s soundest defensive units is Mattias Ginter, who looks to have taken his individual game a step up since leaving Borussia Monchengladbach.
The surprise package of the season so far in Germany, however, must be Eintracht Frankfurt’s summer acquisition Randal Molo Muani. Since joining Frankfurt from Nantes, the forward has bagged 11 goal contributions in his first ten Bundesliga appearances, a Champions League winner against Marseille and his first two international caps for France.
Firstly, you’ll be delighted to learn that PSG don’t feature in this section!
Breel Embolo has long been touted as an exceptional prospect, and he finally seems to have found a side in which he could reach his potential. Since switching Monchengladbach for Monaco, the Switzerland international has found his regular scoring boots and looks deadly alongside Wissam Ben Yedder.
Amine Gouiri is a highly prized asset in French football, so Rennes fans would have been delighted to see their club lure the 22-year-old striker away from Nice this summer – and the reported club-record fee of around £25m looks to have been worth it. The striker has found his feet quickly at Rennes, scoring and setting up goals for fun in both domestic and European football.
Also finding the back of the net for fun is Marseille’s summer arrival Nuno Tavares – yes, Arsenal fans, I did just say Nuno Tavares. The previously uninspiring Gunners defender is on loan from the club to Les Minots and, as a wing-back, is even eclipsing fellow summer addition Jonathan Clauss on the opposite flank, having netted three times during his electric performances already this campaign.
It’s another Arsenal loanee who takes the title of Ligue 1’s best summer signing, however. Folarin Balogun is undoubtedly an exciting talent and is more than proving it over at Stade Reims. After 12 games in France’s top flight, Balogun had registered an impressive seven goals (half of his side’s total tally) – one more than a certain Lionel Messi at the same stage.