Bundesliga

Grading the biggest transfers of the summer so far

The wheeling and dealing is well underway across Europe. Even as the impact of the pandemic endures, cash is being splashed. Below, we’ll grade the marquee deals completed thus far during an eventful summer transfer window.

Jadon Sancho ?? Manchester United

The deal: £73-million transfer (Read more)

Manchester United waited more than a year to sign Sancho, and they saved at least £10 million in doing so. Borussia Dortmund knew they’d have to deal the 21-year-old this summer, or they’d risk losing him on a free transfer in 2022. United – who are usually all too happy to spend big on long-term targets – played the long game, and they played it well.

The English international did his part – he came alive after a difficult start to the 2020-21 season, recording eight goals and eight assists in his final 15 league matches with Dortmund. A right-winger by trade, Sancho played just about everywhere under then-manager Lucien Favre and caretaker boss Edin Terzic, all while supporting Erling Haaland.

Sancho will likely have a more fixed role on the right of United’s front line. With Edinson Cavani leading the way and Bruno Fernandes covering the center of the pitch, he will have to provide sufficient crosses along with a good amount of dribbling. But make no mistake: Sancho will complete United’s at-times sputtering attack.

Rating: A+

Rodrigo De Paul ?? Atletico Madrid

The deal: €35-million transfer (Read more)

De Paul and Diego Simeone are perhaps the greatest match in recent transfer history. De Paul’s relentlessness and versatility fit right into Atletico Madrid’s street-fighting ethos.

The 27-year-old is joining Atletico at the perfect time. A two-way midfielder with snarl and panache, De Paul is just as likely to defend as he is to contribute offensively. Atletico can be more than just a defensively solid unit, and De Paul can help them take that next step. Players like Joao Felix and Angel Correa – who are at times held back by their defensive duties – will benefit from their new teammate’s all-action style.

Signing such a well-rounded player for a relatively modest €35 million is another victory. Few midfielders on the market possess De Paul’s tactical and physical qualities. Just last summer, Atletico sold a similar player in Thomas Partey for €50 million. The capital club is gaming the transfer market once again.

Rating: A

Raphael Varane ?? Manchester United

Denis Doyle / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The deal: Reported £34-million transfer (Read more)

Varane is an excellent signing on multiple levels: He’s in his prime at 28 years of age, a leader by example, and a serial winner. He’s also the perfect partner for Harry Maguire, who can rely on the Frenchman to bail him out if and when he ventures out of position. (Which, as we know, can happen quite a lot.)

Some pundits, including former United defender Rio Ferdinand, question whether Varane can handle the Premier League’s intensity. But the defender has four Champions League titles and a World Cup to prove he can. Varane played in the gauntlet that is the Santiago Bernabeu and held his own beside club legend Sergio Ramos. The Frenchman has shown he can meet the demands that come with defending in high-stress situations.

United only had one considerable need to address after signing Sancho, and now that they’ve covered the center-back position, they could mount a serious challenge for the title. The Red Devils haven’t looked this balanced on paper since Sir Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.

Rating: A

Patson Daka ?? Leicester City

The deal: Reported £23-million transfer (Read more)

This may end up being the greatest deal of all when we look back on this transfer window in the near future.

Leicester City being able to pry Daka away from the Red Bull umbrella was a masterstroke. RB Leipzig deciding not to step in and put a stop to it remains baffling, but their loss is the Foxes’ enormous gain. The 22-year-old Zambian striker was a scoring machine during his time with Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and has all the tools to excel despite the massive jump in competition level he’ll face in the Premier League.

This isn’t someone who will wither under the increased pressure and spotlight.

One reason for that is because he won’t be thrown to the wolves right away. Daka can play understudy to Jamie Vardy and the resurgent Kelechi Iheanacho this season as he adapts to a new league and country. And that can’t be overstated – many talented players don’t succeed following a big transfer simply because the club hasn’t considered the acclimation process. Leicester deserve credit, not only for identifying an elite young talent but also for putting him in a position to thrive.

Rating: A

Achraf Hakimi ?? Paris Saint-Germain

The deal: Reported €60-million transfer (Read more)

Taking advantage of another team’s financial misfortune – or poor planning – is as important as identifying skill in the transfer window. When a golden opportunity arises, you have to pounce. Paris Saint-Germain did exactly that in plucking Hakimi from Inter Milan.

The flying Moroccan wing-back was an essential piece of Antonio Conte’s title-winning side last season, but the Nerazzurri’s cashflow problems made him an obvious candidate to move. PSG, which started Alessandro Florenzi, Mitchel Bakker, and Abdou Diallo at full-back over two legs of their Champions League semifinal defeat, desperately needed an upgrade at the position and scooped up arguably the most exciting possible option.

The 22-year-old gives PSG yet another electrifying attacking outlet, which will only free up space and make life easier on star duo Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. Hakimi could very well lead Ligue 1 in assists this year, and he may be the final piece the free-spending French giants need to get over the Champions League hump.

Rating: A

Gianluigi Donnarumma ?? Paris Saint-Germain

The deal: Free transfer (Read more)

It became clear very early in the summer that Donnarumma would leave AC Milan on a free transfer. But few, if any, clubs could offer him more than the reported €8 million in wages that the Rossoneri were prepared to pay him. Credit must then go to his agent, the notorious Mino Raiola, for finagling a deal worth around €12 million per campaign with PSG.

Donnarumma is a generational goalkeeper and most certainly worth the money. The 22-year-old won Euro 2020 with Italy and claimed the tournament’s MVP award. If he continues to win titles, he could even go down as one of the very best, alongside the likes of Gianluigi Buffon and Manuel Neuer.

However, PSG re-signed goalkeeper Keylor Navas only a few months earlier, and with Navas likely to make way for Donnarumma, the squad could split into two camps. Several players – including newcomer and former Real Madrid teammate Ramos – count Navas as a friend. So, while Donnarumma was as close to a no-brainer as you’d find in the transfer market, his arrival could create unnecessary drama.

Rating: A-

David Alaba ?? Real Madrid

The deal: Free transfer (Read more)

Addressing an area of sudden weakness, Real Madrid were preemptive in convincing Alaba to shun plenty of other suitors in favor of the Spanish capital. Good thing, too.

While the brass may have known all along that iconic captain Sergio Ramos was on his way out, the aforementioned Raphael Varane’s departure was more of a surprise, and it made the existing decision to recruit Alaba on a free transfer even more critical.

The supremely versatile Austrian footballer figures to slot directly into the heart of Real Madrid’s defense this coming season, with the left-back role already belonging to Ferland Mendy. If Alaba’s previous spell working with Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich is any indication, the 29-year-old is going to play a lot of minutes under the Italian tactician, who is clearly an admirer.

Rating: B+

Memphis Depay ?? Barcelona

The deal: Free transfer (Read more)

Barcelona’s crippling debt has forced the club to hunt for bargains this summer and perhaps well into the future. The financial situation at Camp Nou is, in a word, dire. And yet, they still managed to add an outstanding attacking piece in the form of Depay, who should provide the spark that Antoine Griezmann has never truly delivered since his arrival.

The Dutch forward, 27, is coming off an excellent campaign with Lyon where he put up gaudy raw numbers and, crucially, backed them up with dominant underlying figures. Not including penalties, his expected goals plus assist total last season (25.5) was fifth-best across Europe’s top leagues. Depay was behind only Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland, and Romelu Lukaku in that category. That’s some decent company.

And now Depay gets to play for a manager who clearly values his talent and will entrust him with plenty of minutes.

Rating: B

Ben White ?? Arsenal

The deal: Reported £50-million transfer (Read more)

After making several blunders in their defensive recruitment over the years – don’t spend €20 million on Sokratis Papastathopoulos, kids – Arsenal appear to have finally done something right in this space, signing White from Brighton and Hove Albion.

There’s been distress amongst the fan base over the £50-million price tag – especially as the team completed the deal around the same time United secured World Cup winner Varane’s services for far less – but it’s important to remember the variables at play. At 23, White is younger, had multiple years remaining on his contract, and didn’t publicly push for a move away, putting Brighton was in a position of negotiating strength. The premium for Premier League ability, especially within the league, is very real, too.

That’s not to say there isn’t risk involved – £50 million is a lot of money, of course – but if the English center-back develops into a mainstay over the coming years, the Arsenal brass will be vindicated.

White’s speed makes him an ideal fit for Arsenal’s high defensive line, but perhaps his comfort on the ball and distribution range, with both feet, are even more vital than his innate abilities at the back. The deal was a little bit rich, but White makes the Gunners better right now and has upside for the future.

Rating: B-

Sergio Ramos ?? Paris Saint-Germain

The deal: Free transfer (Read more)

PSG had no problems giving Ramos a multi-year contract but refused to extend an offer to Thiago Silva, a fan favorite and former club captain. Sporting director Leonardo preferred to reward a 35-year-old who’s coming off an injury-ravaged campaign.

None of it makes sense.

Maybe PSG have a case of seller’s remorse. Silva went on to win the Champions League with Chelsea, showing plenty of the leadership that PSG lost when they allowed the Brazilian center-back to leave on a free transfer.

Ramos should fill some of the void, but it’s unclear how effective he’ll actually be on the pitch. The Spaniard suffered many setbacks last season, including several knee and muscle injuries that limited him to just 15 starts in La Liga – his fewest since the 2003-04 campaign with Sevilla.

Rating: C-

Bundesliga

Ranking the 10 best deals of the January transfer window

Find the biggest stories from across the soccer world by visiting our Top Soccer News section and subscribing to push notifications.

With a quiet January transfer window now complete, theScore ranks the 10 best moves made across the game’s top leagues.

10. Gift Orban ?? Lyon

Isosport/MB Media / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Details: Signed from Gent for reported €12M fee

There were some concerns when Gent signed Orban in January 2023. His scoring record of 20 goals in just 21 starts was clearly impressive, but that was in Norway’s second tier. Those reservations were soon forgotten as he amassed nine goals and two assists over 10 Belgian Pro League appearances and struck five times in five Conference League outings. His productivity has since slowed, but €12 million for an intensely competitive 21-year-old striker could prove extremely fruitful business for Lyon. Orban’s outgoing personality should also be a welcome addition to the dressing room.

9. Timo Werner ?? Tottenham

Details: Signed on loan from RB Leipzig with reported €17M option to buy

Like many transfers in the January window, bringing in Werner presented a low-risk deal for Tottenham. If it works out, €17 million is an affordable sum for a forward of Werner’s pedigree. The German was largely ineffective over his first two appearances but was much better in his third outing, setting up Destiny Udogie and Brennan Johnson for goals in Wednesday’s 3-2 win over Brentford. His incredible work ethic and pace, paired with Ange Postecoglou’s ability to instill belief in his players, could make this a great move for both parties.

8. Said Benrahma ?? Lyon

Details: Signed from West Ham in deal worth up to €20.4M

Lyon fought for this one, and it should pay off. After battling some administrative issues, the Ligue 1 side completed the deal a day later than expected, announcing Benrahma had joined on an initial €6-million loan deal that could become permanent for another €14.4 million. It’s a low-risk move that should enliven Lyon’s struggling attack. Benrahma’s a functional system player who can break games open and change their pace with the flick of a foot. Though he started just five times for West Ham in the Premier League this season, he hasn’t lost those progressive traits.

7. Marcos Leonardo ?? Benfica

Zed Jameson/MB Media / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Details: Signed from Santos for reported €18M fee

You just know Benfica are onto something here. They always are. Leonardo arrives from Santos in a deal that could look like a bargain in the years to come. Despite playing for one of the worst Santos sides in its 111-year history, the 20-year-old still managed to score 26 goals in 66 league appearances. He’s an old-school striker who loves to hang in the penalty area, and if Benfica can provide him with the right service, he’ll have no issues doubling that goal-scoring return.

6. Tommaso Baldanzi ?? Roma

Details: Signed from Empoli for reported €15M fee

The deal for Baldanzi is perfect in nearly every sense. Roma get a long-term replacement for Paulo Dybala without breaking the bank or running further afoul of Financial Fair Play regulations. The future Italian international also satisfies the club’s long-held preference for central attacking midfielders. Baldanzi even idolized Dybala during his formative years at Empoli. He could’ve waited to go to a club fighting for trophies, but he’ll get far more playing time at Roma, especially if Dybala’s injury issues persist.

5. Adam Wharton ?? Crystal Palace

Details: Signed from Blackburn Rovers for reported initial £18M fee

Crystal Palace are no strangers to fishing in the EFL. They plucked the thrilling double act of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise from the Championship, and it took an impressive loan spell at Swansea City to convince the Eagles to sign Marc Guehi from Chelsea. Wharton is the next to join that contingent. The 19-year-old will bring some much-needed solidity to the midfield, but his admiration of Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, and Rodri hints at how much he treasures possession. He displays so much composure while he instigates attacks from the base of midfield.

4. Valentin Barco ?? Brighton & Hove Albion

Details: Signed from Boca Juniors for reported $10M fee

Tipping a player that Brighton & Hove Albion bought to shine usually works out, right? For a modest fee, the south coast club has acquired a cocksure 19-year-old who can play in any position down the left and also appeared across the midfield for Boca Juniors. Barco is a slippery operator, regularly dribbling past opponents and becoming difficult to track down once he’s wriggled free, and he’s constantly trying to ignite attacks with probing passes. It might take time for him to be a regular in Roberto De Zerbi’s lineup, but this signing should be yet another example of the Seagulls’ South American scouting network striking gold.

3. Jadon Sancho ?? Borussia Dortmund

Details: Signed on loan from Manchester United

Sancho is back at Dortmund – albeit temporarily – after leaving for Manchester United for around €85 million in 2021. The winger had a much-documented spat with Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, and it’s difficult to envision a route back into the first team while the Dutchman’s in charge. By contrast, Sancho has been given a warm welcome in Germany, with club executives claiming he has no disciplinary issues and is in fine condition after being frozen out at United. It seems Sancho is in an ideal environment to revive his career.

2. Claudio Echeverri ?? Manchester City

Details: Signed from River Plate for reported £12.5M fee

Manchester City continue to bet on young talent during the January transfer window. Highly rated midfielder Echeverri follows in the footsteps of Julian Alvarez as the latest under-23 South American to sign for, if not necessarily join, the Premier League champions in the winter. Like Alvarez, whom City also signed from River Plate, Echeverri has been sent back to his boyhood club on loan for the year, allowing him to continue his development in a controlled environment. He’ll then arrive in Manchester in January 2025. City continue to hit the right note, never panicking while other clubs scramble for that elusive extra oomph to end the season.

1. Arthur Vermeeren ?? Atletico Madrid

Angel Martinez / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Details: Signed from Royal Antwerp for reported €18M fee

At just 18, Vermeeren already boasts plenty of experience. He played more minutes than any other player in Belgium’s top flight over 2023 and even captained Royal Antwerp during this season’s Champions League group stage. The midfielder has already won the Belgian league, cup, and super cup, too. Vermeeren might lack some physicality – and that weakness might not seem ideal when he’s going to play under the combative Diego Simeone – but he has a Koke-esque knack of progressing play while producing more interceptions, blocks, and clearances than the Atletico Madrid veteran. An €18-million deal is a bargain for someone who could become one of Europe’s leading midfielders.

Honorable mentions: Fabio Carvalho (Hull City), Radu Dragusin (Tottenham Hotspur)

Bundesliga

Transfer Deadline Day Live: Breaking down all the major deals, rumors

Find the biggest stories from across the soccer world by visiting our Top Soccer News section and subscribing to push notifications.

Transfer deadline day is in full swing. We’re providing live, quick-hit analysis of the biggest deals and rumors until tonight’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.

Give Chelsea all of your money

Chelsea are the headline act again at the transfer deadline – but playing a different role entirely. Languishing in 10th place in the Premier League standings and without Champions League football on the horizon, the cash-guzzling Blues desperately need funds to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations ahead of the 2024-25 season. Armando Broja and Conor Gallagher are reportedly up for sale, not because they’re angling to leave but because they offer the juiciest profit margin. Chelsea are raising academy graduates for financial slaughter, having pawned off Lewis Hall, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Mason Mount for tens of millions of pounds in pure profit over the last six months. Fulham are interested in taking Broja off Chelsea’s hands, just not at the quoted £50-million asking price, according to BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty. A loan deal could be a welcome compromise.

Bayern getting instant relief

Bayern are closing out the window strong. Signing Sacha Boey from Galatasaray for a reported €30 million solves a crisis at the right-back position, where midfielder Konrad Laimer and left-back Raphael Guerreiro have split time as square-peg-round-hole replacements for the injured Noussair Mazraoui. Further injuries to wingers Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman forced Bayern to bring in 22-year-old Granada winger Bryan Zaragoza six months ahead of his expected move to the Bavarians. The deals give Bayern the depth they need to continue competing on all fronts. Given their sputtering form and a surprisingly sustained challenge from Bundesliga title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, they need all the help they can get.

No place like home for Hojbjerg

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s future at Tottenham Hotspur has been up in the air since Antonio Conte left the club in March 2023 – and it’ll be suspended in motion for a while longer. Hojbjerg, one of former manager Conte’s soldiers in midfield, has made just five Premier League starts under Ange Postecoglou. And while he remains on the periphery of Postecoglou’s plans, Hojbjerg remains committed to the cause. He doesn’t lack options – Juventus, Napoli, Ajax, and Lyon reportedly expressed interest in the midfielder – but still feels part of something big in north London. Credit to Postecoglou for making a player with such limited minutes feel connected to the cause.

Forest keep wheeling and dealing

Nottingham Forest are sticking to their usual deadline-day formula. Having closed out the 2023 summer transfer window with an incredible seven signings, Forest are back to juggling negotiations. They’ve completed the signing of highly rated Portuguese striker Rodrigo Ribeiro from Sporting CP and Gio Reyna on loan from Borussia Dortmund. Forest are also reportedly flying in Strasbourg goalkeeper Matz Sels after abandoning talks with Crystal Palace over shot-stopper Sam Johnstone. They’re allowing some departures, too, with Serge Aurier expected to leave for Galatasaray and Orel Mangala heading for Lyon.

Other deals to watch today …

Said Benrahma to Lyon
Stefano Sensi to Leicester City
Tommaso Baldanzi to Roma
Hugo Ekitike to Eintracht Frankfurt
Antonio Nusa to Brentford
Bryan Gil to Brighton & Hove Albion
Enes Unal to Bournemouth
Serge Aurier to Galatasaray
Thomas Meunier to Burnley
Rafa Mir to Valencia
Maxwel Cornet to Crystal Palace
Matz Sels to Nottingham Forest

Bundesliga

The Best FIFA awards: Follow live as Messi, Bonmati eye more trophies

Find the biggest stories from across the soccer world by visiting our Top Soccer News section and subscribing to push notifications.

World football’s top players and managers of 2023 are being recognized at The Best FIFA Football Awards show on Monday. Below, theScore is tracking all the winners of the various trophies handed out in London.

Best Men’s Player finalists

Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain and France)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami and Argentina)

Can Messi get one over on Mbappe yet again? The Argentine will look to retain the honor he won last year when he beat out his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate. The two superstars will face stiff competition from Manchester City striker Haaland for FIFA’s top individual prize, which was inaugurated in 2016 following the governing body’s split with Ballon d’Or organizer France Football. For this year’s award, accomplishments from Dec. 19, 2022, to Aug. 20, 2023, were taken into consideration by voters.

2022 winner: Lionel Messi

Best Women’s Player finalists

Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona and Spain)
Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid and Colombia)
Jennifer Hermoso (Tigres and Spain)

Bonmati can cap one of the most dominant individual seasons in the history of women’s soccer on Monday. The World Cup-winning midfielder, already having captured the Ballon d’Or and various other accolades over the last 12 months, is looking to succeed compatriot Putellas, who won this award in each of the last two years. The qualifying period for this year’s honor was Aug. 1, 2022, to Aug. 20, 2023, the date of the most recent Women’s World Cup final, which saw Bonmati’s Spain defeat England.

2022 winner: Alexia Putellas

Puskas Award finalists

One of the sport’s most coveted individual trophies. This year’s Puskas Award, given to the scorer of the best goal, covers the period between Dec. 19, 2022, and Aug. 20, 2023. Finalists include a long-range strike to conclude an excellent team move, a sensational bicycle kick, and a perfect rabona.

2022 winner: Marcin Oleksy

Best Men’s Coach finalists

Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Simone Inzaghi (Inter Milan)
Luciano Spalletti (Napoli)

A trio of club managers are vying for the men’s coaching award; though Spalletti is the current Italy boss, his nomination came on the back of an enchanting title-winning campaign at Napoli. The two tacticians who were on the touchline for last season’s Champions League final, Guardiola and Inzaghi, square off once again, with the Manchester City boss considered the favorite after his team’s historic treble-winning season.

2022 winner: Lionel Scaloni

Best Women’s Coach finalists

Jonatan Giraldez (Barcelona)
Emma Hayes (Chelsea)
Sarina Wiegman (England)

A mixture of club and international coaches are vying for this prize. Wiegman and Hayes are the two most recent winners. The England manager has taken the award home on three occasions, more than any other bench boss (male or female). Giraldez, meanwhile, is looking for his first FIFA honor.

2022 winner: Sarina Wiegman

Best Men’s Goalkeeper finalists

Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal and Morocco)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid and Belgium)
Ederson (Manchester City and Brazil)

Bounou helped Sevilla win yet another Europa League crown in 2022-23 before departing for Saudi Arabia, while Ederson backstopped Manchester City to a trio of titles during the club’s record-breaking campaign. Courtois is the only finalist to have won this award before.

2022 winner: Emiliano Martinez

Best Women’s Goalkeeper finalists

Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham and Australia)
Catalina Coll (Barcelona and Spain)
Mary Earps (Manchester United and England)

Three netminders who shone brightly at the 2023 Women’s World Cup will battle for this accolade. Coll helped Spain take home the title, while Arnold and Earps have become cult heroes in their respective countries. The latter, in particular, is one of the most popular footballers in England thanks to her combination of on-pitch excellence and off-field personality.

2022 winner: Mary Earps