19 June 2023 , 08:48
673
0
The summer transfer window is open and we are expecting many big deals to be completed over the next two-and-a-half months.
Last summer's window was an entertaining one, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Wesley Fofana and Darwin Nunez all finding new teams. It's always a bit of a gamble when a club pays a fortune for a player, but some transfers have worked out better than others.
As all 20 Premier League clubs prepare to splash the cash, Mirror Football looks at how last summer's most expensive players have fared since their respective moves.
Spoiler, Haaland did quite well at Manchester City...
Matheus Nunes
Sporting Lisbon to Wolves, £38m
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
Nunes, 24, was described by Pep Guardiola as "one of the best players in the world" before his transfer, but he has failed to live up to his billing with just one goal in the Premier League. It was a stunning strike, to be fair, but he will need to do more next season.
Grade: D
Cristian Romero
Atalanta to Tottenham, £41m
Tottenham fans knew exactly what they were getting when Romero's loan deal was made permanent last summer. The 25-year-old won the World Cup with Qatar but has failed to kick on since, receiving two red cards in 2022/23 for his overly aggressive tackles.
Grade: D
Cristian Romero loves a red card (Getty Images)Who do you think was the best signing of last summer? Let us know in the comments below!
Kalvin Phillips
Leeds to Manchester City, £42m
England's forgotten man won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during his debut campaign at Man City, but it was a tough season on a personal level. Phillips, 27, started just four games and could leave the Etihad after just one term.
Grade: E
Jules Kounde
Sevilla to Barcelona, £42.1m
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
Kounde made a slow start to the season but eventually found his feet at Barcelona, making 40 appearances to help them win the LaLiga title and Spanish Super Cup. Once linked with Chelsea, the defender was named in LaLiga's Team of the Season for his efforts.
Grade: A
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich to Barcelona, £42.5m
Barcelona paid a lot of money for the 34-year-old, yet it was money well spent. Lewandowski scored 33 goals - including 23 in LaLiga - and provided eight assists as the focal point of Barcelona's attack. He is still one of the best players in the world.
Grade: A
Gleison Bremer
Torino to Juventus, £42.8m
Who? I hear you ask. Juventus spent big to sign the Brazilian from their Turin rivals after he was named Serie A's Best Defender. Bremer, 26, hasn't hit the headlines but enjoyed a solid season, playing 43 times. It's not his fault Juventus were deducted 10 points.
Grade: B
Gabriel Jesus
Manchester City to Arsenal, £45m
Frustratingly for Jesus and his employers, a knee injury derailed his campaign. Yet the 26-year-old showed plenty of promise - scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in 26 league games - and is clearly good enough to lead Arsenal's attack for years to come.
Grade: B
Raheem Sterling
Manchester City to Chelsea, £47.5m
Sterling swapped Guardiola's paradise for chaos at Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old scored nine goals and provided four assists in his debut season, but Chelsea failed to compete on all fronts and will not play in Europe this coming term. Is it too late to go back?
Grade: D+
Raheem Sterling's Chelsea have struggled this season (Getty Images)Lisandro Martinez
Ajax to Manchester United, £48.5m
Erik ten Hag was criticised for signing the smallest centre-back in the Premier League, but Martinez was superb at the heart of Manchester United's defence. The World Cup winner, 25, looks like a bargain after playing 45 games and lifting the Carabao Cup.
Grade: A
Raphinha
Leeds to Barcelona, £49m
Raphinha added to his trophy cabinet, scored 10 goals and provided 12 assists during his first season at Barcelona, but he continues to be linked with a return to the Premier League. Newcastle are believed to be chasing the dazzling 26-year-old winger.
Grade: B+
Richarlison
Everton to Tottenham, £50m
Richarlison's debut season was very Spursy. The 26-year-old scored just three goals, with only one of those coming in the Premier League. He ripped his shirt off after scoring against Fulham, only for VAR to disallow what would've been his maiden goal.
Grade: E
Erling Haaland
Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City, £51m
Haaland scored 52 goals, won the Treble and picked up every individual accolade you could think of. The Norwegian probably experienced the greatest individual campaign in Premier League history. There's not really much to say, except he's bloody good.
Grade: A++++++++++
Marc Cucurella
Brighton to Chelsea, £56m
The deal of the century... for Brighton. The 24-year-old is a good player but was never worth that much, as the Seagulls took advantage of Chelsea's blank cheque. Newcastle are thought to be interested in signing Cucurella for £30m, which says everything.
Grade: E
Matthijs de Ligt
Juventus to Bayern Munich, £57m
Bayern paid a lot of money for De Ligt, but it was a sound investment. The Netherlands international, 23, played 43 games to help the German giants win the Bundesliga title and German Super Cup. He was also named in the Bundesliga's Team of the Season.
Grade: B
Matthijs de Ligt's goal-line clearance against Paris Saint-Germain in March made the headlines (Getty Images)Alexander Isak
Real Sociedad to Newcastle, £59m
Isak may have scored just 10 goals in 22 Premier League games during his debut season at Newcastle, but he looks like a phenomenal talent. The Sweden international, 23, has the ability to breeze past defenders and is a good finisher. The best is yet to come.
Grade: B+
Casemiro
Real Madrid to Manchester United, £60m
Casemiro, 31, cost a fortune, but he was worth it. The Brazilian has added some much needed steel and quality to Man Utd's midfield, and his absence is painfully obvious when he's not there. Ten Hag is in big trouble if Casemiro gets injured next season.
Grade: A
Darwin Nunez
Benfica to Liverpool, £64m
Nunez, 23, showed glimpses of his potential during his debut season on Merseyside - scoring 15 goals and winning the Community Shield - but more was expected from the expensive striker. The Uruguayan can't afford another modest campaign at Liverpool.
Grade: C-
Aurelien Tchouameni
Monaco to Real Madrid, £68.3m
Tchouameni played 50 games during his maiden season, but some of those came from the bench. In fairness to 23-year-old, it was always going to be difficult for him to nail down a spot with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos still doing their thing. The best is yet to come.
Grade: B
Wesley Fofana
Leicester to Chelsea, £70m
Fofana, 22, has played just 15 Premier League games since his transfer, with some critics questioning whether he is good enough to play at the top. The Frenchman will need to hit the ground running under Mauricio Pochettino this coming season to avoid the flop tag.
Grade: D+
Antony
Ajax to Manchester United, £82m
Man Utd struck late in last summer's transfer window to sign Antony... and it appears they paid over the odds. The 23-year-old has scored just four goals and provided two assists in the Premier League, struggling with the pace of English football. He will need to improve significantly if he's to make the grade, especially with Alejandro Garnacho around.
Grade: D-
*Transfer fees do not include add-ons