TThis summer there have been some big moves and it’s not even August yet. The most prestigious teams on the continent have spared no expense in their attempt to usurp Champions League Real Madrid winners. The Spanish champions beat Liverpool in the final in Paris in May to secure their third Champions League title in six years. With the reinforcement of their rivals, they have wasted no time in adding to their squad.
The arrival of a lot of money comes in the form of Aurélien Tchouaméni, the 22-year-old Frenchman who arrives from Monaco. Real Madrid is preparing to release the old guard in its midfield. Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro are over 30 years old, so the bed in a new generation is vital. With Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga already at the club and Tchouaméni signs for 100 million eurosCarlo Ancelotti has most of Real Madrid’s upcoming midfield in place.
Antonio Rüdiger joins the defensive ranks of the squad, after his free incorporation. chelsea They were understandably interested in keeping Rüdiger but were restricted by the financial sanctions put in place during Roman Abramovich’s time at the club. The 29-year-old is one of the best centre-backs in the game and will provide additional coverage and competition for David Alaba and Éder Militão at the heart of the defence.
Rüdiger is not the only high-profile centre-back to have left Chelsea for Spain this summer, with Andreas Christensen moving to Barcelona. Having finished 13 points behind their fierce rivals last season, Barcelona are on a mission. Xavi’s appointment in November brought much-needed stability to the Camp Nou and the board have been more than willing to back him in the transfer market.
Despite their financial problems, Barcelona have been busy this summer. Franck Kessié has also arrived for free, from Milan, and the club has spent a lot on raphinha (58 million euros) and Robert Lewandowski (50 million euros). Chelsea chased after Raphinha, but the Brazilian had his heart set on a move to Barcelona, which eventually landed his man. The 25-year-old will be tough competition on the right wing for Ousmane Dembélé, who has extended his stay at the club until 2024. Barcelona are also close to signing Jules Koundé, another goal of Chelseafrom Seville for 50 million euros.
Lewandowski is the team’s headline-grabbing addition, having ended his 12-year stint in Germany. The 33-year-old scored 35 goals for Bayern Munich last season to earn another European Golden Shoe. With the wealth of attacking talent already at Xavi’s disposal, Lewandowski should tear La Liga apart as Barcelona look to not only overtake Real Madrid as the best in Spain, but also get past the quarter-finals for the second time in the quarter-finals. . seasons in the Champions League.
Bayern wasted no time in bringing in a replacement for Lewandowski. Following in his footsteps will not be easy, but the German champions will feel confident that they have secured his successor in Sadio Mané. The 30-year-old scored 16 Premier League goals last season, not to Lewandowski’s level, but he shone in a central role for Liverpool as they reached the Champions League final and won two trophies.
Even after winning the Bundesliga title, Bayern have made moves to strengthen themselves, signing two players from Ajax. Noussair Mazraoui increases Julian Nagelsmann’s options at right back, easing the burden on Benjamin Pavard in the process, while Ryan Gravenberch will give them an additional driving force in the middle of the park. Signing a new centre-back was a priority for Nagelsmann once Niklas Süle left for Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern have spent a lot on replacing him.
Bayern signs Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus for 80 million euros, meaning that three of his record four signings have been center backs. De Ligt struggled for consistency at Juventus, though working with three different managers in his three seasons at the club didn’t help as he tried to adjust to a new league in a new country. However, Juventus essentially recouped the fee he paid for the Dutchman in 2019.
They have put that money to good use. Bremer has come on to replace De Ligt, the Brazilian crossing the city from Torino. Bremer made more interceptions (105) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues last season, so Juve head coach Max Allegri now has a new centre-back ready to step up and ease the pressure on Bremer. juventus goal.
However, most of her business this summer has been in the open market, where the old lady is a teacher. Paul Pogba has returned to the club after the completion of his contract with Manchester United, although he has torn his meniscus and faces a few months off. Giorgio Chiellini, Paulo Dybala and Federico Bernardeschi have left, and Ángel Di María arrives for free to reinforce their attacking ranks.
Paris Saint-Germain have let Di Maria go and appear to be taking a different approach in the transfer market under new sporting director Luis Campos. The French champions beat Newcastle by signing highly-rated Reims forward Hugo Ekitike on an early loan, while defender Nordi Mukiele and playmaker Vitinha are also players with room to develop rather than superstar signings.
Dominant Premier League pairing Manchester City and Liverpool have also beefed up their squads for next season, perhaps more so the former. Julián Álvarez has arrived in Manchester after the culmination of his assignment with River Plate. City agreed a £14m fee for the 22-year-old striker in January and will be itching to get started.
His main addition is goal machine Erling Haaland, who has signed from Borussia Dortmund. City scored more goals (99) than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues last season, so the prospect of Haaland leading the charge for the Premier League champions is terrifying. Kalvin Phillips arrives as Fernandinho’s replacement in midfield and City are still on the hunt for another left-back, notably Marc Cucurella, after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s transfer to Arsenal.
Liverpool’s need for a new striker was more out of necessity than desire. Mané’s determination to join Bayern effectively forced Liverpool’s hand to make a move for Darwin Núñez. The Uruguayan scored 26 goals and provided four assists for Benfica in the Primeira Liga last season and his four-goal run in a pre-season game against RB Leipzig gives a glimpse of things to come from the 23-year-old. Youngsters Fábio Carvalho, who joins from Fulham, and Calvin Ramsay, who joins from Aberdeen, will offer something different for Jürgen Klopp. Carvalho is a genuine number 10 and Ramsay will be a solid backup to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back.
The gap between second and third in the Premier League last season was 18 points, so Chelsea have a lot of work to do if they are to launch a sustained title challenge. Central reinforcements are Thomas Tuchel’s priority this summer, although De Ligt and Koundé have been lost. Chelsea have made a statement by signing Kalidou Koulibaly, the imposing centre-back who arrived from Napoli for £33.8m. Koulibaly had been linked with a Premier League move for some time, and that transfer finally came through.
Up front, Raheem Sterling is the selfless striker Tuchel craved 12 months ago. The England international replaces Romelu Lukaku, who has returned to Inter. There is still a lot of work to be done at Stamford Bridge, but fans are hoping Todd Boehly will flex his financial muscles and sign the players Tuchel needs.
What is clear is that the powerhouses of European football have grown stronger in key areas. Real Madrid have every chance of retaining their Champions League crown, with the addition of Tchouaméni and Rüdiger. That said, Barcelona cannot be ruled out as they look to take advantage of an embarrassing group stage exit last season, nor can Bayern Munich, even after Lewandowski’s departure. City are hoping Haaland will lead them to the continental glory they crave in what promises to be one of the most competitive Champions League campaigns in a long time.