da aposte e ganhe： Spending has reached unprecedented levels this summer, but some teams have still managed to find good value in the market
da apostaganha： The 2023 summer transfer window was characterised by huge deals, with the Saudi Pro League's entry into the European market offering the continent's highest-profile players and agents another bargaining chip in negotiations. However, the riches on offer in the Middle East are not the only reason that the market continues to go crazy.
Empowered by mammoth broadcast deals, the Premier League once again lived up to its name as the land of the big spenders, with Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo both moving between English clubs for over £100 million ($126m). Other European sides have flexed their financial muscle too, with Bayern Munich's busy summer headlined by the €100m (£86m/£108m) signing of Harry Kane from Tottenham.
Yet, in this inflated market, some teams have proven that it is still possible to get a fair deal. Below, GOAL has taken a look at the 19 best-value deals completed by European clubs this summer…
Getty Images19Granit Xhaka – Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen (£21.4m)
When Granit Xhaka was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy back in November 2019, the thought of him remaining at the Emirates Stadium for a further three-and-a-half years would've seemed ridiculous. And yet, when the Switzerland international eventually departed this summer, most Gunners fans were disappointed to see him go.
That is credit to the way Xhaka has bolstered his reputation over the past few seasons, which is brilliant news for Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga does not have the pull of the English top flight, so Xabi Alonso will be ecstatic to have snapped up such a well-rounded midfielder for a reasonable price.
Advertisement (C)Getty Images18Sofyan Amrabat – Fiorentina to Man Utd (loan)
They made properly hard work of it, but Manchester United finally recruited a defensive midfielder on deadline day in the form of Sofyan Amrabat. The Moroccan star has been linked with a move away from Fiorentina ever since he shone during his national team's run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.
United are paying a €10m (£8.6m/$10.9m) loan fee for Amrabat's services this season, with a purchase option set at €25m (£21m/$27m) for the summer. If he can replicate the form he showcased in Qatar, that represents extremely good business, particularly with prices for players of his profile skyrocketing this summer.
Getty17Alexis Mac Allister – Brighton to Liverpool (£35m)
Liverpool's midfield rebuild kicked off with the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton all the way back in June. And thanks to a handy release clause, the Reds only had to pay £35m ($44m) for the World Cup winner.
During a summer where the best Premier League midfielders have moved for around three-times that fee, the deal represents pretty astonishing value. Mac Allister has made a solid start to life at Anfield too, and should be a mainstay of Jurgen Klopp's side for many seasons to come.
Getty Images16Marco Asensio – Real Madrid to PSG (free)
Paris Saint-Germain are not a side you'd normally associate with good-value signings. However, this summer, the Ligue 1 champions have changed their approach somewhat, snapping up a string of reliable players on free transfers.
Marco Asensio is one of those, with the three-time Champions League winner calling time on his Real Madrid career after seven seasons in July. The Spaniard was never a bonafide superstar at the Bernabeu, but he popped up with more than his fair share of important goals over the years, and his versatility will make him an extremely useful option for Luis Enrique this season. He's already netted twice for his new club, too.