The 2022 summer transfer window has been a real rollercoaster ride. It was full of dramatic and unexpected moments, and a lot of money was spent. Premier League clubs spent £1.9bn on transfers, more than La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga clubs combined.
Teams used too many players just to make offers. With the help of the new owners, Chelsea set a record for spending the most money on transfer fees in the history of the transfer window (£272m). Barcelona spent a lot of money on top players when it seemed they were heavily in debt. Manchester United also spent over £200m on six players.
Some transfers were ridiculously expensive and helped players set their own records. Here we look at the five most expensive transfers of the 2022 window.
Antony to Manchester United (£85.5m)
Manchester United’s transfer saga for Antony has been a very long one. The Red Devils had been chasing him for months and at one point it looked like they were about to leave. But then Antony did things to force the move, including refusing to show up for Ajax training and publicly asking the club to let him go.
In the end, United agreed to pay the huge fee demanded by the Dutch side, paying more than £85m to sign Brazilian winger Erik ten Hag. This made him the third-most expensive signing in United history after Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku.
Bought at such a high price, expectations are high. He has scored once in three games so far but needs to score many more to prove he’s worthy of the 2022 window’s most expensive signing.
Wesley Fofana to Chelsea (£72.3m)
Speaking of the long-running transfer saga, Wesley Fofana’s relationship with Chelsea also plays a role. Chelsea have spent over £150million on defenders alone this summer, with the biggest fee paid for a single player being that paid for Fofana.
Leicester City were an eyesore as they refused to let their star defender go after a poor start to the season. But Fofana worked hard to achieve his dream and urged the foxes to let him go, refusing to play for them.
The deal came late in the transfer window but Chelsea snapped up her man for a huge fee, despite not having to budge from the £80m Manchester United paid for Harry Maguire three years ago. Now it’s Fofana’s turn to show why he’s one of the most expensive centre-backs.
Aurelien Tchouameni to Real Madrid (£72m)
Real Madrid had a very interesting summer. Even before the window started, it was clear to them that Kylian Mbappe would stay at PSG and not join them. Los Blancos were willing to pay Mbpape a fortune to join them as a free agent but suddenly they had all the money to spend on other players.
After winning La Liga and Champions League last season, Carlo Ancelotti saw the need to improve his midfield. Madrid are targeting French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as Casemiro’s successor. PSG tried to deflect the move but Tchouamen’s heart was set on Spain.
Madrid had to pay a whopping £72m transfer fee, making it one of the most expensive transfers of all time. However, since Tchouameni has already adapted well to the team and even scored in the 2-1 win against Atlético Madrid, the investment seems to be paying off.
Darwin Nunez to Liverpool (£67.5m)
Liverpool started the summer window in rather dramatic fashion with striker Sadio Mane demanding an early exit. In the end, his wish came true and he ended up at FC Bayern München. Suddenly, the Reds require reinforcements in their front line.
They acted quickly and made a play for one of the most prized young strikers in European football, Darwin Nuñez. The Uruguayan’s exploits with Benfica last season, where he scored 34 goals in all competitions, included 6 goals in the Champions League.
But Portugal did not sell cheaply. Liverpool ended up paying £67.5m for the striker, making him one of the most expensive signings of the summer. Nuñez will be very difficult to take over, but he has had a slight advantage in his career at Anfield.
Casemiro to Manchester United (£63.5m)
Manchester United have had a very interesting transfer window in their pursuit of midfielders. They managed to complete the free signing of Christian Eriksen relatively early in the window. But Erik ten Hag’s search for a new midfielder took a long time. His number one target, Frenkie de Jong, has refused to leave Barcelona. This forced United to change direction and acquire top talent. The Red Devils completed the impressive signing of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro from almost nothing.
They paid £63 million for him, making him one of the most expensive signings of the summer. So far, Casemiro has started just one game during his United career and has been on the bench several times as he adjusts to his new surroundings.