The summer transfer window has now slammed shut and there has been no holding back on Premier League spending. The Premier League clubs got their chequebooks out over the summer with plenty of high-profile, big-money moves being completed. They have spent a mammoth £2.36bn on new players, setting a record.
Chelsea were once again the big spenders in the transfer market, as Mauricio Pochettino rebuilt his squad. Manchester City made some eye-catching recruits to add to their treble-winning squad, while Arsenal left no stone unturned to bolster their squad for another title push.
Elsewhere, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Aston Villa also spent big on new players to strengthen their respective squads, while newcomers Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United also made their moves in the transfer market.
Without further ado, let us take a look at the five most expensive Premier League deals of the recently concluded summer transfer window.
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The most expensive Premier League summer transfers of 2023
Kai Havertz (Chelsea to Arsenal)— £65m
Arsenal raised eyebrows when they decided to splash £65m to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea. The German’s time at Chelsea was marred by inconsistency and a lack of understanding of his original position, as managers used him in various roles across midfield and attack.
Mikel Arteta still seems to be figuring out Havertz’s natural position and shoehorning him as a left-sided No.8 has certainly not helped the player’s case. Thus, Arsenal fans to this day — and neutrals for that matter — struggle to understand where the German international fits in the team under Arteta.
It is no surprise Havertz’s initial days at the Emirates Stadium has been tough and he will be desperate to repay the manager’s faith after the international break.
Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta to Manchester United)— £72m
Manchester United desperately needed to sign a striker following their last season’s struggles, and while Harry Kane looked a perfect fit, they have splashed big money on a relatively untested youngster, Rasmus Hojlund.
Having arrived from Atalanta in August, a back injury had kept Hojlund away from making his debut for United until the game against Arsenal on Sunday, where he came off the bench in the 67th minute and gave glimpses of his huge potential.
Straightaway, the big Dane’s physicality and direct running, combined with his link-up play that helped set Alejandro Garnacho through for the offside goal, shows already why Erik ten Hag pressed the club to splash big for his services. While Man United lost 3-1 to Arsenal, Hojlund’s cameo should have given the fans and Ten Hag something positive to take back home from north London.
Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig to Manchester City)— £77m
The Croatian international is one of the world’s best defenders, and despite Pep Guardiola being stocked with centre-back options in his squad, could not turn down the opportunity to sign him around for a fee £20m lower than his release clause. Technically strong, physically dominant and quick through the ground, Gvardiol has bolstered City’s defensive ranks.
Predominantly a centre-back, Gvardiol has been used as a left-back by Guardiola, and the young defender has not put a foot wrong so far.
Declan Rice (West Ham to Arsenal)— £105m
Arsenal is not always known to make big-money signings, but this summer they broke the bank to sign Declan Rice in a club-record £105m deal from West Ham.
The England international is a household name in the Premier League, and his stock soared further when he helped West Ham to the UEFA Conference League title last season. Technically sound, combative and a leader, Rice is rated as among the most complete defensive midfielders in Europe.
Signing the 24-year-old was not easy for the Gunners as they faced competition from Pep Guardiola’s Man City, but the treble winners eventually withdrew from the race. And Rice already looks like part of the furniture at Arsenal, slotting in so comfortably in midfield that it’s becoming hard to imagine Arteta’s team without him.
Moises Caicedo (Brighton to Chelsea)—£115m
After Liverpool had a £110m bid accepted, Moises Caicedo decided to reject a move to Anfield and instead made it very clear to Brighton that he only wanted to join Chelsea, who had multiple offers rejected for the player over the summer transfer window. Finally, the long-drawn saga came to a end last month when Chelsea agreed a £115m with Brighton to sign Caicedo.
However, the Ecuadorian midfielder’s performances for the Blues haven’t been up to the mark so far. He has been sloppy and erratic with his passing and decision-making in midfield, turning in extremely poor performances in Chelsea’s defeats to West Ham and Nottingham Forest.
Mauricio Pochettino would have hoped to see Caicedo hit the ground running and solve his midfield conundrum at Chelsea, but that hasn’t happened yet.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
