The football world has already seen a handful of huge transfers during the 2021 summer transfer window, which still has the better part of a month left to go.
More big transfers appear to be on the horizon, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, and Romelu Lukaku linked to some Premier League heavyweights.
But while those deals are not yet signed, sealed, and delivered, allow SBOTOP to refresh your memory on the massive moves that have already gone down during this summer transfer window.
Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United
The Jadon Sancho transfer saga is finally over. After years of speculation, Sancho is finally heading back home to England with Borussia Dortmund deciding to sell the talented winger to Manchester United for a fee of £73 million.
That price could very well turn out to be a bargain for United given Sancho’s age (21) and immense production with BVB (54 goals and 67 assists).
The thought of Sancho teaming up with Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford should have United fans very excited for the new season.
Raphael Varane, Real Madrid to Manchester United
While Sancho was the flashier signing, Manchester United’s capture of French centre-back Raphael Varane could prove to be more consequential to their Premier League title hopes.
The 28-year-old Frenchman, who arrives at Old Trafford from Real Madrid for £40 million, is one of the finest defenders in the world and boasts a remarkable resume for both club and country (3 La Liga titles, 4 Champions Leagues, a World Cup).
With Varane and Harry Maguire forming quite a formidable partnership at the heart of the United backline, the Red Devils’ football 2021 odds to regain the Premier League title have improved significantly.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain have gone on quite a shopping spree this summer to reclaim the French crown they lost to Lille. They’ve signed a trio of big names on free transfers, but with all due respect to Sergio Ramos and Gini Wijnaldum, Gianluigi Donnarumma is the biggest signing of those three.
Shortly after sealing his move to Paris, the Italian goalkeeper went on to win Euro 2020, thanks in large part to his penalty shootout heroics in the semi-final and final.
And now, Donnarumma will provide a significant upgrade to Paris’ defence as they plot their domination not only of France, but all of Europe.
David Alaba, Bayern Munich to Real Madrid
Real Madrid said goodbye to their storied central defensive partnership of Ramos and Varane this summer and said hello to David Alaba, who comes over from Bayern Munich on a free transfer.
The 29-year-old Austrian is right up there with Varane as one of the top centre-backs in the world – and he can play at left-back or in midfield too, if needed.
Real Madrid need more reinforcements to reclaim the La Liga crown, but Alaba’s arrival is a big step in the right direction.
Dayot Upamecano, RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich
This transfer window has seen a number of top central defenders on the move, and the first domino to fall was Dayot Upamecano, who followed coach Julian Nageslmann from RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich for €42.5 million.
The 22-year-old Frenchman is one of the best defensive prospects in Europe, and he will be a worthy replacement for Alaba at the heart of Bayern’s backline.
Achraf Hakimi, Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain
PSG have loaded up primarily on free transfers this summer, but they did make one splashy big-money signing in Achraf Hakimi for over £50 million.
The 22-year-old wing-back spent just a single season with Inter Milan, whom he helped reclaim the Serie A crown with seven goals and eight assists.
Hakimi’s arrival will likely spell PSG’s move to a back-three, with the pacey wing-back set to create numerous football 2021 highlights alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Ben White, Brighton to Arsenal
Arsenal’s decision to drop a whopping £50 million to sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben White left many in disbelief. But while he’s not a big household name just yet, the 23-year-old White certainly has the ability to be one.
After starring in the Championship to help Leeds United return to the Premier League, White shone in his debut top-flight campaign with the Seagulls.
With his impressive skill set for a centre-back, White figures to be a foundational player for the Gunners for the foreseeable future.
Andre Silva, Eintracht Frankfurt to RB Leipzig
A year after losing Timo Werner, RB Leipzig have finally landed another star striker in Andre Silva. The Portuguese hitman had a breakout season in the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt. He scored 28 goals to finish second in the scoring charts behind the record-breaking Robert Lewandowski.
With Dortmund losing Sancho, the race for second in the Bundesliga is wide open, and the Red Bulls figure to be prime contenders for that spot with Silva leading the charge.
Memphis Depay, Lyon to Barcelona
Similar to PSG, Barcelona stocked up on free transfers this summer, with striker Memphis Depay clearly their most prized signing. The Dutchman comes over from Lyon after scoring 20 goals in Ligue 1 last season.
With Lionel Messi now 34 years of age and Antoine Griezmann’s future looking uncertain, Memphis figures to be a major player for Barca this season.
Rodrigo De Paul, Udinese to Atletico Madrid
Despite Depay’s arrival at Barcelona, champions Atletico Madrid are the team to beat in Spain. And Atleti figure to be stronger next season after signing Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul from Udinese.
De Paul has an amazing range of passing, which he put on full display when he set up Angel Di Maria for the winning goal in the Copa America final against Brazil.
He should add another dimension to Atleti’s attack and provide quality service to strikers Luis Suarez and Joao Felix as they look to successfully defend their title.
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