Premier League clubs again lead the way when it comes to transfers this summer, but clubs across Europe and elsewhere have been busy making moves of their own in the market.
The Saudi Pro League’s recruitment drive has added a new dynamic to the summer transfer window and there’s been several stand-out signings across the Middle East and Europe’s top-five leagues.
Here are the most expensive non-Premier League transfers so far this summer.
6. Lois Openda – Lens to RB Leipzig (โฌ40m/ยฃ37.3m)
RB Leipzig have recouped considerable funds from the Premier League this summer, with the sales of Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai having brought in more than ยฃ100m from English clubs.
Leipzig have began to reinvest that windfall on a number of signings suited to their strategy, targeting emerging names with room to develop and improve at the Red Bull Arena. The most expensive acquisition of the club’s summer to date has been the capture of Lois Openda from Lens, with the forward having signed for the Bundesliga side in a club-record โฌ40m deal.
Openda’s fine form propelled Lens to a runners-up finish in Ligue 1 last season, securing the French side Champions League football for the first time in two decades. The 23-year-old scored 21 league goals, a return which followed two productive seasons in the Eredivise at Vitesse Arnhem.
Openda has scored two goals in nine appearances for Belgium since his international debut last year and is one of just four Belgians to have scored 20+ league goals in a top-five European league this century, after Eden Hazard, Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku.
5. Lucas Hernandez – Bayern Munich to Paris Saint-Germain (โฌ45m/ยฃ39m)
Paris Saint-Germain have been active in the transfer market as the Parisians look to rebuild. Milan Skriniar and Lucas Hernandez have signed to improve the Parisian’s defence, with the latter arriving for a โฌ45m fee from Bayern Munich.
Hernandez won four consecutive Bundesliga titles and the Champions League during his time in Germany, but has struggled with fitness issues in recent seasons. PSG will hope the 27-year-old can steer clear of injury problems as the club look to mount a challenge for the Champions League next season.
Hernandez can operate both at left-back or in central defence and will replace Sergio Ramos, who has departed the Ligue 1 champions as a free agent.
4. Kim Min-jae – Napoli to Bayern Munich (โฌ50m/ยฃ43.4m)
Hernandez’s departure was sanctioned as Bayern Munich closed in on the signing of Kim Min-jae, with the Bundesliga champions beating competition from Europe’s top clubs to land the South Korean centre-back.
Min-jae was outstanding as Napoli were crowned Serie A champions for the first time since 1990 last season, emerging as one of Europe’s most coveted central defenders.
The 26-year-old was named the best defender in Serie A and the move to Bayern continues a remarkable rise for Min-jae, who was playing in the Chinese Super League for Beijing Guoan just two seasons ago.
Min-jae will join an impressive defensive group at Bayern that includes Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt, after the Bavarians activated the โฌ50m release clause in his Napoli contract.
“Bayern is a dream for every footballer,” he said on the move.
“I’m really looking forward to what’s to come. It’s a new beginning for me. I’ll continue to develop here. In discussions with the club, it was made clear to me from the start how interested they are in me.”
3. Ruben Neves – Wolves to Al-Hilal (โฌ55m/ยฃ47.75m)
Ruben Neves is the most expensive signing of The Saudi Pro League project so far, after Al-Hilal spent โฌ55m to sign the midfielder from Wolves.
Neves had been open to leaving Wolves in order to play in the Champions League next season, but a mammoth financial package from Saudi Arabia has persuaded the Portugal international to head to the Middle East.
The 26-year-old is one of the first high-profile names to head to The Saudi Pro League in his peak years and will join former Chelsea centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly and ex-Lazio star Sergej Milinkoviฤ-Saviฤ at Al-Hilal next season.
“The main factor was my family and the chance to give my family the life I have always dreamt of, that was the real reason for me,” Neves said on the move.
“I have three kids and a lovely wife and I need to take care of them, that is a bigger trophy than my career.”
2. Manuel Ugarte – Sporting Lisbon to Paris Saint-Germain (โฌ60m/ยฃ52m)
Paris Saint-Germain beat competition from Chelsea to secure the signing of Manuel Ugarte early in the window, after activating the midfielder’s โฌ60m release clause at Sporting Lisbon.
Ugarte starred last season, leading Portugal’s Primeira Liga for duels won (232) and tackles made (119) after stepping into the defensive midfield role vacated following Joao Palhinha’s sale to Fulham.
The Uruguayan is a numbers machine when it comes to defensive work and PSG will hope the 22-year-old can provide the security an unbalanced side has often lacked.
1. Jude Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid (โฌ103m/ยฃ88.5m)
Real Madrid’s capture of Jude Bellingham is the most expensive non-Premier League transfer of the summer window to date, with the Spanish giants luring English football’s most promising talent to the Bernabeu ahead of Premier League rivals.
Bellingham will become the sixth Englishman to represent Real Madrid, after completing a move to the club worth an initial ยฃ88.5m. That figure could rise further, to a fee that would make the 19-year-old the most expensive British player of all time should certain clauses be met.
Despite strong interest from Liverpool and Manchester City, Bellingham admitted the chance to represent the record 14-time European champions was too good to turn down.
โThank you for everyone for joining me on the proudest day of my life,” Bellingham said at his unveiling.
โThe day where I joined the greatest football club in the history of the game. There are a lot of people to thank for getting me to this point โ Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City, the people that worked there.
โAlso the bosses here (at Real Madrid); Mr President (Florentino Perez), Juni Calafat (scout), Jose Angel (chief executive).
โOf course, most importantly, my family for all of the support and making the deal as easy as possible, so thank you very much and finally, Hala Madrid.โ
Read –ย Ranking the most expensive footballers in Premier League history
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