Football News

    Transfer deals you might have missed this week: from one-time record Arsenal signing to former Golden Boy

    By Mohamed Moallim

    Published: 9:30, 7 August 2024

    Business is in full swing as teams across Europe and beyond continue to finalise their squads ahead of the summer transfer window deadline.

    Many have already begun competitive action with qualification for UEFA’s three major competitions underway, while others are set to conclude pre-season with league action on the horizon.

    One particularly active club is West Ham, who in the past few days acquired the services of Crysencio Summerville (Leeds), Niclas Füllkrug (Borussia Dortmund), and Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis) for a combined £52m.

    Under the new leadership of Julen Lopetegui, there’s renewed faith that the Hammers could challenge for a top-six spot in the Premier League.

    But for every major transfer, some go under the radar. Here are a few that took place this week.

    Nicolas Pépé

    From: Trabzonspor

    To: Villarreal

    In a recent candid interview, Nicolas Pépé spoke about the mental burden and pressures of being signed for an astronomical sum. His standout performances for Lille eventually saw Arsenal break the bank and make him their record signing. He failed to deliver during his time in North London and has since endured limited (if any) success at Nice, where he played on loan, before enjoying a season at Trabzonspor. But now those stints are in the past as he seeks to get his career back on track with the Yellow Submarine.

    João Neves

    From: Benfica

    To: Paris Saint-Germain

    A wanted talent, with Manchester United reportedly determined to win his signature earlier this year; many felt rising Portuguese star João Neves would remain at his boyhood club, Benfica, for at least one more season. Paris Saint-Germain, though, had other ideas and brought the 19-year-old defensive midfielder into the fold. Neves’ potential is bountiful, and there is no better coach under whom to develop than Luis Enrique. Plus, having compatriots Danilo Pereira, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Gonçalo Ramos already there will help.

    Predrag Rajkovic

    From: Mallorca

    To: Al-Ittihad

    After being part of a disappointing Serbia campaign at Euro 2024, first-choice goalkeeper Predrag Rajković is on the move. After two seasons, the 28-year-old shot-stopper leaves Mallorca but will not continue in Europe; instead, he will move to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad as his new home. Rajković will count N’Golo Kanté, Fabinho, Karim Benzema, and Houssem Aouar among his new teammates, with Laurent Blanc recently succeeding Marcelo Gallardo as head coach.

    Renato Sanches

    From: Paris Saint-Germain

    To: Benfica

    Academy graduates returning to where they made their senior professional debuts is a tale as old as time, and Renato Sanches becomes the latest to enter this category. His switch from Paris Saint-Germain to boyhood club Benfica is part of a deal that sees Neves going the other way. Some observers would be disappointed with where Sanches, who turns 27 later this month, is at in his career, especially after such an impressive beginning that saw him win the prestigious Golden Boy award. Injuries have played a factor; perhaps leaving for Bayern Munich so early was too much too soon. A loan spell at Swansea remains an eyebrow-raising moment even now. He somewhat turned it around at Lille, and a forthcoming temporary spell at Roma looked promising. It remains to be seen which Sanches the Eagles get.

    Philipp Max

    From: Eintracht Frankfurt

    To: Panathinaikos

    At one point, Philipp Max was earmarked as Germany’s long-term left-back option, but the former Schalke 04 youth product would earn only three caps, all coming in 2020, following which he represented Dutch giants PSV with distinction following his arrival from FC Augsburg. Since departing the Netherlands, he’s struggled to be a mainstay with Eintracht Frankfurt but will now look to enjoy a rebirth at Panathinaikos.

    Oriol Romeu

    From: Barcelona

    To: Girona

    The departure of the influential Sergio Busquets presented Barcelona with a dilemma, and one they felt would be solved by bringing Oriol Romeu back to where his career began. Romeu had developed into a solid defensive midfielder at Southampton following an initial move to Chelsea, and Girona benefited from that maturation in the season before his former employers called. However, it hadn’t gone entirely to plan, and the Ulldecona native will not be part of Hansi Flick’s thinking as he returns to Girona, where he can look forward to the club making its historic Champions League debut.

    Ricardo Rodríguez

    From: Torino

    To: Real Betis

    A dependable servant for Switzerland since 2011, it’s a new competition for left-back Ricardo Rodriguez, who makes his La Liga debut with Real Betis later this month. The native of Zürich has previously shown out in the Swiss Super League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Eredivisie.

    Lewis Dobbin

    From: Aston Villa

    To: West Brom

    Competition for playing time has led newly-signed Aston Villa forward Lewis Dobbin to continue his development at West Brom. Last season, the 21-year-old made 12 appearances in the Premier League for his boyhood team Everton, scoring one goal in their unexpected 2-0 home victory against Chelsea. He joined Villa this summer but has been immediately sent out on loan.

    Hans Hateboer

    From: Atalanta

    To: Stade Rennais

    Coming through at Eredivisie side Groningen, who have either produced or developed some big names in the last two decades, Hans Hateboer moved to Atalanta, which has in recent years built a Dutch enclave. He would go on to make over 180 league appearances. He culminated an eight-year stay by lifting the club’s first-ever European trophy when La Dea overcame heavy favourites Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League final.

    Harry Souttar

    From: Leicester

    To: Sheffield United

    Someone not making the move to Leicester City, on their Premier League return, is Australian centre-back Harry Souttar, who will remain in the Championship with Sheffield United on loan, with the Blades effectively swapping places with the Foxes.

    Jurgen Ekkelenkamp

    From: Royal Antwerp

    To: Udinese

    Jürgen Ekkelenkamp couldn’t have made a more impactful Champions League debut. Within minutes of coming on for Ajax against Juventus, he tactically fouled Cristiano Ronaldo, earning himself a yellow card as the Amsterdammers played out a 1-1 draw in their quarterfinal opening leg.

    Ekkelenkamp, though, was unable to break into Erik ten Hag’s first team and would leave for Royal Antwerp, where he became a Belgian champion. Now the former Netherlands U21 international is Serie A-bound, joining Udinese, who finished two points above the relegation places last season.

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