From Ivan Perisic to Diego Carlos: 7 done deals you might have missed this week
The 2022 summer transfer window hasn’t officially opened yet, but already deals are getting done across Europe.
Major transfers like Erling Haaland and Karim Adeyemi were finalised before the season even finished, so it’s only natural that just a few days after club football concluded with Saturday’s Champions League climax that further deals are beginning to bear fruit.
Below are several transfers that have happened this past week alone as the month of June rolls around and clubs look to get business done sooner rather than later with the 2022/23 season starting earlier to accommodate this year’s winter World Cup in Qatar.
Ivan Perisic
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 1, 2022
From: Inter Milan
To: Tottenham
Fee: Free Transfer
There are some transfers that, on paper, just seem to make perfect sense. Ivan Perisic ticks all the boxes of an archetypal Antonio Conte signing: Wing-back? Check. Experienced? Check. A former player? Check. Tottenham have begun their summer transfer business in superb fashion, picking up Perisic on a free transfer, with the 33-year-old almost guaranteed to revolutionise their left flank.
Versatile, athletic and explosive, there’s a reason Inter Milan wanted to keep Perisic at the San Siro despite his ageing legs. The Croat is showing no signs of slowing down, instead seeming to get better with age. His fitness is unparalleled and he should slot in nicely to Conte’s 3-5-2 system, with the prospect of his link up with Son Heung-min a genuinely terrifying prospect for Premier League full-backs.
Diego Carlos
Aston Villa is delighted to confirm the transfer of Diego Carlos from Sevilla FC for an undisclosed fee! ✅
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) June 1, 2022
From: Sevilla
To: Aston Villa
Fee: £26m
Steven Gerrard is not hanging about this summer. The Villa boss will be without his No. 2 next season as QPR confirmed the appointment of Michael Beale as their new head coach, but the Liverpool legend has sought to remedy his tactically-astute void by just signing a host of elite-level players. Not a bad gambit.
The Villans have already snapped up Philippe Coutinho on a permanent for a fraction of the price Barca forked out all those years ago, while Boubacar Kamara has joined on a free. Diego Carlos completes a trident of shrewd signings by Villa, with the hope that the no-nonsense, sometimes erratic Brazilian defender can bring some real bite and thrust to a defence that often flattered to deceive last term.
Nuno Mendes
✍️❤️💙
Paris Saint-Germain has completed the permanent transfer of @nunomendes_25.
The Portugal left-back has signed a contract with the club until 30 June 2026.https://t.co/2zJUbA5I2v
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 31, 2022
From: Sporting CP
To: PSG
Fee: £34.1m
Not a surprise here really, but PSG have confirmed the permanent transfer of full-back Nuno Mendes, who spent the season just gone on loan at the Parc des Princes from Sporting CP. The teenage defender featured 37 times across all competitions for Mauricio Pochettino’s men and becomes Kylian Mbappe’s first major signing of the summer. Sorry, PSG’s.
Hrvoje Smolcic
Eintracht Frankfurt is delighted to announce the signing of Hrvoje Smolcic from HNK Rijeka on a five-year contract! ✍️#SGE #Smolcic2027 pic.twitter.com/u4DAWYg6N3
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@eintracht_eng) May 31, 2022
From: Rijeka
To: Eintracht Frankfurt
Fee: £2m
The Europa League winners know they have to strengthen this summer ahead of their appearance in the Champions League next season, and Oliver Glasner has sought to bolster his defensive ranks with the signing of highly-regarded Croatia U21 international Hrvoje Smolcic. Despite his tender years, the 21-year-old is already club captain of Rijeka (or was) and helped guide the club to successive Croatian Cups between 2019 and 2020. For just £2m, signing such a versatile defender who has shown his maturity, leadership qualities and dynamism can be seen as a real coup for the club.
Marcin Bulka
✅ @marcin_bulka is staying at Nicehttps://t.co/6XMoNNN7hG
— OGC Nice 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@ogcnice_eng) June 1, 2022
From: PSG
To: Nice
Fee: £1.7m
One in, one out for PSG. Former Chelsea academy prospect Marcin Bulka spent last season on loan at Nice, and the 6ft 6in Polish gloveman has now completed a permanent switch to the French Riviera club. Unlikely to displace Gianluigi Donnarumma between the sticks in Paris, Bulka has sought more consistent playing time for Nice, despite spending most of his time playing second fiddle to Walter Benitez at the Allianz Riviera.
Alex Iwumene
Fresh talent on the horizon 🌅#SaintsFC’s Academy has welcomed Alex Iwumene on a scholarship:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) June 1, 2022
From: Sutton United
To: Southampton
Fee: Undisclosed fee
Renowned for their development of youth players, Southampton have looked to reinforce their academy with the signing of 17-year-old prospect Alex Iwumene on a scholarship deal from Sutton United. Certainly one for the future, but Ralph Hasenhuttl will be hoping the teenager can follow in the footsteps of past graduates like Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Ward-Prowse, Calum Chambers, Luke Shaw and Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale.
Tim Skarke
🤝 Welcome Tim!
Winger Tim Skarke signs for Union from @sv98 as next season's squad continues to take shape.https://t.co/zmPn9rWkog
— 1. FC Union Berlin (English) (@fcunion_en) May 31, 2022
From: Darmstadt
To: Union Berlin
Fee: Free transfer
After Darmstadt just missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga and following Union Berlin’s fifth-placed finish in the top flight, which has secured them Europa League football, Urs Fischer has sought to strengthen his side ahead of next season’s gruelling midweek schedule. Tim Starke joins as their fourth signing following the transfers of Jamie Leweling, Danilho Doekhi and Janik Haberer. The wide man should offer some strong competition on the flanks.
