Every year and around this time, the football scene gains a particular interest as the spotlight turns to the typical buzz coming from the new signings, transfers and obviously also the many rumors/latest news going around. It’s also quite usual for us to see several transfer records being broken in every summer and by the looks of it, it seems that it’s all set for this year to not be an exception to the rule…
This summer’s transfer window deadline was set for the 31st of August of 2014, meaning that until the end of that day, most of the European clubs are still allowed to sign new players for the upcoming 2014-2015 season.
The following ranking consists on a list containing the most expensive signings in football that occurred during the current summer transfer window of 2014-15. We’ll do our best to have this top 10 list updated every time a new big signing is confirmed and right until the transfer deadline is met on August 31.
Last updated: August 29, 2014
* All transfer fees values converted to Euros, by using the available spot rate on the day of the update.
The 10 highest football transfers in 2014-2015:
#1 – Luis Suárez
Transfer fee: 94 million euros
Salary: 12.5 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Liverpool
New team: FC Barcelona
Nationality: Uruguayan
Age: 27
Short Biography: It’s hard to find a more controversial player than the former Liverpool superstar, Luis Suárez. After completing a spectacular season with the Reds, where in 33 appearances he got to score 31 goals in the Barclays Premier League, it didn’t take him much time to run into trouble once again. The 27-year old bit Chiellini during a World Cup game between Italy and Uruguay, which ultimately led to him being sanctioned with a 4-month ban. This means that the Uruguayan man will only play his first game for FC Barcelona in late October, more precisely on the 26th day of that month, in a Clasico between Barça and Real Madrid that is agended for the Santiago Bernabéu. In order to sign him, Barcelona didn’t hesitate in paying close to 94 million euros and offering Suárez a 12.5 million euros yearly salary.
#2 – James Rodríguez
Transfer fee: 80 million euros
Salary: 7.5 million euros (per year)
Previous team: AS Monaco
New team: Real Madrid
Nationality: Colombian
Age: 23
Short Biography: Few players shined more in the last FIFA World Cup than the Colombian playmaker James Rodríguez. The 23-year old footballer became the tournament’s top scorer after scoring 6 goals in 5 games and it immediately triggered the interest of some of the European top clubs over him. Real Madrid were the ones showing the biggest determination in signing him and they managed to reach an agreement with AS Monaco after paying a total transfer fee of 80 million euros. James will wear the mythical jersey number 10 in Madrid and he’ll earn a yearly salary of 7.5 million euros.
#3 – Angel Di María
Transfer fee: 75 million euros
Salary: 8 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Real Madrid
New team: Manchester United
Nationality: Argentinian
Age: 26
Short Biography: After having played a decisive role in Real Madrid‘s road to “La Décima” and the Copa del Rey title last season, Angel Di María has surprisingly left the club this summer in order to sign for Louis Van Gaal‘s Manchester United and join the Barclays Premier League. In order to persuade the Argentine winger to leave the current European champions, the Red Devils had not only to splash a record fee of 75 million euros to bring him to Manchester, but also had to offer him a 8-million euros salary, something which Real Madrid wasn’t willing to pay him. In Manchester, Di María will wear United‘s legendary number 7 shirt, previously worn by his former Real Madrid teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo.
#4 – David Luiz
Transfer fee: 63 million euros
Salary: 4.5 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Chelsea
New team: PSG
Nationality: Brazilian
Age: 27
Short Biography: David Luiz can brag about having become the most expensive centre defender ever, when PSG decided to splash a total of 63 million euros in order to bring him from Chelsea FC right to the French League. In Paris, he’ll be partnering up with his longtime friend Thiago Silva, with whom he’s already been playing together in the Brazilian National Team. David Luiz arrived to Europe back in 2007 when he got signed by Benfica, but he only moved to England in 2011, when Chelsea reportedly ended up paying 25 million euros for his services. He’ll be earning a big paycheck in PSG, after agreeing a 6-year deal from which he’ll cash-in 4.5 million euros each year.
#5 – Alexis Sánchez
Transfer fee: 44 million euros
Salary: 9 million euros (per year)
Previous team: FC Barcelona
New team: Arsenal
Nationality: Chilean
Short Biography: The highly dynamic forward from Chile has decided to embark on a new adventure in his career and agreed to sign a 4-year deal with Arsenal FC. His move immediately made room for Barcelona to sign Luis Suárez, but only time will tell if this decision will prove to be fruitful for any of the sides. With the Blaugranas, Alexis played in a total of 141 games, scoring in 47 different occasions throughout the 3 whole seasons he has been at the club. He’s the Barclays Premier League biggest signing this season (at least until now), with Arsenal paying close to 44 million euros to bring him to London. Together with Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sánchez will be one of the club’s highest earners, with an yearly salary of around 9 million euros.
#6 – Diego Costa
Transfer fee: 40 million euros
Salary: 10 million euros (per year).
Previous team: Atletico Madrid
New team: Chelsea FC
Nationality: Spanish
Age: 25
Short Biography: Diego Costa has been one of the most prolific strikers in the World in the past season and if Atletico Madrid did win the Spanish League and reached the UEFA Champions League final, they have a lot to thank to this Brazilian-born footballer. The 25-year old forward has netted 36 goals in 52 games last season, with 27 of those being scored in La Liga. He didn’t impress at all in this summer’s FIFA World Cup, but in all fairness, neither did any of his Spanish teammates. José Mourinho has repeatedly assumed that he has high hopes in seeing Diego Costa suceeding in England and Chelsea‘s owner Roman Abramovich didn’t hesitate in spending 40 million euros to assure his signing. The Spanish forward also didn’t think twice about moving to his new club, as he will earn a salary of close to 10 million euros per year.
#7 – Eliaquim Mangala
Transfer fee: 40 million euros
Salary: 5.5 million euros (per year).
Previous team: FC Porto
New team: Manchester City
Nationality: French
Age: 23
Short Biography: Manchester City has often been accused of spending most of their budget in attacking players. That surely hasn’t been the case when they made their move on Eliaquim Mangala, a 23-year old centre defender that played in FC Porto for the past 3 seasons. In order to sign this strong French player, the Citizens gave in to Pinto da Costa‘s demandings and agreed to pay a total sum of 40 million euros to the Portuguese club. In Manchester, Mangala will earn close to 5.5 million euros on a yearly basis and he’s expected to build a solid partnership with the team’s captain, Vincent Kompany.
#8 – Cesc Fabrègas
Transfer fee: 38 million euros
Salary: 10 million euros (per year).
Previous team: FC Barcelona
New team: Chelsea FC
Nationality: Spanish
Age: 27
Short Biography: After a 3-year adventure in Spain’s powerhouse FC Barcelona, Cesc Fabrègas finally made his return to the league where he first captured the World’s attention at the beginning of his career. He played for Arsenal between 2003 and 2011, becoming one of the club’s most cherished players by the fans as his influence in the team grew over the years. In the summer of 2011, he left London in order to attempt to give a new course to his career, but the truth is that he has never managed to establish himself as a key player in the Blaugranas. He has finally decided to return to England, but this time he picked his former club’s rival, Chelsea FC, who have paid 38 million euros in order to see him wearing the classic blue jersey at the Bridge. Fabrègas will earn a salary close to 10 million euros per year, which will put him right next to the club’s top earners.
#9 – Luke Shaw
Transfer fee: 38 million euros
Salary: 6.5 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Southampton
New team: Manchester United
Nationality: English
Age: 19
Short Biography: With Patrice Evra’s departure to Juventus FC, Manchester United probably doesn’t have many reasons to be worried about who will take the left-back position in the years to come, as the Red Devils successfully signed Southampton’s Luke Shaw for a fee of 38 million euros. The 19-year old is now one of the biggest teenagers signings ever made, as he even beat Wayne Rooney’s 27 million pounds price tag, which Manchester United gladly paid back in 2004. Despite his very young age, Luke Shaw has already made his debut for the English National Team (in February of 2014) and he’s widely regarded as one of the most promising left-backs in the game.
#10 – Ander Herrera
Transfer fee: 36 million euros
Salary: 3.8 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Athletic Bilbao
New team: Manchester United
Nationality: Spanish
Age: 24
Short Biography: Following the catastrophic Premier League campaign last season, Manchester United‘s owners have decided it was time to finally open their wallets and invest some big money in talented players. One of the club’s early targets was Athletic Bilbao‘s midfielder, Ander Herrera, who costed the Red Devils close to 36 million euros. The 24-year is coming off his best season ever individually, where he managed to score 5 goals in La Liga, in 33 appearances. However, Herrera is definitely not the kind of player that should be assessed by his goal-tally and what he’s expected to be bringing to United is a better criteria and better passing when moving the ball around in midfield, something which the team did lack a lost over the course of last season. By coming to Old Trafford, Herrera will basically double his previous salary in Athletic, as he’ll now earn close to 3.8 million euros per year.
#11 – Romelu Lukaku
Transfer fee: 35 million euros
Salary: 5 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Chelsea
New team: Everton FC
Nationality: Belgium
Age: 21
Short Biography: Even though he has been around in the Barclays Premier League for a few years now, it might come as a surprise to some the fact that Romelu Lukaku is only 21-years old. The Belgium forward has spent the last 2 seasons on loan from Chelsea, first playing for West Bromwich Albion and last year giving it a go in Everton FC. That’s been precisely where he ended up moving this summer, after the Toffees decided to break their own transfer record by signing Lukaku for a 35 million euros fee. In the Premier League, Lukaku has scored a total of 32 goals in 76 games, but he’s definitely one of those players who still has a great margin to improve in the years to come. Don’t get stunned if he ends up getting transferred for an even higher fee in a near future…
#12 – Adam Lallana
Transfer fee: 31 million euros
Salary: 4.5 million euros (per year)
Previous team: Southampton
New team: Liverpool
Nationality: English
Age: 26
Short Biography: He’s not exactly a youngster anymore, but he’s not that old either. Liverpool signed Adam Lallana from Southampton this summer, after agreeing to pay close to 31 million euros for the 26-year old attacking midfielder. Lallana has played for “The Saints” throughout his whole career (except in 2007, where he was loaned to Bournemouth), but he finally moved up in the ranks this past July, by agreeing terms with Liverpool, one of England’s top sides. Since he returned from loan to Southampton in 2008, Lallana played 265 games for the club and scored a total of 65 goals. He only made his debut for England last year (2013), but he’s already behind 9 caps as we prepare to kickoff with the new 2014-2015 season. In Liverpool, he’ll earn roughly 4.5 million euros per year and he’ll definitely face the biggest challenge of his professional career so far.
Sources: skysports.com / bbc.com
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