As the dust settles on another whirlwind summer transfer window, clubs across Europe have closed the door on incoming transfers until the new year. The 2024/25 season is shaping up to be a crucial one, with the additional Champions League fixtures adding extra unpredictability to both busy schedules and the odds on a football bet UK.

For top teams in Europe, squad depth will be key to surviving the gruelling months ahead. With no more opportunities to bring in reinforcements until the January transfer window, the pressure is on clubs to have made the right moves throughout their summer business.

This summer was particularly challenging due to the Premier League’s updated financial regulations. The Profit and Sustainability rules continue to dictate how much clubs can spend, ensuring they remain financially stable while competing at the highest level.

While Leicester City managed to avoid a points deduction, the new rules showcased how much more cautious the rest of the league was this summer. Clubs that failed to balance their transfers properly could see their form drop, making this transfer window more important than ever.

In this article, we take a look at some of the most expensive signings of the 2024 summer transfer window and what these big-money moves mean for their new teams.

Julian Alvarez (Manchester City to Atletico Madrid) – £82 million

Manchester City were open to parting ways with striker Julian Alvarez after the Argentinian forward expressed his desire for a new challenge.

Atletico Madrid wasted no time in snapping the World Cup winner up for a staggering £82 million, making it one of the most high-profile moves of the window given that the 24-year-old was primarily a second choice to Erling Haaland at the Etihad, despite playing some of the most minutes.

Alvarez has already proven himself on the world stage, and Atletico hope he transforms their new-look forward line alongside former Crystal Palace frontman Alexander Sorloth, who has been prolific in La Liga.

Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth to Tottenham) – £60 million

Dominic Solanke’s impressive form for Bournemouth last season earned him a £60 million move to Tottenham Hotspur – a club record after narrowly topping the fee paid to bring Tanguy Ndombélé in from Lyon.

The 26-year-old striker bagged 19 Premier League goals but was unlucky to miss a spot in England’s Euro 2024 squad.

Solanke’s journey to the top has been anything but straightforward—after starting his career at Chelsea and then struggling for minutes at Liverpool, he found his footing on the south coast with Bournemouth.

Spurs will be hoping he can continue his rich vein of form and help fill the void left by Harry Kane, with Ange Postecoglou hoping for a consistent run of form from his group of entertainers.

Pedro Neto (Wolves to Chelsea) – £51 million plus add-ons

Chelsea continued their spending spree by signing Portuguese winger Pedro Neto from Wolves for £51 million, with potential add-ons pushing the fee higher.

Neto’s talent is undeniable, but his injury record is a concern for Chelsea fans. He made an immediate impact on his debut, playing against his former club at Molineux, and there is hope that his combination with fellow Portuguese forward Joao Felix — which has been dubbed ‘Netflix’ could be lethal.

If Neto stays fit, he could prove to be a steal, but Chelsea will be wary of the injury issues that have plagued his career so far. There will be plenty of competition for places in the frontline and the Blues signed Jadon Sancho on deadline day to accompany Felix, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke.

Leny Yoro (Lille to Manchester United) – £50 million

Manchester United fans were thrilled when their club beat out Real Madrid to sign promising young defender Leny Yoro for £50 million.

The Frenchman showed immense potential at Lille, and United will be counting on him to shore up their backline for years to come. However, injuries have prevented him from making his debut for the Red Devils so far, with their other new signing, Matthijs de Ligt, enduring a lukewarm start after arriving from Bayern Munich.

If Yoro can stay fit, the investment could pay off handsomely for Erik ten Hag’s side, but the pressure will be on him to hit the ground running.