Kylian Mbappe, Joao Neves & the 15 best-value European signings of the summer transfer window so far – ranked

Bayern Munich thought they’d signed Joao Palhinha from Fulham in a €65m (£56m/$77m) deal last summer, only for the move to collapse after he’d already taken part in his first photoshoot for the club. It was a crushing disappointment that would break most players, but Palhinha returned to Fulham as a man possessed, and the Cottagers probably would have been dragged into a relegation battle had it not been for his colossal displays in midfield.

Palhinha is a master ball-winner who never seems to run out of energy, and even at the age of 29, it feels like he still hasn’t quite reached his peak. That’s one of the reasons Bayern came back in for the Portuguese in July, and at a reduced price, which could be a major bargain if he proves to be as influential at Allianz Arena as he was in his two years at Craven Cottage.

Manchester United signed Raphael Varane too late. He called time on a glittering career with Real Madrid at 28 to take on a new challenge in the Premier League in 2021, but the physically imposing and technically-gifted defender never reached the same heights at Old Trafford.

Persistent injury problems were the main reason for Varane’s decline, and he left Old Trafford as a free agent in June with his stock lower than ever before. The 31-year-old still has plenty of experience and quality, though, which is why his surprise move to Serie A new boys Como might just be a masterstroke. Working alongside Cesc Fabregas as part of an ambitious project in a beautiful part of Italy could give Varane a new lease of life, and he will get much more time to recover between matches with no European football to worry about. His new employers will, thus, be praying that the injury he picked up on his debut on Sunday is not too serious…

Very few casual fans would have heard of Georges Mikautadze before this summer’s European Championship in Germany. The Georgia international secured a dream move to Ajax from Metz last year, but only played nine games in all competitions in the first half of the 2023-24 campaign, which led to the Dutch club sending him back to Stage Saint-Symphorien on loan.

Mikautadze couldn’t save Metz from relegation to Ligue 2, but he scored 13 goals in 20 league games, and ultimately re-signed for the club on permanent terms. The 23-year-old went on to win a share of the Golden Boot as Georgia upset the odds to reach the last 16 of the Euros, prompting Lyon to swoop for his services. It was a shrewd move that could push Lyon back towards the Champions League places, with Mikautadze now showing real signs of developing into a top-class goal-scorer.

Brighton’s unsung hero has returned to his homeland after seven memorable years in English football. Pascal Gross couldn’t resist the lure of a two-year contract at Borussia Dortmund, but he will go down as one of the most consistent players outside the Premier League’s ‘big six’ of the modern era, and the Seagulls will sorely miss his versatility.

The 33-year-old can operate in a holding role, as a right-back, an attacking midfielder and even as a forward if required, with his knack for finding space matched by his outstanding vision. Gross offers a genuine attacking threat, as evidenced by his haul of 14 goal contributions last season, which saw him drafted into Germany’s Euro 2024 squad. It will be no surprise if Gross hits the ground running at Dortmund and pushes them back into Bundesliga title contention.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City were all strongly linked with Michael Olise after his strong end to last season at Crystal Palace, but Bayern Munich won the race for his signature, and it will be fascinating to see how he links up with Harry Kane in Germany. The Eagles got a club-record fee for the Frenchman, but Bayern will rightly feel that they secured the 22-year-old’s services for a very fair price given the fact he still has so much potential to unlock.

Olise’s fitness record is the only concern, but it’s likely that new Bayern boss Vincent Kompany will gradually ease the explosive winger into his line up with Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry also competing for the coveted role on the right flank. Bayern will need a wildcard to dethrone new champions Bayer Leverkusen, and Olise is capable of setting the Bundesliga alight, providing he matures physically in the coming months.

Wojciech Szczesny has been a great servant for Juventus since joining the club from Arsenal in 2017, but a new era is now beginning in Turin under Thiago Motta, and it has been reported that the Poland shot-stopper won’t be part of it. The Bianconeri have moved quickly to find a new No.1 in the form of Michele di Gregorio, who made a grand total of 127 saves for Monza last term. No one else could match that haul and Di Gregorio was deservedly named Serie A’s best goalkeeper for 2023-24.

Motta will also have been most enamoured with 27-year-old’s ability with the ball at his feet, with the former Bologna boss a great advocate of playing out from the back. Di Gregorio will make Juve even tougher to break down, but they should also be far more easy on the eye thanks to his superb distribution.

Schalke haven’t had much to celebrate in recent years due to a financial crisis that has pushed the club to the brink of oblivion, but Assan Ouedraogo provided a much-needed bright spark after graduating from their famed academy. The German midfielder enjoyed a breakout 2023-24 campaign, registering five goal involvements in 18 appearances in all competitions, and showed great powers of resolve to recover quickly from an ankle ligament injury.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern were all strongly linked with Ouedraogo, but he’s opted to continue his development at RB Leipzig, whose €10m investment represents one of the biggest steals of the summer. The 18-year-old will probably have to wait for his chance to shine at Red Bull Arena, but he’s already being billed as Germany’s next great hope because of his devastating turn of pace and ingenuity in possession.

Atletico Madrid are well on their way to a €200m (£172m/$219m) transfer outlay, with Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez both on the verge of swapping Premier League comforts for a place in Diego Simeone’s ranks at the Metropolitano. But their best piece of business to date has been the €34.5m (£30m/$38m) capture of Robin Le Normand. The 27-year-old established himself among La Liga’s elite centre-backs during his eight-year stay at Real Sociedad, and helped provide the rock solid base for Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

Atletico fans won’t mourn the departures of Mario Hermoso and Stefan Savic now that Le Normand is on board, because he has the physical prowess and footballing IQ to add a whole new dimension to Simeone’s defence. Le Normand is also brilliant with the ball at his feet and could be the catalyst for Atletico to challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of La Liga once again.

Alvaro Morata has always divided opinion. The 31-year-old has enjoyed spells at Real Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea, amassing 216 career goals, but he can be an erratic finisher, and has developed a reputation for whinging too much when things go wrong.

However, since joining Atletico in 2020, Morata has added some grit to his game, and the statistics suggest he is getting better with age. The 2023-24 campaign was the most prolific of Morata’s career to date as he netted 21 goals for the Rojiblancos, and although he only scored once at the Euros for Spain, his skills as a target man were vital.

AC Milan have thus signed a reliable striker with bags of experience at the highest level for just €13m, and it won’t be a surprise if Morata defies his critics once again.

Matias Soule joined Roma from Juventus after scoring 11 Serie A goals from the right wing while on loan at a very average Frosinone side last season. The 21-year-old managed to shine in a team destined for relegation, and it was a huge surprise that Juve let him head to a direct rival after such an impressive season.

The Argentine could very well make the Bianconeri rue that decision. Soule has the potential to be a real weapon for Roma, and the prospect of him linking up with fellow countryman Paulo Dybala in the final third is frightening. His new manager, Daniele De Rossi, seems like the perfect mentor for Soule, too, because he won’t be afraid to give the youngster opportunities in big matches.

For many months, Benfica held firm that they would not sell Neves for less than his €120m (£103m/$131m) release clause, amid strong interest from Manchester United. But Paris Saint-Germain bided their time and came up with a proposal that gave them the edge, which included sending Renato Sanches to Benfica on loan, and eventually got Neves for almost half the original price.

It’s a great piece of business for PSG because Neves already looks like a world-class central midfielder. The 19-year-old is a classy operator with a fierce competitive streak who looks tailor made for Luis Enrique’ set-up at Parc des Princes. Crucially, he also has exactly the right attitude.

“I’m going to give my all to help my team-mates, to grow at this fantastic club and to win numerous titles,” Neves said at his unveiling. Who knows, perhaps one of those titles will be a long-elusive Champions League crown for PSG?

Aston Villa wouldn’t have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 41 years had it not been for Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian scored nine goals and laid on another five in 35 appearances for Unai Emery’s team, effectively serving as their general at both ends of the pitch.

Villa will be disappointed to lose Luiz, but the former Manchester City man deserves another shot at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, and Juventus seems like the ideal place for him to reach the next level. The tenacious midfielder will relish a good scrap on the Serie A battlefield and also has the quality to help transform the Bianconeri into a far more effective attacking side; which is why his €50m (£43m/$55m) fee feels like a real snip.

Stuttgart managed to finish second in the Bundesliga ahead of Bayern Munich in 2023-24, largely thanks to the incredible exploits of Serhou Guirassy, who scored 28 goals in as many matches. Guirassy had previously played his football in France and never really showed any sign of being a prolific goal-scorer, but that’s exactly what he transformed into under Sebastian Hoeness.

Guirassy soon had a queue of suitors due to his €18m (£15m/$20m) release clause, and Dortmund moved quickly to beat the competition. BVB knew they would lose Niclas Fullkrug, but will hope that Guirassy can be an upgrade on the German. The Guinea international is certainly more of a handful physically, and stands to benefit from the stellar service that fellow new signing Gross can provide.

Kylian Mbappe was the only logical choice for the number one slot on this list. Real Madrid have signed the best player in the world on a free transfer; a 25-year-old who has played in two World Cup finals (scoring four goals) and won five Golden Boots in a row at PSG.

Madrid won their 15th European Cup in May, and will surely have added at least one or two more to that tally by the time Mbappe’s five-year contract ends. The Frenchman is capable of making a Cristiano Ronaldo-type impact at Santiago Bernabeu as he prepares to accept the mantle as Madrid’s new first-choice centre-forward.

He could have stayed at PSG on more money, but the Spanish capital is where he belongs. The best is yet to come from Mbappe, who will surely have his sights set on a maiden Ballon d’Or in 2025.