Best transfers of 2022 summer window: Ranking top 10 signings by European football clubs

Kyle Bonn

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Best transfers of 2022 summer window: Ranking top 10 signings by European football clubs image

During the 2022 summer transfer window teams across Europe have shelled out wads of cash to improve their squads.

The Premier League has blown all other leagues out of the water when it comes to spending, but sometimes the amount of euros paid doesn't necessarily translate to a great purchase.

Incredible sums of money were spent to bring Antony and Casemiro to Manchester United, while Chelsea have thrown huge sums at Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana, and Marc Cucurella. Yet none of those players make our ranking of best transfers of the window, as other clubs have pulled off shrewder business.

The Sporting News brings you the best 10 transfers of the 2022 summer window, with an eye towards value just as much as the production on the field.

MORE: Why did Man United pay so much for Ajax's Brazilian forward Antony?

Best transfers of 2022 summer window

All transfer fees via Transfermarkt.com

10. Joao Palhinha

  • From: Sporting CP
  • To: Fulham
  • Transfer Fee: €20 million

While Alekander Mitrovic soaks up the spotlight at Craven Cottage, there's two real reasons for Fulham's impressive start. First, full-backs Antonee Robinson and Kenny Tete are playing out of their minds. Second, new defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha has already become a fan favorite, and it's not hard to see why.

Through the first five games of the season, Palhinha has been a workhorse in the center of the pitch, throwing his body on the line and putting himself in the thick of things. So far he's winning 59 percent of his aerial duels and 63 percent of his ground duels, with an incredible 5.2 completed tackles per 90 minutes.

The fans have taken notice of Palhinha's fight for the badge, as well as his importance to the squad.

9. Bremer

  • From: Torino
  • To: Juventus
  • Transfer Fee: €41 million

While Juventus transferred inconsistent centre-back Matthijs de Ligt to Bayern Munich for big money, they replaced him with a Brazilian defender for just over half the cost.

The 25-year-old Bremer was the fourth-highest rated centre-back in Serie A last season for Torino, according to the SofaScore rating system, while he earned a place on the WhoScored Team of the Season in the Italian top flight.

Sure enough, with Bremer at the back partnering a rotation of Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci, and Federico Gatti, Juventus conceded just one goal through their first four league games. The Old Lady upgraded while also making money in the process, a genius move.

8. Lucas Paqueta

  • From: Lyon
  • To: West Ham
  • Transfer Fee: €43 million

The Hammers secured a Champions League quality player when they snagged Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta from Lyon. A pure dribbler, Paqueta has worked his way into the Brazil national team setup over the last few years, earning 33 international caps, no small feat.

The 25-year-old take-on machine completed a whopping 69 percent of his dribbles last season in Ligue 1, and isn't afraid to shoot, ripping off an effort once every half-hour of play. He will bring a flair to the West Ham attack that will be a boon for the Hammers in their chase for European football.

MORE: Casemiro is the right player at the wrong time for Man United

7. Tyler Adams

Tyler Adams of Leeds United
Getty Images
  • From: RB Leipzig
  • To: Leeds United
  • Transfer Fee: €17 million

While fellow American international Brenden Aaronson was the crown jewel of the Leeds United transfer window, Tyler Adams can be a far more influential player on a consistent basis, and has already proven in a short span of time how valuable he can be in the Jesse Marsch system.

Through the first four matches of his Premier League career, Adams had covered the third-most ground of all Premier League players, with his 43.7km run behind only Pascal Gross and Tomas Soucek. He famously tracked back the length of the pitch at full speed in the early stages of a match against Brighton to deny Leandro Trossard an opportunity to open the scoring.

His game is much more than pure running, though. He has averaged 72 touches a match in the Premier League through his first five matches, losing possession just 12 times a game. On the defensive side, he has completed over four tackles a match and is winning ground duels at nearly a 60 percent clip.

His importance to this Leeds United side can't be overstated, especially after they transferred do-it-all center mid Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City for €49 million

MORE: Christian Pulisic staying at Chelsea presents huge challenge for USMNT

6. Oleksandr Zinchenko

  • From: Manchester City
  • To: Arsenal
  • Transfer Fee: €35 million

If Gabriel Jesus is the final missing piece of the Arsenal puzzle (more on that in a moment), then Zinchenko is a potential cornerstone. While he's quite capable at full-back, and Mikel Arteta seems comfortable enough using him in that spot, he is far more valuable long-term in midfield.

Should Thomas Partey depart, Zinchenko could find himself with a permanent spot as the Arsenal field general. His box-to-box abilities are fantastic, with a high duel win rate and excellent passing range. 

5. Charles de Ketelaere

  • From: Club Brugge
  • To: AC Milan
  • Transfer Fee: €32 million

AC Milan won Serie A last season, but Italian clubs in general have disappointed in European play over the past five to 10 years.

Enter Charles de Ketelaere, who was acquired from Belgian side Club Brugge to bolster the Milan attack. Partnered with the bright young prodigy Rafael Leao, De Ketelaere has already shown glimpses of his class. In the first four matches of the Italian season, in just 140 minutes of Serie A action, the 21-year-old has produced seven key passes and a 1.43 xA (expected assists) mark.

If Leao leaves this winter or next summer, which is widely expected, the baby-faced Belgian projects to be a very different replacement. But with the two partnered for the season, AC Milan could prove dangerous in European play. When (if?) 40-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns from his ACL injury, the two could strike up a deadly partnership. For now, it's Olivier Giroud who should profit most from De Ketelaere's magic.

4. Gabriel Jesus

  • From: Manchester City
  • To: Arsenal
  • Transfer Fee: €52.2 million
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If ever there was a perfect transfer window fit, Gabriel Jesus is that at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners have been rebuilding their squad over recent years, and finally, they just needed a No. 9. Jesus has slid right in and become a go-to reliable finisher, feeding off the creativity of others like Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. He's also creating his share of chances for his new teammates, adding value to his goalscoring abilities.

He's the final piece of the puzzle for Arsenal, and he came at a reasonable price for being such a critical component. Jesus should continue to grow into a formidable attacker with the Gunners as long as he remains healthy.

3. Vitinha

  • From: Porto
  • To: PSG
  • Transfer Fee: €41.5 million

While PSG's three-headed monster up front gathers all the headlines — good and bad — the French giants may have quietly brought in the missing component for a successful Champions League title run.

Portuguese midfielder Vitinha, at 22 years of age, looks a passing savant, and partnered next to fellow wizard Marco Verratti, PSG have torn Ligue 1 opponents to pieces so far. The competition in the Champions League will be far more difficult, but the young string-puller already looks more than capable of meeting the challenge.

While Vitinha and Verratti are not involved in the final few passes of a move, their contributions are key, as noted by the metric xGChain, which measures the expected goals value of every move they are a part of (minus shots they take). Verratti, an established world-class passer, has an utterly outlandish xGBuildup/90 of 1.14 in the early going this season, and logged a 0.70 mark all of last year in Ligue 1. Vitinha, still just 22 and only just arrived, is right there at 0.80 this season. Look out, Europe.

2. Robert Lewandowski

  • From: Bayern Munich
  • To: Barcelona
  • Transfer Fee: €45 million

While Erling Haaland is tearing up the Premier League for a cut-rate price, Robert Lewandowski is poised to do the same in the Spanish top flight.

After forcing his way out of Bayern at 33 years old, Barcelona swooped for Lewandowski at a fantastic price. His longevity may be in question, but his current abilities are most certainly not. Just look at the absolutely audacious back-heel goal he scored against Real Valladolid in late August. Couple that with a few bonkers passes he delivers at the top of the 18-yard box, and he looks like a striker in his prime.

Fans may continue to wonder how Barcelona managed to raise the funds to bring Lewandowski to the Camp Nou, but there's no questioning why.

1. Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland
Premier League
  • From: Borussia Dortmund
  • To: Manchester City
  • Transfer Fee: €60 million

Nine goals in his first five Premier League matches? That kind of production is worth hundreds of millions, but Haaland only cost a fraction of that price.

Thanks to the timely release clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract, Man City secured Haaland's services for a cut-rate deal, although it surely took some hefty wages to convince the Norwegian to join. Still, whatever they're paying him may not be enough to compensate what he delivers to the Premier League champions.

Haaland's finishing skills and contribution in the build-up play are turning heads across the globe. Think he won't keep up the pace? Think again — Pep Guardiola has engineered the Man City attack to force feed the 22-year-old with chances, and his first nine goals came on a gargantuan 7.34 xG (expected goals) total. While yes, he's overperforming his xG, it's not nearly by the margin one might expect. The next highest xG total for any Premier League player during the same span was Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic on 4.20, nearly half Haaland's haul.

Man City are teeing him up for a multitude of chances, and he's finishing them all in style. Whatever Man City paid for Haaland, it was a steal.

MORE: Explaining each of Erling Haaland's goal celebrations

Kyle Bonn

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Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.