England’s Chelsea spend over $292M in summer signings

English Premier League club Chelsea paid over $292 million in transfer fees for stellar players during the summer.

The six-time English champions from London splashed €247.2 million ($292.4 million) to acquire German players Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, English defender Ben Chilwell, Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech, and Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy this summer, according to football statistics website Transfermarkt.

Playing in the attacking midfield position, Havertz moved to Chelsea from Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €80 million last month.

Chelsea paid RB Leipzig €53 million to sign forward Werner in July.

Chilwell, who mainly plays left back, made his way to Chelsea in August after the London club sent €50.2 million to Leicester City.

It also signed Ajax Amsterdam star Ziyech for €40 million in July.

In addition, Mendy went to Chelsea last month, paying a €24-million transfer fee for France’s Rennes.

Separately, Chelsea signed experienced Brazilian center back Thiago Silva and French defender Malang Sarr on free transfers.

Sarr, 21, was later loaned to Portuguese club Porto on Oct. 6 for one season.

The most expensive signing of the summer was Havertz.

During his four-year stint at Leverkusen, he scored 46 goals and had 31 assists in 150 appearances.

Arthur Melo was a sensational signing in the 2020 summer.

Italian giants Juventus signed the 24-year-old central midfielder from Spain’s Barcelona for a €72-million fee.

Arthur made 72 appearances for Barcelona in the past two seasons and scored four goals.

Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen was one of the most popular signings.

France’s Lille sold the 21-year-old forward to Italy’s Napoli for €70 million.

 Neymar still holds all-time transfer fee record

Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian superstar Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, known as Neymar, is still the most expensive player of all times.

The 28-year-old forward left Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

Paris Saint-Germain paid an outrageous transfer fee, €222 million ($262.3 million), to Barcelona to sign Neymar.

Neymar has scored 72 goals in 88 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain, playing left flank.

He also had 102 caps and scored 61 goals for Brazil since 2010.

Real Madrid did not sign any player

Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid did not purchase any players this summer, a rare habit for the Los Blancos, or The Whites.

But Real Madrid sold several players.

Moroccan right midfielder Achraf Hakimi was signed by Italy’s Inter Milan for €40 million.

Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon became a Tottenham Hotspur for €30 million.

Sevilla from Spain transferred Spanish attacking midfielder Oscar Rodriguez, paying €13.5 million to Real Madrid.

In addition, two Real Madrid stars, Welsh forward Gareth Bale and Colombian attacking midfielder James Rodriguez, made their way each to the English Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur loaned Bale for the 2020-21 season.

Meanwhile, James joined Everton on a free transfer.  (Anadolu Agency)