MX23RW : Thursday, March 28 22:26:48| >> :600:52125107:52125107:

Most valuable transfers in football 2020

It wasn't long after clubs had dipped their toes into the 2020 summer transfer market when all activities were halted.

It wasn't long after clubs had dipped their toes into the 2020 summer transfer market when all activities were halted. The sudden strike of the global pandemic disrupted the year 2020. While every nation was hit economically, football also had its share of the hit, financially. Though spending on transfers was on the low side, there were still a few deals that were sealed at huge fees.

Some clubs were caught unawares, which affected them greatly; other savvy ones had enough foresight. They had hashed out plans for deals in advance after the January window closed. In other words, they had decided the fate of some fantastic talents that they would need to secure as the transfer market opens.

Let's have a look at a few of the most valuable transfers in 2020.

Kai Havertz, Attacking midfielder

Leverkusen to Chelsea - £72 million
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz pictured in February 2020© Reuters
The transfer ban placed on Chelsea during the last season made them unable to sign any players. However, with the ban lifted in the 2020 summer, the club spent over £220m on transfers out of which Kai Havertz was the most expensive of all. Havertz signed a five-year deal with Chelsea having being transferred from Bayer Leverkusen, becoming Chelsea's seventh summer addition. Before Leverkusen accepted the fee upfront, it was negotiated between both clubs for a period.

Havertz made his debut with Chelsea against Brighton & Hove Albion, a game that ended in a 3-1 away win. In the same month, he netted his first career hat-trick at Chelsea in a 6-0 home win against Barnsley in the EFL Cup. In October, he scored in a 3-3 home draw against Southampton, making it his first Premier League goal.

Transfers like these are essential to keep track of if you're placing bets on either Chelsea or Leverkusen. First, we recommend that you explore the top online bookmakers listed by OLBG.com, and second, their forum where sports enthusiasts gather to talk about these types of matters.

Arthur, Midfielder

Barcelona to Juventus - £72 million

Arthur agreed to a five-year deal with Juventus in a transfer worth up to £72 million. He was set to replace Miralem Pjanic who was bid on to join Barcelona. The £72m for Arthur excluded a further €10m Juventus will pay Barcelona in potential add-ons. Arthur is known to be a fast player that is also difficult to dispossess when on the ball. He has excellent ball-control skills.

Juve's resolve to unlock Arthur's potential was evident during their discovery that Arthur's high performance is ignited if he plays in a midfield two rather than a three. Though not known for possessing goalscoring ability, he scored his first senior international goal for Brazil against Uruguay in an eventual 2-0 away win in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier in November 2020.

Victor Osimhen, Forward

Lille to Napoli - £70m

Osinhen, who is known for his great composure, signed for Lille OSC in 2019. He made his Ligue 1 debut for the team against Nantes, scoring a brace. After scoring two goals and assisting two more in the team's five league matches, he was named the Ligue 1 'Player of the Month' for 2019. The following year, his fans voted for him to win the Player of the Season award.

His first goal in the UEFA Champions League came in October 2019 in the team's loss to English side Chelsea. He finished the season as the team's top scorer, with 13 goals in 25 Ligue 1 matches and 18 goals across 2019-2020 competitions. Serie A club Napoli announced signing Osimhen for £70m, making him the most expensive African transfer to date. He scored his first goal for the new team in a 4–1 win against Atalanta.

Ruben Dias, Center-Back

Benfica to Manchester City - £61m
Benfica's Ruben Dias in action with Eintracht Frankfurt's Ante Rebic during a Europa League knockout tie in April 2019.© Reuters
Man City's 5-2 home defeat to Leicester further exposed their need for a commanding center-back. This made the English Premier League club sign Dias from Benfica for £61.64m on a six-year contract. While Benfica got an initial fee of £51 million, Nicolás Otamendi was sent to Benfica in part-exchange for the balance.

He made his first league appearance for the team in a 1–1 away draw against Leeds United. His outstanding defensive performances during most of the matches for the season saw him through being named the Manchester City Player of the Month for November 2020. He had been voted as Primeira Liga's best young player of the year while he was in Benfica.

Miralem Pjanic, Midfielder

Juventus to Barcelona - £60 million

Pjanic's transfer to Barcelona is often regarded as a historic swap deal. Though a top-tier midfielder, his performance under Maurizio Sarri witnessed a sharp decline. He seemed to have lost his assertion and smartness. Though neither quick nor gifted with physical strength, he has established himself as one of the most versatile midfielders in Europe.

The news of his transfer came in the wake of the transfer of Arthur, a fellow midfielder, to Juventus from Barcelona. After some lengthy deliberations, Pjanic eventually signed a deal with Barcelona for the next four seasons though he remained in Juventus throughout the campaign. He made his first appearance as a substitute on September 27 in a 4–0 home win over Villareal in La Liga.

Timo Werner, Forward

RB Leipzig to Chelsea, €60 million

Chelsea Football Club reached an agreement with RB Leipzig to sign 24-year-old Timo Werner. While on his four-year contract in Leipzig, he netted 21 times within his first two seasons, with 19 last time out. By scoring once and also assisting in a 3-3 draw with Mainz on May 4, he became the first player to score 50 Bundesliga goals for the club.

Werner made his league debut in Chelsea on 14 September, in a 3–1 away win against Brighton & Hove Albion, while he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. His first Champions League goal for Chelsea came in the form of a penalty against Russian side Krasnodar.

When it comes to acceleration and pace, Werner makes an excellent forward. Not only that, but he has also established himself as one of Europe's most feared young strikers. These attributes make him a coveted player.ID:432504:1false2false3false:!x!:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect8035:
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!