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Spending has reached unprecedented levels this summer, but some teams have still managed to find good value in the market

The 2023 summer transfer window was characterised by huge deals, with the Saudi Pro League's entry into the European market offering the continent's highest-profile players and agents another bargaining chip in negotiations. However, the riches on offer in the Middle East are not the only reason that the market continues to go crazy.

Empowered by mammoth broadcast deals, the Premier League once again lived up to its name as the land of the big spenders, with Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo both moving between English clubs for over £100 million ($126m). Other European sides have flexed their financial muscle too, with Bayern Munich's busy summer headlined by the €100m (£86m/£108m) signing of Harry Kane from Tottenham.

Yet, in this inflated market, some teams have proven that it is still possible to get a fair deal. Below, GOAL has taken a look at the 19 best-value deals completed by European clubs this summer…

Getty Images19Granit Xhaka – Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen (£21.4m)

When Granit Xhaka was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy back in November 2019, the thought of him remaining at the Emirates Stadium for a further three-and-a-half years would've seemed ridiculous. And yet, when the Switzerland international eventually departed this summer, most Gunners fans were disappointed to see him go.

That is credit to the way Xhaka has bolstered his reputation over the past few seasons, which is brilliant news for Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga does not have the pull of the English top flight, so Xabi Alonso will be ecstatic to have snapped up such a well-rounded midfielder for a reasonable price.

Advertisement (C)Getty Images18Sofyan Amrabat – Fiorentina to Man Utd (loan)

They made properly hard work of it, but Manchester United finally recruited a defensive midfielder on deadline day in the form of Sofyan Amrabat. The Moroccan star has been linked with a move away from Fiorentina ever since he shone during his national team's run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.

United are paying a €10m (£8.6m/$10.9m) loan fee for Amrabat's services this season, with a purchase option set at €25m (£21m/$27m) for the summer. If he can replicate the form he showcased in Qatar, that represents extremely good business, particularly with prices for players of his profile skyrocketing this summer.

Getty17Alexis Mac Allister – Brighton to Liverpool (£35m)

Liverpool's midfield rebuild kicked off with the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton all the way back in June. And thanks to a handy release clause, the Reds only had to pay £35m ($44m) for the World Cup winner.

During a summer where the best Premier League midfielders have moved for around three-times that fee, the deal represents pretty astonishing value. Mac Allister has made a solid start to life at Anfield too, and should be a mainstay of Jurgen Klopp's side for many seasons to come.

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Getty Images16Marco Asensio – Real Madrid to PSG (free)

Paris Saint-Germain are not a side you'd normally associate with good-value signings. However, this summer, the Ligue 1 champions have changed their approach somewhat, snapping up a string of reliable players on free transfers.

Marco Asensio is one of those, with the three-time Champions League winner calling time on his Real Madrid career after seven seasons in July. The Spaniard was never a bonafide superstar at the Bernabeu, but he popped up with more than his fair share of important goals over the years, and his versatility will make him an extremely useful option for Luis Enrique this season. He's already netted twice for his new club, too.

Karim Benzema has explained why he left Real Madrid for the Saudi Pro League a matter of months after becoming a Ballon d’Or winner.

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French forward landed prestigious Golden BallTook on new challenge outside of EuropePlenty of household names now in Middle EastWHAT HAPPENED?

The French striker was named the best player on the planet in October 2022, but had packed his bags at Santiago Bernabeu and bid farewell to European football by June 2023. Benzema had spent 14 memorable years in Madrid – scoring 354 goals while claiming four La Liga titles and five Champions League crowns.

AdvertisementWHAT THEY SAID

He opted to follow former Blancos team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo to the Middle East when linking up with Al-Ittihad and has told the of making that switch: “With everything I’ve made and gained with Real Madrid, I think it was for me the good moment to try a new challenge. And for a really long time, even before football, I always wanted to come here. And the football project came in. It was a project that was just starting to burst from everywhere, so on my side I really wanted to be part of the story. I really wanted to help Saudi football grow.”

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Benzema is convinced that he made the right career move at 35 years of age and has been pleasantly surprised by the standard of football in a region that has often been overlooked by those in Europe. He added: “I feel the love of the people here, so obviously that makes me happy and I try to return that love on the pitch. There is a lot of passion, there is history behind that. There are the fans and everything that goes with that. I’m really surprised and pleased about the level of the game here, really surprised because in Europe we don’t watch much football from here – nowadays we are watching more and more because of the big names they signed.”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Benzema has hit six goals through 11 appearances for Al-Ittihad this season, after shaking off an injury problem, and is hoping to help his current club defend their domestic title amid mounting competition from rivals that now boast star-studded squads of their own.

Manchester City have been dealt a bitter blow as manager Pep Guardiola has claimed that John Stones "will be out for a while".

Stones substituted at half-time against Young BoysCity won 3-0Guardiola believes Stones' injury is seriousWHAT HAPPENED?

Stones was substituted at half-time in City's 3-0 win over Young Boys, with confusion reigning as to the reason for the switch. Guardiola has confirmed since that the England international sustained an injury, and could face a significant lay-off.

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Stones has been limited to just four Premier League appearances this season due to a hip injury, and the appearance against Young Boys was his first in the Champions League in 2023/24. While he was withdrawn at half-time, City won thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland and an excellent Phil Foden goal.

WHAT THEY SAID

Guardiola said after the game, as per Sam Lee of : "John felt it again. I feel so sorry for him. It's a big loss for us. John is so important for what he does. But recover and the season is long; he will be back stronger. I think he will be out for a while."

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

City face a difficult run of games, as they play Chelsea this weekend before taking on Liverpool, RB Leipzig and Tottenham on the trot. Despite their strength in depth across the board, Stones could prove to be a big miss for such fixtures.

Christian Pulisic recently shook off a knock to be ready for Milan's match today, but suffered another setback late after being removed due to injury.

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Pulisic returns to XISuffers late injuryMilan pick up huge win

After missing a Serie A loss over the weekend, Pulisic returned to the Milan XI in the Champions League with the club's hopes very much on the line, joining Yunus Musah in the starting lineup. Milan entered the match having not scored in three Champions League matches, putting their knockout hopes in severe danger heading into the second half of the group stage.

The 2-1 win, though, will keep hopes alive as Milan will have it all to play for in the final two group stage matches.

The match, however, ended on a sour note for Pulisic, who limped off with an apparent hamstring injury in the final moments that could spell bad news for the U.S. men's national team.

GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Milan got off to a disastrous start at the San Siro as a longtime rival scored early to give PSG the lead.

Ex-Inter man Milan Skriniar scored in his return to the San Siro, heading home in the ninth minute to give the home supporters a bit of a panic. Fortunately for Milan, though, that panic lasted just three minutes before Rafael Leao levelled the match with a bicycle kick goal from close-range.

Early in the second half, Milan seized the lead through a familiar sight: an Olivier Giroud header. The French star got on the end of a cross from Theo Hernandez in the 50th minute, scoring a massive goal to keep his side's Champions League hopes alive.

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With the win, Milan stay alive in the Champions League as a loss on Tuesday would have likely doomed them in this Group of Death.

The victory puts Milan on five points, leaving them in third place with one more point than last-place Newcastle.

PSG, meanwhile, are second on six points, with Dortmund's win over Newcastle on Tuesday vaulting them to the top of this chaotic Group F.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

The USMNT will have been glad to see Pulisic back on the pitch after the winger missed Milan's last match due to injury. Without Pulisic in the XI, Milan fell flat on their faces in a 1-0 loss to Udinese, but seemed close to full fitness in Tuesday's win.

Pulisic wasn't fantastic like his two attacking partners in Giroud and Leao, but he was solid enough, having a few bright moments in an important win.

However, any high hopes were dashed late on when Pulisic pulled up late in the game's final moments. The USMNT will now be left sweating while waiting to hear how serious the injury is as vital matches against Trinidad & Tobago loom large.

As for Musah, both the player and Milan will be left frustrated after he was handed a yellow card in the second half. With that card, he'll miss Milan's next Champions League match: a crucial game against Borussia Dortmund.

Overall, Musah had a slightly-underwhelming game, one headlined by a huge chance early on that he fired right at Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Christian Pulisic (7/10):

A decent night for Pulisic, who was definitely overshadowed by big performances from Leao and Giroud. Had one shot towards goal and one blocked while also being generally okay on the ball. Couldn't quite create the big moments in the final third, but Leao and Giroud sure did to seal the Milan win.

Yunus Musah (6/10):

A frustrating miss early on a chance that really should have been a goal. Will also be disappointed to have earned a yellow card that will knock him out of a key match against Dortmund next time out.

The Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi debate has been settled by Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel, as he revealed how the Blues used to prepare in training.

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Mikel emphasized the unmatched difficulty facing MessiChelsea's tactical plan to stop forward revealedInsisted on Messi being superior to Ronaldo WHAT HAPPENED?

The former Blues midfielder weighed in on the Messi-Ronaldo debate and shared unique insights about facing the two legends in their prime. Mikel admitted that he is a fan of Messi and revealed Chelsea's tactical preparations, emphasizing the need for a collective effort to contain the Argentine, as defending one-on-one seemed impossible against the eight-time Ballon d'Or.

AdvertisementWHAT MIKEL SAID ABOUT MESSI & RONALDO

While speaking toRio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, Mikel said: "I’m a Messi fan. When we played against [Manchester] United when Cristiano was there we knew Ash (Ashley Cole) would deal with him. He is capable of dealing with him. I know the comparison is there but because I've played against both and Messi was close to me when we played against them. But for me, and I'm not going to say miles because of what Cristiano has done as well, but for me, I really don't see the comparison. I just think Messi is from a different planet. I just think he is that good."

WHAT MIKEL SAID ABOUT CHELSEA TRAINING

Mikel revealed that since Barcelona's gameplan was to get the ball to Messi, they would resort to kicking him and the whole week would be planned on how to stop the forward from getting into advanced areas. He said: "Every time it was against Barcelona, of my god, training the whole week was about Messi. We have to have two, or three players with him, you can't defend one-v-one against him. It's impossible. You're dead. And the way they play, the way they move the ball around with the sole purpose of getting the ball to him and all he's doing is watching the game. I know we all talk about how he walks around but it's just to find the space. Once that ball gets to him, the movement everybody is running and moving, it's so difficult [to play against].

"The game plan was just to kick him because we can't get the ball off him or get close enough. If you think he is there, he is gone. You can watch our games when we play them. JT (John Terry) is tackling, Frankie's (Frank Lampard) tackling, I'm tackling, everybody's putting in tackles. That's the only way we could stop him."

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & RONALDO?

Mikel's assertion that Messi is from a "different planet" adds a distinctive viewpoint to the ongoing debate. However, it is unlikely that it will be settled anytime in the future as the two legends of the game continue to conquer new milestones.

Chelsea hope to stop their squad from growing too big by adopting a 'one in, one out' policy as they plan to sign new players in January.

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Chelsea target new striker in January windowAlso considering bringing in defensive optionsWill aim to sell as many players as they bring inWHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues plan on signing two or three new players in the January transfer window in an attempt to strengthen Mauricio Pochettino's squad, according to However, they plan on offloading as many players as they bring in to keep the squad size consistent.

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Chelsea hope to bring in a top striker and they are considering some defensive acquisitions, too. In terms of departures, Trevoh Chalobah is expected to leave in the winter transfer window, with Bayern Munich said to still be interested in him. The futures of forward Armando Broja, Ian Maatsen, Malang Sarr and Conor Gallagher are uncertain, too.

DID YOU KNOW?

Chelsea's new policy is an attempt to prevent Pochettino's team from becoming bloated. Last January, they signed six players and sold just one, resulting then-coach Graham Potter dealing with a total of 31 players fighting for a place in the team. The London side followed that up by bringing in eight new players, though 16 members of last season's squad ended up leaving.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Chelsea will have to see out the rest of 2023 before they can bring in new signings. Pochettino's team, who are 10th in the Premier League, will face Brighton on Sunday before they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on December 6.

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been told there is still work to do if they are to keep climbing the leagues.

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Wrexham in football league after 15-year waitFormer striker optimistic on further promotionSays work to do to reach ChampionshipWHAT HAPPENED?

That was the assessment offered by Brett Ormerod, who represented the club in tougher times, spending two seasons at the Racecourse Ground after signing in 2012. Ormerod believes the current squad possesses the quality to compete in League One but would need some investment to progress beyond that.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT ORMEROD SAID

"Phil Parkinson has a certain style of play," Ormerod told Stocklytics. "He's done well at multiple clubs, including Bradford. He's got a certain pedigree. From what I have seen of Wrexham so far, I think they've got a strong team, full of good footballers. Time will tell how far they can go. I think they're good enough to get promoted this season. They'll definitely be up near the top.

"League Two is probably the easiest division to get out of compared to the likes of the National League. The squad Phil has at the moment is definitely good enough for League One. Whether the current team is good enough for the Championship, I'm not so sure."

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If anyone knows the ins and outs of English football's different levels its Ormerod who played Premier League football for Southampton and Blackpool in a career that spanned several divisions before he wrapped up an 18-year professional career at Wrexham in a very different time.

"I wish them all the best because the fans have been through a lot of pain. I remember being there when the bills weren't being paid and they were being threatened to be kicked out of the ground."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Ormerod can see Wrexham making it to the Premier League or the Championship in the next five years, after sufficient improvements are made. With four promotion spots up for grabs from League Two, this season represents a golden opportunity to keep the momentum going.

Paul Mullin says his fist-pumping celebration is the “best thing Jurgen gave me”, with the Wrexham star taking inspiration from Liverpool boss Klopp.

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Reds boss passionately celebrates winsStar striker in North Wales does the sameHollywood owners targeting top-three finishGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Premier League and Champions League-winning coach at Anfield has become famed for his passionate salutes to The Kop following a big win. The same routine can be spotted at SToK Racecourse regularly, with Mullin taking on the role of Klopp.

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The prolific frontman is a big Liverpool supporter and is happy to have brought another bit of Merseyside to North Wales. He was back in Klopp mode following a vital 1-0 victory for Wrexham over old adversaries Notts County.

InstagramWHAT MULLIN SAID

Mullin has shared a video of his post-match celebrations on Instagram alongside the message: “Good win yesterday!! Best thing Jurgen gave me.” Those in the crowd bellow back at Mullin as he delivers three passionate fist pumps in their direction.

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

A narrow win over Notts County has lifted Phil Parkinson’s side back into the top three of the League Two standings, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney seeing their quest to secure back-to-back promotions get another timely shot in the arm – with the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary cameras never too far away ahead of series three of that production airing later this year.

Eden Hazard has admitted that Chelsea were "far away" when assessing his options in 2012 – before the Blues won the Champions League.

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Hazard assessed options after Lille in 2012Blues faltering in the Premier LeagueBut UCL triumph seals Belgian's transferWHAT HAPPENED?

Hazard emerged as one of Europe's hottest properties at Lille, winning their Player of the Year award two seasons running before electing to leave in the summer of 2012. Chelsea finished that season sixth in the league but would go on to savour FA Cup glory as well as their first-ever Champions League crown. Didier Drogba scored a dramatic late equaliser and the deciding penalty against hosts Bayern Munich in the final, and Chelsea fans can have him to thank for Hazard's signing.

The former winger admitted as much in a recent interview, revealing he'd already made contact with other Premier League rivals over a potential move.

AdvertisementWHAT HAZARD SAID

The Belgian told former Blue John-Obi Mikel on his : "I had a chat with Sir Alex Ferguson. I spoke with Harry Redknapp, that time he was the manager [of] Tottenham. I went to Manchester to see the Man City training ground. So I had a few options, but not Chelsea. Because the last year [at] Lille, Chelsea were not good in the league. I knew I was leaving France to go to the Premier League, but not Chelsea because I wanted to play Champions League. That move came because you [Chelsea] won the Champions League."

Pressed by Mikel on whether that transfer would have materialised without the Blues' continental triumph, Hazard replied bluntly: "My friend, Chelsea was far away [laughs]! That's why I say, thank you to Drogba!"

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Hazard signed for £32 million ($40.3m) in 2012 and would go on to become a club legend at Stamford Bridge. The Belgian helped the Blues to two Premier League titles, two Europa League trophies, an FA Cup and a League Cup. His impressive haul of 202 goal contributions in 352 matches helped seal a move to European giants Real Madrid in 2019, but injuries led to a dismal end to his club career.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Despite his failings at Madrid, Hazard sensationally claimed in a recent interview that he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo in "pure football" terms, with only Lionel Messi – and possibly Neymar – considered better than him.

Wrexham were held to a draw at MK Dons after throwing away a one-goal lead in a dramatic game that saw two red cards.

Wrexham take lead through James McCleanMK Dons hit back five minutes laterBoth teams finish game with 10 menGettyTELL ME MORE

Wrexham had early sights of goal through Jack Marriott and Sam Dalby before opening the scoring midway through the first half. Luke Young swung in a superb corner and found James McClean to nod home at the near post. The lead was short-lived, however, with Dan Kemp firing past Arthur Okonkwo just five minutes later to make it 1-1.

The visitors were bright at the start of the second half but almost conceded when Okonkwo dropped a straightforward catch but just managed to grab it back on the line. MK Dons felt the ball had dropped in with Dean Lewington ultimately sent off for taking his protests too far.

Phil Parkinson reacted quickly to the dismissal with a triple substitution, calling for strikers Paul Mullin and Steven Fletcher, but his team couldn't take their chances. The visitors were then reduced to ten men late on when Will Boyle picked up a second yellow card. MK Dons did have the chance to win it at the death, but Okonkwo made a point-blank save in the eighth minute of stoppage-time to preserve a point.

AdvertisementTHE MVP

Luke Young was back in the starting XI and making his 250th appearance for Wrexham on Tuesday night. It was a memorable occasion for the 30-year-old who crowned it with a fine assist for the opening goal. Credit must also go to Okonkwo who, aside from one wobble, came up with some vital saves to preserve a point.

THE BIG LOSER

Wrexham had a man advantage and were looking dangerous when Will Boylecynically brought down Dennis to earn his second booking of the match with just 13 minutes of normal time remaining. The red card proved costly as it saw both teams play out the remainder of the game with 10 apiece and really hurt Wrexham's chance of securing the win

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

Wrexham are back in action and will hope to get back to winning ways on Saturday in League Two when they take on Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium.