 "Messi vs Ronaldo")
The year 2023 started with a sensational interview of Cristiano Ronaldo. He lambasted Manchester United, then moved to Saudi Arabia and ended with Harry Kane moving to Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window. In between Lionel Messi and Neymar, they parted their easy from Paris Saint Germain (PSG). Here are the major transfers that headlined the football world in 2023.
Ronaldo to Al Nassr
After getting fed up with United's treatment, Ronaldo decided to move. There were many suitors, but he chose the best and became Saudi Arabia's path-breaking deal into football. Like they shook up professional golf with the LIV tour, they tried to do the same with the Suadi Pro League in football. Ronaldo became the first big signing, and many followed suit. Ronaldo was signed for a whopping $315 million per year deal by Al Nassr.
Messi to Inter Miami
The next big move of the year was Lionel Messi to Inter Miami. After being lined up with various Saudi clubs and his childhood club, Barcelona, the Argentine skipper surprised everyone by choosing the United States and Major League Soccer as his last destination in professional football. For a two-and-a-half-year contract, the Rosario-born free agent would get nearly 60 million dollars in cash alone, and there were add-ons on offer as well.
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Neymar to Al Hilal
Al Hilal, another Saudi club, were after French star Kylian Mbappe but had to settle for Brazillian Neymar Jr, another of the PSG products. The transfer fee agreed between the two clubs was $100 million, while the salary offered to Neymar by the Saudi club was $129 million per year for a two-year term.
Declan Rice to Arsenal
Declan Rice' was the biggest transfer in English football, with the West Ham hero signing up with the London club Arsenal. The gunners broke the bank for him, paying him $127 million, which included 17 million of them as add-ons.
Caicedo to Chelsea
Chelsea paid Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo a similar price as a transfer fee to Brighton. Still, his add-ons included $19 million as against 17 of Rice. A mid-fielder, Ciacedo is touted as the answer to Chelsea's problems.
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Harry Kane to Bayern Munich
The next big ticket move was not to, but away from London as the Tottenham Hotspurs let Harry Kane leave the English shores for brighter prospects in German land as the England captain signed up with Bayern Munich for a $110 million deal. Kane's deal, though, has a buyback clause, meaning that he might return to the Hotspurs after two years at the German champions.
Karim Benzema to Al Ittihad
Frenchman Karium Benzema decided that he had been at Real Madrid far too long and therefore joined the bandwagon led by former Madrid star Ronaldo to the Saudi. He signed up with Al Ittihad for a whopping $213 million yearly salary for a two-year contract. Benzema joined as a free agent, so the Saudi club didn't have to pay any money as a transfer fee to Madrid.
Enzo Fernandes to Chelsea
Lost in the hue and cry of what happened in the summer transfer window was the record signing of the Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandes from Benfica in Portugal to Chelsea in England; Chelsea broke the bank for a record EPL signing; the Argentine's transfer fee was $134 million, 7 million more than what City had paid to Astin Villa to acquire the services of Jack Grealish in 2021.
Josko Gvardiol to City
Manchester City, too, were on the list of clubs that paid a heavy amount to sign a star as they got Croatian defender Josko Gravrdiol, the masked man, for a transfer fee of $98 million to German club RB Leipzig.
Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United
The last man on the list of most unique and expensive transfers was Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund, who was supposed to be one pill for all ailments as far as Manchester United were concerned. Signed from Atalanta in Italy, United paid $82 million as a transfer fee to acquire the services of the 20-year-old. However, the Dane has yet to score his first Premier League goal.
