If you are a football fan, it won't be far-fetched to assume that you were on your toes during the summer transfer window of 2021, catching up with the deals getting signed. The footballing world saw some of the most anticipated yet bizarre transfers this year. From the world's best players changing clubs to last-minute deal collapses, football surely proved yet again that the matches aren't the only thing that garners spectators.
With the transfer window closed, let's take a look behind at some of the best transfers that happened in the last 12 weeks.
Jack Grealish
Coming back from the fame of Euro21, Jack Grealish became the most expensive English player of all by completing a move to Manchester City for 100 million pounds. A lifelong Aston Villa fan, Grealish had been an Aston Villa player all his life (except for a brief loan spell at Notts County) before his record-breaking move to Manchester City. It is no secret that the City coach, Pep Guardiola, has always been impressed by him whenever the two teams met in the past. With the 100 million pounds price tag on the player, everyone knew that no one other than City would end up purchasing him.
Rafael Varane
At the age of 28, Varane has won everything he could for both club and country. A definitive centre-back, Varane has been a key component in Real Madrid's accomplishments in the past few years. With Manchester United not finding a defender to form a partnership with captain Harry Maguire, a move for a world-class defender was anticipated. The signing of Varane has definitely lifted the hopes of the Red Devils' fans for a successful 2021-22 campaign.
Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku, after a span of 6 years, came back to his ex-club Chelsea. From the 10 million pounds the English club paid for him back in 2011 to the club-record transfer fee of 97.5 million pounds, Lukaku evolved to a lethal forward and a much decorated player. As defending Champions League champions and with a record-breaking signing, fans are in for a thrilling season.
Lionel Messi
The rumours were always there but no one ever expected it to happen. The name Lionel Messi has become a syonym for Barcelona but now football fans all over the world will have to enjoy what the world's best player does best while donning a Paris-Saint Germain jersey. All hell broke loose on social media when the news was confirmed that Messi was leaving. The transfer also had all the expected political game behind it that should ideally trail behind the departure of the world's best player from his boyhood club. The best part of it all- PSG didn't have to chip in a single penny to buy him from Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Can a football player ask for a better career path? After leaving Manchester United, the club who discovered and nurtured him, to discover challenges across Europe, he is now back at Manchester to play out his final years. Everything happened in a couple of hours, a few days before the transfer window shuts. Ronaldo states desire to leave; Manchester City, United's fierce rival, pounces in on the opportunity; Rival fans clashes on social media; rumours spread of a verbal agreement between City and Ronaldo; Manchester City drops out of the race; Alex Fergusson makes a call; Boom! "Cristiano Ronaldo is Back."