Transfer window: deals around Europe you might have missed
River Plate have convinced Real Madrid to let them keep Franco Mastantuono for the Club World Cup, which is a huge boost for the Argentinian club. If you haven't seen the video of the 17-year-old scoring a stunning free-kick against arch-rivals Boca Juniors in April, watch it now. Premier League clubs expressed an interest in the young forward but, when Real Madrid come knocking, few players reject the chance to move to the Bernabéu. Mastantuono is such an exciting talent; when he made his debut for Argentina earlier this month in a World Cup qualifier against Chile, he was 17 years and 296 days old, a new record for a competitive match. Real Madrid spent €45m to sign the talented right winger, who has a low centre of gravity, an eye for a defence-splitting pass, a wand of a left foot. Sound familiar?
A move a long time in the making, Bayern Munich have finally landed one of their top centre-back targets, having confirmed the addition of Jonathan Tah from Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen. The defender decided against renewing his contract with the Bundesliga runners-up and instead joined the champions on a free transfer. The 29-year-old is excellent with the ball at his feet, having returned the fourth best pass success rate (93.1%) in the division this season. Tah should slot in well for Vincent Kompany's side.
As one centre-back joins Bayern Munich, another leaves for pastures new. While he wasn't considered first choice by Kompany, Eric Dier was still a handy option to call upon, starting 16 league matches this season, returning a pass success rate of 94% (the second best in the Bundesliga) and securing the first trophy of his career. The 31-year-old has signed a three-year contact with Monaco, who finished third in Ligue 1 and booked their place in the Champions League.
Inter have wasted no time adding to their ranks before the Club World Cup, with Petar Sucic making the move from Dinamo Zagreb. The 21-year-old offers a bit of everything in the middle of the park, with his performances for Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia impressing the Nerazzurri. Able to cover for a number of different midfield roles, he has been compared to former Inter man Marcelo Brozovic, albeit a more physical version, which should sit well with supporters.
Luis Henrique featured in all but one of Marseille's 34 league matches this season, but the club were prepared to listen to offers for the Brazilian winger. The 23-year-old had a good season in Ligue 1, scoring seven goals and picking up seven assists, which convinced Inter to sign him for €23m on a five-year deal. His ability to operate at right wing-back will appeal to newly appointed Inter manager Cristian Chivu, who ended up playing a three-man backline while at Parma.
Rennes had an indifferent Ligue 1 campaign so it's not a surprise to see one of their most promising players keen to move to pastures new. German side VfB Stuttgart saw enough to pursue the 24-year-old right-back. Sebastien Hoeness used a number of players down the right last season, and the hope now is that the Frenchman will prove a long-term solution in a problematic position. Assignon, who had a stint with Burnley in the Premier League under Kompany, is the son of the former Togo player Komlan Assignon.
Union Berlin's sub-par season came at a cost, as they waved goodbye to striker Benedict Hollerbach. The 24-year-old, who grew up in Munich and represented both 1860 Munich and Bayern Munich at youth level, made his big break with Union Berlin, where he has scored 14 goals in two seasons. He is not the most consistent but Mainz, who are gearing up for their first European campaign in almost 10 years, have seen enough to sign the versatile forward, who can also play out wide. With Jonathan Burkardt set for a move for Eintracht, Mainz will hope Hollerbach fills the void.
Bayern Munich are well stocked with central midfielders, but Tom Bischof is still a handy pick-up for the German champions. The 19-year-old made more tackles (95) than any other player in the Bundesliga this season, and Lamine Yamal was the only teenager to make more key passes in Europe's top five leagues. A technically gifted all-rounder, he will give Bayern a vital injection of youth.
Joan García has made the short trip across Barcelona, leaving Espanyol for the La Liga champions. García had Premier League suitors, and it is easy to see why. The 24-year-old made more saves (142) than any other goalkeeper in La Liga this season, and ranked among the top 10 players for accurate long balls (6.1 per 90 minutes) in the division. He will be first choice for the Blaugrana before long.
Perhaps Bayer Leverkusen already have their Florian Wirtz replacement on the books, having signed Ibrahim Maza from Hertha Berlin last month. Hertha had a tough season in the German second tier but Maza was a shining light at the Olympiastadion. The teenage Algeria international finished the season second for successful dribbles (75) and 11th for possession won in the attacking third (17). With five goals and three assists to his name, Maza is one to watch as Leverkusen gear up for a new chapter under Erik ten Hag.
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I never want it to end."
