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13 European transfers you may have missed, featuring Juve, Valencia & more

The Premier League has gone predictably mad in the summer transfer window, but we’ve picked out some of the more interesting deals from around Europe you might have missed.

You can be so focused on who your club is signing at this time of year that you completely forget there are transfers taking place all over the world.

Thankfully, we’re here to fill you in…

Nani – Valencia to Lazio

Valencia just seemed the right fit for Nani. Of course, he plays for Valencia, it’s Nani. It’s just right.

Alas, after only one season at the Mestalla, the former Manchester United man is set to sign for Lazio, which just doesn’t seem as natural.

The 30-year-old is a mainstay in the Portugal squad with 110 caps, but it now feels like we’re in the club-hopping stage of his career, having spent consecutive seasons at Manchester United, Sporting Lisbon, Fenerbahce, Valencia and now Lazio.

Gregory van der Wiel – Fenerbahce to Cagliari

We see you, Cagliari. We know what you’re up to. That old Football Manager trick, eh? Need a solid, affordable right-back, and just look who happens to be available. That lad from the 2010 World Cup who earned the big-money move to PSG. Absolutely textbook.

Van der Wiel has failed to live up to initial expectation but has a wealth of experience and an impressive CV. The 29-year-old could prove to be a shrewd signing for the Serie A outfit.

Diego Llorente – Real Madrid to Real Sociedad

To put this into context, Everton paid a potential £30million to sign 24-year-old two-cap England international Michael Keane from Burnley earlier this summer.

Sociedad have paid €6million to sign 24-year-old one-cap Spain international Llorente from Real Madrid.

Holger Badstuber – Bayern Munich to Stuttgart

It’s hard not to want Badstuber to shine at Stuttgart, for whom he played for as a teenager, after a torrid five years with injuries.

On his return to Sturrgart, the defender said: “No one should ever forget their roots, and I haven’t.

“VfB Stuttgart was and is something very special to me, and the club had an immediate impact on me emotionally. The region, the fans, the mood of optimism… I can hardly wait to get stuck in.”

A winning goal against Mainz in his second appearance is a good start.

Geoffrey Kondogbia – Inter to Valencia

Perennial Premier League target moved to Valencia on loan in a deal which saw Joao Cancelo move in the opposite direction, and he’s already upped the banter in La Liga.

After scoring on his debut in a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid, a journalist asked the midfielder about Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence, referring to the forward as “the best in the world”.

“I didn’t know Messi played for Madrid,” Kondogbia replied before swinging his shirt around his head and sliding on his knees.*

*that last bit may not have happened.

Benedikt Howedes – Schalke to Juventus

We’re not quite sure how Juventus keep doing transfers so well, but Howedes represents yet another coup for the Bianconeri.

With Leonardo Bonucci defecting to AC Milan, Juve have replaced their talisman with a loan deal for a World Cup winner who will cost an initial €13million should he play 25 games.

Serge Gnabry – Bayern Munich to Hoffenheim

Plenty of Arsenal fans were surprised to discover that Bayern had signed Gnabry earlier this summer, but with James Rodriguez arriving from Real Madrid, the Germany international has been loaned straight back out to Hoffenheim.

The 22-year-old could not inspire his new club past Liverpool and into the Champions League, but another full season of first-team football can only help the attacker’s development.

Rodrigo Palacio – Inter to Bologna

After five years and 58 goals for Inter Milan, Palacio left the San Siro this summer but has opted to stay in Serie A with Bologna.

At the age of 35, the former Argentina international faces a big task to help Bologna improve on their 15th-place finish last term.

Yes, he’s still got that haircut, and yes, he probably will be best remembered for that miss in the 2014 World Cup final.

Jean-Kevin Augustin – PSG to RB Leipzig

Augustin is hardly a familiar name, but the brief glimpses of his quality as well as Leipzig’s knack for spotting a player suggest he’s worth getting excited about.

The 20-year-old striker, who moved to the Bundesliga for €13million, finished as top scorer as France were victorious at the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, outscoring a certain Kylian Mbappe.

Enzo Zidane – Real Madrid to Alaves

Playing at Real Madrid with the name Zidane and his dad as manager was always going to be tough for Enzo, and the 22-year-old now has the chance to make a name for himself away from the glare of the Bernabeu.

Having scored on his only appearance for Los Blancos, Zidane has joined an exciting prospect in Alaves, who finished ninth in La Liga last term and reached the Copa Del Rey final.

Dario Del Fabro – Cagliari to Juventus

You’d be forgiven for not know who Dario Del Fabro is, but this transfer nearly made our own Rob Conlon spit his coffee all over his computer screen.

Del Fabro, with his name like an Italian X Factor winner, was Leeds’ 84th loan signing since 2004 but played only once in 2014-15 and has since had loan spells at Ascoli and Pisa.

Despite being relegated from Serie B with Pisa last term, Juventus spent €4.5million to land Del Fabro, who has been promptly loaned out to Novara.

Rob says he’ll buy you a pint if Del Fabro ever appears for Juventus in Serie A.

READ: A Leeds United fan has ludicrously rated all 100 loan signings since 2004

Christian Tello – Barcelona to Real Betis

It seems a long time since Tello was an exciting prospect at Barcelona, meaning he was obviously often linked with a big-money move to a Premier League club.

After loan spells at Porto and Fiorentina, the winger will be hoping to settle in a permanent home at Betis, who will probably consider themselves to have got a bargain by signing the 26-year-old for only  €4million.

Jeremy Menez – Bordeaux to Antalyspor

A France international with former clubs including Monaco, Roma, PSG and AC Milan, Menez leaves Bordeaux – where he lost part of his ear in his first appearance – after only one season.

The 30-year-old will now link up with Samuel Eto’o, Samir Nasri and Johan Djourou at Antalyspor.


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