The best summer signings across Europe this season
It's been three months since the summer transfer window opened and a little over a month since it slammed shut.
In that period, top teams across Europe's top five leagues have played at least eight games. These games have given us the chance to see how some of the summer recruitments have performed at their various clubs.
Although it is still too early to judge how good the players signed in the summer will turn out to be, there is enough evidence from the first one and a half months of the season to know who has hit the ground running and who still needs time to settle.
Below, we look at the top eight new recruits rewarding football ticket buyers with solid performances at their respective clubs.
Emile Smith Rowe, Fulham
Emile Smith Rowe's €31 million move from Arsenal to Fulham in the summer was ranked as the 38th most expensive summer signing. However, Smith Rowe has shown early on that he could be among the most intelligent transfers of the summer after a brilliant start to his Fulham career.
The Englishman has started all six Premier League games for Fulham, scoring twice and registering one assist in that period. But his importance to the team is beyond goals and assists.
Smith Rowe offers something extra, and his energy and direct running as the most advanced of Fulham's midfielders is why Fulham only lost one of their first six league games this season.
Although it is still early days, if Emile Smith Rowe keeps up his current form and performance, he will make a good case for himself of being named the Premier League signing of the season.
Dani Olmo, Barcelona
Dani Olmo's move to Barcelona from RB Leipzig was not without drama, but it was worth it. The midfielder was one of the key players for Spain during their successful run in the 2024 UEFA Euro.
The 26-year-old midfielder was the eighth most-expensive signing in the summer of 2024 after joining Barcelona in a deal that cost the Camp Nou side close to £50 million.
Barcelona's well-recorded financial difficulties meant that it took a while and great sacrifice before they were able to register Olmo as their player. The Catalan club had to release one of their best players from last season, Ilkay Gundogan, in order to fund Olmo's registration.
There were arguments that Barca would regret letting Gundogan go. However, their decision to release the German midfielder and get Olmo paid off immediately, with Olmo scoring thrice in just 189 minutes of action.
For context, the Spanish midfielder spent four years and 117 matches at Leipzig. But he scored only 17 goals in those four years.
However, he has hit the ground running at Nou Camp, rewarding Barcelona ticket buyers with solid performances and making the club's sacrifice to get him well worth it.
Although his fast start was cut short due to an injury, Olmo is set to return soon to help Hansi Flick's unstoppable side in their La Liga quest.
Scott McTominay, Napoli
Although it is still a bit too premature to conclude, the early signs point to Scott McTominay's move to Napoli as having turned out well.
The Scottish international has enjoyed a fantastic start to his Napoli career after joining the Italian side from Man Utd for €30million. He has put in a series of dominant performances and chipped in with one goal and one assist in four games so far.
His performances have led Manchester United fans to ask why their club sold him and what went wrong, especially as the Red Devils continue to struggle for goals.
However, Manchester United's loss has become the gain of Napoli ticket buyers, who will be hoping McTominay's early-season form continues as Antonio Conte's side march towards another Scudetto.
Mason Greenwood, Olympique Marseille
Mason Greenwood's move to Marseille may have been the most divisive transfer of the summer, but it could well end up being the best value-for-money deal of the 2024 summer transfer window.
Signed for €26 million amid much resistance from some people associated with Marseille, most notably the city's mayor Benoît Payan, Greenwood has hit the ground running at the Orange Vélodrome.
The ex-Manchester United winger has scored five goals and registered one assist in six games, making him one of the favourites to win the Ligue 1 Golden Boot this season.
His telling contribution is also one of the reasons Marseille tickets will be in high demand and one of the many reasons Roberto De Zerbi's side can win the Ligue 1 title this season.
Savinho, Manchester City
Although Manchester City and Pep Guardiola may be the best talent spotters in the world, they do not always get it right with players.
The Cityzens have had some expensive flops in the past or players who took some time to settle into the squad. A prime example is defender Josko Gvardiol, who was named one of the biggest flops early last season due to his slow start to life at the Etihad.
However, the same cannot be said of Savinho. Signed from City's sister club Troyes for €25 million, the Brazilian winger has shown he will be a big hit at the Etihad. His electric performance on the wings for Guardiola's side is something Manchester City ticket buyers have seen before in a player like Riyad Mahrez.
They will now hope he continues to deliver and will not fade away like some of City's other buys.
Giovanni Lo Celso, Real Betis
Giovanni Lo Celso's return to Real Betis for €5 million this summer may end up being the best deal of the year.
The Argentina international's electric start to life in Betis is almost unbelievable. The 28-year-old has scored six times in six league appearances for Manuel Pellegrini's side. For context, he scored just three times in 77 league appearances for Tottenham. How he has gone from being a nobody to one of the La Liga Golden Boot contenders is nothing short of remarkable.
Real Betis ticket buyers will now hope his form is not temporary but lasts long enough to push them towards the top four.
Michael Olise, Bayern Munich
Although Michael Olise's talent was always evident, few expected the French winger's move to Bayern Munich would be so seamless.
Whenever a top young talent joins an elite European club, there's always a question mark over how they'll cope with the pressure. Olise's €53 million move to Allianz Arena was expected to go either way, especially as he was joining a Bayern Munich team in transition.
However, Olise's start at Bayern couldn't be much better, and his return of five goals and three assists in eight games proves just why he could be the best deal of the summer.
The 22-year-old's strong start has certainly helped Vincent Kompany make a good start at the Allianz Arena. The hope now is for Olise to lead Bayern to the Bundesliga title at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen.
Serhou Guirassy, Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund's €18 million capture of Serhou Guirassy was one of the few reasons the Black and Yellow was named among the biggest winners of the 2024 summer transfer window.
Guirassy, who scored 28 league goals in 28 Bundesliga games last season, was one of the cheapest deals of the summer. And the 28-year-old is now proving that he is not just inexpensive but also reliable.
Guirassy has scored six times and registered one assist in just five games for Dortmund. His attacking returns sure pleases Dortmund ticket buyers and makes the Black and Yellow one of the most entertaining Bundesliga teams to follow this season.
Honourable mentions
Other notable names who have made good starts to life in their new clubs are Aston Villa's Amadou Onana, Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher, Napoli's Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea's Jadon Sancho, and, to some extent, Kylian Mbappe.
And while the early-season form of the names listed above is good, it does not guarantee they will have a good season, as the 2024/25 season is still very much in its infancy.
