While everyone was busy enjoying Euro 2024 and the Copa America, the summer transfer window opened and clubs began buying and selling.
To coincide with this, we launched our new series, The Athletic 500, the day the window opened (June 14) to rate Premier League deals. The series goes hand in hand with the Transfer DealSheet, published every Tuesday with all the latest moves from David Ornstein, Adam Leventhal and our team of reporters.
Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have been rating moves in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100, to reach a total out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here.
Now we have published more than 25, we thought it was time to look back on how they all compare. From highest to lowest score, young stars to experienced heads to PSR enablers. Not all Premier League transfers have been rated, but below are those we have completed and how they compare to each other.
And remember, we do not expect everyone to agree with the ratings, or even how we have put them together, but that’s part of the fun. Everyone has a view.
Get the latest transfer news on The Athletic…
Which transfer has got the highest score?
Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro have joined Manchester United this summer in big-money moves, while Tottenham Hotspur splashed out to bring in exciting 18-year-old Archie Gray from Leeds United.
However, the highest score among our transfer ratings has been Manchester City’s signing of Savinho from Troyes.
He had an outstanding season on loan at Girona from Troyes (both part of City Group Football), but having become the French club’s record signing, he departs without playing a game for them. And those aspects — the high Season score (the second-best among our ratings) and Financial score (the highest at 75) — are a large part of why Savinho’s move is our current leader.
Savinho’s move to Manchester City is our current leader (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Coming in a close second is Ian Maatsen moving to Aston Villa from Chelsea. Having spent last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, and reaching the Champions League final, Maatsen’s Season rating (75/100) and Risk/Reward score (79/100) helped secure 360 out of 500. His Tactical Fit score at Villa was also on the high side (79/100).
Chelsea’s signing of Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham also looks a good move, scoring 355/500 overall, with another high Tactical Fit score of 79/100.
The next best-performing transfer is Omari Hutchinson’s permanent move to promoted Ipswich Town from Chelsea (354/500). Having performed so well on loan at Portman Road last season, his Tactical Fit score of 91/100 was the highest we have seen.
Potentially good news for Manchester United fans. Yoro‘s Tactical Fit score of 88 is the second-best among our ratings, while his overall score of 346 places him in the top 10.
Which transfer has scored lowest? And why?
As we have covered on The Athletic, there has been a high volume of goalkeepers being signed, often to play as second or third choice. One example is West Ham United bringing in Wes Foderingham after a challenging season in goal for Sheffield United.
As may be expected, Foderingham’s Season score of 44/100 contributed to him getting the lowest overall score (292/500). However, as noted in his rating: “West Ham needed goalkeeping cover without breaking the bank and Foderingham’s arrival on a free protects funds to target outfield targets.”
Another theme this summer was a glut of PSR-related moves around the June 30 deadline for most Premier League clubs to file their accounts. One of these was Enzo Barrenechea moving to Aston Villa from Juventus and that move’s 295/500 was the only other to drop below 300. Only his Gaming rating (which uses Football Manager’s scores from the game’s extensive worldwide scouting network) went above the 60 mark.
Most of the moves made around the June 30 date (including Lewis Dobbin to Villa, Tim Iroegbunam to Everton and Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest) also recorded low scores.
We are delighted to announce the signing of experienced goalkeeper Wes Foderingham on a two-year contract ✍️
The 33-year-old will join on a free transfer on 1 July following the expiration of his deal at Sheffield United ⚒️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) June 26, 2024
Which club has done best overall?
Even if any club could ever be fully satisfied with their business, it is still too early to judge who has “won” the transfer window.
However, in terms of our ratings, Chelsea’s signings of Tosin (see above) and midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (348/500) from Leicester City are among the leading moves while Brighton & Hove Albion (unsurprisingly) also have two transfers up there: Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle United and Mats Wieffer.
Brighton’s recruitment strategy has been rightly praised in recent years and, judging by our ratings, Chelsea’s keenness to take on Brighton’s players, coaches and staff is a good move.
What is the average score for a transfer?
Of the 29 ratings published, the average overall score is 334/500, which leaves Max Kilman’s move from Wolves to West Ham (332) just below the average and Zirkzee‘s transfer to Manchester United (337) just above.
Ipswich, according to our ratings, have been preparing well for their return to the top flight with two of their moves (Hutchinson, 354) and Ben Johnson (345) rated as above-average transfers and just Liam Delap’s move from Manchester City (327) below.
Max Kilman’s move to West Ham received a score just below the average (WHUFC)
What’s still to come?
Hopefully, loads more transfers.
The summer transfer window for the Premier League closes at 11pm on Friday, August 30 (UK time). We’ll bring you all the latest news in our daily live coverage and The Transfer DealSheet every Tuesday morning.
And by the end of the summer, The Athletic 500 ratings will bring you a breakdown of how every club has done.
The Athletic 500 ratings
(Top photos: Getty Images; designed by Dan Goldfarb)
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