Summer 2017 - Highlights so far of the craziest transfer window in history.

This years summer transfer window has seen an incredible amount of money spent so far. In the Premier League alone over half a billion pounds has been spent by the time of writing this, with last summers total finishing at £1.165 billion on 31st August 2016, it is looking incredibly likely we will have a new record for a transfer window in terms of spending. Now with the likes of Jordan Pickford signing for Everton for £30 million and Kyle Walker signing for Manchester City for upwards of £50 million it is easy to see how the figure has grown to such a large amount. But what are the highlights? We've seen some questionable spending so far, as well as some head turning deals including Dani Alves snubbing Manchester City in favour of a move to PSG. I'm now going to look into the main talking points from the summer transfer window 2017 so far.

James Rodriguez to Bayern Munich. (2 year loan with an option to buy.)

Perhaps a bit controversially I'm starting this piece on the summer transfer window with a loan move. However it isn't your typical loan, this isn't the young English striker going to the Championship to get some game time, this is the young man who won the 2014 World Cup golden boot despite being knocked out in the Quarter finals. The winner of the FIFA Puskas award from the same year. The man who Real Madrid paid approximately 80 million Euros to bring in. James Rodriguez. Now, the Columbia captain has been in and out of the Real Madrid side for the past couple of seasons, and has slipped behind Isco in the pecking order of the European champions. James only started 13 league games last season, coming off of the bench on 9 occasions. Despite this he managed to be involve in 14 league goals, scoring 8 goals and providing 6 assists, an example of the impact he can have when given the time. What makes this deal so ludicrous is the fact, that after paying a 5 million euro loan fee, Bayern have the option to sign Rodriguez for just £35 million. Less then half what was paid for him by Madrid just three years ago. And despite falling from the first team in the Spanish capital the Colombian attacking midfielder still has bags of potential. At just 26, he is coming into his prime, and under the coaching of Carlo Ancelotti I can see James proving to be the player we all know he can be. He was tipped as a future Balon D'or winner three years ago, the man is world class and a steal for Bayern Munich! Bayern already walk to the German title every year but where they want and need to be is competing for the title of champions of Europe. Since winning the Champions League in 2013, they have been unsuccessful at the Semi-Final stage every year since. Rodriguez has now been a part of two Champions League winning campaigns with parent club Real Madrid and that winning pedigree in Europe could be what Bayern need to prove that they are the best club side on the planet. Bayern's new number eleven is a truly world class player and I say with 100% certainty that he is going to set the world alight in Germany, Go back and watch his volley from the 2014 World Cup against Uruguay and remember the commentary. My word this boy's a star.

Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United. (£75 million + add ons)

From a deal which has cost virtually nothing to one which is the fifth largest in football history. The Belgian striker's move from Everton was pretty much a certainty when the Premier League season ended, but not many people would have predicted Lukaku returning to former manager Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese man was in charge of Chelsea during Lukaku's spell at the club, and it was Jose himself that saw him as surplus to requirements. However after impressing for the blue half of Merseyside during his time there, the big Belgian is Manchester United's newest number 9. With reported add ons and Wayne Rooney moving in the other direction also being part of the deal, the total transfer cost reaches an incredible £100million, and as it looks unlikely any club will spend more on one player this summer, for the second year in a row Jose will have out spent the rest of his challengers. However £75million on any player would always come under scrutiny, and with a lot of people claiming that the Belgian forward is not the finished article yet, maybe you have to question the decision making. When put one on one with any keeper, Lukaku is always the clear favourite and with his incredible strength and speed he is a constant threat. However his big criticism for years has been his first touch, and his ability to hold up the play. In a recent piece with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, the Englishman said that if he was to defend against Lukaku, he'd just give him a yard of space, banking on a loose touch from the attacker and then clear. This rings remarkably true with Romelu who was guilty on plenty of occasions last season of giving the ball away cheaply. His ability, or lack of, to hold up the play rarely effected situations at Everton last season. In the league he scored 20 more goals then his side's second top scorer, he was the constant and only real outlet. But United have the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard, all of which who will be expecting Lukaku to use his size to hold up the ball and to bring them into the game, in a similar vain to how Zlatan did last season. Is it right to spend so much money on a player who may limit your style of play? Only time will tell how this deal will work out, Lukaku has been tipped for greatness from a very young age, everyone knows just how good he can be, and very importantly so does he. The Belgian knows he belongs in a top side, and being in Europe with Manchester United is a real opportunity to show the world what he can really do.

Leonardo Bonucci to AC Milan. (£35 million)

Now this one caught me, you and the entire footballing world off guard. The Italian defender is arguably the best in world football. Playing in arguably the best defence in world football at Italian champions Juventus and is being heavily tipped for a move to English champions Chelsea and former Italian National team coach Antonio Conte. So where on earth did this come from? Bonucci has officially signed for AC Milan, a side which isn't even featuring in Europe's top competition for the upcoming season. Now it is known that Bonucci and Juventus manager Allegri had a major falling out last season, which saw the Italian being dropped for a league game against Palmero, so it is understandable as to why he would leave. But to AC Milan? The 7 time European champions have been on an incredible decline for much of this decade and I'm sure would not even be considered by many of the worlds top players at this point in time. However, with the signing of Bonucci, Milan have taken their summer spending over the £100million mark, with the likes of Ricardo Rodriguez and Hakan Calhanoglu both coming in from Germany. The contract will keep Leonardo at the Milan club for 5 years, and alongside the other new recruits coming to the San Siro, maybe we could see the resurrection of AC Milan in the coming years. Not much more is known about the deal as it all came out of no where, but one thing is for sure, what a move by AC Milan. He is set to have his medical over the coming weekend but it all seems like a formality now. Coming from a Liverpool fan, a club with a big history involving AC Milan it would be a welcomed return to the top table of world football for the club, who last won the Champions League in 2007 and are still the second most successful side in the history of top level European competition.

Mohamed Salah to Liverpool. (£36 million)

The Egyptian Mo Salah is getting his second opportunity to show the Premier League what he can do after a poor showing during his all too brief time at Chelsea. However since becoming Liverpool's record signing, the potential of things to come is getting the fans excited. His stats from last season speak for themselves, the winger scored 15 and created 11 in 31 league games while playing in Italy's Calcio 'A' for Roma, beating massively hyped Argentine and Juventus youngster Paulo Dybala on both counts while he played for champions Juventus. His lighting pace and play style is very similar to that of Sadio Mane, the Senegalese winger proved to be an incredible signing for the red's last season and I'm sure they're hoping for more of the same from their newest addition. However, bringing Salah into the team is only half the story, the other being how it will effect the rest of the side. Salah has been given the number 11 shirt, with it's former owner Roberto Firmino made Liverpool's newest number 9, making it more clear that he will be the number one striker for the club in the coming season. Firmino impressed massively last season but only managed 11 league goals, a fact which was made more telling whenever either Mane or Philippe Coutinho didn't play, both of whom out scored the Brazilian, with 13 league goals each. The pressure was on Firmino to be an out and out striker which he simply isn't, he is no slouch in front of goal but will never be a 20 goal a season centre forward. This is where Salah comes into play. What Firmino does better then any other striker in the league in my opinion is the 'dirty work', closing down defenders, forcing mistakes and creating opportunities for his team mates. Liverpool looked unplayable with Mane, Coutinho and Firmino all playing, and with Salah in there as another outlet it takes more pressure off of Firmino to be the star striker, and he can focus on the main plus points of his game. Roberto will still score goals, but his running, chances created and assists will be where his quality is shown next season. Also with the addition of Salah into the side, Jurgen Klopp no longer has to restrict Coutinho to a wide position and he can instead play the Brazilian midfielder in his preferred number 10 role, one he plays as good as anyone in the world. In the last two games of the previous season the little magician returned to the position and put in a man of the match performances in both, scoring three goals. Inside he is given more space to roam, and more of the pitch to work with. Also with the additional movement coming from Salah, he can fully utilise his incredible range of passing. And finally just imagine the look of fear on a defenders face when they're closing down a loose ball against either Sadio Mane or Mo Salah. The pace of both men is frightening and Liverpool will have it coming from both flanks, the options going forward for the club is endless. If they play the rest of this window smart, improve at the back and add much needed squad depth, we could see potential title challengers.

Alexandre Lacazette to Arsenal (£52 million + add ons)

Much like Bonucci this is a signing I didn't see coming, not because I didn't think the Frenchman would leave Lyon, but because of his choice of clubs. Lacazette fired in 28 league goals in 28 league games last season, and he almost single handedly got Lyon to the Europa League Semi-Finals. Before Atletico Madrid were handed a transfer ban at the start of the summer it looked as if the striker was on his way to Spain, however that deal obviously never came to be, but why Arsenal? The London club aren't even in the Champions League next season, and you'd think as Alexandre is one of Europe's top strikers he'd want to play amongst Europe's best sides and I'm sure very few teams would have turned him down. Lacazette has however said on record how long he's relished the idea of playing in England for, and living in London may have played a big part in his decision making as it does with many other players. What is also very big about this deal is it shows intent from Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. With star Alexis Sanchez reportedly on his way out as he is unhappy with the direction of the club, maybe this move might persuade him, and team mate Mesut Ozil, to stay for a while longer. On the flip side however, where does this move leave Alexis? Over the last twelve months the Chilean attacker has been moving in and out of the centre forward position, a position he claims to prefer. Lacazette will have been brought in to add goals to Arsenal and to fire them back into the Champions League, meaning Sanchez is likely to be back playing out wide, will he be happy about that? Especially after 'carrying' the side through a lot of last season. It is however no doubt a brilliant bit of business by Arsenal, bringing in a world class striker, something the fans have been crying out for, for years! It shows intent to not only the fans and the players, but also to the other Premier League sides, Lacazette is a big threat, and much like Liverpool, if the rest of the window goes in their favour, Arsenal could be in a very strong position for next season.

Antonio Rudiger to Chelsea (£34 million)

Shocking announcement video aside (Look it up, it really is that bad! So bad I'm asking you to go and watch it before reading on!) Rudiger signing could be the best 'under the radar' deal we will see in the Premier League this summer. Antonio Conte's Chelsea won the title last season based on a solid defence, and the adjective solid is perfect to describe his new German centre back. The now former Roma defender featured in 4 of Germany's 5 Confederation cup games, including the 1-0 win in the final, a game in which he kept Alexis Sanchez very quiet. After Chelsea had been linked with Bonucci for such a long time, the deal to bring in Rudiger came sort of out of no where, but one that makes perfect sense. The German played in 41 games in all competitions last season for Roma and Germany, demonstrating his incredible resilience, and throughout those games he stared as he played a key part in 14 league clean sheets. With Chelsea back in the Champions League next season the games are going to be coming thick and fast, and having a player like Rudiger who you can rely on to play each and every game you need him to play without signing signs of fatigue is invaluable. Possibly the least exciting of the signings I have mentioned so far today but also possibly the most effective. Just when you thought Chelsea's incredible defence couldn't get any stronger, they go an sign one of the best young defenders in Europe. At just 24 years old he has so much more room to grow, and under the guidance of his name sake Antonio Conte I feel the German centre back will prove his transfer fee to be pennies!

With over a month and a half of the transfer window yet to take place, there are a lot more potentially big deals to happen, including the rumoured signing of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig to Liverpool for an incredible £70 million. Juventus potentially losing another incredible defender in the form of Alex Sandro to Chelsea, and with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang's future still very much up in the air, there is still a lot of news to be made and a lot of money to be spent. It's getting to the point where money in football is meaningless, with every transfer a bit more crazy then the last, it should make for a pretty incredible upcoming season and I for one can't wait!