Top 10 most expensive attackers of summer so far

Nicholas Hughes

• Updated: 6 Aug 2021 14:57 BST
• 6 min read

Jack Grealish has become the most expensive attacking player of the 2021 summer transfer window so far after his blockbuster move to Manchester City.

The reigning Premier League champions confirmed the signing from Aston Villa for €100 million (€117.5m), a record for a Premier League team and a record for an English player.

HE'S HERE!

We are delighted to announce the signing of @JackGrealish on a six-year deal.

Welcome to City, Jack! 💙

🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/5Y3gMREmKL

— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 5, 2021

The 25-year-old leaves Villa after joining the club as a six-year-old, with his ambition of playing in the Champions League his main motivation for seeking a new challenge.

That deal usurped neighbours Manchester United who signed winger Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for €85m.

United wanted to sign Sancho last season but couldn’t agree on a deal, with Dortmund lowering their asking price this summer.

A former Manchester City youth product, Sancho arrives at Old Trafford after racking up 38 goals and 45 assists in 104 Bundesliga games.

Aston Villa have brought in three new players to replace Jack Grealish, and they all appear in a row in this list, with Emiliano Buendia starting off in third place.

The Argentine’s signing broke the club’s transfer record earlier in the summer, with €36m going to Norwich City for the player, and the deal potentially rising to €40m.

Dean Smith also bolstered his attacking stocks with Danny Ings coming in from Southampton and Jamaican star Leon Bailey arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, both for €35m.

Borussia Dortmund picked up Dutch youngster Donyell Malen from PSV Eindhoven for €30m, the sixth most expensive deal for an attacker so far.

Malen impressed for the Oranje at the Euros in the summer after a breakout Eredivisie season where he amassed 19 goals and eight assists.

Seventh on the list is Patson Daka, who joined Leicester City in a €27m deal from Austrian champions RB Salzburg.

Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal were said to be interested in the 22-year-old striker, but the Foxes pounced to secure the Zambian’s signature first.

Bryan Gil joined Tottenham for €25.3m with Erik Lamela going the other way to join Sevilla in the eighth most expensive deal for an attacker this summer.

Spurs-linked Nicolas Gonzalez ranks ninth after his €23m move from Stuttgart to Fiorentina, though that fee could rise to €27m, and Andre Silva completes the list after he joined RB Leipzig from Eintracht Frankfurt for an identical fee of €23m.