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30 transfers you may have missed during this summer

Vincenzo Lombardo - Inter / FC Internazionale / Getty

While the sporting world was squarely focused on a frenetic World Cup, many a European side dipped its respective toes into the transfer waters with nary a notice.

Clubs both massive and modest made moves, bolstering squads under the veil of the quadrennial contest in Russia while many sides were forced to wait for after July 14 to open their pocket books.

Here's a slew of transfers you may have missed, covering the gamut from big-money blockbuster switches and lesser-known signings across Europe's top-five leagues:

England

Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City to Manchester City)

Reported fee: £61 million

Pep Guardiola's quest to add every technically gifted attacking midfielder in football to his already star-studded squad witnessed Manchester City's protracted interest in Leicester City string puller Riyad Mahrez come to fruition.

Jorginho (Napoli to Chelsea)

Reported fee: £50 million

A weathered pack of Marlboro Reds isn't the only thing Maurizio Sarri is bringing with him to Chelsea from Napoli, with slick passing midfielder Jorginho set to form a daunting duo in the middle of the park alongside N'Golo Kante.

Fabinho (Monaco to Liverpool)

Reported fee: £45 million

After suffering at times toward the end of the season thanks to a threadbare midfield, Liverpool has added a massive presence in Fabinho who could be the perfect complement to Naby Keita's box-to-box play.

Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City to Liverpool)

Reported fee: £13 million

Ummm, what? On the topic of Liverpool, Xherdan Shaqiri made a bargain-basement move to Anfield from the Potters, and it's a curious one considering Jurgen Klopp's insistence on selfless, two-way players down for the cause.

Lucas Torreira (Sampdoria to Arsenal)

Reported fee: £27 million

Excuse the Arsenal faithful for thinking they've seen a mirage when ball-stopper Lucas Torreira breaks up an attack, because it's been an eternity since the Gunners fielded an influential defensive midfielder. Brilliant signing.

Jean Michael Seri (Nice to Fulham)

Reported fee: £27 million

The Cottagers' Premier League return has been boosted by a somewhat surprising addition, with Ivorian midfielder Jean Michael Seri ditching the Cote d'Azur for the comforts of west London.

Issa Diop (Toulouse to West Ham)

Reported fee: £22.5 million

Far from a household name, Issa Diop swaps Toulouse for West Ham, and if the Premier League requires centre-backs to possess a versatile and at time robust skill set, the 21-year-old is set to display exactly that. What a steal.

Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk to Manchester United)

Reported fee: £53 million

Jose Mourinho's hopes of replacing Michael Carrick have come in the form of Brazilian international Fred, who leaves Ukranian giant Shakhtar Donetsk after being previously linked with Manchester City.

Rui Patricio (Sporting CP to Wolves)

Reported fee: Free transfer

Championship winner Wolves' already bulging Portuguese diaspora added another part, luring Selecao first-choice shot-stopper Rui Patricio to Molineux following Sporting's catastrophic end to the season and subsequent drama.

Spain

Thomas Lemar (Monaco to Atletico Madrid)

Reported fee: €70 million

Antoine Griezmann's unnecessarily theatrical decision to stay at Atletico Madrid has helped coerce fellow France international speed demon Thomas Lemar to make the switch to the Wanda Metropolitano.

WIlliam Carvalho (Sporting CP to Real Betis)

Reported fee: €20 million

A bit of a shocker this one. Previously linked with some of Europe's biggest clubs, midfielder William Carvalho has ditched Sporting's sinking ship to enlist with European returnee Real Betis. There's a lot to like about this signing.

Karl Toko Ekambi (Angers to Villarreal)

Reported fee: €18 million

Quietly one of Ligue 1's most proficient scorers last season, 17-goal Cameroonian international forward Karl Toko Ekambi is off to Villarreal to replace AC Milan loanee Carlos Bacca for a relatively modest fee.

Mouctar Diakhaby (Lyon to Valencia)

Reported fee: €15 million

Lyon has had a fair deal of success replenishing its squad in the summer while turning a profit of late, with 21-year-old French youth international centre-half Mouctar Diakhaby the latest shrewd sale, joining Valencia on a five-year-deal.

Alvaro Odriozola (Athletic Bilbao to Real Madrid)

Reported fee: €30 million

Incoming Los Blancos boss Julen Lopetegui has lured hometown Real Sociedad product and sparingly used Spain right-back Alvaro Odriozola to the Bernabeu, prompting Achraf Hakimi's loan to Borussia Dortmund.

Takashi Inui (Eibar to Real Betis)

Reported fee: Free transfer

Another smart move for Real Betis, which swooped for Japan international Takashi Inui on a free before the World Cup only to watch the winger shine in Russia, with his stellar goal against Belgium a fitting cap to a strong display.

Italy

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid to Juventus)

Reported fee: €112 million

After countless reports linking a discontent Cristiano Ronaldo with a Real Madrid exit, the Portuguese Champions League savant moved to a side desperate for continental accolades. Joao Cancelo is also a decent signing.

Radja Nainggolan (Roma to Inter)

Reported fee: €38 million

Inter's return to Serie A excellence has been boosted with the acquisition of tough-tackling Radja Nainggolan, who arrives at Luciano Spalletti's first-team training fresh following an omission from the Belgium World Cup squad.

Alban Lafont (Toulouse to Fiorentina)

Reported fee: €8.5 million

Hello, police, I'd like to report a robbery. Fiorentina has pulled off a coup, luring French youth stud Alban Lafont to the Stadio Artemio Franchi for a scant fee following 98 Ligue 1 bows for Toulouse, an obscene tally for a 19-year-old.

Justin Kluivert (Ajax to Roma)

Reported fee: €17.25 million

Scouting savant Monchi's influence at Roma grows with a move for emerging 19-year-old star Justin Kluivert, who becomes the latest youngster to break through with Amsterdam giant Ajax. His dad was also pretty good.

Kevin-Prince Boateng (Eintracht Frankfurt to Sassuolo)

Reported fee: Free transfer

Ghanaian star Kevin-Prince Boateng returns to Italy after a season with Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer looking to recapture the form that saw him bag 10 league goals in the previous campaign with Las Palmas

France

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus to Paris Saint-Germain)

Reported fee: Free transfer

Hard to miss this one, but Italian record smasher Gianluigi Buffon is off to the French capital on a one-year deal with an option for a second. Kevin Trapp looks like the odd man out on the heels of Alphonse Areola's stellar campaign.

Danilo (Braga to Nice)

Reported fee: €10 million

Patrick Vieira's lot have replaced Fulham-bound Seri with 22-year-old Brazilian youth international Danilo, who makes the move to the Cote d'Azur on a three-year deal following loan spells with Valencia, Benfica, and Standard Liege.

Loic Remy (Las Palmas to Lille)

Reported fee: €1.3 million

Well-travelled standout striker Loic Remy's redemption tour takes him from holiday hotspot Canary Islands to Lille, where the 31-year-old former France international will provide a veteran presence for Christophe Galtier's lot.

Willem Geubbels (Lyon to Monaco)

Reported fee: €20 million

Monaco continued its youth movement under Vadim Vasilyev's watch by luring 16-year-old French forward Willem Geubbels from Lyon. Geubbels became the youngest player to ever appear in a Europa League match last season.

Jonathan Bamba (Saint-Etienne to Lille)

Reported fee: Free transfer

A more forward thinking transfer policy may have helped Saint-Etienne make a few euros on versatile 22-year-old attacker Jonathan Bamba, who could prove to be one of the steals of the transfer window for Les Dogues.

Germany

Alassane Plea (Nice to Borussia Monchengladbach)

Reported fee: €23 million

Alassane's plea: May I please go to Germany. Ask and ye shall receive, young man. The versatile attacker traded in Nice for North Rhine-Westphalian outfit Borussia Monchengladbach. Bit of a lateral move for the 25-year-old.

Salif Sane (Hannover to Schalke)

Reported fee: €7 million

Fresh off a good showing with the Lions of Teranga in Russia, towering Senegalese centre-half Salif Sane, 27, has swapped Hannover for Champions League football with defending shock Bundesliga runner-up Schalke.

Thomas Delaney (Werder Bremen to Borussia Dortmund)

Reported fee: €20 million

Another player who performed well at the World Cup, Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney moves to Borussia Dortmund, which will in part help cover for Gonzalo Castro's exit and provide relief for Julien Weigl.

Abdou Diallo (Mainz to Borussia Dortmund)

Reported fee: €28 million

Skilled centre-half Abdou Diallo's move to the Westfalenstadion has flown under the radar and is precisely the kind of signing the Bundesliga behemoth has made a habit of benefitting from. Previously linked with Arsenal.

Nordi Mukiele (Montpellier to RB Leipzig)

Reported fee: €16 million

Like Diallo, Nordi Mukiele, 20, is a promising young defender reared in France, and like his brethren, the former Montpellier standout is set to star in Germany. Was a principle part of La Paillade's shockingly good backline last season.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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