Transfer News: 20 Biggest Moves of the Summer Transfer Window So Far

The summer transfer window is always a busy time in world football.

We've already seen some huge deals take place this summer and with over 50 days still remaining, we're bound to see plenty more take place.

In case you've missed anything, let's take a look at the 20 biggest deals to have taken place so far over the summer transfer window.

Shinji Kagawa

Kicking off our list for the top 20 moves of the summer transfer window so far is Shinji Kagawa, who made a move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United for an undisclosed fee.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is excited by the acquisition of Kagawa to United's midfield, as the 23-year-old's pace, skill and eye for goal will certainly be excellent additions to the Red Devils' attack next season.

Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud made a move to Arsenal from Montpellier believed to be around £12 million—giving the Gunners depth in attack and another key target up front.

With the shock decision by captain Robin van Persie not to renew his contract, Giroud will become a key part of the Gunners attack in the future—if not the go-to striker for the club.

The French striker netted 21 goals for Montpellier last season en route to their Ligue 1 title success.

Jordi Alba

Jordi Alba recently signed a five-year deal over the summer transfer window that will see him make a move from Valencia to Barcelona—a deal believed to cost around £11 million.

The defender starred for Spain in their recent Euro 2012 campaign and will represent his country once again at the 2012 London Olympics.

Barcelona will be desperate to avenge their losses in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League next season—the acquisition of Alba will no doubt help their cause.

Jan Vertonghen

Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen recently completed a move from Ajax to Tottenham Hotspur over the transfer window for a reported £10 million—a huge move for Spurs given their current situation.

The North London club have already acquired former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas and have landed several other high-profile stars in the transfer window—headlined by the acquisition of Vertonghen.

Given that the club has lost defender Vedran Corluka, Vertonghen is a needed replacement, a definite upgrade and a signing that gives the club a real chance of achieving a top-four spot this season.

Lukas Podolski

Lukas Podolski made a stunning move from FC Cologne to Arsenal at the start of the transfer window for an undisclosed fee in order to boost their attacking options and give some much-needed depth to their squad.

Podolski is a prolific goal-scorer and a definite target up front for the Gunners—a player that manager Arsene Wenger described as "quality" and having "a prolific record" via BBC Sport.

Similar to Olivier Giroud, Podolski could turn out to be an even bigger signing than expected given the current Robin van Persie saga.

Marco Reus

Marco Reus made a move from Borussia Mönchengladbach to Borussia Dortmund and will no doubt become an instant success at the club, particularly after impressing at Euro 2012.

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp said that his performance at the European Championships proved that he was worth the money spent earlier in the season, according to Soccerway.

Reus will likely partner Robert Lewandowski in attack for Dortmund and could form a lethal relationship with the Polish striker that could spell repeat success for the German champions.

Dirk Kuyt

Dirk Kuyt has left Liverpool for Fenerbahce on a three-year deal after making more than 250 appearances for the Reds in his time at Anfield. 

Kuyt's impact last season was minimal, though this may have had to do with the fact he was played as a winger and not as a true striker. However, his move could impact Liverpool next season with the likes of Craig Bellamy also rumored to be making an exit from the club over the summer transfer window.

Marko Marin

German midfielder Marko Marin has joined Chelsea from Werder Bremen this summer after agreeing on an undisclosed fee, though it is believed to be around £7 million.

This one makes the list as a big deal not because Marin will have an instant impact in the English Premier League but because, well, it's just a strange move.

Chelsea have essentially acquired Marin as a benchwarmer next season with the likes of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Frank Lampard likely to dominate the midfield and force the 23-year-old out of any potential staring spot.

Strange move for £7 million, really.

Salomon Kalou

Former Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou has joined Lille for next season after seeing out his contract at Stamford Bridge.

The 26-year-old struggled for regular appearances in the Chelsea attack and, with the signing of Eden Hazard and the rumors of Hulk and Stevan Jovetic as potential new attackers, was unlikely to see an increase of minutes next season.

However, Kalou could still turn out to be a big deal for Lille, who won the French league and cup double in 2011 and will be competing in the UEFA Champions League next season.

Sebastian Giovinco

Former Juventus player Sebastian Giovinco has returned to his old club after making a move from Parma for a reported €11 million.

Giovinco had a strong season last year, netting 15 goals in Serie A and establishing himself as an Italian international and could have a huge impact at Juventus next season.

The club won the Italian league last season and will be looking to repeat their success next season—picking up another star striker in Giovinco will certainly not hurt their chances.

Xherdan Shaqiri

Xherdan Shaqiri has completed a move from FC Basel to Bayern Munich on a four-year deal for an undisclosed transfer fee.

The young winger could be a huge addition to the German club next season as they seek to rectify the heartbreak of last season, which saw them finish second in all three major tournaments.

The 20-year-old Shaqiri is unlikely to start for Bayern with the likes of Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben likely to start as per usual, but he will certainly have an impact off the bench and could stake a claim for a starting position later on in the season.

Definitely a signing for the future and an excellent move from Bayern Munich.

Rodrigo Palacio

Inter Milan have picked up Rodrigo Palacio over the summer transfer window from Genoa with the striker making a three-year deal for around €11 million.

The Italian giants finished a dismal sixth in the Serie A last season and will be desperate to make amends for their poor showing—a task made more difficult by the recent move of Diego Forlan to Internacional.

Palacio is then a necessary inclusion in Inter's attack next season with the 30-year-old's wisdom and experience potentially a crucial factor throughout the year.

Park Ji Sung

Park Ji Sung isn't a big name in world football and his transfer from Manchester United to Queens Park Rangers for around £4 million shouldn't really be considered a "big" transfer, but I've decided to include it in this list for a simple reason.

For Queens Park Rangers, this is a massive deal.

Park has made well over 100 appearances for the Red Devils in his time at Old Trafford and in a lesser club (like QPR) could regain some of the form that he possessed several years ago in his prime.

Queens Park Rangers were lucky to survive relegation last season from the Premier League; the acquisition of Park could mean they survive once again this season.

That means it's a big deal.

Dante

Bayern Munich have also signed defender Dante from Borussia Mönchengladbach for next season—ending the long-standing link between the 28-year-old and the Allianz Arena.

Dante was superb last season in defense and will bring some much needed assistance to Bayern Munich, who really weren't that far off success in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League last season.

One or two players like Dante could be all it takes to turn second place into first.

Mario Fernandes

Mario Fernandes has recently completed a move from Grêmio to CSKA Moscow—believed to be worth around €15 million on a five-year deal.

And whilst Fernandes might not be the biggest name on the radar, €15 million is an awful lot to be paying for a defender—especially for such a young defender, as Fernandes is only 21 years old.

That must mean there's something special about the youngster, who was also linked with a potential move to Real Madrid over the summer. The Brazilian defender is highly rated and is definitely a player to watch out for in the future.

Gylfi Sigurdsson

Tottenham have recently acquired Gylfi Sigurdsson from Hoffenhiem over the transfer window, beating out Liverpool for the striker's signature in a deal reported to be worth £8 million.

Like Park, Sigurdsson isn't the biggest name in the transfer window, but his move to Spurs is still definitely a huge move of the transfer window for his move shows that Tottenham are still a club worth playing for.

They might not have Champions League football but they do have an exciting squad, new additions, a new manager and the attacking creativity needed to challenge again in the Premier League. 

In light of the bigger picture, this is a huge signing for Tottenham.

Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba has completed a move from Chelsea to Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua on a two-and-a-half-year deal, teaming up with former Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka.

The reason why this is a big transfer is that it does leave Chelsea in need of a new striker. 

Yes they have Fernando Torres, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku but with Salomon Kalou no longer available and Daniel Sturridge rumored via the Daily Mail to be making an exit, the Blues will need to pick up another go-to striker in the transfer window.

Not to replace Drogba, but to have the necessary depth in their squad to challenge once again for the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

Ezequiel Lavezzi

Cashed-up Paris St. Germain have picked up Ezequiel Lavezzi from Napoli over the transfer window on a four-year deal believed to be around £24 million.

After failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, Lavezzi made the move to Paris St. Germain, who finished second behind Montpellier in Ligue 1 last season.

Aside from the transfer fee involved, this is a big deal for Paris St. Germain, who continue to throw money around but so far have had failure to lure any big names to the club. 

That was until they landed the 27-year-old, who could well turn PSG into the favorites to win the French league.

Diego Forlan

Diego Forlan has joined Brazilian club Internacional from Inter Milan on a three-year deal after making the move on a free transfer.

The 33-year-old's transfer could have ramifications right across the globe—beginning in Internacional, who are currently sitting in fifth position in the Brazilian league, but must be considered a title threat given their attacking talent.

The transfer must also seriously affect Inter Milan, who could struggle to challenge for the title again in the Italian league—despite the acquisition of Rodrigo Palacio, as mentioned before.

Eden Hazard

Wrapping up our list of the top 20 transfers of the summer transfer window so far is that of Eden Hazard, who made a move from Lille to Chelsea on a five-year deal for £32 million.

Hazard has been without doubt the biggest move of the transfer window so far and gives the Champions League winners a huge boost heading into the upcoming season.

The 21-year-old is considered one of the hottest prospects in world football and, given his average 0.9 goals scored and created per game last season, it's easy to understand why there was so much speculation and contention as to where he would finish up.

He earned his first national appearance at just 18 and has won the Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year Awards twice already in his career, according to BBC Sport.

Without doubt the best transfer of the summer so far.

What do you think of the deals that have taken place so far?

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All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com unless stated otherwise.