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We were nowhere near the 2023 record of £815 million, but will the summer see a rise in expensive moves?

This year, for the first time, the transfer window will be split into two due to the presence of the Club World Cup.

The window will open from June 1-10, then close for six days and open again on June 16.

As ever, international deals not involving clubs in the Club World Cup, and free transfers, won't go through until July 1.

Here are grades for all the major confirmed transfers in the men's game, with each listed by date and then by highest fee.

All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.

June 1

AFC Bournemouth: A
Real Madrid: A

Madrid moved quickly and beat off a host of competition to secure Huijsen's signature following his 2024-25 breakout campaign in the Premier League.

Perhaps the big move has come sooner than expected, but they've been well compensated nonetheless.

play0:51

Marcotti: Huijsen's £50m transfer clause 'like a free transfer'

Gab Marcotti talks about Dean Huijsen's reported transfer to Real Madrid from Bournemouth.

Sporting CP: C-
Chelsea: B+

Essugo was tucked into a larger deal that also takes 18-year-old winger Geovany Quenda (€52m) to Chelsea in 2026.

He's an energetic, aggressive defensive midfielder who covers ground, plugs gaps and tackles resolutely.

The loan move to Las Palmas this season has helped him get a foothold in the senior game, and his performances suggest Chelsea got the better end of this part of the deal.

Liverpool: D
Real Madrid: A

We were all set to add Alexander-Arnold's name to the list of remarkable Real Madrid free transfers -- but the FIFA Club World Cup has scuppered that.

In the end, Los Blancos paid around €12 million to usher in the right-back before this summer's tournament, cementing the fact they're taking it incredibly seriously.

Time might prove this to be an excessive move from Madrid, but at the end of the day, they've still signed a stunning player for a small fee.

Palmeiras were never going to hang on to a player nicknamed "Messinho" for long, but they at least kept him for the Club World Cup.

Bayer Leverkusen: C-
Bayern Munich: B-

A Leverkusen stalwart, Tah has a career trajectory that suddenly shot upwards in 2023-24, when he expertly marshalled the back line to an unbeaten Bundesliga title run.
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