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The 2017 summer transfer window has been one of the craziest in recent times. As a matter of fact, the worldwide transfer record, previously held by Paul Pogba, following his transfer from Juventus to Manchester United for a reported fee of around £89.3 million in 2016.
This year, though, that record was broken thrice - by Neymar JR (from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for £197 million), Ousmane Dembelé (from Dortmund to Barcelona for £93 million) and Kylian Mbappé (from Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain for £124.5 million) respectively.
Also read: How do transfer requests work in football?
That said, let's take a look at the 10 best signings of the last transfer window, with the deciding factor being how influential they are expected to be for their new clubs.
#10 - Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has had an excellent start to life in England, having already scored 3 goals and mustered 1 assist in his first 6 games.
Liverpool were in desperate need for a new winger on the opposite flank of Sadio Mané, so that they can accommodate Philippe Coutinho in a more creative central role.
The Egyptian international was the missing puzzle, and the £37.34 million that the Reds paid for him, could potentially be considered a bargain.
#9 - Dani Alves
Paris Saint Germain have set their eyes on the UEFA Champions League, and the French giants certainly need to add experience and a winning mentality in order to boost their quest for the prestigious title.
As a three-time winner, Dani Alves certainly fits this category, having demonstrated his abilities with Juventus in the decisive stages of the competition against FC Porto, FC Barcelona and AS Monaco, last season. It is worth mentioning that the Brazilian arrived on a free transfer.
#8 - Nélson Semedo
After proving his worth with Portuguese powerhouse Benfica and earning regular call-ups for Portugal's national team, Nélson Semedo has completed his transfer to FC Barcelona for around £27 million.
The 23-year old is a strong tackler, but can also support the attack with his long runs, as highlighted with 6 assists in the Liga Sagres last season. The Catalans were in desperate need for a right back, at the top level, who's got what it takes to fill-in Dani Alves' shoes.
#7 - Douglas Costa
Italian champions Juventus have secured the services of Bayern attacker Douglas Costa for around £35.8 million. The Serie A giants were in need of a winger of his quality, capable of operating on both flanks, which is exactly what the Brazilian had shown under Pep Guardiola.
After a disappointing second season plagued by injuries, the 26-year old decided to leave Germany. With both parties needing each other, this transfer was the perfect match. Costa found the net 6 times and provided 6 assists in 18 starts for Bayern last season, which could be a sign of good things to come.
#6 - James Rodriguez
With the hope of winning the Champions League, Bundesliga giants FC Bayern have announced the signing of James Rodriguez on a two-year loan deal (with a further option to buy in the future), from Real Madrid.
Despite having been a bench-player under the command of Zinedine Zidane, the Colombian star was the scorer of 8 goals and amassed 8 assists in just 7 starts last season.
It became clear that James would start for almost any side in the world, besides the reigning champions of Europe. On the other hand, Bayern were in search for a world class player with his technical skills, so the move made sense.
#5 - Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci is seen by many as the best centre back in the world, alongside Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos. To acquire his services for just £37.3 million, is excellent business in today's market.
He might have reached 30 years of age, but he is still among the elite and capable of leading AC Milan's back-line in the near future. The Italian has been immediately appointed as Milan's new captain, as a sign of how important he is set to be, for his new team.
#4 - Nemanja Matic
Manchester United secured the services of Nemanja Matic for around £39.75 million. The reason he is ranked so highly, is mainly because of how influential and impactful he has been, since his arrival.
The Serbian was exactly what United's midfield was in urgent need for, someone with his high work-rate to offer protection to the back-line and give Paul Pogba the freedom to make runs into advanced positions.
Matic's abilities on the ball are nothing short of world class. To put things into perspective, he averages 73 passes with a success rate of 89% which reflects his talent of dictating play from a deep-lying position.
In addition to that, Matic averages 2.8 dribbles in the English Premier League this season, which emphasizes on his skills that allow him to carry the ball forward whenever needed.
#3 - Kylian Mbappé
At some stage, it seemed that AS Monaco would never allow Kylian Mbappé to switch forces to their direct Ligue 1 rivals, but Paris Saint Germain have eventually signed the French jewel on a loan-deal with the future option to buy, for an estimated fee of 124.5 million, although the purchase will only be finalised next year.
Mbappé shocked the whole world last season with his mouthwatering performances in the Champions League, mainly against Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City. The 18-year old ended the season with 22 goals and 8 assists.
For someone to achieve such remarkable stats at the humble age of 18, you can only wonder how far the France international can go in his career.
It is clear the teenage sensation is ready to improve Paris Saint-Germain, and has in fact already scored 2 goals and mustered an assist in his first two appearances, linking up wonderfully with team mates Neymar and Cavani.
#2 - Ousmane Dembélé
After losing Neymar, who was once seen as Lionel Messi's heir at the club, FC Barcelona had to go big in the transfer window.
Borussia Dortmund star Ousmane Dembélé was the chosen one, and despite initial attempts from the Germans to block the move, the Catalans eventually secured the deal for £93.3 million.
Dembélé is gifted with pace, skills and physical strength, which makes his arrival at Camp Nou, very interesting to say the least. Last season, the Frenchman took credit for 8 goals and 18 assists.
The Catalan club's devout fans will hope he can take the La Liga by storm this season.
#1 - Neymar JR
Neymar stole a huge part of the attention in the summer transfer window, after Brazilian channel Esporte Interativo broke the news of an agreement of his transfer from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain.
The world struggled to believe the (at that time) rumour, but the move materialized soon enough, as the French giants triggered his release clause of nearly £200 million. Neymar is widely regarded as the third best player in the world, and the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's throne.
The Brazilian's biggest advantage over the two might well be his age, as he is only 25-years old, while the Liga stars have already hit their thirties.
By signing the Brazilian, PSG are not only guaranteed quality for this season, but on a long-term basis as well. Neymar has demonstrated his ability to lead a project on his own, and his signing will be essential in leading the French side to the decisive stages of the Champions League.
In just 5 games, the Seleção star has already reached 5 goals and 5 assists. Talk about an immediate impact.
