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With the summer already upon us, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive, and it surely promises to be another window of frenzied activity.
In this article, however, we look back at the signings which had the most impact on their respective clubs in Serie A. From title-chasers to relegation dogfighters, there have been some really good business deals done by Italian sides in the 2019-20 season.
Here are ten signings that have made the most impact in Serie A in the most recently-concluded season:
Top 10 signings of Serie A's 2019-20 season
#10 Ashley Young (Inter Milan)
Inter Milan raided the Premier League in the recently-concluded season and bought as many as five players from the English shores. Ashley Young was one of the last players to arrive, joining Inter Milan in January this year, but finished as one of the best performers, especially after the restart.
The full-back looked like a man reborn, with his tireless sprints down the flank and his trademark cut-ins from the left turning back the calendar to the days when he used to be an absolute beast with Manchester United. He linked up very well with former Red Devils players Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez and was also involved in eight goals overall, six of which came post-lockdown.
#9 Radja Nainggolan (Cagliari)
An unconvincing spell with Inter Milan, coupled with his wife's illness as well as a fall-out with Antonio Conte, culminated with Radja Nainggolan returning to his "home" and joining the club where his "heart belongs".
Upon arrival, the Belgian was once again at his rip-roaring self and posted some of his best numbers in years, scoring and assisting six times each. Under Nainggolan's leadership, Cagliari steered well clear of relegation, although they had to play without him in the last six Serie A games as he was ruled out with a calf injury.
#8 Chris Smalling (AS Roma)
Defence has perenially been AS Roma's Achilles heel and with 50+ goals conceded in Serie A in the recently-concluded season, the club went through the motions once again. The presence of Chris Smalling, however, proved to be a small consolation to their defensive woes.
On loan from Manchester United, the Englishman was sound, composed and strong in the air. He also laid good quality passes and even contributed five goals. The 30-year-old star has established himself as one of the best players for Roma this season but unfortunately for them, he's set to return to the Old Trafford this week.
#7 Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus)
Matthijs de Ligt's much-vaunted €75 million transfer to Serie A champions Juventus last summer didn't initially bear fruit as the defender struggled to find his feet. However, after the turn of the year, he improved so much that the Dutchman was simply indispensable for Maurizio Sarri.
The 20-year-old was the binding factor that kept the Bianconeri backline from crumbling, averaging over three clearances per game. His pass success of 90% suggests how crucial he is to building from the back. He also showed the offensive side of his game by netting four times, including a belter against Udinese.
#6 Theo Hernandez (AC Milan)
AC Milan's upturn in form after the restart saw many attacking stars take centre-stage and fire a litany of goals. These goals may have slightly eclipsed Theo Hernandez's displays but he was unmistakably the best player in the team before the lockdown, so much so that until February, the left-back led the Rossoneri squad in terms of goals scored!
An excellent tackler with prolific dribbling skills, Hernandez was also the chief creative force in the side and laid five assists. His propensity to drive forward at every opportunity was so menacing that the Frenchman was also the most fouled Milan player. Los Blancos have lost an absolute gem here.
#5 Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Never really a prolific goalscorer, Duvan Zapata breathed new life in his career last season by lighting up Atalanta with blistering exploits that yielded 23 goals and helped Glo Orobici clinch Champions League spot. He was signed permanently in January this year after returning from a long injury lay-off and continued in the same vein.
Despite missing 10 games, the Colombian ace finished with 18 goals in Serie A, 12 of which came in the second half of the campaign. He also weighed in with seven assists for good measure and was once again crucial to Atalanta's top-four finish for the second year running.
#4 Luis Muriel (Atalanta)
The only reason why Luis Muriel ranks higher than compatriot Zapata is that the recently-concluded campaign was his debut season with Atalanta, but just like the latter in the previous term, he still managed to post his career-best stats.
He, too, finished with 18 goals for the season and forged an absolutely menacing partnership with Zapata upfront. What's more interesting is that 11 of those strikes came after he was subbed on from the bench!
#3 Francesco Caputo (Sassuolo)
For someone who has spent the majority of his career in the second division, netting 21 times in only his third season in the top-flight at the age of 32 is no mean feat. Signed from last year's relegated side Empoli, Francesco Caputo is aging like a fine wine.
His terrific partnership with Domenico Berardi and Jeremie Boga helped fire the Neroverdi up to eighth position, after three consecutive years in the bottom half of the table. He also made seven assists, and only two of his efforts came from the penalty spot.
#2 Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan)
Romelu Lukaku's final year in the Premier League was book-ended by disappointment after struggling for game time due to a loss of form. This paved the way for Inter Milan to swoop him in, and the Belgian duly found his feet again. With 23 goals in Serie A, he was the most prolific scorer after only Ciro Immobile and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 27-year-old single-handedly won several points for the Nerazzurri and despite making only two assists, ranked third in terms of key passes (30) and also maintained a 100% record from the spot, dispatching all six of his penalties. In this form, he might as well guide Inter to Europa League success this month.
#1 Dejan Kulusevski (Parma)
20-year-olds hardly come better than Dejan Kulusevski, whose incredible potential already has Juventus fans licking their lips ahead of next season. The young Swede has taken Serie A by storm with his playmaking skills and wide range of passing. He has also been crucial to helping Parma finish as high as 11th.
He bagged 10 goals for the season, many of which were absolute belters, laid nine assists and also led the squad in terms of big chances created with 13. Technically gifted, incredibly versatile and highly athletic, the sight of him slaloming past defences with the ease of an Olympic skier has to be one of the highlights of the season.
