Top 5 loan signings this season

ICC Singapore FC Bayern Press Conference
James was a steal by Bayern!

The two transfer windows in every season are eagerly anticipated by managers and fans alike. For managers, it is a chance to strengthen the team by buying players who they feel would make a difference. For fans, it is a period of excitement as well as they're usually eager to find out who will be the newest players to don the kit of the club that they adore.

If you feel like it is a straightforward process, you couldn't be further away from the truth. There is a multitude of activity that takes place behind the scenes involving the player's agent, managers, board members and the rest, behind every single transfer.

Sometimes managers resort to buying players on loan for a short term or for a longer period and some loan deals have accompanying clauses, to make the deal permanent at the end of the loan period. They do this either because they couldn't reach an agreement with the parent club for a permanent deal or because there is a shortage of transfer funds.

On that note, we look at 5 such players who were signed on loan this season and who turned out to be excellent investments.


#5 Geoffrey Kondogbia (From Inter Milan to Valencia)

Valencia v Barcelona - La Liga
Kondogbia in action vs Barcelona

Despite being a regular starter for Inter Milan, Kondogbia was loaned to Valencia ahead of the 2017-18 season. In return, Valencia loaned one of their stars, Joao Cancelo to the Italian club. Kondogbia has been a brilliant buy for the Spanish outfit and has been a central figure in their team this season.

The Frenchman had spent one year in Spain with Sevilla in the 2012-13 season before signing for AS Monaco the following season. He also has 5 international caps to his name and made his debut as a 20-year-old in 2013.

A central defensive midfielder, the player has 29 appearances for the club in all competitions this season and also has 4 goals and as many assists to his name. Alongside Daniel Parejo, he has formed quite a partnership at the centre of the park and owing to this chemistry, Valencia find themselves fourth in the league, just one point behind Real Madrid.

Video: Kondogbia in action this season

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#4 Douglas Costa (From Bayern Munich to Juventus)

Juventus v Udinese Calcio - Serie A
Juventus snapped up the Brazilian

The Brazilian has been wowing us all for quite a while now with his five-star-skill moves and attacking flair. It was no surprise that Bayern Munich came calling for the player after monitoring his exploits in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk.

In the two years at Germany, he made 77 appearances for the club and scored 14 goals in the process. He won the league twice and also added the German Cup to his collection. In fact, it came as quite a surprise when Bayern decided to loan him to Juventus at the start of the new season.

Capable of playing on either flank and also in a central role behind the forward, the player and the club find themselves in the running for a treble this campaign. He has made 35 appearances for the Italian club and has bagged 3 goals and 7 assists this season. Juventus are likely to make the move permanent for €40 million at the end of his loan spell.

Video: Costa playing for Juventus

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#3 Michy Batshuayi (From Chelsea to Borussia Dortmund)

Atalanta v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Europa League
Batshuayi has made an instant impact in Germany

Many eyebrows were raised when Antonio Conte let go of Batshuayi in the January transfer window. The Belgian was showing promise in London, particularly at a time when Eden Hazard was struggling as a false-nine and Alvaro Morata was woefully out of form.

The striker was part of a transfer-triangle which saw Arsenal sell Olivier Giroud to Chelsea, Chelsea loan Batshuayi to Dortmund and Dortmund sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal. He has settled in well and has made an instant impact at the German club.

He wasted no time and scored a brace and bagged an assist on his debut and has gone on to score 8 goals in 11 appearances for the club. The Belgian has re-ignited his career and Dortmund find themselves fighting for the second place alongside Schalke, behind runaway leaders Bayern Munich.

Video: Batshuayi in action for Dortmund

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#2 James Rodriguez (From Real Madrid to Bayern Munich)

ICC Singapore - Bayern v FC Internzionale
Bayern pulled off a brilliant move!

Zinedine's Zidane's decision to loan James to Bayern Munich for 2 years was met with criticism from many. He was a clear fan-favourite at Madrid but Zinedine Zidane couldn't offer him guaranteed playing time, and he had to be content with appearances from the bench last season, despite playing a decent role in the side that won the La Liga and defended their UEFA Champions League title successfully.

James' talent needs no explanation. An attacker capable of playing anywhere across the front-line, James is capable of the spectacular. He won the Golden Boot at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Germany and was even voted as the La Liga midfielder of the year in 2015. He is the talisman for his national team, Colombia, and has 21 goals in 59 games for the country at 26 years of age.

A move to Germany bode well for the player and he has been an integral part of their attack. He has made 27 appearances for the club and has 4 goals an 9 assists across all competitions this term.

Bayern are on the road to a possible treble and the Colombian will play a big part in achieving that, and the German club is likely to buy the player on a permanent basis at the end of his loan spell for €42 million.

Video: The best of James in 2017-18

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#1 Kylian Mbappe (From Monaco to PSG)

Paris Saint-Germain v Celtic FC - UEFA Champions League
Mbappe has been a revelation

PSG broke the world transfer record when they bought Neymar from Barcelona in the summer of 2017. They followed it up with the signing of Kylian Mbappe from Monaco. In order to stay within the Financial Fair Play limits, PSG decided to sign him on loan this season and pay the transfer fee next term.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2016-17 with Monaco. He scored a remarkable 26 goals in 44 games as they won the league title and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. He won the 2017 Golden Boy award and was also voted into the 2017 UEFA Champions League Team of the Year.

An incredibly pacy attacker with a bunch of tricks up his sleeve, Mbappe can play on either flank as well as a centre-forward. His move to PSG took him to greater heights, with world-class players like Neymar and Edinson Cavani alongside him.

The Frenchman has 19 goals and 14 assists in 38 games this season and PSG are all set to win a domestic double. He is also set to play a vital part in France's exploits at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer.

Video: Mbappe's debut season at PSG so far

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Edited by Aakanksh Sanketh