The 2022-23 campaign delivered some of the biggest transfer deals of all time, but which players shone brightest at their new clubs?
As the curtain prepares to fall on another enthralling year of European football, it's time to look back on the players that made the biggest impact after completing high-profile transfers. The Premier League dominated the market, with over £2 billion spent on new players across English football's top 20 clubs, but significant deals were also struck in Italy, Spain, Germany, France and beyond.
Money doesn't always guarantee success, though. Chelsea invested more in new players than any other club on the continent, but they won't be playing in Europe next season after plummeting down into the bottom half of the Premier League standings.
Some of the most expensive signings of the year have thrived, but a large number of cut-price deals have ended up proving to be bargains, and there has also been great value found in free agents. Domestic champions Manchester City, Napoli and Barcelona can all attest to that.
Assessing the best of the best is no easy task, but GOAL is here to rank the most successful signings of the 2022-23 season. The final 21 includes a host of risk-takers, leaders and mavericks; fearless players capable of delivering at the very highest level week in, week out.
But the main thing that unites them all is their insatiable hunger for victory. Check out the cream of the crop below…
Getty21Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich, £67m)
De Ligt had his pick of suitors after deciding to leave Ajax at the end of the 2018-19 season, including Barcelona, where he could have continued playing with his Dutch team-mate Frenkie de Jong. However, De Ligt ended up opting for Juventus due to his "fascination" with Italian football – specifically the art of defending exhibited by his idols Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi and Alessandro Nesta.
Unfortunately, the centre-back never really managed to settle in Turin. He became a Serie A winner during his time at the Allianz Stadium, but was regularly criticised for his performances at the back as Juve began to decline after so many years of domestic dominance.
De Ligt jumped at a fresh start when Bayern came calling, and after just one month on the books at Allianz Arena, he made the bold claim that the German club was a "step up" for him in terms of quality. The change of surroundings has certainly allowed De Ligt to rediscover his best level.
Bayern might have only scraped over the line in the Bundesliga title race, but they still had the best defensive record in the division, and that's mainly down to De Ligt. He's rebuilt his reputation admirably and his continued presence will be vital for Thomas Tuchel going forward.
AdvertisementGetty20Alexis Sanchez (Marseille, free)
Sanchez's career to date has been full of ups and downs. The Chile international made his name at Udinese before playing in an all-star Barcelona side and becoming a cult figure at Arsenal. But then came an ill-advised move to Manchester United in January 2018, which stopped him in his tracks. Sanchez only managed three goals in 32 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils before being shipped out on loan to Inter in August 2019.
A year later, that move was made permanent as the mercurial winger established himself as an important member of the Nerazzurri squad. He won three trophies as an Inter player while contributing 20 goals and 23 assists to their cause, but his contract was terminated by mutual agreement last summer after he lost favour under Simone Inzaghi.
When Marseille swooped in to snap up Sanchez on a free transfer, expectations were low. The former Arsenal star's best years appeared to be behind him, but he has proved all of his doubters wrong at Stade Velodrome.
Sanchez has led Marseille's latest bid for Champions League football, scoring 14 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games. He also produced a Man-of-the-Match display to help dump Paris Saint-Germain out of the Coupe de France at the last-16 stage, showing he still has plenty left in the tank at the ripe old age of 34.
Getty Images19Paulo Dybala (Roma, free)
Dybala played a vital role in one of the most successful periods in Juventus' history, helping them to 12 pieces of domestic silverware across seven years at the club. The trophies dried up last season, though, and Dybala was among those to depart after being told he "would not be part of the future project".
The forward was heavily linked with a Premier League switch, but Jose Mourinho saw an opportunity to add a world-class player to his ranks at Roma after their Europa Conference League success. "The last few years at Juventus weren't easy, a change did me good," Dybala told after signing for the Giallorossi. "Mourinho called me and in a few minutes I decided."
The World Cup winner has missed 19 games through injury in his debut campaign at Stadio OIimpico, which goes some way to explaining why they have fallen short of a top-four finish in Serie A again. When he has been on the pitch, Roma have looked a far better side.
Dybala boasts 16 goals and eight assists from 36 appearances this term, with some of his best displays coming during Roma's run to the Europa League final. He's facing a race against time to be fit for the showpiece against Sevilla, but Mourinho's men will have every chance of victory if the Argentina star makes the starting XI.
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(C)Getty Images18Take Kubo (Real Sociedad, £6m)
Kubo never got the chance to make his mark at Real Madrid, who finally sold him to Real Sociedad last summer after a series of loans. The Japan winger showed glimpses of his talent during spells at Mallorca, Villarreal and Getafe, but has blossomed into a far more complete player at the Anoeta.
La Real have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in a decade under Imanol Alguacil, who trusted in Kubo's unique talents right from the beginning. The 21-year-old managed 16 goal contributions in La Liga as he dazzled supporters with his direct style of play and superb dribbling ability.
Real Madrid still hold 50 per cent of Kubo's playing rights, and if he continues on his current trajectory the possibility of a surprise return to Santiago Bernabeu could well emerge.