15 Biggest Signings of the Transfer Period So Far

It may still only be June but we have already seen some huge transfers take place. Some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Manchester United, Chelsea and both the Milan sides have been getting out their cheque books to ensure successful seasons to come.

While we have undoubtedly only seen the tip of the iceberg, here are the 15 biggest signings that we have seen so far this summer.

What do you think of your club's dealings so far? Comment below.

Lukas Podolski

The first big transfer of the summer was agreed in April when Arsenal snapped up German striker Lukas Podolski from Koln.

After a season in which the North London club relied heavily on Robin Van Persie for goals, Podolski will be a welcome addition to Arsene Wenger's squad.

As he showed in yesterday's game against Denmark, Podolski should be a real threat in the Premier League. The German likes to drift out wide to the left before arriving late into the box. With the attacking players Arsenal have at their disposal, this should make Podolski extremely hard for defenders to pick up.

Dirk Kuyt

Liverpool start a new era under Brendan Rodgers this summer, but they will be doing it without the services of a recent stalwart of the club.

Dirk Kuyt ended his six year stint with the club at the start of the month. The Dutchman will now be plying his trade with Turkish giants Fenerbahçe. The Istanbul club finished second to Galatasaray in the league last year and will be hoping that Kuyt can provide the firepower to put them back on top.

The move leaves Liverpool's squad looking slightly thin, especially on the right side. This will be an area that Rodgers will have to strengthen if Liverpool are to challenge for Champions League football once again.

Eden Hazard

At the start of the summer, the Eden Hazard transfer threatened to be a saga that dragged on all summer. Thankfully, earlier this month it was announced that the Belgian playmaker would be playing his football at Stamford Bridge next season.

The former Lille man comes to the club with a hefty price tag of £32 million, and the pressure will be on him to produce big performances for the club from day one.

It will be interesting to see how Roberto Di Matteo sends out his midfield next season. With the addition of Hazard to Juan Mata and Raul Meireles, the side is full of creative talent.

Shinji Kagawa

With Sir Alex Ferguson having to bring Paul Scholes out of retirement last season, it was clear that Manchester United needed reinforcements in midfield.

The club wasted no time in bringing in Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa. The Japanese midfielder had been attracting the interests of Europe's top clubs including Real Madrid. Kagawa is certainly brimming with confidence following his move, which he said was down to working with Ferguson,

He told me, "Don't worry about a thing, trust me. I would love it if you could take on this huge challenge" And when a legendary man like him says that to you, it carries a lot of weight.

Jay Rodriguez

Southampton became the first of the promoted teams to break cover in the transfer market when they brought in Burnley's Jay Rodriguez for £7 million.

The 22-year-old has been building his reputation at Burnley for the last few years, scoring 21 goals in 42 games last season to be the clubs top goalscorer. Last year Rodriguez also made his debut for the England under-21 team.

Southampton will be looking for Rodriguez to link up well with Rickie Lambert and supply the goals that will keep the club in the Premier League following a seven year absence.

Nick Powell

18-year-old Nick Powell made a dream move from Crewe Alexandra to Manchester United this month. The midfielder comes with a growing reputation and has represented England at under-16, under-17 and Under-18 levels.

It is unclear how much of an immediate impact Powell will have at the club, but with Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly rejecting any loan bids made for him he, may feature in the first team sooner rather than later.

Rodrigo Palacio

After a disastrous season for Inter Milan last year which saw them finish sixth, 26 points behind the eventual winners, Juventus, the club has brought in more firepower with the addition of Genoa's Rodrigo Palacio.

Last season saw Palacio score 19 goals in 32 league games for Genoa, and Inter will need the 30-year-old to be on top form if there are to close the gap on the leaders. Inter scored 10 less goals than Juventus and 16 less than rivals A.C Milan.

Goran Pandev

While Inter have welcomed two new players into the fold this summer, they have also said goodbye to Goran Pandev. The Macedonian will now be playing permanently for Napoli, where he played on loan last season.

Pandev hasn't had the best couple of years at Inter since he joined the club from Lazio in January 2010. While showing flashes of brilliance, especially in his early games, Pandev struggled to find the consistency that he would have wanted at the San Siro.

Pandev may suit the "big fish in a small pond" role better than being at a massive club like Inter. Look for him to improve on the six goals he scored for the team on loan last season.

Bas Dost

One of Europe's most sought-after strikers recently has been Heerenveen's Bas Dost. The Dutchman secured his move away from the club to join German side Wolfsburg.

Paired with Croatian forward Mario Mandžukić, Wolfsburg look to have a very strong frontline for next season. If Dost can get close to recreating the 45 goals in 66 games that he scored for Heerenveen, then he looks to become an excellent signing.

Xherdan Shaqiri

Another European footballer who has been linked with a host of top clubs is Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri. The 20-year-old has been impressing teams while playing for Basel.

Shaqiri will now join Champions League finalists Bayern Munich to add more depth to an already formidable midfield.

Riccardo Montolivo

Riccardo Montolivo was undoubtedly one of the highest profile free agents available this summer. The Italian international allowed his Fiorentina contract to expire so that he could make the move to Serie A runners-up A.C Milan.

Montolivo will join the likes of Massimo Ambrosini, Mathieu Flamini and Kevin-Prince Boateng in a Milan midfield which should create plenty of chances for a team that already leads the league in goals scored.

Fredy Guarin

Following a successful loan stint with the club, Inter Milan brought Fredy Guarin in permanently this summer. The Colombian managed to impress the club despite a calf injury which restricted him to just six games for the team while on loan.

Guarin should provide a solid base for Inter which will provide the link between Inter's holding players and the final third of the pitch.

Marko Marin

While the Eden Hazard transfer may have grabbed the headlines, Chelsea had already quietly acquired another midfielder in Werder Bremen's Marko Marin.

Marin impressed many during his spell with Borussia Mönchengladbach; although, his career has not progressed as some thought it might at Werder Bremen. Marin has failed to successfully break into the International team yet, but a move to Chelsea might just be the kick-start than Marin's career needs.

Cristian Rodriguez

Europa League champions Athletico Madrid have already begun to strengthen their team following a fifth place finish which caused them to miss out on Champions League football. However, Cristian Rodriguez may be a risky addition to the team.

The Uruguay international comes to the club on a free transfer, but the damage he may do to the squad's harmony must be a worry for coach Diego Simeone. Rodriguez's stint at former club Porto was marred by off-the-field incidents, including a training ground bust-up with Joao Moutinho.

João Pereira

The final entry on the list is Portuguese international João Pereira. Last month the versatile player, who can play as both defender and midfielder on the right, signed for Valencia after a three year spell with Sporting Lisbon.

The fee for Pereira is reported to be just €3.6 million, which looks like good business for Valencia. If the player has a successful Euro 2012, Sporting may have been able to get more for the 28-year-old.