English Premier League: Top 10 Signings This Season

The season is still young, but with most teams having played seven matches, we can start to talk about which players have been the best signings in the English Premier League this year.

Some of the players on our list will be new arrivals who had never played in England before, others will be familiar faces that changed kits in the offseason. All of the names should be well-known by now.

Have another name? Leave a comment below.

Santi Cazorla

Transfer: Malaga to Arsenal for less than £15 million (BBC Sport)

With the departure of Robin van Persie (more on him momentarily) looming throughout the summer, Arsenal's offseason had threatened to overflow with negativity once again.

This time, though, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger made a few preemptive moves. He signed Santi Cazorla from financially troubled Malaga, as well as forwards Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.

The Cazorla signing in particular has proven brilliant. The diminutive Spaniard has been Arsenal's most influential player throughout the season. His creativity, possession and passing have driven the Gunners in the early post-RvP era.

Eden Hazard

Transfer: Lille to Chelsea for £32 million (Daily Telegraph)

Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard cost Chelsea a pretty penny and came with an almost unbelievable level of hype for a 21-year-old.

Through the first two months of the season, Hazard has lived up to the hype and justified his transfer fee with impressive display after impressive display.

Hazard's presence in Chelsea's new-look creative midfield has helped push the Blues to the top of the table. With Hazard in the lineup, Roberto Di Matteo's team is a serious title contender.

Oscar

Transfer: Internacional to Chelsea for £25 million (The Guardian)

Chelsea shelled out another huge transfer fee for Oscar, a highly rated Brazilian midfielder who's even younger than Hazard.

While his youth (he turned 21 in September) and slight stature raised questions about his readiness for the Premier League, he too has proven himself in the early part of the season.

Oscar showed glimpses of brilliance with Brazil at the Olympics, and he's thriving alongside Juan Mata and Eden Hazard in Chelsea's midfield. The potential for that young trio in the coming years should strike fear into every rival Premier League club.

Michu

Transfer: Rayo Vallecano to Swansea City for £2 million (BBC Sport)

Swansea City and first-year manager Michael Laudrup spent a modest £2 million on Spanish midfielder Michu in the summer, and the move largely failed to raise any eyebrows.

That changed once Michu burst onto the scene with four goals in his first three Premier League matches. His scoring rate fell off after that, mirroring Swansea's tumble down the table. With that being said, Michu scored again in the Swans' last match before the international break, a 2-2 comeback draw against Reading.

That goal helped slow Swansea's slide and gave Michu five on the season—only one fewer than Demba Ba's league-leading total of six.

Shinji Kagawa

Transfer: Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United for an initial £12 million (BBC Sport)

Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa played a starring role in Borussia Dortmund's back-to-back title runs over the last two seasons. Now with Manchester United, he hasn't missed a beat.

Even more impressive than his form might be the fact that Kagawa doesn't yet speak his teammates' language (via ManUtd.com).

Robin van Persie

Transfer: Arsenal to Manchester United for £24 million (BBC Sport)

He scores when he wants, whether it's in an Arsenal or Manchester United shirt.

Last season, Robin van Persie led the Premier League with 30 goals. Over the summer, he engineered a move away from Arsenal and joined United eager to win trophies.

With five goals already this season, Van Persie is showing the form that might just win him some silverware, and his growing understanding with Wayne Rooney is enjoyable to watch.

Unless, of course, you're a Gooner.

Steven Fletcher

Transfer: Wolverhampton Wanderers to Sunderland for £12 million (Daily Telegraph)

It's not just the superstars lighting up Premier League scoresheets this season. Scotland international striker Steven Fletcher, signed from relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers over the summer, has scored five goals in six matches.

To put the importance of that total into easily understandable terms, Fletcher's five goals represent 100 percent of Sunderland's offensive output this season.

So, £12 million for a guy who scored 12 goals for a relegation side last season? Money well spent.

Esteban Granero

Transfer: Real Madrid to Queens Park Rangers for £9 million (Daily Mail)

QPR's £9 million capture of Spanish midfielder Esteban Granero was a shrewd piece of business, even if it hasn't led to any wins or a trip out of the relegation zone.

Granero has been suitably brilliant in the midfield, and if any QPR player escapes blame for the team's last-place start, it's him. In fact, it's hard to figure why Granero joined the London side.

Jan Vertonghen

Transfer: Ajax to Tottenham Hotspur for £9 million (ESPN FC)

First-year Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas solidified his defense with the signing of experienced Belgium international Jan Vertonghen from Ajax.

Vertonghen was the Dutch league's player of the year in 2012. On early form with his new team, he ranks among the Premier League's top defenders.

Joe Allen

Transfer: Swansea City to Liverpool for £15 million (The Guardian)

Joe Allen, a 22-year-old Welsh international midfielder, followed former Swansea City boss Brendan Rodgers to his new job with Liverpool. Rodgers' tenure so far has been difficult, but Allen has been one of the team's brightest performers.

If the Reds do turn around their fortunes, Allen's possession and passing skills should prove integral.

Follow @MikeCummings37