Ranking Bayern Munich's 2014 Transfer Window Signings on Last Season's Efforts

The summer transfer window is underway at Germany's biggest club, as Bayern Munich have already begun their pre-season shopping with the acquisition of Douglas Costa from Shakhtar Donetsk (h/t Shakhtar's official site).

Yet before the floodgates and purse strings burst open, let's take a moment to acknowledge the players who made up last summer's shopping list. Just how well did Bayern do at picking up talent for Pep Guardiola's team this time last year?

Today, we'll rank all of the players who arrived in Munich last year and went on to win a Bundesliga title with this Bayern side.  

Those Who Missed Out

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Pepe Reina: Although Pepe Reina made for an interesting backup goalkeeper to Manuel Neuer, in truth, the Spaniard simply didn't do enough to warrant a spot on today's list. Making just three Bundesliga appearances for the whole season, it's no surprise that he has decided to move on this summer and sign on for some first-team football with Napoli. 

Sinan Kurt: Similarly, former Borussia Monchengladbach starlet Sinan Kurt has been excluded from today's list after only playing for the first team for 45 minutes last season. Spending much of his time in the club's youth sides, this recently signed prospect still has some way to go before he can regularly compete in the first team. 

Gianluca Gaudino: Unlike the other two, Gianluca Gaudino did make a number of appearances for Guardiola's side this season, yet at just 18 years of age, there's little one could conclude from his time with the first team. His time on the pitch often came after games had been won and a fresh set of legs was needed to help close them out. Gaudino will be a first-team player for Bayern one day, but not quite yet. 

5. Medhi Benatia

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Although Medhi Benatia had a perfectly normal first season at Bayern last year, two factors play against him in today's ranking. 

The first is that he was signed for a lot of money—around £20 million, according to Transfermarkt—which comes out to about as much as the rest of the players on this list combined.

Secondly, the former Roma defender is perhaps one of the few signings who didn't thrive immediately at Bayern last season. Sure, he had the occasional good game, but considering the reputation he brought with him from Rome, it will go down as something of a disappointment for him that we still haven't seen Benatia given a regular first-team spot. 

We can certainly expect much more from this defender next season, but when it comes to the year he's just had, there is plenty more that the 28-year-old can do. 

4. Sebastian Rode

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At No. 4, we have young central midfielder Sebastian Rode, who arrived at the club last summer from fellow Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.

Although the 24-year-old was primarily signed as a prospect for the future, the club's injury crisis midway through last season essentially forced Rode in to the first team. Thankfully for Guardiola, the box-to-box talent thrived, slotting in as a solid addition to the side. 

It's rare to see young talent from smaller clubs in Germany arrive in Munich and force their way into the Bayern first team, yet in Rode's case, we may be have an exception. With another strong season like the last, this German talent may well be Bayern's next central midfielder.

3. Xabi Alonso

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Although Xabi Alonso may have begun to look his age as Bayern turned the final corner of their campaign last season, there's no denying that the former Real Madrid star was instrumental in Guardiola's side from the onset of the 2014/15 campaign. 

In fact, some would argue that Alonso was near-enough undroppable and absolutely vital to Bayern's quick start last season, as he slotted into the centre of midfield and instantly looked like a player who had been playing in Munich for the past 10 years. 

Nobody's quite sure how much we'll see of the 33-year-old in this coming campaign, but he was certainly worth the minimal fee spent on him last summer. 

2. Robert Lewandowski

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As many expected, former Borussia Dortmund goalscorer Robert Lewandowski needed little time to settle in at Bayern and begin looking like his old self.

As arguably the only real standalone striker with any genuine talent in Guardiola's squad, such a move to simply replace Mario Mandzukic with the Polish international last summer was quite the gamble, yet it has since paid off wonderfully.

According to Transfermarkt, Lewandowski amassed no less than 25 goals and 13 assists in 49 games last season—a remarkable return for his first season at Bayern.  

1. Juan Bernat

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At No. 1, we have the wizard of wing attacks, Juan Bernat, a young player who arrived in Germany with little in terms of expectations or applause, aside from that of his new manager, Guardiola. 

To say Bernat has been a revelation at Bayern over the course of the past 12 months would be something of an understatement. Few thought it would be possible, but Guardiola managed to find someone at left-back who happens to be just as good as David Alaba. 

Throughout a turbulent season for the Munich side, Bernat has been one of the few consistent performers in this side, with his solid defensive work and the breathtaking ease he displays when bombing forward. Bernat is a truly modern full-back who is now undoubtedly the envy of much of the continent.