Transfer Window Recap: The 20 Largest Transfers of the Summer

With the summer transfer window finally coming to a close, the elite leagues of the world have finally ended their lucrative spending and can now focus on providing the best starting eleven each week.

Hundreds of millions of Euros, Pounds, and Dollars have been splashed with some surprising transfers occurring, and other long-awaited moves having to wait till January. Many teams will be satisfied with their dealings, while the new additions of others may come back to haunt them.

Just a couple of statistics to make things interesting:

Over £485 million were spent by clubs during the transfer window. The Qatari rich clubs Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain led all clubs by spending £76 million and £75.3 million each respectively. Luka Modrić had the potential to be the most expensive signing this summer with a £40 million bid tabled and rejected by Tottenham from Chelsea.

All in all, here are the 20 largest transfers that occurred during the summer transfer window, ordered by the size of the transfer fee.

NOTE: These transfer fees included additive bonuses and incentives that clubs may have to pay in the future. These were included in order to provide the full number that teams will be mandated to pay. Furthermore, some of the contractual figures of transfers were undisclosed, thus estimates of the deals are given.

20. Alessandro Matri: £14 Million

Position: Striker

Team: Juventus

Transferred From: Cagliari

Age: 27

With Amauri on loan to Parma and the uncertainty of Fabio Quagliarella's injury, Matri was loaned to Juventus during the winter transfer window. He scored nine goals with Juve, and finished with 20 total league goals last year, good for fourth best in Serie A.

Matri is lethal inside the penalty box and has good moves to get around defenders. He also has great positioning, which helps him find space to accelerate with his underrated pace. His movement around the attack makes him a deadly attacking option, and his aggressive play makes him a handful for defenders to cope with. Matri is also physical in the air, helping him build attacks and score headers.

With Juventus lacking in quality strikers who can score regularly, they had no choice but to bring back the Italian for a permanent move. As long as Matri can keep scoring, he'll have all the opportunity to succeed in Turin.

19. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: £15 Million

Position: Winger

Team: Arsenal

Transferred From: Southampton

Age: 18

The youngster followed in the footsteps of current Arsenal winger Theo Walcott in leaving Southampton and joining the Gunners at a young age and a steep price, becoming one of the first major signings this summer for Arsene Wenger.

The electrifying winger has a great combination of speed and technique, and can deliver a consistent through ball, as evidenced by his eight assists in League One last year.

His versatility could also be vital in his development as a second striker and/or central midfielder as he grows to be the replacement of the likes of Samir Nasri. However, he remains largely inexperienced and should be given time to fully develop. Chamberlain already received his first appearance in his club's blowout defeat to United, but failed to make a mark in the game.

His transfer has drawn criticism from some fans due to his inexperience and large fee, but Chamberlain is a phenomenal talent who under the tutelage of Wenger (so long as he stays) can blossom into an excellent winger.

18. Pablo Daniel Osvaldo: £15.5 Million

Position: Striker

Team: AS Roma

Transferred From: Espanyol

Age: 25

The Italian was impressive in La Liga last year, scoring 13 goals in 24 appearances and ranking amongst the league leaders in Spain. The crafty striker showed creativity in finding opportunities for himself and possesses a great killer instinct.

He also has experience in Serie A after short but notable spells with Fiorentina and Bologna. He has a chance to crack the Starting 11 as Marco Borriello is out of favor with new manager Luis Enrique, and is versatile enough to be a great complement to Roma legend Francesco Totti.

However, his short career has been lined with injuries, and it is fair to dispute whether he will fail to post decent numbers as he has been called a "one-year wonder" after only scoring 35 goals in 133 appearances with weak clubs in his career.

17. Phil Jones: £16.5 Million

Position: Defender

Team: Manchester United

Transferred From: Blackburn Rovers

Age: 19

The youngster from Rovers made an impression on Sir Alex Ferguson during a United-Blackburn match in which he impressed the manager with his commitment and leadership in the back four.

Jones is a strong and powerful defender with a good frame of 6'2''. His play is fast and powerful, while his versatility allows him to play both center and right back, while also being adept to play as a defensive midfielder.

The Under-21 British international is also powerful in the air due to his height, making him a solid all-around presence. However, Jones can be caught out of position due to his inexperience and can make miscued decisions.

Despite his young age, Jones will have all the oppurtunity to crack the starting lineup, and has already made several starts at right back where United severely lack depth after Rafael's injury. With the likes of Rio Ferdinand, and Nemanja Vidić going over the age of 30, United have found themselves a capable and gifted young defender.

16. David De Gea:£17.8 Million

Position: Goalkeeper

Team: Manchester United

Transferred From: Atlético Madrid

Age: 20

The young Spaniard had been working his way up the ranks for the Rojiblancos and established himself as the club's Number One after helping the team win the Europa League, keeping 11 clean sheets and posting 154 saves during the La Liga season.

He showed excellant nerve under center, and remained composed in pressure-cooking situations. De Gea is tall with a height of over 6'3", and possesses a commanding posture with quick feet and reflexes. His agile and solid presence make him the future of the Spanish national football team, but his communication and distribution need development for him to achieve his full potential.

De Gea was signed by United in order to fill the massive hole left by legend Edwin van der Sar. His first few matches in Old Trafford have been largely forgettable, as he continues to struggle with his confidence and presence in the box.

However, after a morale-boosting penalty stop against Arsenal and with the support of Ferguson at his disposal, De Gea should only get better from here on.

15. Romelu Lukaku: £18 Million

Position: Striker

Team: Chelsea

Transferred From: RSC Anderlecht

Age: 18

The Belgian prodigy was known to be a lifelong fan of the Blues, and it was only a matter of time before his dream became reality. Frequently referred to as "the next Didier Drogba" due to his size and skill, he finally has a chance to learn under the tutelage of some of the finest attackers in the world at Stamford Bridge.

He has an imposing physical structure with a 6'3" frame, and is both strong and quick with the ball at his feet. He has fantastic positional awareness, and his quality of finishing is superb, as can be seen by his 16 goals in the Pro League for Anderlecht last year.

His mentality is stunning, and he has shown remarkable poise and determination in only a short amount of time. His dominant, explosive and creative style will be desperately needed by the Blues and he has already been featured for Chelsea, becoming a handful for the Norwich defenders in his debut.

As Lukaku was ineligible for a loan move this year, he will have a tremendous chance to develop as one of the finest young strikers in the world and earn starting time in Villas-Boas' squad.

15. Ashley Young: £18 Million

Position: Winger/Attacking Midfielder

Team: Manchester United

Transferred From: Aston Villa

Age: 26

Young has been an excellent addition in Alex Ferguson's squad, and has even been hailed as the successor of recent retiree Paul Scholes.

The versatile and speedy winger has impressed greatly at Old Trafford, and has been a premier talent for the Lions throughout his four years of international duty. Ferguson will hope that the new "Number 18" can continually repeat and better his solid numbers, as he posted seven goals and ten assists, all the while showing tremendous balance and skill last year for Villa.

The former PFA Young Player of the Year has exciting pace, great dribbling ability and a phenomenal cross. His versatility, and great skill as a winger can also be shown by his excellent delivery and set-piece play.

He already earned himself Man of the Match honors through his brilliant assist and own-goal forcing shot against Albion. But his true potential was clearly exhibited against the Gunners when he scored two outstanding strikes and displayed great chemistry with his new teammates.

13. Santi Cazorla: £18.5 Million

Position: Winger

Team: Málaga CF

Transferred From: Villarreal

Age: 26

The Spaniard was fantastic for the Yellow Submarines last year, finishing with seven goals and 15 assists in all competitions. His performances garnered interest from teams from the Premiership as well as Italian and Spanish teams abroad.

Eventually, Cazorla chose Qatari-rich Málaga who have already signed big named veterans like Ruud van Nistelrooy and Jérémy Toulalan among others.

Cazorla isn't your traditional fast winger, but has tremendous acceleration and agility which makes him even harder to defend against. He is also technically gifted with the ball at his feet, and can control it with ease. He has a world class first touch and his dribbles are slick and fancy, making him a thrill to watch. He also loves to run inside for both goals and masterful passes, exhibiting his dangerous ability.

Cazorla already drilled a goal for the Spanish newcomers, showing his set-play ability when he knocked a free kick in for a score, and should gravely help Los Boquerones in their pursuit for a top-five finish.

12. Jordan Henderson: £20 Million

Position: Central Midfielder

Team: Liverpool

Transferred From: Sunderland

Age: 21

Henderson came out of the blue in terms of his progression, and vaulted from a substitute at the Stadium of Light to being hailed as one of the best young footballers in England. After cracking Sunderland's lineup, he showed his potential with creating several chances for teammates, garnering him Player of the Year honors.

Henderson has an excellent delivery from set-pieces, and his intelligence makes him a quality midfielder in open play. His vision is also superb when attacking with the ball at his feet.

An opportune play-maker who can help teammates with chances, he finished fourth last year with 82 scoring opportunities created. The composed and athletic midfielder still is relatively unproven at the highest level, and the spotlight will be on him as being one of Kenny Dalglish's rather expensive signings.

Liverpool will also hope that Henderson can improve his scoring record as he only had four goals in 71 appearances for Sunderland, but he seems to be on the right track after netting his first goal for the Reds in a fixture against Bolton.

11. Stewart Downing: £20 Million

Position: Winger

Team: Liverpool

Transferred From: Aston Villa

Age: 27

Downing has become a solid player in the Premier League, and is noted as being one of the best English midfielders in the Premiership. He made an impact for Villa last year on the flank, with his beautiful crosses and cutting play giving him Player of the Year honors.

The English international made a name for himself with his ability to score and create chances for teammates, as he finished with seven goals and seven assists last year for The Lions. He is extrememly versatile as he can play on either wing, and his pace and skill allow him to beat defenders allowing him to make a deadly cross in the box. However, the tricky and accurate winger can go inconsistent for stretches and his defensive play remains weak.

Downing has been given the starting position on the left flank, meaning Kenny Dalglish will give him ample opportunities to recreate the form that made him indispensable last year.

10. Manuel Neuer: £22 Million

Position: Goalkeeper

Team: Bayern Munich

Transferred From: Schalke 04

Age: 25

The often outspoken goalkeeper created controversy after his former club Schalke 04 defeated Bayern Munich by copying the celebration of Bayern great Oliver Kahn. This sparked public outcry from Bavarian fans, and hatred towards Germany's Number One. But alas with the departure of Thomas Kraft and Hans-Jorg Butt being a mediocre option at this point in his career, the German powerhouse opted to sign Neuer to a longterm deal.

Neuer possesses quick reflexes making him a great shot-stopper, as well as a phenomenal distributor of the ball, allowing the offense to start instantly. Last year's German Footballer of the Year has kept 62 clean sheets since 2006, caught 97 crosses last season and recorded 127 long throws from the box amongst other notable achievements with Schalke.

Neuer already knows most of his Bayern teammates from his time as the incumbent German international keeper, and he has shown strong communication in his first few matches at the Allianz Arena with three clean sheets in four starts already.

One of the world's best goalies, Neuer should be crucial for Munich in their attempt to make a strong run in the Champions League and Bundesliga.

10. Samuel Eto'o: £22 Million

Position: Striker

Team: Anzhi Makhachkala

Transferred From: Inter Milan

Age: 30

Eto'o, despite turning 30, remained a potent force in Italy last year after scoring 21 goals and bagging nine assists for the Nerazzurri and ultimately finishing with a career-best 37 goals and 15 assists in all competitions. Still an intimidating presence, the Cameroonian captain helped Inter finish second in the table, after helping them win the Champions League in 2010.

The forward possesses speedy pace and a deadly eye for the goal through his phenomenal finishing ability. His composure in one-on-one situations and ability to push past the wall of defenders make him increasingly dangerous even at this stage of his career.

The four-time African Player of the Year joined Russian billionaire Suleyman Kerimov's club in hopes of becoming the richest footballer in the world, as his wages will escalate to over €20 million per season over the next three years. There is no doubt that Eto'o will easily become a scoring threat for Anzhi as the Russian Premier League is less dominant than Serie A, and the Cameroonian already netted an equalizer in his debut.

8. Juan Mata: £24 Million

Position: Attacking Midfielder/Winger

Team: Chelsea

Transferred From: Valencia CF

Age: 23

Mata was constantly rumored over the summer as a potential target for the likes of Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp, but both managers failed to come near Valencia's asking price. His ultimate transfer to Chelsea came as a surprise, but he bolsters Villas-Boas' squad tremendously.

He is extremely fast and also tricky with his feet, giving him exceptional ball control. Mata will give the Blues an injection of pace on the flanks, as they were greatly lacking width in their early preseason matches.

Mata delivers deadly crosses, and likes to cut in for chances to score as evidenced by his eight goals and 12 assists in La Liga last year. Mata is also exceptionally versatile, capable of playing in the wings and behind the striker giving Chelsea the creativity they desperately lacked.

The Spaniard definitely has his best years in front of him and was a bright spot during his debut against Norwich City, in which he picked up the first of many future goals.

7. Samir Nasri: £25 Million

Position: Attacking Midfielder/Winger

Team: Manchester City

Transferred From: Arsenal

Age: 24

The Frenchman has clearly emerged as a leading talent in the Premier League and is regarded as one of the best young players in the world.

The “new Zinedine Zidane” had a tough summer for Arsenal, as he was outspoken about his interest in leaving for higher wages and caught the ire of fans and former players alike for his disloyalty. But with him entering the final year of his contract and the Gunners resistant to meet his demands, Arsene Wenger was forced to send the winger on his way to the oil-rich City.

Nasri is an all-around dominant physical player. He has a great formidable technique, while his vision and cleverness make him hard to stop for defenders. His movement and passing is outstanding, and his versatility on the attack was crucial for Wenger’s offense.

His pace is underrated, while his ability to read the game will make him integral at the Eastlands. His close contact with the ball, dribbling, crossing, balanced feet and ability to deliver on set-pieces have made him the complete player in the EPL. If Nasri can become more consistent with his play, and prolific in front of goal he will definitely be in Player of the Year discussion as one of the best attackers in the world.

Nasri had a perfect debut for City, notching three assists in the drudging of Tottenham. His play with the likes of David Silva and Edin Džeko show that the best is only to come from the Frenchman.

6. Fábio Coentrão: £26.5 Million

Position: Defender/Midfielder

Team: Real Madrid

Transferred From: SL Benfica

Age: 23

The Portuguese phenom left his homeland for the lucrative pastures of the Bernabéu to become José Mourinho's first major and most expensive signing of the summer.

He blossomed at Benfica helping them win the League Double in 2010, and won Portuguese Breakthrough Player of the Year honors. He progressed even further after he was moved to a defensive role, and his performances as Portugal's left back in the 2010 World Cup raised the eyes of many scouts and managers.

Coentrão's best asset is his versatility, which allows him to play various roles both on the defense and in the midfield. His pace and skill is lethal on the flanks, while his impressive technique allows him to drill crosses into the box. He also does a good job winning balls on defense when playing as a box-to-box midfielder and has the stamina to run on ends around the pitch.

The defender has been mainly used by Mourinho as a defensive midfielder alongside Xabi Alonso, but has been inconsistent in his play. The jury is still out whether the €30 million signing can help Los Blancos compete with the Blaugrana.

5. Alexis Sánchez: £33 Million

Position: Forward/Winger

Team: Barcelona

Transferred From: Udinese

Age: 22

The Chilean was a dominant attacker for Udinese in Serie A last year, forming a potent partnership with Antonio Di Natale as he scored 12 league goals. The tiny 5'7'' winger had a long and worn out transfer saga, with both Manchester City and the Blaugrana in competition for his signature, but eventually he settled for his dream club Barcelona.

Sánchez has superb technique, and is a player with great versatility, enabling him to play in any position across the attacking half. Extremely fast and powerful for his frame, he has exemplified the knack for creating opportunities. He possesses exceptional attacking ability, superb ball control and marvelous crossing ability.

His agility and technical skills make him a thrill to watch, and he has emerged as one of Europe's brightest prospects. Sánchez is still inexperienced at only the age of 22 and can stay with the ball too long, a trait that will not fit well in Pep Guardiola's scheme.

Sánchez hasn't been given a starting spot in the rotation as Pedro is already manning the right wing, but he did start in the Blaugrana's blowout victory over Villarreal and was rewarded with a goal when he burst through the defensive ranks.

NOTE: Sánchez's transfer includes a £23 million initial transfer fee, with £10 million in add-ons.

4. Cesc Fàbregas: £34.5 Million

Position: Midfielder

Team: Barcelona

Transferred From: Arsenal

Age: 24

Possibly one of the longest transfer sagas in recent memory, it carried on for years as Fàbregas yearned to head home to Barcelona and his youth mates, and it finally concluded this summer. Although it has left Arsenal reeling, Fàbregas continues to enjoy his home return and has been fruitful at Camp Nou this year.

He had a relatively disappointing year as a Gunner last season, only notching three goals and missing 10 games with injuries, but his passing was a bright spot as he bagged 14 assists.

He has tremendous vision on the field when he is attacking in the midfield, and can easily dictate the tempo of the game and use his pace to start an offense instantly. His mentality and composure make him tough to defend against, forcing defenders to test his technical brilliance. He creates opportunities with ease, and finished his esteemed Gunner career with 100 assists in all competitions, with his career best being 22 bags in 2008.

Fàbregas was a relative bargain for Barcelona, as his original price was well into £40 million. He gives Barça a new threat, and allows Guardiola to give Xavi much deserved rest. Fàbregas is already reaping rewards at Camp Nou, having scored his first league goal in his debut against Villarreal.

3. Javier Pastore: £37 Million

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Team: Paris Saint-Germain

Transferred From: Palermo

Age: 22

After the bidding war between Chelsea and PSG concluded, the young Argentinian decided to take his talents to the new club giants of Paris.

Pastore became a sensation after his time with Serie A side Palermo, netting 11 goals. With the Italian club in need of desperate finances and with inquiries from Europe's finest clubs, they succumbed to pressure and allowed the Serie A Young Footballer of the Year to depart.

Pastore is a great visionary with the ball, and his elegant passing is a joy to watch. He easily creates opportunities for teammates, and moves easily through tight spaces with his exquisite ball control. Pastore has become renowned for his classy one-touch passes, and his accuracy on the ball provides for beautiful link up play. His agility, dribbling, and technique with the ball at his feet is breathtaking, making him a true Number 10 and a talisman for PSG. 

At 6'2", his languid and graceful style has been compared to the styles of Kaka and Zinedine Zidane, and his flawless first touch, creativity, movement and swift running make him truly one of the best up-and-coming players in the world.

Pastore has already bagged four assists for Les Parisiens, and has been delighting the Paris fans with his superb offensive play.

2. Sergio Agüero: £40 Million

Position: Striker

Team: Manchester City

Transferred From: Atlético Madrid

Age: 23

Agüero's transfer came as a surprise, as he had hinted in the winter that he didn't want to leave Madrid and that all transfer offers would be rejected. But that didn't stop City, and Agüero eventually forced Atlético's hand with his transfer.

He was one of the premier strikers in Spain, forming a prolific partnership with Uruguayan Diego Forlán, and helping the Rojiblancos win the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Europa League and finished his career in Spain with 101 goals in 234 appearances.

Agüero has great ball control, and makes commanding bursts into the box past defenders. He's only 5'8'', but his strength and speed make him a powerful presence in the box. His finishing is superb, and he finished with 29 goals last year in all competitions.

He also has the capacity to make chances out of slim opportunities, and thus is deadly with the ball at his feet. His bulldog approach has earned him comparisons to Argentine compatriot, and new teammate Carlos Tevez. He is also capable of adapting to positions on offense, as he can play both as the Central Forward or Second Striker.

Agüero has found the net three times already in the Premiership, and has formed a lethal partnership with Edin Džeko as City has scored 12 goals in only three matches. Agüero remains in strong contention to win the Premier League Golden Boot this year.

NOTE: Agüero's deal was the highest in the summer transfer market in terms of transfer fee (£38).

1. Radamel Falcao: £42 Million

Position: Striker

Team: Atlético Madrid

Transferred From: FC Porto

Age: 25

Falcao was brilliant for Porto in 2011, helping André Villas-Boas' squad win the league and all the while going undefeated in the Primeira Liga.

Falcao broke Jurgen Klinsmann's European scoring record after notching a tally of 17 goals in 14 Europa  League matches. He finished 2011 with 33 goals over all 36 competitions. He was rumored to be headed to Stamford Bridge to follow his coach, but ultimately Madrid had money to spare after the transfers of David De Gea and Sergio Agüero and pursued the Colombian talisman.

Falcao is talented with both feet, and makes decisive cuts and runs inside the box. His aerial ability is phenomenal and is known for his frequent goalscoring headers. His finishing is top-notch, while his pace and technique make him one of the best strikers in the world.

He boasts fantastic movement, and his work rate allow him to be a handful for opposing players. He also can build off other players, and he formed one of the most prolific partnerships with Hulk during his tenure in Portugal.

However, Falcao has been known to struggle for long stretches and his international career hasn't been noteworthy. With a large sum paid for his services, and having to replace two quality strikers in Agüero and Forlán, Falcao may not pan out as greatly as he did in Portugal.

NOTE: Falcao's transfer includes a £36 million inital fee, with £6 million in add-ons, making him the largest transfer completed in the summer transfer window.