Transfer Deadline Day: 10 Biggest Signings of the Summer Transfer Window

The curtains have been closed on this summer's transfer window. The only thing left to do is figure out who made the best signings of the period.

Closing day of the transfer window provides football lovers with plenty of juicy rumors to quench their deadline day thirst. For that same reason I prefer to keep an eye on the rampant empty rumors from afar. But speculative and hypothetical moves are over. Things have now been set in stone.

Pen to paper.

All of the sagas have either mercifully come to an end or have been put on hold until January. Clubs added quality talent, experience, and pedigree to their squads.

Some on a tight budget. Others with a large checkbook. A few heeded to supporters craving for replacements, reinforcements or fresh blood.

The following list consists of players that should prove to be difference makers in their new shirts.

Manchester City: Sergio Agüero

Say what you want about Manchester City and their oil fueled spending capabilities, but they made an incredibly savvy move with signing Sergio Agüero. The Argentine chap oozes of sheer class.

The debutant put two in the back of the net after being unveiled for all of the Premier League to see. Manchester City paid £35m for the former Atletico Madrid striker. Chunk change for the "noisy" Mancunians.

Certain players have the quality to assimilate straight into the Premier League without any hiccups. This lad certainly falls into that small percentage of players.

A partnership with his compatriot Carlos Tevez and the ultra creative David Silva could see City rival the champions on the other side of Manchester for the title this season. A front line that instills fear in the core of every defenders footballing soul.

Do not be surprised if Sergio Agüero competes for the Golden Boot as well.

Inter Milan: Diego Forlan

Atletico Madrid have become victims of a talent raid. Inter Milan swooped in for a deadline day deal for the Uruguayan forward. Essentially Diego Forlan had been brought into the fold to replace Samuel Eto.

Not a bad choice for the Nerazzurri. Again, Inter Milan made the move—much like Manchester City—to try and close the gap with their champion crosstown rivals.

Forlan bagged 96 goals during his four-year stint in Madrid. His style of play adds desirable quality into the Inter squad. The forward has an eye for goal and can unleash a killer free kick from time to time.

The 32-year-old commented on the chance to play for a club with the stature and pedigree like Inter Milan.

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"I know Serie A having watched many games on television and I am very happy to be playing in Italy after my time in the Premier League, and Liga. I am going to play for a great team. I liked the project as well as their will to have me. I have a great will to start and changing [teams] will give me new motivation."

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Serie A will have their hands full keeping Forlan under wraps. Inter Milan's €5m man will look to have success in a third domestic league as he winds down his career in the coming years.

Atletico Madrid: Radamel Falcao

If there was a signing that Atletico Madrid could have made better than this one as a replacement for Sergio Agüero, I would love to know who that is. Radamel Falcao has taken over Portugal by storm in the past few seasons.

The former FC Porto striker has proven to be a goal scoring machine. I am convinced he could score a goal while sleep walking.

Write that down.

The Colombian striker has scored 73 goals in 84 games during his days at FC Porto. A goals-to-game ratio of .87 goals. Like I said, the man can score goals in his sleep. He scored 17 goals in the Europa League competition as he lead Porto to the title.

Atletico saw two of their best strikers leave for greener pastures and new challenges over the summer. After Agüero moved to the Premier League and Manchester City, the Madrid club quickly moved for a replacement reinvesting their transfer funds with the £34.7m move.

The striker who goes by the nickname "El Tigre" (the tiger) will be doing the poaching this season and inciting plenty of roars while he's at it.

Manchester United: Ashley Young

Man, does Sir Alex Furgeson have an eye for talent or what? Ashley Young has either entered an incredible run of form or just needed to be surrounded by legitimate talent. The title defense started early for the Red Devils with the £16m buy in June.

Ashley Young parted ways with Aston Villa for a move to the mountain top. Young has impressed thus far in his small sample size of games for Manchester United. It is amazing how a top club like Manchester United can bring out the best in a player.

United supporters will be hoping to see more goals like the exquisite upper 90 shot he put past Arsenal this past Sunday in the 8-2 drubbing of the North Londoners. The United new boy recorded a brace against the Gunners with two goals that should have received front page coverage.

The young Englishman leads a group of immensely talented youth into a new era for Manchester United. Thus far he seems to be thriving in his new role. 

Barcelona: Cesc Fabregas

One of the longest drawn out transfer window sagas in recent years came to a head this summer. The former Arsenal captain made the move back to his home club after overseeing a trophyless reign in North London.

Do not fear though.

Cesc Fabregas' impact on the greatest football team in the world has instantly been felt. He has already lifted a trophy during his short return to the Nou Camp, in his first game. Fabregas helped the Barcelona silverware addiction by playing an instrumental role in raising the Super Cup trophy.

Fabregas also opened his La Liga account with a goal in his debut game this past week.

Arsenal let their captain return home for a grossly undervalued £35m price. Arsene Wenger got his knickers pulled down on that deal. Fabregas remains one of the world's most creative midfielders and he went back to Barcelona on a hometown discount.

Barcelona paid the same price for Fabregas as Liverpool paid for Andy Carroll.

Go ahead. Let that sink in.

Barcelona's desire to field the entire Spanish national team starting XI has drawn one closer to seeing that goal realized. One saying comes to mind with this deal.

The rich get richer.

Inter Milan: Mauro Zarate

The Argentinian striker has completed a loan deal to the Nerazzurri on the summer's transfer window deadline day. Adding to the signing of Diego Forlan, Mauro Zarate brings a South American flare to the Italian club's front line.

A brilliant player who will bring a decisive attacking style to the forefront. His ability to slice and dice between defenders in tight spaces has made him a hot transfer target.

Zarate's knack for leaving defenders defenseless drew interests from English big boys Liverpool and Arsenal. Inter Milan in the end won out by penning the Lazio striker to a season long loan move.

Mauro Zarate spoke on his desire to join the Milan club.

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"Inter was my first choice. I have fought a lot for this move and now I have to prove my worth. This is a great team. There are so many Argentinians in this team and this is beautiful, I will soon speak to them."

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Pairing a collective group of national players seems to be a reoccurring trend, with the success Barcelona has had over the year fielding practically the entire Spanish national team. Zarate's partnership with Forlan could help gun the Nerazzurri to the top of the Serie A table.

Barcelona: Alexis Sanchez

Barcelona splashed some cash on the £32m Chilean striker from Udinese. Once again, the rich get richer. It seems almost unfair these days with the sheer quality being displayed at the Nou Camp.

Alexis Sanchez arguably had been touted as the sexy signing of the summer as far as strikers go. You could make a case for some other on this slide show.

Sanchez drew interest from Manchester City, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and AC Milan amongst others for his services. That alone should be enough to tell you what kind of talent the 22-year-old has proven to be.

According to espnsoccernet.com, Barcelona closed the deal by offering £25m up front in cash.

The striker's technical ability is nothing short of breathtaking. Much like Lionel Messi, Sanchez boasts a magnetic connection between the ball and his feet. Nike and Adidas are currently trying to patent the ability for their line of football boots.

The Chilean may not be a Spanish international, but he has the quality they bring to the table. Pep Guardiola stated Barcelona were in the market for a striker and he got a pretty darn good one.

Barcelona now sport a front line and midfield capable of passing the ball around defenders in a soporific fashion before they strike. Reminiscent of a school of sharks swimming in a circle around their prey.

As if they weren't already capable of doing such a thing before. I guess you could say they added another shark to their circle.

Real Madrid: Nuri Sahin

Real Madrid scooped up a good one with the signing of Nuri Sahin. The former Borussia Dortmund player hopes to be the next Mesut Ozil for Los Blancos.

The £8m signing for the Madrid side should prove to be a basement price steal. He helped lead a Dortmund side to the Bundesliga crown last season with his talent.

His addition into the midfield stable possessed by the Madrid side should provide quality depth at the position. A midfield that consists of Mesut Ozil, Christiano Ronaldo, and Xabi Alonso will provide a challenge for the Turkish player to crack the starting XI early on.

That should not be a big concern though. At a club as big as Real Madrid, the 22-year-old Sahin should see plenty of playing time if he lives up to his billing with the gameteof fixtures that Real Madrid will be involved in.

He possesses incredible range on his shots and impeccable weight on his passes. Two features that should transfer over to La Liga with much admiration. Real Madrid's scouting team helped make one of the steals of the transfer window.

Nuri Sahin may not be the big name that makes transfer headlines, but his big potential sure warrants those headlines.

Chelsea: Juan Mata

Chelsea skated behind the scenes with the signing of Valencia's Juan Mata. The once rumored Arsenal target completed his expected move to London except he would be sporting a blue shirt rather than red.

The former Valencia winger brings a creative influx into the squad at Stamford Bridge. His cheeky style of play should help alleviate the brawn rhythms for the London club.

Mata's addition should be the key to help unlock to what might as well be called Pandora's box. Well, at least the Chelsea brass hope so. The lack of form from their £50m forward has some Chelsea executives on the hot seat.

The new winger wasted no time contributing to the score sheet. It only took him 23 minutes to score in his debut match for the Blues. A quick start to becoming acclimated and earning his teammates favor should only help the 23-year-old thrive in London.

Chelsea may not be title favorites, but the addition of Juan Mata sure helps them remain in the discussion. The £23m price tag will prove to be a drop in a hat for the big money club if he can live up to the hype.