In the end, the Premier League did it. It retained its reputation as the most attractive league to join, stealing the show with numerous marque signings in the transfer window just passed. However, La Liga’s acquisitions were almost as impressive, and – for a change – it wasn’t just Real Madrid and Barcelona that were responsible.
With 3 signings each in the following top 10, the Premier League and La Liga lead the way in terms of players brought in, just ahead of Ligue 1 with 2 signings, and the ‘big two’ in France are RealMadridBarcelonizing the market. One signing each for the Bundesliga and Serie A indicates the way in which the big clubs are moving over there. Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin, La Liga leads the way for the most transfers out in the top 10, with 3; first team football in a World Cup season seemingly an issue for a few of those players. Only one team features in the top 10 twice, and for them the world is blue.
10. Mario Götze (Bayern Munich - from Borussia Dortmund for €37m)
When you are 21, you play for the Champions League runners-up and you scored 16 goals in a season in all competitions, also picking up 9 assists in league games, there seem to be no limits your development. Götze last year had an average WhoScored rating of 7.79, the highest at Borussia Dortmund and fourth best in the whole Bundesliga. And if you have seen Klopp's team play, you will understand why €37m isn’t all that much. His main WhoScored strength is key passes, and while Bayern already have plenty of creative players, Götze’s 2.3 key passes per game will still be a fantastic addition to the team.
9. Mesut Özil (Arsenal - from Real Madrid for €50m)
The goals from Madrid’s third top scorer (9) in La Liga last season will be a hell of a loss to the club. And there’s more. 13 assists - the most in the Real Madrid squad and only behind Iniesta in La Liga (who is not on the market), this was a great coup for Arsenal. He didn't come cheap, but bear in mind he is only 24; he might seem slightly older because he’s been around for so long. Still not quite the finished product, being the star man at Arsenal might just complete him.
8. David Villa (Atlético Madrid - from Barcelona for 5m €)
You could add €4m to the fee Atlético paid for El Guaje, as it is rumoured the club have guaranteed that much to the striker as a bonus as he would have made that in his last year with Barcelona. Still, it's David Villa… Not someone that has Spanish holiday to waste, but someone who was decisive for Spain at the 2013 Confederations Cup, both as a goal scorer and creator. Someone who had 10 goals and 5 assists in spite of starting only 17 league games last season due to injury, he is something of a risk whatever the price. But with the second most shots per game at Barcelona last season (1.6) after Messi, he was a bargain.
7. Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea - from Anzhi for free)
For free. Those two magic words which become sublime when they apply to one of the last decade’s most iconic footballers, a striker that in Russia never went under the average of a goal every 2 games. Some might say: "So why he didn't win anything?" The answer is simple: because football is a team sport. Samuel Eto'o is still 32; his mentor José Mourinho saw him score decisive goals when he needed them and provide cover at left-back when he was desperate (the battle of Camp Nou with Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final in 2010). Leadership, goals and devotion: for free…
6. Willian (Chelsea - from Anzhi for €37m)
Each generation has 4-5 players who can impact the game, anytime, anywhere. This will be one of them. He started late - he's already 25 - but gained all the necessary tactical experience under Mircea Lucescu at Shakhtar, and he is now ready to stamp his mark on the Premier League. Chelsea's move to sign him after Spurs' medical was a nasty one, but sometimes it is justified if it is for someone like him. He has already played against all kinds of defences across Europe, and not once has his ability been insufficient to do his job. Still not persuaded? Well, last year he played only the group stage of the Champions League before being signed by Anzhi. Still, at the end of Champions League, he was the top of WhoScored ratings, with 8.15, with Arturo Vidal (7.93) his nearest challenger, some distance behind.
5. Carlos Tevez (Juventus - from Manchester City for €9m)
The rate at which he has been scoring might have dropped, but his charisma and importance to the team cause certainly has not. When he doesn't score, he helps others to do so. Again, someone who is not that old as it might seem, only 29, but put simply, he has been around for whole decade. For Manchester City last season, he picked up more WhoScored Man of the Match awards (6, ahead of Silva’s 4) and also picked up the joint most assists (8, with Silva). Last but not least, he comes for only €9m, and will not need to save energy for World Cup, as Argentina's manager Sabella has 'his reasons’ not to call him up.
4. Edinson Cavani (PSG - from Napoli for €64.5m)
Cavani’s 78 goals in 104 games with Napoli is quite astounding. Even more so are his 29 goals in Serie A 2012/13. In the last 54 years, only an extremely well backed Luca Toni in 2006 scored more in a single Serie A season. Additionally, with 8 WhoScored Man of the Match awards last season (only Cuadrado matched him in Serie A), and at the top of shots per game rankings (4.6), Cavani was arguably the league’s standout performer last season. The forward that every manager would like; he scores, he runs, he defends, he presses. And when you sell him, you get €64.5m.
3. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid - from Tottenham Hotspur for €91m)
Gareth Bale was WhoScored’s best player in the 2012/13 Premier League, with a rating of 7.89, having reached an impressive figure of 21 goals. He was topped only by Luis Suárez in terms of shots per game, (5.0 to 5.7), and he’s not even a striker. Sometimes he seems to be another Cristiano Ronaldo, but with slightly inferior technique. Florentino Perez does in reality what we do on Football Manager.
2. Radamel Falcao (Monaco - from Atletico Madrid for €60m)
The overwhelming power and the acrobatic skills of the centre-forward, he could be a smaller version of Gabriel Batistuta, slightly weaker in the air and a bit stronger on the ground. But so versatile that since 2011/12, only Cristiano Ronaldo and Llorente scored more headed goals than him in Spain’s top flight (10). Only playing in the same league with Messi and Cristiano could overshadow his goal tally: 28 last season, 52 in 68 games with Atletico, 93 in his last 119 games. After those two superhuman performers, he is the first of the mortals in front of a goal.
1. Neymar (Barcelona - from Santos for €57m)
When he performed in Brazil, the criticism was "it's just the Brazilian league". And when he did well in South-American cups, "it's just South-America", the naysayers proclaimed. Then he was the best player at the 2013 Confederations Cup, with a WhoScored rating of 8.26, and they said he was too lightweight and too young. He may only be 21, but he has already scored 24 goals for Brazil in 41 games. To put that into context, Ronaldo had had 24 in 39 appearances by the time he was 21. While he has to share the present with Messi, the future is his to mould. He seems to be smart enough to accept – to begin with - a bit-part at Barcelona, like Messi did for few years with Ronaldinho and Eto'o. And we all know how that story ended.
