Best Premier League signings from Pogba to Xhaka - in pictures
With the new season starting and the title race wide open, who are the players that will make a difference?
A new Premier League season gets underway this weekend and who knows what to expect in the title race?
Three of the traditional big five - Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea - have new managers, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is taking charge of his first full campaign, and the old man of the division, Arsene Wenger, is entering what could be the final season of his career.
Add to that a summer of unprecedented spending and it is almost impossible to know which way the dice will fall.
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But one thing that will be crucial is the contribution of the new signings brought in ahead of the new season. So who are the buys that will make a difference?
Paul Pogba: Manchester United, £89m
Much is expected of Pogba after his world record £89m transfer from Juventus back to Manchester United, the club he left for £800,000 in 2012. Opinion is split on whether his mammoth fee is justified and if United don't win the title, there could be an inquest. However, there is no doubt that his signing, together with that of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, represents a statement of intent from new manager Jose Mourinho and has lifted the mood among the United faithful
Leroy Sane: Manchester City, £37m
United may have grabbed the headlines this summer, but City's business has been pretty extraordinary too. In Sane, they have landed one of the most sought-after young midfielders in Europe. The question now is how does he fit into Pep Guardiola's plans? It will be intriguing to see how he progresses. It can be sink or swim at the Etihad no matter what your price tag - Kevin de Bruyne made an impact last season, but it is hard to stand out in a squad such as City's, as Raheem Sterling can testify.
Sadio Mane: Liverpool, £30m
Klopp has spent wisely this summer, plugging gaps in his squad where necessary, but the signing of Mane is interesting as the squad is already well stocked with versatile, attacking midfielders. Mane will be in competition with the likes of Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho for a berth in the side. But he has pace, power and an eye for goal and could inspire the Reds to great things, playing through the middle or on the flank.
John Stones: Manchester City, £47m
That Stones would leave Everton was inevitable, but how he fares at City is less clear cut. It is easy to see why the ball-playing defender appealed to Guardiola, but his development appeared to stall last season. He cost £47m and that is a lot for a player who could not hold down a place in the Everton side, while the last thing City need is another centre-back who is not quite the finished article.
Granit Xhaka: Arsenal, £34m
Amid the usual hullabaloo and pre-season doom-mongering at the Emirates, it is easy to overlook the fact the Gunners pulled off something of a coup early in the transfer window. Swiss midfielder Xhaka is just the sort of player Arsenal lack and the squad will boast an impressive midfield this season with the 23-year-old acting as anchor. He is also a leader on the field, which is an area in which Arsenal have been weak for some time. If they are to finally win the title, Xhaka will be key.
Sofiane Feghouli: West Ham, free
The Algerian winger could follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Riyad Mahrez and establish himself as a Premier League star this season. He has been heralded as a player to inherit Dmitri Payet's place in the team when the Frenchman is unavailable and was linked with some big Premier League clubs before choosing the Hammers. Slaven Bilic is building an impressive squad at West Ham and Feghouli is likely to become a key attacking weapon.
Fernando Llorente: Swansea, undisclosed
The Spanish striker was heavily linked with Arsenal a few seasons ago, but instead moved to Juventus, where things turned sour. Now he finds himself at Swansea at the age of 31 with something of a point to prove. He looks like the kind of striker that will thrive in the hurly burley of the Premier League and the Swans have a penchant for uncovering striking gems - remember Michu and Wilfried Bony? Their subsequent career dips will not concern the Swans as long as Llorente can replicate their scoring achievements at the Liberty Stadium.
Vincent Janssen: Tottenham Hotspur, £18.5m
Can Harry Kane carry Spurs through another season? That will be the question on many people's lips this year. He confounded expectations last season but looked out of sorts and in need of a break at Euro 2016. Spurs tried to sign a striker to ease his burden last summer and this time round may have found the perfect solution in the form of Janssen. The 22-year-old was the Eredivisie's top scorer last season and he has the game to play alongside Kane or go it alone up front.
N'Golo Kante: Chelsea, £32m
He was likened to Claude Makelele last season when Leicester won the title and now Kante will fill his shoes at Stamford Bridge. The player made record numbers of tackles and interceptions for the Foxes last term and if he maintains his form this coming season, Chelsea are sure to improve on their dismal tenth-place finish. There will be a lot of competition in the midfield, but the combination of Kane, Fabregas and Hazard in the centre of the park looks mouthwatering for Blues fans.
Ahmed Musa: Leicester City, £15m
The Nigeria forward will give defending champions Leicester even more cutting edge next season. He announced himself with two goals against Barcelona and could forge a lightning fast partnership with Jamie Vardy up front. He could also provide the Foxes with an extra set of wheels off the bench late in the game, and if Leicester are to put up a solid defence of their title, he could be one of the players of the season.
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