No one doubted that English clubs would break their own £1.2 billion (US$1.56 billion) transfer spending record this summer; all that was disputed was by how much and which players would go where.
As fees became ever more inflated, the what ifs provided an intriguing backdrop to the unfolding drama.
Romelo Lukaku might have joined Chelsea but ended up at Manchester United for £75 million, a move that pushed Jose Mourinho's alternative targets Alexandre Lacazette and Alvaro Morata towards Arsenal and Chelsea respectively.
Benjamin Mendy had also seemed destined for Stamford Bridge before Manchester City nabbed him for a reported £43 million while Mo Salah, who Chelsea once sold, became Liverpool's record £37 million signing.
It is too early to say who was got the best of the most frenetic transfer market, but few of the buys come with the proven record that Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought to United last summer. Instead, many look like hugely expensive punts.
Morata, perhaps the window's most intriguing signing, spent most of last season warming the bench at Real Madrid and is reported to have confidence issues. Mendy's reputation is based on one excellent year at Monaco.
City's othe new full back, Karl Walker, was rated second best to Kieran Trippier at Tottenham Hotspur.
City manager Pep Guardiola's decision to spend more than £200 million on five players may be the most astonishing piece of business, but money has been lavished everywhere: Everton and promoted Huddersfield Town both brought in nine new players and most clubs either broke their own transfer records or spent much of the summer trying to do so.
Brighton & Hove Albion even did it three times, first signing Australian keeper Mathew Ryan, then Dutch midfielder Davy Propper and finally Colombian Jose Izquierdo from Club Brugge.
Nothing epitomizes summer short term more than West Ham's decision to spend a reported £36 million on four players with a collective age of 119 years.
The most expensive of those, Marko Arnautovic, arrives on a five year contract from Stoke City for £19 million after scoring an underwhelming 22 goals in 125 games. Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez returns to the Premier League after spells in Spain and Germany.
At Liverpool, Salah is also embarking on his second spell in England and has impressed with four goals in pre season friendlies.
Lacazette comes to Arsenal with a big reputation after netting more than 20 league goals in each of the past three seasons with French side Lyon.
Comparisons have been drawn to Thierry Henry, but even Arsenal's prolific striker took time to adjust to English physically, failing to score in his first eight games after his arrival from Juventus. Lacazette acknowledges the Premier League will be a big step up.
Arsenal's other newcomer, 24 year old Bosnian defender Sead Kolasinac, cost nothing after seeing out his contract at Schalke, where he was voted into the Bundesliga team of the season in 2016-2017.
Reuters/ London
As fees became ever more inflated, the what ifs provided an intriguing backdrop to the unfolding drama.
Romelo Lukaku might have joined Chelsea but ended up at Manchester United for £75 million, a move that pushed Jose Mourinho's alternative targets Alexandre Lacazette and Alvaro Morata towards Arsenal and Chelsea respectively.
Benjamin Mendy had also seemed destined for Stamford Bridge before Manchester City nabbed him for a reported £43 million while Mo Salah, who Chelsea once sold, became Liverpool's record £37 million signing.
It is too early to say who was got the best of the most frenetic transfer market, but few of the buys come with the proven record that Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought to United last summer. Instead, many look like hugely expensive punts.
Morata, perhaps the window's most intriguing signing, spent most of last season warming the bench at Real Madrid and is reported to have confidence issues. Mendy's reputation is based on one excellent year at Monaco.
City's othe new full back, Karl Walker, was rated second best to Kieran Trippier at Tottenham Hotspur.
City manager Pep Guardiola's decision to spend more than £200 million on five players may be the most astonishing piece of business, but money has been lavished everywhere: Everton and promoted Huddersfield Town both brought in nine new players and most clubs either broke their own transfer records or spent much of the summer trying to do so.
Brighton & Hove Albion even did it three times, first signing Australian keeper Mathew Ryan, then Dutch midfielder Davy Propper and finally Colombian Jose Izquierdo from Club Brugge.
Nothing epitomizes summer short term more than West Ham's decision to spend a reported £36 million on four players with a collective age of 119 years.
The most expensive of those, Marko Arnautovic, arrives on a five year contract from Stoke City for £19 million after scoring an underwhelming 22 goals in 125 games. Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez returns to the Premier League after spells in Spain and Germany.
At Liverpool, Salah is also embarking on his second spell in England and has impressed with four goals in pre season friendlies.
Lacazette comes to Arsenal with a big reputation after netting more than 20 league goals in each of the past three seasons with French side Lyon.
Comparisons have been drawn to Thierry Henry, but even Arsenal's prolific striker took time to adjust to English physically, failing to score in his first eight games after his arrival from Juventus. Lacazette acknowledges the Premier League will be a big step up.
Arsenal's other newcomer, 24 year old Bosnian defender Sead Kolasinac, cost nothing after seeing out his contract at Schalke, where he was voted into the Bundesliga team of the season in 2016-2017.
Reuters/ London
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