Premier League clubs, backed by a new £8 billion TV deal heavily spent money on recruiting players this summer. 13 of the 20 clubs broke their transfer records and over £1 billion was spent. Now that the season is over, here are the top 5 Premier League signings of the 2016/17 season.
5 Best Premier League Signings of 2016/17 Season
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The Swedish superstar arrived in the Premier League for free last summer when he joined Manchester United. Many were saying that Ibrahimovic would struggle in the Premier League at the age of 35. But boy did he prove those doubters wrong. Ibrahimovic scored 28 goals in 46 matches for Manchester United and single handedly won them the EFL Cup final before a horrific knee injury sidelined him for the end of the season. It remains to be seen if Ibrahimovic will still be at United next season, but United would have been far worse off without him this season.
N’Golo Kante
The French midfielder has once again enjoyed a stellar season. After winning the league title with Leicester City last summer, Kante moved to Chelsea for £32 million. And the dynamic midfielder once again proved his worth by helping the Blues win the Premier League. His consistent performances were recognized as he was named the PFA Player of the Year and the FWA Player of the Year. Kante is a midfield powerhouse who has been at the heart of everything good over the last two seasons. His rise from from the ninth tier in France to winning two Premier League titles in two years has been remarkable and he is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Sadio Mane
The pacy forward was signed from Southampton for £34 million and the Senegalese international has proved to be worth every penny so far. His dribbling skills and directness caused havoc to many defenses. And the 24-year old reaped the rewards, scoring 13 goals for the club. His importance to the Liverpool team was further highlighted when he was gone for international duty in January. The Reds won only one point in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by lowly Wolverhampton. With no African Cup of Nations next season, Liverpool fans will be looking forward to seeing their star man tear defences apart all season.
David Luiz
Many were laughing when Chelsea splashed out the cash to re-sign David Luiz for £34 million from PSG, two years afters selling him to the French giants. But the Brazilian centre-back has proved his doubters wrong with his performances this season. Playing in a back three has helped Chelsea get the best out of him and he has been one of the stars of the season. The ball-playing centre-half has been a rock at the back. And his defensive leadership proved to be crucial as Chelsea won the league title this season. His performances earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Season and he was one of the prime reasons why Chelsea had the second best defensive record in the league.
Fernando Llorente
The towering Spaniard joined Swansea from Juventus last summer and is one of the reasons why Swansea are still in the Premier League. The 32-year old scored 15 goals for the struggling Swans and helped them stave off relegation. His goals came at crucial times and in crucial games and the Welsh club reaped the rewards. Llorente is an unstoppable force in the air and 7 of his goals have been headers. Llorente’s performances have seen him linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, but Swansea will be hoping to keep their star man as without him they would currently be preparing for life in the Championship.
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