Whether it’s Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester City, the currency football clubs value most transcends borders and continents.
Goals are the primary reason clubs strike multimillion pound deals to acquire the services for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez, players that regularly deliver football’s most precious commodity.
[ Read more: No goals for Spurs and United to hold Arsenal: The National’s EPL predictions ]
In the Premier League, Arsenal parted with around £30 million (Dh172.6m) to secure Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona, while Manchester United broke the English transfer record to acquire the services of Angel di Maria. But which Premier League stars are really worth their weight in gold and which are making a mockery of such extortionate transfer fees?
After switching Madrid for Manchester, Angel di Maria had an instant impact at United. The Argentine has contributed to 47.1 per cent of United’s 17 goals, with three of his own strikes and five assists; this is despite signing after United had already played two games of the season.
Sanchez has been of one Arsene Wenger’s few shining lights, with five goals in his last three Premier League appearances and a total of eight goals and two assists have seen the Chilean involved in 52.6 per cent of Arsenal’s goals this term.
The South American trend continues with Sergio Aguero. City have so far struggled to match the form that saw them score 102 goals last season, but Aguero - the league’s leading scorer - has netted 12 times already this season, accounting for 54.5 per cent of City’s total goals.
Yet there are other ways. Clubs unable to lavish such extraordinary sums of money have to look elsewhere, whether it be to their academy, the lower divisions or reigniting a faded star.
West Brom’s Saido Berahino has scored seven goals this season, 53.8 per cent of the club’s total - the fourth highest contribution of sides which have scored 10 or more, just behind Aguero in third and ahead of Sanchez in fourth.
Returning hero Gylfi Sigurdsson has been rejuvenated in his second spell at Swansea, scoring twice and creating another seven goals for team mates. His role in Swansea’s strong start comes in at 60 per cent - the second highest contribution - while top of that pile is QPR’s Charlie Austin. The R’s striker has netted six goals so far and added one assist, accounting for 63.6 per cent of QPR’s goals.
While the big money signings are proving their worth at the top end of the Premier League, just as importantly for teams without such forgiving cheque books is the ability to find their own cut price gem - and when they do, try convincing those clubs they aren’t worth their weight in gold.
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