• BEST SIGNINGS: Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona to Aston Villa, loan then £17m deal): Midfielder just needed a bit of TLC after his Barcelona dream move turned into a nightmare - and that's what he got from Villa manager, and his former captain at Liverpool, Steven Gerrard. Hit the ground running back in England and now signed permanently. PA
    BEST SIGNINGS: Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona to Aston Villa, loan then £17m deal): Midfielder just needed a bit of TLC after his Barcelona dream move turned into a nightmare - and that's what he got from Villa manager, and his former captain at Liverpool, Steven Gerrard. Hit the ground running back in England and now signed permanently. PA
  • Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus to Tottenham £16m): One of Spurs' two January signings from Juventus to have made the hit list. The Uruguayan midfielder slotted seamlessly into manager Antonio Conte's team and has been a key part of their successful push for a top-four slot. EPA
    Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus to Tottenham £16m): One of Spurs' two January signings from Juventus to have made the hit list. The Uruguayan midfielder slotted seamlessly into manager Antonio Conte's team and has been a key part of their successful push for a top-four slot. EPA
  • Marc Cucurella (Getafe to Brighton £15.4m). The left-back has been a revelation for Graham Potter's side since moving from Spain and is already attracting attention from some of the division's big guns. The fact he was named player of the year by both fans and teammates highlights the impact he has made on the south coast. Reuters
    Marc Cucurella (Getafe to Brighton £15.4m). The left-back has been a revelation for Graham Potter's side since moving from Spain and is already attracting attention from some of the division's big guns. The fact he was named player of the year by both fans and teammates highlights the impact he has made on the south coast. Reuters
  • Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon to Newcastle United £40m): Brazilian midfielder's impact since moving to Tyneside in January has been immediate and impressive. Stylish footballer, great passer of the ball with a fine engine, who has also chipped in unexpectedly with a few crucial goals as Newcastle dragged themseleves out of the relegation dogfight. Reuters
    Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon to Newcastle United £40m): Brazilian midfielder's impact since moving to Tyneside in January has been immediate and impressive. Stylish footballer, great passer of the ball with a fine engine, who has also chipped in unexpectedly with a few crucial goals as Newcastle dragged themseleves out of the relegation dogfight. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus to Manchester United £13m): You could rightly argue the veteran was unsuited to the pressing game interim manager Ralf Rangnick had been hoping to instil at United, but there can be no doubting Ronaldo's statistics since his Old Trafford return: 24 goals and three assists in all competitions in a struggling side cannot be sniffed at. PA
    Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus to Manchester United £13m): You could rightly argue the veteran was unsuited to the pressing game interim manager Ralf Rangnick had been hoping to instil at United, but there can be no doubting Ronaldo's statistics since his Old Trafford return: 24 goals and three assists in all competitions in a struggling side cannot be sniffed at. PA
  • Conor Gallagher (Chelsea to Crystal Palace loan): A move accurately described as "a win-win" for player and club by Eagles manager Patrick Vieira. Played 38 games, scored eight goals and provided five assists - earning an England call-up in the process. Interesting to see where he is playing at the start of next season. AFP
    Conor Gallagher (Chelsea to Crystal Palace loan): A move accurately described as "a win-win" for player and club by Eagles manager Patrick Vieira. Played 38 games, scored eight goals and provided five assists - earning an England call-up in the process. Interesting to see where he is playing at the start of next season. AFP
  • Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig to Liverpool £36m): Giant defender has been used sparingly in the league with Jurgen Klopp rotating his squad chasing a historic quadruple. The Frenchman, though, has been at the heart of Liverpool's runs in cup competitions that has seen them win the League and FA Cups while also reaching the Champions League final. EPA
    Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig to Liverpool £36m): Giant defender has been used sparingly in the league with Jurgen Klopp rotating his squad chasing a historic quadruple. The Frenchman, though, has been at the heart of Liverpool's runs in cup competitions that has seen them win the League and FA Cups while also reaching the Champions League final. EPA
  • Christian Eriksen (Joined Brentford as free agent): A success story that no one could possibly fail to enjoy. Released by Inter Milan due to rules in Italy prohibiting the use of the pacemaker-style device he had fitted following his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, the Danish midfielder has been a roaring success on a short-term deal at Brentford. Is ambitious to "win trophies" so would be surprise is he's not playing elsewhere next season. PA
    Christian Eriksen (Joined Brentford as free agent): A success story that no one could possibly fail to enjoy. Released by Inter Milan due to rules in Italy prohibiting the use of the pacemaker-style device he had fitted following his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, the Danish midfielder has been a roaring success on a short-term deal at Brentford. Is ambitious to "win trophies" so would be surprise is he's not playing elsewhere next season. PA
  • Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus to Tottenham Hotspur loan with view to £29.2m move): The second of the January transfer window signings from Juve. The Swede has become the official third attacking cog for Spurs alongside Son Heung-min and Harry Kane with an impressive record of five goals and eight assists in 20 appearances. Reuters
    Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus to Tottenham Hotspur loan with view to £29.2m move): The second of the January transfer window signings from Juve. The Swede has become the official third attacking cog for Spurs alongside Son Heung-min and Harry Kane with an impressive record of five goals and eight assists in 20 appearances. Reuters
  • Luis Diaz (Porto to Liverpool £37m): Colombian winger has been sensational for Liverpool since arriving in January. Not the slightest problem adapting to the physical nature of the Premier League, lightning quick, scores goals, supplies for others and looks set for long and prosperous career at Anfield. PA
    Luis Diaz (Porto to Liverpool £37m): Colombian winger has been sensational for Liverpool since arriving in January. Not the slightest problem adapting to the physical nature of the Premier League, lightning quick, scores goals, supplies for others and looks set for long and prosperous career at Anfield. PA
  • WORST SIGNINGS Junior Firpo (Barcelona to Leeds United £12.8m): Leeds' defence has been woefully porous this season and the Dominican Republic-born left-back has certainly contributed to that. Firpo's blunders have been as regular as his impressive total of 11 yellow cards. Getty
    WORST SIGNINGS Junior Firpo (Barcelona to Leeds United £12.8m): Leeds' defence has been woefully porous this season and the Dominican Republic-born left-back has certainly contributed to that. Firpo's blunders have been as regular as his impressive total of 11 yellow cards. Getty
  • Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen to Aston Villa £25m): Jamaican winger has endured an injury-ravaged first season in English football, managing just 18 appearances, scoring one goal and providing two assists. The last of those three goal involvements came back in October and it remains to be seen whether he has future under manager Steven Gerrard. Getty
    Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen to Aston Villa £25m): Jamaican winger has endured an injury-ravaged first season in English football, managing just 18 appearances, scoring one goal and providing two assists. The last of those three goal involvements came back in October and it remains to be seen whether he has future under manager Steven Gerrard. Getty
  • Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow to West Ham £27m): Croatian attacker has been a massive disappointment for Hammers, managing just one goal in 31 games - although most of those have been limited to appearances off the bench, with manager David Moyes showing little confidence in a player capped 35 times by his country. Getty
    Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow to West Ham £27m): Croatian attacker has been a massive disappointment for Hammers, managing just one goal in 31 games - although most of those have been limited to appearances off the bench, with manager David Moyes showing little confidence in a player capped 35 times by his country. Getty
  • Chris Wood (Burnley to Newcastle United £25m): Newcastle were desperate for a striker in January, with top-scorer Callum Wilson out injured, and signing a player with a huge amount of Premier League experience - and weakening a relegation rival in the process - seeemed sensible. But strikers are judged on goals and two from 17 appearances is nowhere near good enough. EPA
    Chris Wood (Burnley to Newcastle United £25m): Newcastle were desperate for a striker in January, with top-scorer Callum Wilson out injured, and signing a player with a huge amount of Premier League experience - and weakening a relegation rival in the process - seeemed sensible. But strikers are judged on goals and two from 17 appearances is nowhere near good enough. EPA
  • Bryan Gil (Sevilla to Tottenham Hotspur, £22m plus Erik Lamela): Young Spanish winger badly struggled to make an impression at Spurs, making just nine Premier League substitute appearances — totalling 86 minutes of action - before being shipped out on loan to Valencia in January. Getty
    Bryan Gil (Sevilla to Tottenham Hotspur, £22m plus Erik Lamela): Young Spanish winger badly struggled to make an impression at Spurs, making just nine Premier League substitute appearances — totalling 86 minutes of action - before being shipped out on loan to Valencia in January. Getty
  • Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Leicester City in London, Britain, 19 May 2022. EPA/NEIL HALL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club / league / player publications
    Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Leicester City in London, Britain, 19 May 2022. EPA/NEIL HALL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club / league / player publications
  • Daniel James (Manchester United to Leeds United £25m): Left Old Trafford in the hunt for regular starts but has failed to convince at the struggling Yorkshiremen. Welsh winger has four goals and five assists to his name but badly lacked consistency and his red card for a terrible tackle on Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic earlier this month could not have come at a worse time with the club fighting to save their top-flight status. Getty
    Daniel James (Manchester United to Leeds United £25m): Left Old Trafford in the hunt for regular starts but has failed to convince at the struggling Yorkshiremen. Welsh winger has four goals and five assists to his name but badly lacked consistency and his red card for a terrible tackle on Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic earlier this month could not have come at a worse time with the club fighting to save their top-flight status. Getty
  • Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton to Leicester City £15m): The Denmark defender seemed like a very sensible signing by Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers last summer but has played just 10 times in the Premier League. Looks unsuited for the teams' defensive set-up and could well find himself back on the move at the end of the season. Reuters
    Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton to Leicester City £15m): The Denmark defender seemed like a very sensible signing by Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers last summer but has played just 10 times in the Premier League. Looks unsuited for the teams' defensive set-up and could well find himself back on the move at the end of the season. Reuters
  • Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United £73m): Signed for a huge fee and with big expectations as an established Bundesliga star but Sancho has endured a tough season, struggling for form and consistency, scoring just three goals and providing three assists in the Premier League. Certainly has the talent, though, and would not be surprise if he hits the groove next season under Erik ten Hag. AFP
    Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund to Manchester United £73m): Signed for a huge fee and with big expectations as an established Bundesliga star but Sancho has endured a tough season, struggling for form and consistency, scoring just three goals and providing three assists in the Premier League. Certainly has the talent, though, and would not be surprise if he hits the groove next season under Erik ten Hag. AFP

Diaz, Ronaldo, Lukaku: best and worst buys of 2021/22 Premier League season - in pictures


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The Premier League season reached its thrilling finale on Sunday with Manchester City crowned champions once again.

As usual for the English top-flight, it has been a busy campaign in the transfer market with some superstar names returning to the UK for a second spell at former clubs.

Last summer, Romelu Lukaku moved back to Chelsea having signed for Thomas Tuchel's Champions League winners in a club-record £97.5 million ($134.7m) move from Serie A champions Inter Milan.

Veteran striker Cristiano Ronaldo made a sensational return to Manchester United, rejoining the club he had left to join Real Madrid for a then world record fee of £80m in 2009.

Another big-money transfer to United saw winger Jadon Sancho leave Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in a £73m deal to become – at the time – the second most expensive English player of all time, behind only his new teammate Harry Maguire.

Liverpool, who finished only a point behind City in the table and could finish the season having won three cup competitions, also made some big transfer moves.

Defender Ibrahima Konate moved to Merseyside last summer for £36m from RB Leipzig, while Luis Diaz was a January arrival from Porto in a deal that potentially rise to £50m.

Of those arrivals mentioned above, some have been a roaring success, others … not so much. In the gallery above we have picked out the best and worst buys of 2021/22 Premier League season. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.

ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE FIXTURES

Thursday, September 21
Al Dahfra v Sharjah (kick-off 5.35pm)
Al Wasl v Emirates (8.30pm)

Friday, September 22
Dibba v Al Jazira (5.25pm)
Al Nasr v Al Wahda (8.30pm)

Saturday, September 23
Hatta v Al Ain (5.25pm)
Ajman v Shabab Al Ahli (8.30pm)

Updated: May 24, 2022, 11:12 AM