Willian, Edinson Cavani and the 10 best free signings of the transfer window - in pictures

Clubs across Europe have secured themselves a few bargains with these players

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  Willian: Chelsea to Arsenal – After seven years and two Premier League titles with Chelsea, the 32-year-old Brazilian midfielder decided to move across London, where he signed a three-year deal with Arsenal. Chelsea were only willing to offer a two-year contract. Reuters

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  Thomas Meunier: Paris Saint-Germain to Borussia Dortmund – A regular during his four years at PSG without ever fully cementing his place, the 29-year-old Belgian right-back completed a move to Dortmund on a four-year deal. AFP

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  David Silva: Manchester City to Real Sociedad – Even once he reached his mid-30s, the Spanish playmaker remained a key player for City. After opting to end his decade-long stay in Manchester, 34-year-old Silva penned a two-year contract with Sociedad. Getty Images

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  Alexis Sanchez: Manchester United to Inter Milan – After ending his spectacularly disastrous time at United, the 31-year-old Chilean forward signed a three-year deal with Inter, where he spent last season on loan. While he remains short of the form that made him one of the Premier League’s best players at Arsenal, Sanchez has shown at Inter he can still offer plenty. Getty Images

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  Adam Lallana: Liverpool to Brighton & Hove Albion – Long-term injuries and upgrades in the Liverpool midfield saw Lallana fall down the pecking order. The 32-year-old English midfielder joined Brighton on a three-year deal. AP

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  Rafael: Lyon to Istanbul Basaksehir – A key man in Lyon’s run to the Champions League semi-finals, the 30-year-old Brazilian full-back has moved to the Turkish champions on a two-year contract with the option of a third. Reuters

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  Thiago Silva: Paris Saint-Germain to Chelsea – After eight years and a cabinet full of trophies, the 36-year-old Brazilian centre-back decided not to renew his contract at PSG and instead move to Chelsea. His current deal is for one year with the option for another 12 months. EPA

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  Dani Parejo: Valencia to Villarreal – A mainstay of the Valencia midfield for much of the past eight seasons and the club’s captain, the 31-year-old Spanish midfielder joined Villarreal on a four-year contract this summer. Getty Images

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  Henrikh Mkhitaryan: Arsenal to Roma – Arsenal cancelled the contract of the 31-year-old Armenian midfielder in August, allowing him to join Roma on a two-year contract. Mkhitaryan spent last season on loan at the club, and despite injuries playing their part, he did enough to convince the Italians to offer a permanent deal. AP

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  Edinson Cavani: Paris Saint-Germian to Manchester United - The most high-profile free signing on deadline day took place at Old Trafford. The 33-year-old Uruguayan striker joins United on a one-year deal with the option of another year. PA

The 2020/21 summer transfer window for European football clubs closed on Monday night, and it has been a unique year for player recruitment.

With many clubs forced to carefully budget due to the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic, securing a bargain holds greater importance than ever.

This summer saw a number of high-profile players complete free transfers after their previous contracts expired, and the photo gallery above looks 10 of the best.

Want to check out the 20 most expensive moves of the summer? Then check out this gallery.

To move on to the next photo in the gallery, click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device simply swipe.