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The transfer window for 2018 finally closed on September 1st with an incredible €4.48 billion spent across the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and the Bundesliga.
Among all this frivolous spending by Europe's elite clubs were some high-profile moves which took many by surprise due to the extraordinary fees involved. Liverpool's signing of Alisson Becker and Chelsea's signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga spring to mind.
While these transfers may prove value for money in the future, at the time of the moves both clubs paid far in excess of what the goalkeepers are worth according to market data.
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There were, however, many transfers this summer which represented excellent value for the clubs involved.
We have correlated data from transfermarkt.com with actual fees paid for players throughout the transfer window to reveal the 10 best value transfers of 2018 below.
Note: Market value is based on a range of factors gathered by data analysis platform, transfermarkt.com, and is correct at the time of writing. For the purposes of this list, we have excluded all players who moved on loan or a free transfer.
#10 Radja Nainggolan & Santiago Arias
Radja Nainggolan
Market Value: €45 million
Transfer Fee: €38 million
Difference: (€7 million)
Radja Nainggolan was a key signing for Inter Milan this summer as he moved from Serie A rivals, Roma for a cash fee of €24 million plus Davide Santon and Nicolo Zaniolo who were both valued at €14 million.
Despite the two-player plus cash deal to secure the signature of the Belgian international, Inter can feel they got a bargain. Nainggolan is currently valued at €45 million and is rated as one of the best midfielders in the Italian league.
He scored on his Inter debut against Bologna and will become a key cog in his side's push for at least a Champions League spot this season.
Santiago Arias
Market Value: €18 million
Transfer Fee: €11 million
Difference: (€7 million)
Another player who is worth €7 million more than the fee paid for his services, Santiago Arias moved from PSV in the Netherlands to Atletico Madrid in LaLiga this summer. The Columbian right-back enjoyed a good World Cup with his nation, leading to Deigo Simeone targeting his services for Los Colchoneros this summer.
Having been handed the number 4 jersey this season, we can expect to see plenty of the 26-year-old in LaLiga this season. He was instrumental in PSV's league title success during the 2017/18 Eredivisie and will hope to make Atletico's defence even better as they challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid this year.
It is surprising that PSV allowed the Eredivisie Player of the Year to leave for such a comparatively small fee and Simeone is bound to be delighted at securing such a bargain.
#9 Nicolas N'Koulou
Market Value: €10 million
Transfer Fee: €3.5 million
Difference: (€7.5 million)
Having spent last season on loan at Torino from Lyon, the Serie A club took advantage of their option to buy N'Koulou for a bargain price of just €3.5 million.
The Cameroonian central defender was a key player for Torino last season, playing 37 times and scoring twice as the club finished a respectable ninth. This season he will hope to help the Turin club achieve a higher position with European qualification the target.
The 28-year-old is currently valued at €10 million and was voted by the fans as the Player of the Year for his club last season. If he continues his current form into this campaign, Il Toro can be delighted with their business for the Cameroonian.
#8 Ante Rebic
Market Value: €10 million
Transfer Fee: €2 million
Difference: (€8 million)
It seems incredible that a World Cup finalist who attracted interest from Manchester United, Spurs, Sevilla, and Bayern Munich during the summer moved to Eintracht Frankfurt for just €2 million.
However, the Bundesliga club had an advantage over the all the others. Rebic had spent the previous two seasons on loan at Frankfurt from Fiorentina and the German club had an option to buy the World Cup star written into their latest loan deal.
Frankfurt wasted no time in exercising the purchase option having developed the winger over the past two seasons and can be delighted at having secured the Croatian for both a low fee and in the face of competition from traditionally more appealing clubs.
#7 Daniel Wass & Lautaro Martinez
Daniel Wass
Market Value: €15 million
Transfer Fee: €6 million
Difference: (€9 million)
Daniel Wass secured a big move from Celta Vigo to Valencia this summer having spent four years at the Estadio Municipal de Balaídos.
The versatile Danish player had spent three seasons at Celta, playing 103 times and scoring three goals. His move to Valencia represents a big step up in his career as Los Che are considered as the only team in LaLiga which are capable of challenging the big three.
With just a year left on his contract at Celta, Valencia managed to swoop in with a basement fee of €6 million for the 29-year-old, securing his signature for a full €9 million less than his market value.
Lautaro Martinez
Market Value: €25 million
Transfer Fee: €16 million
Difference: (€9 million)
Another player signed by Inter Milan this summer who appears on this list displays the savvy transfer business conducted by the Serie A giants over the past few months.
Lautaro Martinez is a young striker who displayed incredible potential over the past three years with his hometown team, Racing Club. Having scored 22 goals in just 48 appearances for the Superliga Argentina team, the 21-year-old will hope he can make the step up to Serie A this season.
The transfer fee of €16 million paid for the young Argentinian could prove excellent business for Inter as his performances in his home country has seen his market value soar to €25 million already.
#6 Alban Lafont
Market Value: €18 million
Transfer Fee: €8.5 million
Difference: (€9.5 million)
Aged just 19, Fiorentina may have uncovered a gem when signing Alban Lafont for €8.5 million from Toulouse this summer.
The tall goalkeeper made an incredible 98 appearances for Toulouse having debuted at the tender age of 16. His ability has earned him admirers from across Europe, however, it was Serie A's Fiorentina who made the first move to secure his signature.
The French youth international has already debuted for his new club and is expected to remain as the first-choice goalkeeper for Viola throughout the season. With his market value a huge €9.5 million higher than his transfer fee, Lafont could become one of the bargains of the summer.
#5 Salif Sane & Jonny Evans
Salif Sane
Market Value: €18 million
Transfer Fee: €7 million
Difference: (€11 million)
Salif Sane secured a move to Schalke 04 from Hannover 96 this summer after spending five years with the middling German club.
The Senegalese defender arrives in Gelsenkirchen with plenty of Bundesliga experience having played 128 times for Hannover 96, scoring 12 goals. The 28-year-old had announced his intention to leave the HDI Arena in April of this year and perhaps that had something to do with the low fee paid for his services.
Currently valued at €18 million, Schalke 04 secured a great deal for the international defender and immediately placed him in the starting lineup for their Bundesliga opener against Wolfsburg.
Jonny Evans
Market Value: €15 million
Transfer Fee: €4 million
Difference: (€11 million)
Having suffered relegation with West Brom last season, Jonny Evans immediately secured a move back to the Premier League with a move to the Baggies' midland rivals, Leicester City.
The reason that the Northern Irish defender was able to move for such a low fee of €4 million was due to a relegation clause was written into his contract at the Hawthorns. The Foxes were quick to activate the clause and grabbed themselves an experienced defender for €11 million less than his market value.
The 30-year-old is yet to make a Premier League start with Leicester but appeared as a substitute and as a starter during their 4-0 EFL Cup victory over Fleetwood Town.
#4 Douglas Costa
Market Value: €55 million
Transfer Fee: €40 million
Difference: (€15 million)
Having spent last season on loan at Juventus from Bayern Munich, the Old Lady was quick to activate the option to buy Douglas Costa and make the transfer permanent for €40 million this summer.
The Brazilian played 31 times for the Italian champions last term, scoring four goals. He also had the most dribbles of any Serie A player last season (106) and the second-most assists (14). During his time at Juventus last season, his market value increased from €30 million to €55 million.
As Juventus try to build a team capable of winning the Champions League, they have secured a real bargain by getting the 27-year-old for a full €15 million less than his market value, even if they are responsible for the increase in his current value.
#3 Arturo Vidal & Tanguy Ndombele
Arturo Vidal
Market Value: €35 million
Transfer Fee: €18 million
Difference: (€17 million)
A second player on this list leaving Bayern Munich for a fee which is less than the market value, Arturo Vidal made a high-profile move to the Nou Camp this summer.
The Chilean midfielder is a superb signing for Barcelona as he will add steel to the midfield and provide cover for creative players to move further up the pitch. His transfer fee of €18 million is truly a bargain in today's market.
However, when considering he maintains a market value of €35 million, one must wonder why the Bavarian club allowed him to leave for a full €17 million less than what he is worth.
Tanguy Ndombele
Market Value: €25 million
Transfer Fee: €8 million
Difference: (€17 million)
Lyon captured Tanguy Ndombele on a permanent transfer this summer from Amiens having had the France U-21 international on loan for last season.
The 21-year-old midfielder enjoyed a fantastic season on loan at Lyon last time out, playing 32 times for the Ligue 1 side. An option to buy for just €8 million was written into the loan agreement and Lyon wasted no time in activating the clause this summer.
When Ndombele joined Lyon on loan last season, he had a market value of just €5 million. However, his time at Les Gones increased his market value to €25 million. So Lyon is responsible for his market value development and can feel justified in paying such a low fee for his services.
#2 Bryan Cristiante
Market Value: €25 million
Transfer Fee: €5 million
Difference: (€20 million)
One of the more confusing transfers of the summer involves Italian international, Bryan Cristiante.
The midfielder had spent last season on loan at Serie A club, Atalanta from Portuguese side, Benfica. A clause in the loan deal allowed Atalanta to buy him outright for €5 million this summer. This represented excellent business for Atalanta as Cristiante's market value had soared from €2 million to €25 million over the course of last season.
However, Atlanta immediately sent the 23-year-old on loan to Roma for a fee of €5 million plus a compulsory option to buy next summer for €15 million and €10 million in performance-related bonuses.
A good piece of business by the Italian club who could receive €30 million in total for the player.
#1 Thibaut Courtois
Market Value: €65 million
Transfer Fee: €35 million
Difference: (€30 million)
This transfer is an example of player power and what can happen when a player decides to down tools in order to push through a move.
Thibaut Courtois moved from Stamford Bridge to the Bernebeau this summer in a high-profile transfer. The Belgian goalkeeper had reportedly refused to return to training at Chelsea to get his "dream move" to Real Madrid.
Due to the well-publicised antics of Courtois, Los Blancos were able to negotiate an extraordinarily low fee for the 26-year-old. The fee is even more ridiculous when you consider that Chelsea replaced Courtois by purchasing a young goalkeeper for a world-record €80 million fee.
Strangely, Courtois has not immediately become the number one goalkeeper for Real Madrid and has played just a single LaLiga match at the time of writing.
