5 most expensive deadline day transfers by Premier League clubs

Three weeks into the new Premier League season, the managers have had some time to ponder over ways in which they can strengthen their team. We are likely to witness some frantic deals happening in the transfer market on the deadline day, that is, on the 31st of August 2017.

If the rumours are to be believed, players such Alexis Sanchez, Philippe Coutinho, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Danny Drinkwater may all be on the move.

Let's revisit the five most expensive signings made by a Premier League club on the transfer deadline day.

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#5 Robino (£32.5 million)

The new owners of Manchester City initially tried to sign Dimitar Berbatov (who eventually joined their rivals Manchester United) before landing the Brazilian trickster Robinho on the same day as they took over the club. The transfer fee to bring Robinho from Real Madrid to Manchester City was at the time a club-record £32.5 million.

The then 24-year-old Robinho enjoyed a fairly decent season personally as he finished the season as the top scorer for Manchester City. He bagged 14 league goals in 31 appearances and was the fourth highest scorer in the league. However, he could not build on his first season as he suffered an injury because of which he missed three months of the 2009-10 season.

Robinho made another 12 appearances, scoring one goal in his second season before being shipped out on loan to Santos. He never played for City again and joined AC Milan in the summer of 2010 for half the transfer fee paid for by Manchester City.

#4 Andy Carroll (£35 million)

Andy Carroll was handed the number 9 jersey by Kenny Dalglish

On the same day as Liverpool lost their own talismanic striker in Torres, they decided to splash the cash to sign the then 22-year-old Andy Carroll from Newcastle United. Carroll was actually having a very good season with the Magpies, having scored 11 league goals in 19 outings. He even earned his maiden England call-up in a couple of months prior to joining Liverpool.

Carroll was handed the number 9 at Anfield but he never quite lived up to his billing at the club. He simply did not suit the style of Liverpool and it is perhaps fair to say that he was a disastrous signing for the Reds. Carroll's perhaps only memorable moment from his short Liverpool career includes a late winning goal against Liverpool's fiercest rivals, Everton in an FA Cup Semi-final tie in 2012.

Carroll was allowed to join West Ham United on loan the following season and then permanently in 2013 for a fee of £15 million.

#3 Anthony Martial (£36 million)

Anthony Martial's debut goal against Liverpool will always be remembered

Manchester United paid £36 million to acquire Anthony Martial from PSG which was a world record transfer fee for a teenager, breaking their own record of £27 million paid for Luke Shaw. However, unlike the previous two in this list, Martial was an immediate hit with the fans as he scored an incredible goal in United's 3-1 win over Liverpool on his debut. He even went on to win the Premier League Player of the Month Award in his first month itself.

Martial won the Golden Boy award for the year 2015 and finished his debut season in a rather impressive fashion. He was United's top scorer both in the league and overall as well, finishing with 17 goals to his name.

His progress may have slowed down last season but signs are there that he has slowly formed a good understanding with his manager. Still only 21 years of age, Martial has time on his side to prove his critics wrong.

#2 Mesut Ozil (£42.5 million)

Mesut Ozil has been a consistent source of goals for the Gunners

It was at first a surprise to see Arsene Wenger paying this kind of money for a player but over the seasons, Mesut Ozil has firmly established himself as one of the most important players for Arsenal. Ozil joined from Real Madrid for a then club-record fee of £42.5 million in 2013.

He was criticized at times for his 'languid' attitude towards the game, particularly in his second season. However, Ozil won over the Arsenal fans in this third season in which he was awarded the Arsenal's Player of the Season award. Ozil finished the season with 8 goals and 20 assists and followed up with another impressive tally of 12 goals and 12 assists last season.

It is fair to say that the German International has been a successful acquisition for the Gunners. And until today, Ozil continues to be an indispensable part of Wenger's plans.

#1 Fernando Torres (£50 million)

Torres averaged a goal every five and a half Premier League game for Chelsea

Well, we all know how this deal went for Chelsea now, don't we? This piece of transfer has been a major source of humour amongst their rival fans, including the Liverpool fans who were shattered to see Torres depart in 2011. Carlo Ancelotti had gambled by spending a club record fee of £50 million on the Spanish International who was already having his fair share of injury troubles after his brilliant debut campaign in England in the 2007-08 season.

Torres scored only one goal for Chelsea that season when he broke his worst goal drought. The Spaniard had played 903 minutes of football without scoring a single goal. And he did not trouble the opposition defences much in his Chelsea career which surprisingly lasted nearly four years!

Mocked, jeered and booed, Fernando Torres has an unfortunate record of 20 goals in 110 games in the Premier League for Chelsea. Thus, each of Torres's Premier League goal cost Chelsea £2.5 million!