Premier League 2017/18: Best summer signings XI

English top-tier clubs spent a total of £1.4 billion on footballers during the summer transfer window of 2017/18, including an unparalleled £210 million expenditure on the deadline day itself, to demolish the summer spending record for the sixth year consecutively

Figures from Deloitte showcased a total spending of £1.4 billion by the 20 Premier League clubs which is a 23% rise on the preceding year.

Four individual records have been set by player incomings this year. Ederson Moraes became the most expensive goalkeeper ever. Benjamin Mendy from Monaco is the world's most expensive defender, and Kyle Walker bought from Spurs is the most expensive right back in history.

While the fees paid for Romelu Lukaku's might not rival the fees paid for other forwards in Europe, he became the most expensive transfer between two English clubs.

We look at an XI made from these superstar signings of the 17/18 summer transfer window. We'll use the 4-3-3 formation taking the best player in each position.

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Ederson Moraes - Manchester City (Goalkeeper)

The Manchester City No. 1 has turned up with many good performances

Signed from: Benfica

Price Paid: £36 million

The rise of Manchester City’s goalkeeper from Portuguese side Benfica has been remarkable. Ederson Moraes broke into Benfica's first team only in March 2016 but has already become one of the best goalkeepers in all of Europe. He has earned acclamation from all the critics for his unbelievable distribution and his incomparable reflexes.

On a number of occasions this season, the 24-year-old from Brazil has received a pass from his teammates while under pressure from the opposition forwards, only for him to pass the ball through the opposition and calmly keeping possession intact.

He became the focal point of City’s possession-based tactics where he regularly prevented the aggressive opponents from distorting the rhythm of Guardiola’s title-winning team.

City’s high line approach results in Ederson’s traditional goalkeeping skills being tested very rarely (he has made just 53 saves all season) while making 28 clearances this term.

He's definitely an upgrade from Claudio Bravo last season.

Kyle Walker - Manchester City (Right-back)

Walker has executed Pep's plans ideally on the right

Signed from: Tottenham Hotspur

Price Paid: £47.43 million

It certainly raised a lot of eyebrows when Qatar backed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spent a world record transfer fee to sign a right back from direct rivals Tottenham Hotspur. However, Walker has proved his critics wrong and is the fulcrum for the title-winning Manchester City side this campaign. He has contributed 6 assists for his teammates

Kyle Walker is one of the fastest right-backs in the world according to the Premier League tracking data. He is physically adept and his work rate is exceptional. Walker is brilliant in defence and looks to bombard forward at every possible instance.

The 27-year-old has made 26 assists so far in 260 appearances in all competitions in his career and was also named in PFA Team of the Year during the 2016/17 season.

Harry Maguire - Leicester City (Centre-back)

Harry has been a rock at the back for Leicester

Signed from: Hull City

Price Paid: £12.33 million

Not everything has gone right this season for former Premier League winners Leicester City. Things could have been a lot worse if it were not for the calming presence of Maguire in the backline.

He marked his arrival to the top tier with a goal and an assist for Shinji Okazaki in his first two league games. Maguire’s performances were still standing out even when Leicester were engaged in a relegation battle, and the 26-year-old has continued to perform at a high level.

The lack of speed at the back was one of the main reasons why Leicester City struggled to make an impact last season. The arrival of Maguire has certainly benefited Wes Morgan who now has a younger partner in defence. With Maguire taking most of the initiative at the back, Morgan can play in a more free-sweeping role.

Maguire has already scored 2 goals and provided 4 assists which is unreal for a centre back. He has also made 51 tackles and 38 interceptions this season in the Premier League.

Davinson Sanchez - Tottenham Hotspur (Centre-back)

Tottenham's defence has been massively bolstered by the Colombian defender

Signed from: AFC Ajax

Price Paid: £36 million

Adapting to the physicality and the speed of English football after starting your career in the Netherlands is not at all easy. You just have to ask Vincent Janssen currently at Fenerbache on loan from Spurs.

Given the fact that Sanchez is just 21 years old who arrived for a huge fee and didn’t get to participate in the pre-season with Mauricio Pochettino and the rest of the team, it’s quite extraordinary how comfortably he has joined the Spurs' back three.

Sanchez is both strong and agile, adding a certain degree of mobility to central defence that Englishman, Eric Dier wasn’t able to provide last season.

The former AFC Ajax defender hasn’t made the headlines during his time in England, but if anything, that's evidence to the astonishing ease of his transition to life in the capital and Sanchez does look like he has been part of the Spurs defence for many years.

Sanchez makes approximately 5.1 clearances per game along with 1.3 tackles and crucial interceptions.

Andrew Robertson - Liverpool (Left-back)

Liverpool might have found a diamond amidst all the stones

Signed from: Hull City

Price Paid: £8.10 million

Robertson is a Scotsman who plays primarily as a left back for Anfield outfit Liverpool.

Robertson began his footballing career with QPR in the year 2012 before he joined Dundee United a year later. He joined Championship side Hull City in July of 2014 for a fee of €3.6 million, before joining The Reds in July 2017.

Robertson has quickly become a fan favourite effectively ending Alberto Moreno's Liverpool days for good. His ultra press against opposition players has become very important for Jurgen Klopp's gegenpressing style.

His pinpoint accuracy in terms of whipping the ball into the box has effectively served his teammates with goalscoring opportunities on a plate assisting 4 goals for his teammates.

Nemanja Matic - Manchester United (Defensive Midfield)

How did Chelsea let him go?

Signed from: Chelsea

Price Paid: £40.23 million

The Serbian midfielder goes about with his business smartly and effectively, though he does have a tendency to start seasons well and fade off, as it is looking like he might be doing it this term like he did at Chelsea last season.

How Chelsea sold this man to a direct rival is beyond comprehension. Matic has been the pivot around which this United side is functioning. He stays back screening his defence allowing Pogba to run free and create damage how he best can.

He has scored one screamer against Crystal Palace while also providing an assist for his teammate.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Liverpool (Central Midfield)

He has far exceeded any expectations that Liverpool had

Signed from: Arsenal

Price Paid: £34.20 million

When the Ox scored that beautiful stunner from outside the box during the first leg of the Champions League tie, he embodied a former Liverpool great Steven Gerrard.

Klopp is using him in the role that Oxlade-Chamberlain has always wanted to play in, bringing out the best in him. As a midfielder, he wanted to see more of the ball during a game and the former Arsenal player has been sensational this season doing the same.

He is making excellent use of his ability under Klopp. His first touch, his quickness and his agility to dodge defenders helps him attack as well as defend during a game and based on his performances in the second half of the season. He also has the penchant to score an occasional screamer.

I personally think that he is now living up to the potential that a certain Arsene Wenger saw in him. He would've surely been in Gareth Southgate's plans for England's squad to fly to Russia but after being stretchered off in the clash against Roma yesterday, he might as well miss the World Cup due to injury troubles.

With 3 goals and 7 assists in his name, he is just getting started.

Pascal Gross - Brighton & Hove Albion (Central Midfield)

A must-have in your FPL team

Signed from: FC Ingolstadt

Price Paid: £2.70 million

The 26-year-old German midfielder was signed from Ingolstadt by newly promoted Brighton & Hove Albion. He has been a revelation and no less for Chris Hughton’s side this season. Gross is generally deployed as a No. 10 for Brighton but is a midfielder by ability, although he usually drifts alongside his striker teammate Glenn Murray just like Dele Alli does for Spurs

Gross has already bagged 8 assists and 6 goals this season, making him statistically a most prolific midfielder. His assists have been magnificent leading to headed goals which also underlines how his importance will continue to grow for his side.

Mohamed Salah - Liverpool (Right Winger)

Mo Salah has been breaking records left and right this season

Signed from: AS Roma

Price Paid: £37.80 million

It does not surprise anyone that Salah, who has scored 31 goals and has provided 9 assists this season in the Premier League has surely hit the ground running at Liverpool since his move from Roma.

His ability in possession to be direct and his unbelievable speed on the flanks makes him the perfect player for Jurgen Klopp's heavy metal football.

Having spent some days at Chelsea, Salah didn’t need any adaptation time for the Premier League.

The winger has proved himself to be a smart, agile, diligent and a tactically astute player, with great skill on the ball and an eye for the impressive goal.

Salah this season has often used his speed off the ball, dribbling skills, first touch to take out defenders, and otherworldly ball control to beat opponents and create many chances for himself and for his teammates at the Merseyside club.

Richarlison - Watford (Left Winger)

Richarlison has hit the ground running at Watford

Signed from: Fluminense

Price Paid: €12.4 million

When Watford signed Richarlison from Brazil in the summer of 17/18, they wouldn't have known how important the player would go on to become. His signing has so far proved to be a bargain for Watford.

5 goals and 5 assists is a pretty good output for a new recruit in an unfamiliar league, even more so considering that the player is still only 20 years of age. The Hornets have found a skilful player who tackles brilliantly and is a goalscoring winger.

Only a few players in the Premier League have had more shots from outside the top 6 than one of the most fouled players in the top flight of English football. And while England are handing out caps to every other player, Richarlison is yet to receive a call-up for the Brazil national team.

Besides, the way he attacks from the left flank, cutting inside and dribbling to create chances and score goals, is highly effective.

Romelu Lukaku - Manchester United (Striker)

His goalscoring covers up his first touch problems

Signed from: Everton

Price Paid: £76.23 million

When Jose Mourinho said in a pre-game interview that “Romelu is one of the players that should be untouchable in terms of the respect of everyone,” he had made a point.

He has won more aerial duels (3.3 per game) than in any of his previous five Premier League seasons. He has also scored 16 goals while providing 7 assists in the Premier League itself.

Statistics don’t always reflect what happens on the field. It’s very important to highlight that when someone is discussing Lukaku's performance, so much of his work goes unnoticed. Sometimes it is deliberate, as the striker is asked to hold up the ball upfield while his teammates come into better positions.

The Belgian is currently struggling for confidence and recently went on a goalless streak for a number of matches, but it won’t last for a long time.

Lukaku was signed to score more than 20 goals in a season. He is currently doing this job superbly for Mourinho's functional Manchester United side.