Ranking the 5 best transfer windows of all time: Manchester City

#2: Summer 2011

The signing of Sergio Aguero was key to City finally winning the Premier League

2011/12 was the season that saw Roberto Mancini take Manchester City to the promised land – winning the Premier League title for the first time, in the most dramatic ending to a season possible, too, as they captured the league on goal difference over rivals Manchester United, relying on an absolute last-gasp goal to win the key three points rather than one in the last game of the season against Queens Park Rangers. The scorer of said goal? Argentine striker Sergio Aguero, captured for £40m from Atletico Madrid that summer.

The goal was just one of 30 that season for Aguero, and since then he’s gone on to average an incredible 28 goals per season, making him one of the most prolific hitmen in Premier League history.

It’s the signing of Aguero that makes me rank this transfer window so highly, although to be fair, before tailing off at the end of their City careers, Arsenal imports Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy were also great performers in the sky blue shirt, Clichy in particular playing the majority of the games in that first title winning season.

Spare a thought for poor Owen Hargreaves, though – the England midfielder was signed on a free transfer by City in an attempt to resurrect his injury-ravaged career, but he only made one league appearance all season and ended up being released as 2011/12 came to an end. Still, the Aguero signing was so important that the summer of 2011 remains one of City’s greatest ever transfer windows.