Most expensive summer transfers XI for 2015

The 2015 summer transfer window is finally over. While the Premier League spent a record £897.9m in transfers, they weren’t the only league that was active. Several top European clubs made some stellar signings in a summer that saw cash being splashed around for fun. But who would make it into the most expensive transfers XI? How many players from the Premier League make it onto the team?To ensure clarity, the players were chosen based on who was the most expensive transfer in their respective position. As a result, the likes of Roberto Firmino and Julian Draxler, who were two of the 10 most expensive transfers in the summer, don’t make it into the side.Formation: 4-1-3-2

#1 Goalkeeper: Petr Cech

Petr Cech moved from cross-town rivals Chelsea to Arsenal

If there is one signing that Arsenal have been crying out for since the departure of Jens Lehmann, it was the signing of a world-class goalkeeper. With the signing of Petr Cech from Chelsea for £10m, the Gunners finally filled that void.

While the transfer fee, which is the sixth-biggest for any goalkeeper in history, seems like a lot for someone who just turned 33, the shelf life of a goalkeeper is longer than most outfield players. If Cech helps Arsene Wenger’s side win a few trophies, including the Premier League during his time with the club, then even at £10m it might yet turn out to be a steal.

Cech has already been instrumental in saving crucial points for the Gunners, as evident from his reflex saves against Liverpool at the Emirates.

#2 Right Back: Danilo

If there is one club that regularly pays vast sums of money for defenders, it is Real Madrid. From Sergio Ramos and Pepe to more recently the likes of Fabio Coentrao, Real have shown that they are not afraid to bring out the cheque book to fill the gaps in defence. So it should come as little surprise that the most expensive full-back of this transfer window was Danilo, who was signed from Porto for £22m.

The 24-year-old Brazilian, who has already won consecutive league titles with Porto and the Copa Libertadores with Santos, secured his move to the Bernabeu after four seasons in Portugal. While some might question the need for spending so much for a full-back, money is never a problem when Real are concerned.

#3 Centre Back: Nicolas Otamendi

For the second successive summer, Manchester City spent over £30m to secure the services of a central defender. Last year, it was Eliaquim Mangala from Porto, this summer, it was Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia for £32m.

Just a year after signing with Valencia from Porto, the 27-year-old Argentine international made the switch to Manchester following a stunning season with Los Che. Not only did he help the Spanish club qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in four years, he was also the only Valencia player to be named in the La Liga Team of the Year last season.

Given how shaky City’s defence was last season, there is little doubt that the signing of Otamendi was aimed at making that right.

#4 Centre Back: Stefan Savic

Stefan Savi has come a long way from the young defender that was signed by Manchester City in 2011. Although it never quite worked out for him in England, his move to Fiorentina a year later saw him return to being the player that made City buy him in the first place.

After three successful seasons with the Italian club, the central defender joined Atlético Madrid this summer for £17.5m. Last season, Savi was a major part of Fiorentina’s run to the semi-finals of the Europa League and will be hoping to enhance his growing reputation in Spain, at a club that is developing into a hub for world-class central defenders.

Still only 24, Savi still has a long and fruitful career ahead of him – for both club and country.

#5 Left Back: Alex Sandro

There are not many clubs in Europe that do a better job of developing young South American talent and then selling them for a large sum of money than Porto do. The latest success story in a long line of players is 24-year-old Alex Sandro, who made the move to Juventus for £18.2m this summer.

The left back position was arguably the one main weakness that the Italian side had last season when they went all the way to the final of the UEFA Champions League. The signing of Sandro fixes that problem as the Brazilian is essentially a younger version of Patrice Evra, renowned for his pace and his crossing.

#6 Central Midfield: Arturo Vidal

Edging out the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Morgan Schneiderlin for the only central midfielder slot is Bayern Munich’s Arturo Vidal. The central midfielder swapped Juventus for the German champions this summer for £28m (including add-ons). The Chilean international, who was the centre of many rumours in the past few seasons with several English clubs finally made the move to Germany after his most successful season with both club and country.

Not only did he win the league and make it to the final of the Champions League with Juventus, he was also part of the first Chile side to win any silverware as he helped them win the Copa America 2015.

The 28-year-old adds some much-needed bite into the Bayern midfield and is arguably the perfect replacement for Bastian Schweinsteiger who left the club for Manchester United.

#7 Attacking Midfield: Raheem Sterling

Manchester City flexed their financial muscle once again this summer as they ended the transfer window as the club who spent the most money. For any other club, signing someone for £49m would automatically mean that they are the club’s most expensive signing.

But in City’s case, Raheem Sterling’s transfer from Liverpool made him only the club’s second-most expensive signing of the summer. Although the 20-year-old’s acrimonious departure from Anfield turned him into a pantomime villain for many fans, he has quickly earned the adulation of the fans at the Etihad Stadium.

Sterling has had an impressive start to his career at City and will be hoping to kick on and repay the club for making him the most-expensive English player ever.

#8 Attacking Midfield: Angel Di Maria

Just 12 months ago, Di Maria was a British record transfer from Real Madrid to Manchester United. This summer, Angel Di Maria left Manchester United for Paris Saint-Germain for £44.1m as the Old Trafford club decided to cut their losses on a deal that seemed like a good deal for everyone involved.

The Argentine international was starting to become a fan favourite at the start of the season before injury ensured that he didn’t play a huge part until the end of the calendar year. But a combination of poor form on the pitch and problems off it, which included his house being broken into, meant that the 27-year-old struggled to make an impact after an impressive start.

Although United made large chunks of the money paid for him last summer, they still lost over £15m on a player who is still one of the best attacking midfielders in the world at the moment.

#9 Attacking Midfield: Kevin De Bruyne

Not every player can claim that their transfer fee was tripled on two successive occasions when they made the move away from a club. Aside from being the most expensive transfer of the summer and the second-biggest British transfer of all time, the Belgian international can also claim to be in possession of that record.

Kevin De Bruyne joined Chelsea in January 2012 for a fee believed to be around £6m from Genk. Two years later, he moved to Wolfsburg for £18m. And just 18 months after that move, his transfer to Manchester City for £55m comes on the back of a season where he was voted the Player of the Year in Germany.

#10 Striker: Anthony Martial

Despite playing only one full season, Manchester United’s deadline day move for Monaco striker Anthony Martial made him the world’s most expensive teenager. The 19-year-old, who came through Lyon’s youth academy, Martial eventually joined Manchester United for £36m.

A versatile attacker, who can operate anywhere in attack, Martial has already drawn comparisons with a young Thierry Henry. Regarded as one of Europe’s brightest young prospects, the striker will be hoping to make the most of his blistering pace and composed finishing.

While he is nowhere near the finished article yet, the Red Devils will be hoping that he can start fulfilling his potential sooner rather than later. However, Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Thierry Henry were both non-committal in giving their vote of confidence.

#11 Striker: Christian Benteke

Although Liverpool spent a lot of money last season trying to replace the departed Luis Suarez, they were ultimately unsuccessful as the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. The Reds have once again made wholesale changes with the departure of Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli and the arrival of Christian Benteke from Aston Villa for £32.5m as the leader of their attack.

The 24-year-old has been one of the league’s most prolific strikers in the past 18 months and adds another dimension to Liverpool’s attack. The Belgian, who scored 49 goals in three seasons for Villa, will be hoping to continue his goal scoring form with the Reds and fire them back into Europe’s elite club competition.