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standouts

Ranking the 14 best signings of the Premier League season

N’Golo Kante and other players who made an instant impact at their respective clubs.

Updated at 09.45

14. Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton to Liverpool, £12.5 million)

Liverpool v Villarreal - UEFA Europa League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Anfield EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

CLYNE HAS BEEN one of the standout full-backs in the Premier League this season, taking little time to adapt to life at Anfield, and making 57 appearances in all competitions.

13. Petr Cech (Chelsea to Arsenal, £10 million)

Arsenal v Southampton - Barclays Premier League - Emirates Stadium Steve Paston Steve Paston

‘Solid’ and ‘dependable’ are not words you would always associate with Arsenal, but Petr Cech has been one of the most consistent performers for the Gunners since joining in the summer from Chelsea.

12. Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim to Liverpool, £29 million)

Britain Soccer Europa League Jon Super Jon Super

Roberto Firmino took a while to adapt to the Premier League, but the 24-year-old Brazilian has flourished under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp, scoring 11 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions this season.

11. Shinji Okazaki (Mainz to Leicester, £7 million)

Leicester City v West Ham United - Barclays Premier League - King Power Stadium PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

One of the more underrated players in Leicester’s title success, the 30-year-old has featured in 35 of the Foxes’ 37 league games, scoring five goals in the process.

10. Angelo Ogbonna (Juventus to West Ham, £10 million)

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The 27-year-old Italian international centre-back has played an important role in what has been a superb season for West Ham, helping them rise to improbable heights while falling just short in their bid to qualify for the Champions League.

9. Anthony Martial (Monaco to Man United, £36 million, potentially rising to £58 million)

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Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Man United paid an exorbitant fee for a largely unknown teenager, and the wisdom of that purchase will ultimately be judged over a number of seasons rather than just one. However, Martial has shown promising early signs — his pace and trickery have breathed some much-needed life into an often uninspired United attack.

8. Jan Kirchhoff (Bayern Munich to Sunderland, £750,000)

Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion - Barclays Premier League - Stadium of Light Richard Sellers Richard Sellers

Along with the purchases of Lamine Kone and Wahbi Khazri, the signing of Kirchhoff has ultimately been key to Sunderland securing their Premier League safety for another season. Despite a disastrous debut against Tottenham, Kirchhoff has thrived ever since, making more tackles and having more touches per game than any other Black Cats player.

7. James Milner (Man City to Liverpool, Free)

Britain Soccer Europa League Jon Super Jon Super

Like the rest of the Liverpool team, Milner struggled initially under Brendan Rodgers, but the England international has been hugely impressive in the second half of the season, topping the 2016 Premier League assists table and helping Liverpool reach the Europa League final with a series of dynamic displays.

6. Christian Fuchs (Schalke to Leicester, Free)

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Another of the more unheralded Leicester players, it now seems remarkable that the Foxes bought the influential full-back on a free transfer. Fuchs has subsequently been part of the third-best defence in the Premier League, featuring 37 times in all competitions this season.

5. Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg to Man City, £55 million)

Manchester City v Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League - Semi-Final - First Leg - Etihad Stadium EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

The 24-year-old has taken little time to establish himself as one of Man City’s most important players. The Belgium international has scored 18 goals in all competitions since joining City, and it seems hard to imagine that they’d still be in contention for a Champions League spot without his vital contribution.

4. Robert Huth (Stoke to Leicester, £3 million)

Britain Soccer Premier League Rui Vieira Rui Vieira

Harshly overlooked for the PFA Premier League team of the year, alongside captain Wes Morgan, Huth has been a key component of a Leicester backline that has conceded just 35 goals in 37 games.

3. Dimitri Payet (Marseille to West Ham, Undisclosed)

West Ham United v Swansea City - Barclays Premier League - Upton Park PA Archive / Press Association Images PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The 29-year-old has been a revelation for the overachieving Hammers since signing in the summer, and he has even just made France’s Euro 2016 squad, after scoring 12 goals in 38 appearances this season.

2. Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid to Tottenham, £11.5 million)

Toby Alderweireld File Photo Adam Davy Adam Davy

Alderweireld has been magnificent for a Tottenham side that has the best defensive record in the Premier League, putting in a series of influential performances as their improbable title bid fell just short at the final hurdle.

1. N’Golo Kante (Caen to Leicester, £5.6 million)

Manchester United v Leicester City - Barclays Premier League - Old Trafford EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Described by Man United legend Alex Ferguson as the player of the season, with his courage, commitment and tireless work ethic, Kante has epitomised all that’s been good about new Premier League champions Leicester.

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