Top 10 most expensive Premier League transfers

Angel Di Maria–£59.7m:Manchester United looked to have pulled off a stunning signing when they broke the British transfer record to bring Real Madrid's Di Maria to Old Trafford. However, despite the 2014 Champions League final man of the match shining in his early games for United – scoring three times in a four-game spell at the start of the 2014/15 season – Di Maria's form quickly deserted him and, unsettled in Manchester, he was sold to PSG for £44.3m this summer.

Kevin De Bruyne–£58m:Few would have predicted De Bruyne would return to the Premier League as the second-most expensive transfer in British history when he left Chelsea for Wolfsburg in January 2014. However, a stellar 2014/15 campaign, which saw the Belgium international register more assists than any other player in the top five leagues in Europe sparked interest from Man City.

Fernando Torres–£50m:Chelsea's capture of Liverpool's star striker in January 2011 looked like a guaranteed success but Fernando Torres' drop-off in performance following his move to Stamford Bridge was remarkable.

Raheem Sterling–£49m:Sterling was rarely out of the headlines this summer as his move to Manchester City from Liverpool eventually materialised. While the England international's drawn-out departure from Anfield sparked criticism, Sterling has hit the ground running with City, with a goal and an assist in his first four appearances to help his new club to the top of the Premier League.

Mesut Ozil–£42.5m:Arsene splashed the cash to bring Ozil to Arsenal in September 2013, making the former Real Madrid playmaker the most expensive German footballer of all time. Two seasons and two FA Cup wins later, Ozil is established as a key player for the Gunners – but is often criticised for failing to consistently hit the top levels in big games.

Sergio Aguero – £38m:Manchester City signed Aguero from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011 and ever since the Argentina striker has been a hit in the Premier League. Despite numerous injury problems, Aguero has racked up 79 goals in 124 Premier League games and helped the club to two league titles.
Juan Mata – £37.1m:Chelsea's two-time player of the year was sold to Manchester United in January 2013, when the Spain international appeared to be surplus to Jose Mourinho's plans.
Andy Carroll – £35m:One of the most remarkable deadline day signings was Carroll's switch to Liverpool in January 2011. After firing boyhood club Newcastle back into the Premier League and netting 11 goals in the first half of the following Premier League season, Carroll was signed by Kenny Dalglish. However, a mixture of injuries and style brought Carroll's Liverpool career to a close in May 2013, when he joined West Ham, where he'd spent the previous season on loan.
Alexis Sanchez – £35m:Twelve months after buying Ozil, Arsene got the cheque book out again to bring Barcelona's Sanchez to the Emirates in July 2014. The Chile international was an immediate hit with the Arsenal fans, scoring 25 goals in all competitions in his first season in north London.
Fernandinho – £34m:Manchester City paid Shakhtar Donetsk £34m for his services in 2013 and the 30-year-old has since been an integral part of Manuel Pellegrini's team, registering 66 league appearances in his first two seasons with the club, including the 2013/14 title-winning campaign.