Before we turn our attention towards the World Cup and the new season to follow, it's time for one final look back at the 2009-10 campaign and it's ten best transfers.
We reflect on who the best buys were over the course of the campaign. Which players had the biggest impact upon arriving at their new clubs in either the summer or winter?
The names of these players, who have roots that range across the globe, have been selected with careful consideration by an editorial team from Goal.com International and Goal.com UK.
As always, you can offer your thoughts on our choices via the comments system below...
We reflect on who the best buys were over the course of the campaign. Which players had the biggest impact upon arriving at their new clubs in either the summer or winter?
The names of these players, who have roots that range across the globe, have been selected with careful consideration by an editorial team from Goal.com International and Goal.com UK.
As always, you can offer your thoughts on our choices via the comments system below...
| 1 | Diego Milito Inter | Signed from Genoa, the Argentina international scored 22 goals in Serie A and was on target twice against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. He was a key player in Inter's treble conquest. |
| 2 | Arjen Robben Bayern Munich | The Dutch international scored against Fiorentina, Manchester United and Olympique Lyon in the knockout stages of the Champions League. He was the Bavarians' best player in Europe and also made indispensable contributions in their Bundesliga triumph. |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid | Twenty-six goals and seven assists in just 29 appearances in his first season in the Spanish Primera Liga certainly make the Portuguese superstar a stand-out performer in 2009-10. At times Ronaldo single-handedly carried the team and justified the money Madrid gave to Manchester United for him. |
| 4 | Wesley Sneijder Inter | The Real Madrid reject turned out to be the final piece of the Inter puzzle in order for the club to compete in Europe. The Dutchman linked the midfield with the attack both in Serie A and in the Champions League and deservedly won the treble with the Nerazzurri. |
| 5 | Keisuke Honda CSKA Moscow | The Japan international arrived in Moscow from VVV-Venlo in the middle of the 2009-10 season and he was an instant success. The 23-year-old won the last 16 tie against Sevilla with a brilliant performance in Spain as he set up the first goal and scored the second. |
| 6 | Lisandro Lopez Lyon | The Argentine striker was signed from Porto and ended up with 15 goals and five assists in Ligue 1. Moreover, Lopez scored against Liverpool in the Champions League group stage and twice against Bordeaux in the quarter-finals. |
| 7 | Samuel Eto'o Inter | The Cameroon international didn't have the most prolific of seasons as he often had to play further away from goal, but the former Barcelona striker became the first player in history to win back-to-back trebles with two different teams. His work ethic and team spirit were encouraging to watch. |
| 8 | Carlos Tevez Manchester City | The Argentina international crossed the great Manchester divide in the summer but settled with ease in the blue half of the city. Tevez scored 23 goals and provided seven assists in 35 Premier League appearances and showed his world class abilities. |
| 9 | Bryan Ruiz Twente | The Costa Rica international scored 24 goals for eventual Dutch champions FC Twente. Signed from Gent in the summer for €5.5 million, the versatile player who can feature both as a striker and as a winger could move to a bigger club this summer. |
| 10 | Adam Johnson Manchester City | Signed from Championship also-ran Middlesbrough in the winter, Adam Johnson had no problem in stepping up to the Premier League standards. His tricky moves and wing-plays entertained everyone at Man City; he also scored a brilliant goal against Sunderland. |
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