Is Serie A's €1.4bn transfer shortfall worth celebrating?

September 12 - Italy's Serie A have run up a €1.4 billion transfer deficit. It was the second biggest spender behind the Premier League last window.

While the Premier League spends as much as the other Big 5 leagues combined, this year Italy's top clubs have adopted a different strategy.

Italy's most expensive signing this year, Bremer, cost Juventus £36.9million. In contrast, the Premier League's best signing was Antony with £85.5m, La Liga saw £72m spent on Aurelien Tchouameni, Bundesliga witnessed the £60.3m signing Dutchman Matthijs De Ligt and Ligue 1 welcomed Vitinha for £37.35million in a quiet window for serial big spenders from PSG.

The majority of notable signings in Serie A have come in the form of free transfers or loans in what has been one of the lowest-cost windows in the Italian game's recent history.

Without the same punching power as the Premier League, Juventus, Inter, Milan, Roma and co had to play smart. We've compiled the best signings from each of Italy's top clubs this window - both from a financial and playing perspective;

Romelu Lukaku (INTER)

It was around this time last year that Lukaku left the Nerazurri for the financial rewards of the Premier League, returning to Chelsea in a record move for the Belgian striker. Lukaku failed to thrive at Stamford Bridge, certainly falling short of his £100m expectations, scoring 15 goals in 44 games for the Blues last season.

He leaves west London for the familiar blue half of Milan, where he proved his quality, scoring the most goals in a single season for Inter since Ronaldo Nazario over 20 years ago.< /p>

Inter Milan have enjoyed real quality in front of goal since the turn of the century, harboring Adriano, Milito, Ibrahimovic, Eto'o to name but a few, but Lukaku's lethality eclipses them all. Since signing with the Nerazurri in 2019, he has contributed to 82 goals in 98 games. If the Belgian leader can rediscover his scintillating form in Serie-A and revive his bountiful partnership with Argentine Lautaro Martinez, he could be a deciding factor in Inter's title charge.

From a commercial point of view, this is an exceptional decision by the Inter board of directors. Selling their best asset for a 9-figure fee only to have him return twelve months later on a £7.2million loan is remarkable.

His current market value is £63 million.

Charles De Ketelaere (AC MILAN)

Now crowned with the Milan red, the 21-year-old has just completed a stellar season in the Belgian Pro League for Club Brugge, scoring 14 league goals last term from midfield. At a price of £28.8m, he is Italy's second most expensive signing this year, just short of Bremer's £36.9m move to Juventus.

In the first five games of the season, the Belgian has already been compared to Rossoneri icon Kaka, with his dynamic midfield progression and intelligence. He also has a physical presence, standing 1.92m, which combined with his technical ability makes him difficult to defend.

Currently a central attacking midfielder, he is equally at home as a second striker or as a lone centre-forward. He immediately struck a partnership with Milan starlet and Serie A MVP Raphael Leao, as the duo look to replicate the Rossoneri's heroic 21/22 Championship win.

At just 21, CDK still has plenty of time to improve and is joined by some of Europe's elite finishers in Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from whom he will surely learn. The future is exciting for fans in red and black as the team finally looks to replace aging players with future stars. Over the past few years, Leao, Tonali, Tomori and Maignan have all arrived and made an immediate and exceptional impact, and De Ketelaere seems to be Pioli's last bet to pay off.

His current market value is £27 million.

Paulo Dybala (ROMA)

This summer, Juventus star Paulo Dybala swapped Turin's black and white strip for the Roman sun as he joined José Mourinho's ongoing project in the Italian capital.

The Argentina international's time in Turin has been a mixture of drama and frustration. The epitome of natural talent and flair, Dybala quickly became a key player for Juve. He enjoyed a number of wi...