The 5 biggest free transfers of the summer window

‘The best things in life are free’, sang Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, so famously. It is an adage which holds true even in today’s world of football where mega-rich clubs and their lavish signings hog most of the headlines.

But there is, after all, more to football than just money. So for reasons which cannot always be explained, there are players who part ways with clubs for free, and here are five of the biggest who did so this summer:

5. Diego Lugano - Paris Saint-Germain to West Bromwich Albion

Diego Lugano

The long-serving captain of the Uruguayan national team, with 9 international goals to his name and the official title of best captain of the 2010 World Cup, Diego Lugano is one helluva central defender.

Having established himself at Sao Paolo and Fenerbahce, Lugano’s move to PSG never really took off due to injury. A loan to Malaga over the second half of last season saw him steady the ship at the back for what was then Manuel Pellegrini’s side, helping them finish 6th in the league after a mid-season collapse.

Now at West Brom, who have undergone a minor upheaval of sorts, Lugano will be hoping to help the Baggies finish a couple of places higher than 8th last season.

Overall, a solid presence at the back, a galvanising threat up front, and worth much more than the zero transfer fee PSG let go of him for.