Europe's Best Ever Transfer Deadline Day Deals - Ranked

We all love a bit of late drama transfer window drama. Some clubs manage to pull off spectacular coups in the final hours of deadline day, while others see months of work undone by a dodgy fax machine.

Some iconic players have even made a decisive move on the final day.

Here's a look at the very best transfer deadline day signings from previous seasons - ranked.

15. Mauro Icardi - Inter to PSG (2019)

Last summer's transfer D-Day came to a dramatic end with Inter striker Mauro Icardi joining PSG on a season-long loan deal.

Icardi scored 20 goals in 34 appearances in 2019/20, with the French side since making his loan move permanent this summer for an initial €50m.

14. Keylor Navas - Real Madrid to PSG (2019)

In what was quite a spectacular deadline day for PSG last summer, Keylor Navas joined Icardi in the French capital, making a permanent move from Real Madrid.

The Costa Rican goalkeeper had been at the heart of the club's recent success in Europe, but became a marginal figure following the arrival of Thibaut Courtois.

13. Sadio Mane - RB Salzburg to Southampton (2014)

Now a fully bonafide superstar at Liverpool, Mane first came to England in an £12m deadline day move to Southampton back in 2014.

The Senegalese winger spent two seasons with the Saints, scoring 25 times, before being snapped up by Liverpool in 2016 for close to three times what Southampton paid for him.

12. Marouane Fellaini - Standard Liege to Everton (2008)

This £15m move perhaps went under the radar in 2008 when Fellaini joined Everton.

However, the physically dominant midfielder went on to make 177 appearances for the Toffees before David Moyes took him to Manchester United in 2013.

11. Rafael Van der Vaart - Real Madrid to Tottenham (2010)

Tottenham fans were left excited when Daniel Levy pulled off a masterstroke on deadline day in 2010.

With Harry Redknapp's men set to embark on a debut Champions League campaign, signing a player from Real Madrid took the club to another level.

Van der Vaart quickly became a fan favourite and scored 28 goals during his two seasons at Spurs.

10. Carlos Tevez/Javier Mascherano - Corinthians to West Ham (2006)

Argentina international duo Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez's arrival at relegation-threatened West Ham in 2006 sent shockwaves through English football, while raising questions about agents and third-party ownership.

While Mascherano failed to settle under Alan Pardew and soon left for Liverpool, seven goals in the final 10 games of the 2005/06 season kept the Hammers in the Premier League - much to the anger of Neil Warnock and Sheffield United.

9. Hugo Lloris - Lyon to Tottenham (2012)

Hugo Lloris has seen a lot during his time at Spurs. Gareth Bale's heroics, the Tim Sherwood season, Harry Kane's emergence, a Champions League final, Jose Mourinho... and now the return of Bale.

Signed for a bargain £11m on in 2012, the World Cup winner eventually became Tottenham's number one goalkeeper and club captain and hasn't looked back since.

8. Luis Suarez - Ajax to Liverpool (2011)

Liverpool paid in the region of £23m to sign Luis Suarez from Ajax in 2011, in what was a dramatic deadline day for the Reds... that also included a certain ponytailed Geordie striker.

While Andy Carroll proved a spectacular flop, Suarez (controversies aside) netted 82 times for Liverpool in 133 appearances, winning the Player of the Year award in 2014 before signing for Barcelona.

7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal (2018)

Arsenal splashed a club-record £56m on securing the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January 2018.

The forward has proved just how vital he is to Arsenal in recent years, netting 72 goals for the club as well as securing the captain's armband.

Aubameyang penned a new three-year deal this summer, with Mikel Arteta desperate to keep hold of the Gunners goalscoring machine.

6. Ronaldo Nazario - Inter to Real Madrid (2002)

In one of the most spectacular deadline day transfers of all time, Real Madrid stumped up £40m to sign Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo Nazario from Inter way back in 2002.

The former Barcelona star went on to spend four-and-a-half years at the Santiago Bernabeu, and was a key member of the Galacticos era.

For all his talent, however, the two time La Liga top scorer won just one league title, a Supercopa and the Intercontinental Cup for Madrid.

5. Claude Makelele - Real Madrid to Chelsea (2003)

You have to be a good player to get a whole position named after you.

Many managers refer to the need for a 'Makelele role' in their midfield, something which Jose Mourinho fully utilised during his time at Chelsea.

Remarkably, Makelele was reportedly told he wasn't essential for the attack-minded Galacticos, with Chelsea securing a deadline day deal in 2003 for £16m.

He won two Premier League titles and an FA Cup at Stamford Bridge.

4. Ashley Cole - Arsenal to Chelsea (2006)

It was a controversial one, that's for sure.

Former Arsenal left-back Ashley Cole, who had made over 200 appearances for the club, made the decision to move across London and join rivals Chelsea on deadline day in 2006.

For a fee of £5m, with William Gallas going the other way, Cole went on to stay with Chelsea for eight years before leaving on a free transfer to AS Roma in 2014.

During his time with the Blues, Cole won the Premier League, Champions League, four FA Cups, a Europa League and a League Cup.

3. Gareth Bale - Tottenham to Real Madrid (2013)

Although it all ended rather sour between Gareth Bale and Real Madrid, let's not forget what the Welshman actually achieved with Los Blancos.

After signing on deadline day 2013 for a world-record fee, Bale went on to win 15 trophies including four Champions League titles during his seven years in Madrid.

The Welshman scored more than Ronaldo Nazario, assisted more than David Beckham and won more silverware than Zinedine Zidane. He also scored probably the best ever Champions League and Copa Del Rey final goals.

2. Wayne Rooney - Everton to Manchester United (2004)

Manchester United moved rather quickly to snap up Everton prodigy Wayne Rooney for £33m on deadline day in 2004 - at the time, the most ever paid for a player under 20.

While something of a gamble at the time, Rooney spent 13 years at United and went on to become the club's all-time top goalscorer with 253 goals in all competitions. He also lifted five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

The Englishman left Manchester United for a return to Everton in 2017, before moving to D.C. United in the MLS.

1. Sergio Ramos - Sevilla to Real Madrid (2005)

It doesn't get any better than this. Signed for £24m on deadline day in 2005, Sergio Ramos has enjoyed a trophy-laiden career in the Spanish capital.

Now also captain of his club and country, Ramos has been a part of Madrid's backline for over a decade now, and will go down as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Real Madrid shirt.

The imperious centre back has won five La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, scoring a ridiculous 98 times from the back.