Tevez, Vermaelen among the season's best transfer purchases

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Thomas Vermaelen is the most expensive defender ever signed by Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, but he's been worth every penny. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

With a week left on the Premier League clock, thoughts are starting to turn to the wheeling and dealing that the coming months will bring. Fernando Torres' scowl from the stands at Anfield on Sunday, as he watched his teammates surrender to Chelsea's endeavor, suggested his agent's phone would be buzzing before the weekend was up. The order in which the top six or seven teams finish -- not to mention the World Cup -- will help shape this summer's wish lists, so for now let's consider how the last year's signings have made an impact -- or not.

Best transfers

From big-money commitments to canny loan deals, here's the pick of the most influential moves since last summer's transfer window opened (in order of expenditure):

Carlos Tevez ($38.5 million) and Adam Johnson ($10.6 million), both Manchester City

By almost every measure you can come up with, Tevez has been the season's star buy, adding 29 goals and a scampering urgency to City's frontline. The only thing spoiling the love-in is his insistence on criticizing Roberto Mancini's training methods. No such complaint from Johnson, whose arrival from the Championship-side Middlesbrough has helped to make a potentially threatening attacking lineup damn near dangerous.

Darren Bent, Sunderland ($15.3 million)

It's no secret that I've been impressed with Bent this season. The former Tottenham striker must have been down to his last few bags of self-confidence by the time Steve Bruce showed an interest last summer, but it took him just five minutes to open his Sunderland account with a winner against Bolton. Without his goals, Sunderland would be a massive 19 points worse off this season. Injury might have mitigated their impact as a duo this season, but Bruce also gets a nod for the signings of midfielders Lee Cattermole and Lorik Cana.

Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal ($15.3 million)

Vermaelen is the most expensive defender Arsene Wenger has ever signed for Arsenal, but this wasn't a rush of blood to the head after cashing the check from Manchester City for Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure. At a club where potential is given time and space, the Belgian's instant success in the centre of defense (from where he's also scored eight goals) has been a tonic. Wenger also broke with habit by re-signing Arsenal old boy Sol Campbell this year. He's been necessary cover, as it turns out, and adequate enough to have convinced Wenger to buy a couple more experienced players this summer.

Richard Dunne, Aston Villa ($7.6 million)

Martin O'Neill spent around $60 million last summer, if the newspapers are to be believed, but he's proved himself a discerning shopper: Stephen Warnock, James Collins and Stewart Downing (who unleashed a scorching right-foot shot that skimmed the outside of the post in the defeat to Manchester City on Saturday) have all established themselves in Villa's first XI with accomplished seasons. Dunne tops the list of new arrivals with a rock-solid campaign -- and he's contributed the odd goal to boot.

Chung-Yong Lee, Bolton ($3.4 million)

It's not often Koreans pitch up in the Premiership, let alone make a good impression, but Lee has been one of the most exciting new players this season. Despite falling asleep on the bench during his first match, Lee's nimble feet and agile mind have been such a hit on the Bolton wing that Liverpool is reported to be offering a quick $9 million profit this summer.

Jamie O'Hara, Portsmouth (loan)

Despite being on loan, O'Hara has played like a Pompey fan born and bred, charging around the midfield with scant regard for his blood pressure. No other Portsmouth player has provided more assists, or a lovelier goal than that he curled in against Hull back in March. Harry Redknapp could have done with him back when injury hit Spurs, but Niko Kranjcar wasn't a bad January signing either.

Landon Donovan, Everton (loan)

Rarely can anyone have adjusted to the Premier League in so brief a time and with such composure -- Everton manager David Moyes was desperate to extend Donovan's stay at Goodison Park after just 13 appearances. Los Angeles was having none of it, and who can blame Galaxy coach Bruce Arena? Donovan might shirk the odd challenge but always puts in a shift and has pace to burn. He was a natural fit for Everton, who should beat others to his signature in the summer.