Diaz storms Bundesliga and Malen’s Roma surge: The top signings in Europe’s big five leagues this season | OneFootball

The 2025/26 season is almost over in Europe and its time to look back at the success stories. Transfers can make or break a club's ambitions and we've ranked the best signing made in each of Europe's top-five leagues.

Our top transfers have been picked based on expectation, value, and impact.

Bundesliga - Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich)

Listen, we knewLuis Diaz was good. Part of Liverpool's title success last season, the Reds regrettably decided they could do without the Colombian this time around.

While Arne Slot's side have endured a miserable campaign, Diaz has been dynamite for aBayern Munich team ripping up all kinds of records. His mix of tenacious work and technique has terrorised full-backs, as part of a formidable frontline alongside Harry Kane and Bayern Munich.

Diaz's debut season at the German giants ended 29 goals and 16 assists on route to a domestic double. What an impact.

Premier League - Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United)

Rayan Cherki and Granit Xhaka each have arguments in thePremier League, but it's hard to look past Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The 29-year-old joined on a free transfer with question marks over his fitness and goal record, having netted 12 league goals over the previous three campaigns at Everton.

Instead, he led Leeds toPremier League survival, with a 14-goal return in the Premier League earning Calvert-Lewin an England recall in March.

La Liga - Joan Garcia (Barcelona)

A great goalkeeper can make all the difference and Joan Garcia has proven to be just that. Signed for just €25m from rivals Espanyol, he's shown he belongs in the top tier.

A series of remarkable saves have seen the Spanish shot-stopper shine under the Camp Nou spotlight, with elastic reflexes and the maturity to handle the demands at Barca. ALa Liga champion and Zamora Trophy award conclude an excellent first year.

Ligue 1 - Florian Thauvin (Lens)

The veteran returned toLigue 1 last summer for just €6m and that has been a steal for Lens. Thauvin ended the campaign with 14 goals and 10 assists as Lens secured Champions League qualification and ended a 27-year trophy drought by winning a first-ever Coupe de France.

Remarkably, he made his first France appearance in six years and scored against Azerbaijan in October. A move to Mexico in 2023 looked the end of Thauvin at the top level, but the 33-year-old has returned to France with a bang.

Serie A - Donyell Malen (AS Roma)

Talk about instant impact. Oddly overlooked at Aston Villa,Donyell Malen has found a home in Rome.

The Dutchman scored 14 goals in just 18 league games following his January loan move, a deal that has unsurprisingly been made permanent.

Malen's red-hot form carried Roma to Champions League qualification for the first time in seven years.