In times of restricted buying power across the Italian peninsula, with some notable exceptions, Serie A clubs have been working throughout the summer to secure the top talent to match their budget.

While just two signings by Italian teams rank among the 20 most expensive completed in Europe during this window, as fans of Manchester United and Everton can attest, throwing heaps of money at recruitment does not always secure the right man at the right time.

Most pundits' favourites for the Scudetto in the coming season include reigning champions AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and Roma, each of whom have managed to bring in several signings who could make a difference in the 2022-23 campaign.

The respective returns of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku have, of course, hogged the headlines, but a number of interesting moves have taken place more off-radar.

With the new season now just days away, Sports Mole weighs up which clubs have done the best business in the Italian top flight so far.

ESTABLISHED STARS

Returning to Turin after six years in England, Paul Pogba represents some impressive financial work from the Juventus hierarchy, as the midfield maverick signed on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United for the second time this summer.

Having set United back nearly £90m in August 2016, Pogba is back at the Bianconeri on a four-year contract, and returns to the scene of his most spectacular club form of an inconsistent career.

As Juventus racked up title after title in his first spell at the club, the France star turned his flair dial up to the max - dominating games with his perception and athleticism, and scoring 14 times from outside the area in four Serie A seasons.

If he can replicate such form, then his old coach Max Allegri will be delighted, as Juve have finished fourth in consecutive seasons following a run of nine Scudetti in a row.

However, Pogba's injury problems, which defined the latter part of his time in Manchester, have already struck again. A knee problem will keep the Frenchman out of at least the first month of the new season, after the option of surgery threatened his participation at Qatar 2022.

Another man headed for the Middle East in November, Angel Di Maria, has also signed up to wear the famous Bianconeri shirt, following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

Known for his final-third wizardry and ability to play across midfield and the front line, Di Maria also struggled to shift into top gear at Manchester United, but played a valuable role at both Real Madrid and PSG after first impressing at Benfica on his arrival in Europe.

Now 34, the Argentina international - who has long surpassed a century of caps for his nation - is certainly not in the first flush of youth, but his guile and experience should bolster a Juventus attack which has often been devoid of a spark.

The prospect of Di Maria eventually linking up with Federico Chiesa - who has been sidelined by injury for several months now, but recently completed the formalities of his £34m move from Fiorentina after two years on loan - will have fans rubbing their hands with anticipation.

January signing Dusan Vlahovic, too, should benefit from an increased supply of crosses and through-balls, as the Bianconeri seek to make up lost ground on the Milan clubs this term.

After a turbulent 12 months at Stamford Bridge, Romelu Lukaku has emulated Pogba's switch back to Serie A, where he is revered as one of Calcio's top strikers of recent years.

The Belgian striker now aims to rebuild his reputation at Inter while on loan from Chelsea, where he failed to fire upon returning to London after several years away.

While that move should prove a perfect opportunity for Lukaku to reignite an old flame, perhaps a more intriguing trio of established names will seek to help Roma close the gap to Inter and the rest of the top four.

Building momentum behind their Jose Mourinho-led revival, the capital club have enjoyed probably the most eye-catching window so far, as the vast experience brought by Paulo Dybala, Nemanja Matic and Georginio Wijnaldum leaves the Giallorossi looking far stronger than this time last year.

While each, if judged harshly, could be construed as a cast-off by their previous side, Dybala boasts a proven track-record in Serie A (but just needs to stay fit), and two former Premier League mainstays will surely strengthen a hit-and-miss midfield.

NEW BLOOD

Having mastered the market with a relatively modest budget in recent years, Milan have again been a fairly frugal player in this window, despite the financial rewards of their return to the Champions League and subsequent Scudetto success.

The Rossoneri's one splurge so far was the long-discussed capture of Belgian starlet Charles De Ketelaere, who finally joined the Rossoneri for £27m from Club Brugge at the start of August.

An attacking midfielder, who has already been compared to club legend Kaka, the 21-year-old chose the Italian giants over Leeds United and put pen to paper on a five-year deal.

His arrival should help Milan maintain their domestic form after two fine seasons, and could make a big impact on the Champions League, having impressed in Europe last season.

Also new to the distinct culture of Calcio is another Roma purchase, Zeki Celik, who has been brought to the Eternal City for a modest £6m fee from Lille.

The Turkey international lifted the Ligue 1 title with Les Dogues as they defied the odds to beat PSG to top spot two years ago, and the right-back provides stiff competition for Rick Karsdorp on that flank this term.

Like Lukaku, Serbian striker Luka Jovic arrives in Italy seeking to recover from a difficult spell at one of Europe's elite, and the 24-year-old's signing for Fiorentina has captured the imagination of those keen on a comeback story.

As successor to international teammate Vlahovic, the former Real Madrid man will shoulder a significant burden in Florence this season, but has joined a team surely going places under the progressive management of Vincenzo Italiano.

Signed on a free, the acquisition of Jovic could prove a masterstroke in the market by Viola owner Rocco Commisso, who has also sanctioned a £12m move for Brazilian full-back Dodo, who joins from stricken Shakhtar Donetsk.

Meanwhile, Napoli have made more headlines for those who have left rather than new arrivals, and they must rebuild following the departures of captain Lorenzo Insigne, defensive rock Kalidou Koulibaly and record goalscorer Dries Mertens - with Fabian Ruiz set to follow them through the exit, signing for PSG.

However, the intriguing capture of 25-year-old Kim Min-jae as Koulibaly's replacement - though how can they really replace the irreplaceable? - may be a smart piece of business in the long-run.

The South Korean centre-back left Fenerbahce for around £15m, after making a smooth transition to European football last term - playing more minutes than any other Fener player in the Turkish Super Lig.

A FRESH START

As ever, several players have secured a switch to elsewhere on the Italian peninsula this summer, and each will be aiming to benefit from a fresh start within Serie A.

While Inter added Roma playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan to their squad on a free, they were then pipped to the signing of a major transfer target in defence.

Instead, it was Juventus who lured Brazilian centre-back Bremer to the other side of Turin as successor to the departing Matthijs de Ligt, following a superb season with Torino last term.

The Granata were transformed from one of Italy's most feeble rearguards to being particularly hard to prise open in the 2021-22 campaign, and the former Atletico Mineiro man was the main reason why.

Named Serie A's top defender last term, Bremer's form persuaded Juve to part with around £36m - still just over half the fee received for De Ligt's move to Bayern Munich.

One of the squad which swept Italy to the Euro 2020 title last summer, Matteo Pessina has been among a tranche of Serie A players ready to trade security among the established order for a shot at something spectacular with newly-promoted Monza.

Pessina, still only 25, leaves Atalanta near the peak of his powers, on a season-long loan with obligation to buy, and the attacking midfielder has immediately been installed as captain of his hometown club.

With the financial backing of former Milan bigwigs Adriano Galliani - who, in January 2019, made headlines for completing a total of 30 transfers in just one month - and Silvio Berlusconi, the Serie B playoff winners have also recruited proven performers such as striker Gianluca Caprari (from Hellas Verona), Italy international goalkeeper Alessio Cragno (Cagliari) and Inter midfielder Stefano Sensi.

Two further players to start afresh, but arriving from outside Serie A, are well-travelled winger Ademola Lookman - who moves from RB Leipzig to Atalanta - and Inter's new goalkeeper, Andre Onana.

The latter, now aged 26, left Ajax under a cloud following his year-long drugs ban, but having now returned to first-team football, the Cameroon keeper's arrival at San Siro on a free transfer represents a good deal for a side seeking a worthy successor to long-serving skipper Samir Handanovic.

FOR THE FUTURE

Finally, there are a number of new boys who could be set to establish long and successful careers in Serie A, arriving in Italy near the start of a promising career.

Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 21, will hope to help the Neapolitan faithful forget Insigne and Mertens, after his move from Dinamo Batumi for £8m, while Milan's Yacine Adli (also 21) returns from a loan spell at Bordeaux amid high expectations.

The attacking midfielder may even be one for the present rather than the future, given Franck Kessie's departure and the inconsistency of Brahim Diaz, and many fans are calling for the PSG youth product to start straight away.

Always enterprising in the transfer market, Sassuolo have acquired Uruguayan striker Agustin Alvarez (21) from Penarol, and also reinvested some of the money raised by selling Gianluca Scamacca and Jeremie Boga in exciting Genk midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt.

Udinese, meanwhile, have put their faith in promising Irish talent, as teenage pair Festy Ebosele (Derby County) and James Abankwah (St.Patrick's Athletic) aim to make a name for themselves with the Fruili side.

Surely impressed by the profit returned on Brentford-bound Aaron Hickey, Bologna dipped their toes back into Scottish waters this summer, to sign Lewis Ferguson from Aberdeen, while 20-year-old full-back Josh Doig (Hibernian) will don the Gialloblu jersey of Verona. body check tags ::