The year in transfers

The transfer window was opened on 1 January and some clubs were quick to take advantage.

Morientes move
Liverpool FC, showed their ambition as Rafael Benítez paid Real Madrid CF €9m for compatriot Fernando Morientes. PSV Eindhoven signed Brazilian forward Robert from Mexico's CD Atlas for an undisclosed fee - and he scored the winning penalty in their quarter-final shoot-out against Olympique Lyonnais.

Gravesen transfer
Madrid bolstered their midfield with €3.5m Everton FC midfielder Thomas Gravesen. Eventual Spanish champions FC Barcelona also invested, €6.2m securing young forward Maxi López from CA River Plate. On his way back to South America was Carlos Alberto, a year after his move to FC Porto, for who he scored in the 2004 UEFA Champions League final. SC Corinthians paid €6m, double his previous fee.

Essien switch
Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich's fortune came into play again in the summer, a total outlay topping €80m securing Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Michael Essien - at €38m the costliest signing of the year - Manchester City FC winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and Athletic Club Bilbao left-back Asier Del Horno. Hernán Crespo returned from his AC Milan loan.

Strikers reunited
Out of Stamford Bridge went some of the first crop of Russian-funded signings, including Tiago to Lyon, Mateja Kežman to Club Atlético de Madrid and Scott Parker to Newcastle United FC - who signed another England player as they paid €23.5m to Madrid for Michael Owen, reuniting him with former international strike partner Alan Shearer.

Liverpool changes
Owen's old club Liverpool had already snapped up the loftier figure of Peter Crouch as Benítez opted to transform the squad that had excelled in Europe but disappointed in the Premiership. While Villarreal CF goalkeeper José Manuel Reina, Middlesbrough FC winger Boudewijn Zenden and Valencia midfielder Mohamed Sissoko arrived at Anfield along with Crouch, much of the previous squad departed, including Milan Baroš to Aston Villa FC for €9.6m.

Biggest spenders
Madrid meanwhile were the first team since Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea to outspend the Blues in a summer, Brazilian forwards Robinho (€24m) and Julio Baptista (€24.5m), defender Sergio Ramos (€27m) - the latter two from Sevilla FC - and Uruguayan duo Carlos Diogo and Pablo García arriving in the Spanish capital. Champions Barcelona took advantage of the expiry of PSV Eindhoven captain Mark van Bommel's contract to give the midfielder a three-year deal. Playmaker Juan Román Riquelme departed for Villarreal.

Vieri defection
Over in Italy, Christian Vieri defected from FC Internazionale Milano their city rivals, who also signed parma FC striker Alberto Gilardino. Inter snapped up Madrid trio Luís Figo, Santiago Solari and Walter Samuel, and gave a permanent deal to on-loan Chelsea midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón. Champions Juve paid Arsenal FC €20m for inspirational midfielder Patrick Vieira.

Hleb chance
Moving to Highbury was VfB Stuttgart's Aleksandr Hleb, while Manchester United FC looked to former Juve goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, latterly with Fulham FC. In France, Paris Saint-Germain FC paid AJ Auxerre €10m for striker Bonaventure Kalou and FC Girondins de Bordeaux captured Real Betis Balompié's Denílson and Liverpool's Vladimir Šmicer.

German trades
German champions FC Bayern München took on Valérien Ismaël and Ali Karimi, with Philipp Lahm returning from loan at Stuttgart, who sold Kevin Kuranyi to FC Schalke 04, the Gelsenkirchen team also adding Fabien Ernst but allowing Ailton to join Beşiktaş JK. Stuttgart themselves signed Jesper Grønkjær and Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Keane saga
There was one final transfer saga at the close of the year, as Roy Keane ended his long association with Manchester United FC and then signed for boyhood team Celtic FC from January.