Premier League clubs will look back on the summer transfer window ahead of the 2013-14 season and wince.
Liverpool signed Iago Aspas and Aly Cissokho. Arsenal brought in Yaya Sanogo. Manchester United completed a deal to sign Saidy Janko.
Excusing the arrivals of Mesut Ozil at Arsenal, Fernandinho at Manchester City and Christian Eriksen to Tottenham Hotspur, there weren’t many quality deals.
There was already enough quality in Manchester City’s squad to win the title ahead of Liverpool.
But even the Citizens didn’t really get their money’s worth.
Stevan Jovetic cost them £22m but he lasted just two seasons at the Etihad Stadium. Alvaro Negredo was also brought in but he returned to Spain after just one year.
Some clubs just got it so badly wrong. Take Cardiff City, who spent £8m on Andreas Cornelius only to sell him back to FC Copenhagen in the January window.
The Guardian's 2013-14 signing of the summer
So too did The Guardian’s journalists.
They were asked to name their signing of the summer before the competitive action got underway, and the answers look hilarious now.
Michael Cox: Leroy Fer to Norwich City
“Ricky van Wolfswinkel is the bigger name, but Leroy Fer may adapt more easily to English football at Norwich.”
Dominic Fifield: Paulinho to Tottenham Hotspur
“Paulinho's arrival at Tottenham, even at £17m, still feels like a coup given the calibre of sides that had pursued the Brazilian at Corinthians.”
Andy Hunter: Roberto Soldado to Tottenham Hotspur
“The striker who can take Tottenham back into the Champions League and enhance Andre Villas-Boas's reputation in English football in the process.”
David Hytner: Jesus Navas to Manchester City
“The winger was an expensive acquisition from Sevilla but with his pace and skill, he will be a game-changer.”
Jamie Jackson: Jesus Navas to Manchester City
“Two years ago Manchester City won the title with scant pace, what may they do having acquired a Spanish speedster who brings ‘extra dimension’ to mind?”
Amy Lawrence: Stevan Jovetic to Manchester City
“What's not to look forward to in the shape of pure Balkan technique?”
Scott Murray: Wilfried Bony to Swansea City
“The Michu de nos jours.”
Jacob Steinberg: Roberto Soldado to Tottenham Hotspur
“Roberto Soldado will show Emmanuel Adebayor what's up.”
Daniel Taylor: Nicolas Anelka to West Bromwich Albion
“He's 34 now but he's looked sharp in pre-season, he's a free transfer and West Brom need a goalscorer without Romelu Lukaku and, probably, Peter Odemwingie.”
Louise Taylor: Paulinho to Tottenham Hotspur
“A sort of Brazilian Frank Lampard, his ability to score freely from midfield promises to transform Spurs.”
Paul Wilson: Gerard Deulofeu to Everton / Roberto Soldado to Spurs
“City seem to have made some good ones, but this is getting boring. People will start to talk.
“Let's say Gerard Deulofeu at Everton or Roberto Soldado at Spurs.”
Bony played well in his first season at Swansea and secured a move to Manchester City two years later.
But, besides him, the list reads like a parody now.