Nine signings that defined a EPL title victory: Cantona, Van Persie, Kante…

No player alone can deliver a team a title, but there have been plenty of examples over the years of a new signing proving the difference between one team and the rest.

Whether it's the man scoring the goals or someone stopping them at the other end, certain players have undoubtedly been the catalyst for championships.

We've looked back at nine of the key signings ahead of title-winning campaigns.

In 1992, Manchester United had won their last ever First Division title against Leeds United. A lack of goals had cost them their lead.

Cantona had played a cameo role in helping Leeds become champions, but just months after that success he shocked the football world by heading across the Pennines to join the Whites' arch-rivals.

“If there was ever a player anywhere in the world who was made for Manchester United, it was Cantona,” Ferguson wrote in his autobiography Managing My Life.

'He came in obediently, puffed out his chest, raised his head and looked at everything as if asking, 'I am Cantona, how tall are you?' Are you big enough for me?' ”

Cantona was not only the catalyst for the Red Devils winning their first title in 26 years in 1992-93, but also for the two decades of success that followed.

READ: The story of Eric Cantona and his incredible impact on Man Utd

Alan Shearer enjoyed his first 30-plus goal season in 1993/94, but if Blackburn were to overhaul the eight-point cushion that won Manchester United the league that season, the England striker would need some help.

Mike Newell (six goals) and Kevin Gallacher (seven goals) were Shearer's supporting strikers, so they decided to spend £5 million on Sutton, fresh from 25 league goals for Norwich City.

Sutton and Shearer hit it off straight away, and the SAS scored 49 goals between them as Blackburn won the title.

Stam's impact on Manchester United was a very frightening man and equally frightening.

Arsenal had won the Double in 1997-98, with the aging Gary Pallister playing his final season at the heart of United's defence.

Pallister left for Middlesbrough in the summer and Stam joined from PSV for £10.75 million.

The Red Devils then went on to piss on Arsenal's bonfire by winning the Treble, with Stam making 51 appearances in all competitions.

It takes a brave man to move from Tottenham to Arsenal, and it takes an even braver man to do so six months after committing his future to the White Hart Lane club.

It will take an even braver man to then win the double with their north London rivals.

Fair play, Sol.

Looking back, Van Persie and Manchester United were a match made in Heaven. Sir Alex Ferguson was determined to take the title back from noisy neighbors Manchester City, and Van Persie was desperate for trophies after ending his last seven years at Arsenal empty-handed.

City hoped to sign Van Persie themselves, but Fergie proved otherwise and the results were glorious. With thirty goals in all competitions in his debut season, United won the Premier League.

Ferguson then compared the striker's impact to that of Eric Cantona and described his stunning volley against Aston Villa to help United win the title as “the goal of the century”.

READ: Robin van Persie: Would I have joined Man Utd if I knew Fergie was retiring?

United's signing of Van Persie was a direct response to Aguero's performances for Manchester City in the previous season.

Aguero was one of City's key signings in the summer of 2011, going on to score 30 goals in all competitions in his debut season for the club.

It took the striker just nine minutes after coming on as a substitute on his debut to open his account with the club, and we really don't need to tell you how that campaign ended.

Jose Mourinho's first season at Chelsea was somewhat disappointing, as the Blues failed to win a trophy.

With Frank Lampard leaving the club this summer, Mourinho needed a new talisman in midfield and decided to sign Fabregas from Barcelona.

Arsenal opted not to exercise their option to re-sign the midfielder, who went on to add creativity and guile to Chelsea's ranks.

The Blues won the league at a canter, thanks in no small part to Fabregas' 18 assists.

The man it's impossible not to love, Kante actually qualifies for this list twice.

Leicester City supporters continued to rubbish Esteban Cambiasso's departure when Kante arrived at King Power in a £5.6m deal from Caen.

And it's fair to say the midfield dynamo successfully filled Cambiasso's boots as he took the Premier League by storm with Leicester's shock title win.

Those performances led to a big-money move to Chelsea, and Kante shone again as Chelsea went from tenth to first place, with the France international being named PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.

Remember when Claudio Bravo was Manchester City's number 1 goalkeeper? Kind of awkward, isn't it, like farting at a funeral.

But the following season Ederson came in, younger, more expensive and less experienced. When it looked like City needed a steady, calming influence to organize the defense, they signed a 23-year-old who often played in midfield for Benfica's youth teams.

City finished the season with the fewest goals and scored the most, with Ederson starring in both.

“It's like having Ronald Koeman in goal,” said Sean Dyche.