Declaring victory in the transfer window is to tempt fate.

Injuries, acclimatisation, false dawns and managerial sackings can all undermine what may initially look a smart piece of business.

But not this year.

Even with staggered closing dates, and an international break meaning that many late arrivals are yet to kick a ball for their new clubs, there can only be one winner: Saudi Arabia.

The EPL still spent a lot more (£2.36 billion) than the Saudi Pro League’s £766m and managed to hang on to Mo Salah, but the Saudis shook English football to its foundations.

Triggered by the January snaring of Cristiano Ronaldo, they came from nowhere and will come again, so they cannot be ignored.

There are already calls for legislation to prevent such “snatch squads” with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp leading the cry.

True, he suffered most, having his carefully-constructed rebuild disturbed by a Saudi demolition truck, but he stands accused of being the pot that calls the kettle black.

All the Saudi clubs were doing is what EPL clubs have been doing to other leagues for years: making offers that cannot be refused.

Collectively, SPL clubs made more impact than any single transfer and it was the story of the summer.

For now, though, who won the window inside the EPL?

Opinions differ depending whether you’re a trophy hunter or an accountant.

And as Chou En-Lai said of the French revolution, “It’s too early to tell.”

Brighton made the biggest profit (£94m) and have started the season well.

In an anonymous poll of agents in The Athletic, they got the nod for “best window” as well as “best deal” – for selling Moises Caicedo.

They bought the Ecuadorian for just £4m and sold him for £115m two and a half years later.

Conversely, Chelsea, who paid the British record price, are considered the biggest mugs.

The Blues, who have hoovered up a lot of available young talent, have now spent £1 billion in three windows since Roman Abramovich was forced out.

But they made the biggest net loss (£204m) and still can’t score goals.

Unlucky to lose their main striker Christopher Nkunku until January because of a knee injury, they are still in the rebuilding phase.

If their kids ever gel, they’ll have a great team for the long term, but could face a frustrating period until the goals go in.

And it’s a big season for the latest holder of the poisoned chalice, Mauricio Pochettino.

The former PSG boss must soon shed his tag of “only winning in France” or he’ll not be the manager we thought he could be.

Arsenal were frontrunners for the “best window” title, but then new defensive strongman Jurrien Timber broke down before halftime on his debut.

With him out with an ACL till the new year, he’s not even been included in their 25-man squad.

And with Kai Havertz looking lost in his new role of attacking midfielder, nearly half the £200m plus investment has yet to bring any returns.

Havertz (for £65m) was voted “worst deal of the window” by several agents but Declan Rice looks a game-changer for his £105m. So the jury is still out.

Manchester United have spent £150m and become worse.

Almost half their spending has been on a wildcard striker Rasmus Hojland while several duds still inflate their wage bill.

Hojlund and Mason Mount also have their followers for “worst deal”.

Harry Maguire, Donny van de Beek and the seldom-fit Anthony Martial still draw expensive salaries and look likely to remain.

Liverpool began the window well, buying Alex Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but were hit hardest by the Saudis with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho leaving late on.

Klopp barely had time to replace them with Watur Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, but, crucially, kept hold of Salah.

Another “window loser” among the big clubs has to be Spurs yet they’ve begun the season in fine form.

They finally – and reluctantly – sold Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for £85m and replaced him with… Brennan Johnson.

It’s like losing your beloved king and replacing him with an intern.

Johnson has pace but little else and Nottingham Forest can’t believe someone paid as much as £45m for him.

At least, Spurs got a bargain in James Maddison for £40m – a candidate for “best deal” – and seem to be clicking under new boss Ange Postecoglou.

But the Johnson sale helps make Forest contenders for canniest operators as they used it to make no less than seven shrewd acquisitions on the final day.

And one of them might be the steal of the window.

Not long ago, Calum Hudson-Odoi nearly went to Bayern Munich for £70m. Forest got him for £3m. He’s had knee surgery but that’s burglary – red-handed.

Another, Ibrahim Sangare, a defensive midfielder from PSV Eindhoven, was looked at by all the top clubs.

For a club record £30m, he could just be the lynchpin that turns Steve Cooper’s side into a mid-table team.

Saudi-owned Newcastle also proved astute in the market by buying Italy’s Sandro Tonali and England’s Harvey Barnes for a combined £100m, but have started the season slowly.

What of Manchester City? Their business seems a little strange for such a wealthy club.

Having moved swiftly to replace Ilkay Gundogan with Mateo Kovacic, they allowed Riyad Mahrez to go to Saudi.

Many felt he would be replaced by the precocious Cole Palmer only for City to sell the England U21 star for £45m to Chelsea.

This is the most baffling transfer of the window in anyone’s language which only Pep Guardiola can answer.

But perhaps it came with the arrival of Belgian winger Jeremy Doku whom Pep must rate more highly than Palmer.

Meanwhile, he let Aymeric Laporte leave and replaced him with £77m Josko Gvardiol, a standout defender for Croatia at the World Cup.

After all that, City still look the team to beat.

But the window winners? It has to be Brighton. It’s not often you have fans saying a football club owner (Tony Bloom) should be minister of finance.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.