The Premier League season is just a few days away and the transfer window finishes tomorrow. Some teams are still scrambling around in a bid to add players to their squad before the transfer window slams shut.
Others got their transfer dealings done early and signed some players under the radar. And then there were the massive signings that bumped into the headlines.
Here we take a look at the best five transfers completed so far.
5 – YOURI TIELEMANS
Tielemans spent the second half of last season on loan at Leicester and his performances, which yielded three goals and five assists in just 13 appearances, caught the eye of Manchester United. With that in mind, it’s a massive coup for the Foxes that they’ve made his move permanent and despite a £40m price tag it’s good business.
The 22-year-old midfielder is comfortable in possession and is capable of unlocking the most stubborn of defenses. Tielemans and James Maddison is a solid creative pair to have to feed Jamie Vardy (and Ayoze Perez).
We’re expecting big things from Leicester and Tielemans in the campaign ahead.
4 – TANGUY NDOMBELE
When Spurs moved into their new stadium it was widely expected that the cheque-book would remain firmly closed but the £54m signing of Ndombele soon showed otherwise.
Mauricio Pochettino has warned that it might take the French midfielder a little while to settle but when he does he’ll be a big asset to the team. Ndombele plays from a deep midfield role and likes to keep possession ticking over with short passes.
Don’t be fooled though because there is more to his game than a square pass; you can expect to see him carrying the ball and looking to lay on goals for his teammates, just like he did at Lyon where he averaged an assist every five games – and that number could increase when feeding Harry Kane as Ndombele creates near on two chances per match.
3 – MOISE KEAN
Everton has struggled in the striker department since Romelu Lukaku moved to Man United but Moise Kean, who arrived for £25m, could be that missing piece. Juventus highly rate the lad and wanted a buy-back clause in the deal, although it was never agreed by the Toffees.
The truth is there aren’t many who would dislodge a player like Cristiano Ronaldo and therefore for his own career Kean needed to find first-team football week in, week out. Kean, who is still a little raw at just 19, is a clinical finisher who possesses blistering pace making him a real threat on the break or running in behind a high line.
Despite his limited game time last year, he boasted the best goals per minute ratio in Serie A with a goal every 85 minutes. If he can post numbers anywhere near that on Merseyside, then Everton might have finally found the man to lead their line for the next five years.
2 – RODRI
When Manchester City break their transfer record for signing then you expect the man in question to be a bit special and Rodri is exactly that. The 23-year-old ex-Atletico midfielder won’t hog the headlines like Sergio Aguero, but he fills the only weakness in City’s squad – competition for Fernandinho.
Rodri reads the game fantastically well and his defensive contribution in terms of tackles and interceptions is impressive; once he wins the ball then you can expect him to keep it with a pass completion of 91%.
He will probably play second fiddle to the aging Fernandinho this year, but he will still have a telling contribution on anything City achieve and the fact the workload can be shared between the pair could give Pep Guardiola’s men the platform to get through the season unbeaten.
1 – NICOLAS PEPE
Okay, so Pepe doesn’t necessarily solve the main issue at Arsenal, which is a lack of leadership in the defensive zone but his star quality at the other end will help take some pressure off the backline. The Ivory Coast international signed from Lille for £72m and is expected to line up on the right-wing where he will leave fullbacks bamboozled with his quick feet and ability to go inside or out.
When you consider the Gunners were tipped to sign Wilfred Zaha for a similar fee you can see why they opted for Pepe; in his time with Lille, he was involved in a goal every 120 minutes and is a consistent threat. If Pepe, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette hit it off then Arsenal is a safe bet for the top four regardless of their fragile defense.
There you have it, our top five transfers of the summer window so far. Who will prove the best signing come May? Who will make their team rise in the Premier League table?
Right now, nobody truly knows but we’re looking forward to finding out, once the Premier League schedule starts this weekend!
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