With the Premier League‘s summer transfer window shutting on Friday, we’ve looked back at the deals that caught our eye the most.
On Friday at 23:00 BST, the Premier League’s summer transfer window slams shut simply closes. Squads will be (barring the odd emergency deal and free transfers) set in stone until January, with managers having to make do with what they’ve got – which is quite a lot in some cases *surreptitiously points at Chelsea*.
Just like any other summer, there have been countless intriguing signings made across the Premier League. New faces have been imported hoping to make a name for themselves, while others have moved between English clubs aiming to prove a point.
With the deadline fast approaching, we felt it was a good opportunity to reflect on those deals that made us sit up and take note.
Riccardo Calafiori
Arsenal
Even though he only played three games, Riccardo Calafiori was a standout performer at Euro 2024 with Italy. His ability on the ball and adventurous nature brought him to the attention of those perhaps previously unaware of his talents, thus earning new admirers.
But in Italy, he already had plenty. Part of the Bologna team that Thiago Motta incredibly guided to UEFA Champions League qualification last term, Calafiori was one of the hottest properties in Serie A heading into the summer.
Arsenal ensured he didn’t follow Motta to Juventus and will have high hopes that the 22-year-old can be a part of their defence for many years to come.
Although he’s only been given 11 minutes of Premier League action across the first two matchdays of the 2024-25 season, Calafiori’s skillset is that of a player who should be able to feature at centre-back or left-back, in a back four or a back three.
That flexibility is valuable in itself, and the Opta Radar below highlights his broad output last season.
He suits Arsenal’s style of play, he’s young with high potential, and he’s got great hair. What’s not to like?
Matthijs de Ligt
Manchester United
Since leaving Ajax for Juventus to much fanfare five years ago when every major club wanted to sign him, Matthijs de Ligt’s career hasn’t really hit the heights predicted for him as a teen prodigy.
He’s won plenty of trophies, yes, but in terms of his standing in the game, the excitement around him prior to leaving Ajax made it seem he would be one of the world’s best within a few years. De Ligt is yet to reach that level.
Nevertheless, having only just turned 25, his peak years are still ahead of him. And in joining Manchester United this summer, he’s reunited with Erik ten Hag, under whom he played the best football of his career to date at Ajax.
Technically and physically, there’s a lot to like about De Ligt, who certainly shouldn’t have any trouble carrying out Ten Hag’s instructions with regards to playing out from the back.
However, the Netherlands international isn’t blessed with searing pace, which might be an issue, especially if United try to play with a higher line this season; only three clubs who finished in the top 10 last season had an average start distance from their own goal that was deeper than United’s 41.5 metres.
As much as anything, though, De Ligt will be fascinating to watch even if just to see whether United can unlock his true potential.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Chelsea
A lot of column inches have been dedicated to Chelsea transfers this summer, mostly criticising them for buying too many players or questioning their perceived hoarding of players.
But one deal that stands out as particularly interesting is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s move from Leicester City. Granted, he doesn’t exactly tick the ‘bargain’ box (not yet anyway) considering Chelsea spent roughly £30m on him, but the 25-year-old had looked at home in the Premier League prior to Leicester’s relegation and continued to stand out in the Championship.
What makes this deal perhaps a little more likely to work out positively is the fact he’s followed his former Leicester manager, Enzo Maresca, to Stamford Bridge, and that familiarity should be helpful for both of them.
Dewsbury-Hall is a graceful, elegant box-to-box midfielder who also works hard on and off the ball. His 1.5 possession regains in the final third per 90 minutes last season was the most of all midfielders, while he also ranked as high as eighth in the same group for chances created in open play per 90 (1.9).
Those passes contributed to him recording 0.31 expected assists per 90, behind only David Brooks (0.44) and Sorba Thomas (0.35), while he ranked fifth in the entire division for goal involvements (26 – 14 assists, 12 goals) from midfield.
Excel again in the Premier League and England caps will surely be on their way.
Emile Smith Rowe
Fulham
It was a bit of a shame how Emile Smith Rowe’s Arsenal career ultimately unfolded. A highly-rated youth product, he seemed to elevate himself in the 2021-22 season, scoring 10 Premier League goals and earning his first senior England caps.
But injuries disrupted his progress, accumulating just over 500 minutes of Premier League action over the following two seasons and only three starts, all of which came during 2023-24. He was available for the majority of last term, named among the substitutes 28 times in the league, but there was no future for him there. He needed a move.
His switch to Fulham instantly made him something of a big fish in a small pond, while he’ll feel like he has something to prove. Furthermore, considering he doesn’t turn 25 until next July, time is very much on his side.
Technically gifted, inventive between the lines and a goal threat, Smith Rowe has so much to offer Fulham and is already making his presence known, scoring on his home debut in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Leicester City.
As soon as this deal happened, it just felt like an obvious success in the making. You just hope for Smith Rowe’s sake he can stay fit.
Jack Clarke
Ipswich Town
More than five years on from signing for Tottenham, Jack Clarke is finally set to get a crack at the Premier League after signing for Ipswich Town last week.
Clarke spent the past two and a half seasons with Sunderland, initially helping them out of League One before a couple of years in the Championship. He was part of the Black Cats side that almost earned back-to-back promotions to the Premier League, losing out in the 2022-23 play-offs before being one of the second tier’s standout players last term.
A brave and progressive winger, Clarke averaged the fifth-most dribble attempts (6.9) per 90 minutes in the Championship last term (minimum 900 minutes played), while only Kamaldeen Sulemana (5.2) completed more than Ipswich’s new signing (3.8).
Similarly, only four players – all of whom were centre-backs and therefore play in less-congested areas of the pitch – averaged more progressive carries (movements taking the ball at least five metres upfield) per 90 than Clarke (14.6). He was also a pretty reliable creator, his 2.2 chances created in open play per 90 being bettered by only three players.
Ipswich will need all the help they can get if they’re to stay up this season. Clarke should aid their cause; he improves their attacking options, but at an initial £15 million, he’s surprisingly good value.
Savinho
Manchester City
Okay, we know what you’re thinking here. We admit that including this one in a piece about “favourite transfers” is a little controversial because the deal itself – Man City signing him from sister club Troyes without him ever even playing for them – was morally questionable, shall we say.
Nevertheless, the fact remains Savinho’s an incredibly exciting young player who we thoroughly enjoyed watching at Girona last season.
In the 2023-24 La Liga campaign, the Brazilian ranked behind only four players for dribbles attempted (6.5) per 90 (min. 900 mins played) and seventh for progressive carries over 10 metres (6.1).
But it wasn’t just a case of him running with the ball for the sake of it. He brought end product too, with just three players in the division recording more carries ending in a shot or a chance created than his 44. What’s more, no one matched his 10 goal- or assist-ending carries.
The signs have been promising across his first few games in England as well. A knock stopped him in his tracks after a bright start against Chelsea on Matchday 1, but he was back to face Ipswich at the weekend and won a penalty.
He’s going to be a great addition to the Premier League.
Matt O’Riley
Brighton
A move away from Celtic had been a long time coming. Previously linked with Atlético Madrid and Manchester United among others, Denmark international Matt O’Riley will get his break in the top five leagues at Brighton.
Now 23, O’Riley has been impressing coaches with his technical ability and maturity for a few years, especially since he took the risk to reject a contract extension at Fulham in 2020 and move to MK Dons in search of first-team football.
He’s continued to make strides over the past three and a half years, eventually outgrowing Celtic and the Scottish Premiership.
Last season in Scotland’s top tier, the central midfielder was hugely impressive across the board and that’s backed up by his statistical output. Only three midfielders (min. 900 mins played) averaged more open-play chances created per 90 (1.7), though he ranked first for expected assists (0.32) on a per-90 basis.
He was also top for non-penalty expected goals (xG) per 90 (0.35) among the same group and found himself way out in front for touches in the opposition’s box each game (7.6), highlighting how influential he was as an attacking force.
But he wasn’t just the one having shots and playing passes into the danger zone; no player in the competition bettered his 251 involvements in attacking sequences, and he wasn’t responsible for the shot or creating the chance in 99 of those – evidence of his importance in the build-up as well as around the box.
Brighton has been a good place for young players to prove themselves, and O’Riley could be the next – assuming the injury he sustained against Crawley Town this week isn’t too serious.
Brajan Gruda
Brighton
Honestly, we could’ve picked pretty much any number of Brighton’s summer signings, but with Brajan Gruda joining O’Riley here, we’re keeping it to two.
Why Gruda over, say, Yankuba Minteh or Georginio Rutter? Well, he’s probably slightly more of an unknown quantity to most in England (not that Minteh was a household name, granted). And having said that, he was plying his trade at a slightly higher level than the Gambian last season.
Gruda joined earlier this month from Mainz for a reported initial fee of £25m (€30m) having apparently attracted considerable interest from Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen during his breakout season in the Bundesliga last term.
Thomas Müller applauded the 20-year-old right-winger’s potential after playing against him, saying he has “something special” and was “remarkably good” in their encounter.
But Brighton got to the front of the queue, supposedly partly down to the presence of new coach Fabian Hürzeler. In doing so they secured an exciting talent who’ll get bums off seats, with no player in the Bundesliga last term bettering his average of 7.8 dribble attempts per 90 minutes.
On top of that, his combined average of 0.47 non-pen xG and expected assists (xA) was very respectable and bettered by only six Bundesliga players aged under 22 at the end of last season.
Guido Rodríguez
West Ham
He may not be the most glamourous of new arrivals in the Premier League this season, but Guido Rodríguez is potentially a very astute acquisition by West Ham.
Manager Julen Lopetegui will be very familiar with Rodríguez from the midfielder’s time at Real Betis, bitter rivals of the coach’s former club Sevilla. He’ll have seen first hand in those heated derbies how Rodríguez is an uncompromising and tough central midfielder – very Argentinian, some might say.
He earned himself a reputation as one of the best in his position in La Liga, thriving at the base of Betis’ midfield while working to disrupt the opposition.
While playing in a side that liked to control the ball, Rodríguez still managed to average 2.6 tackle attempts per 90 minutes last season, putting him in the 82nd percentile among midfielders (min. 900 mins played).
Among the same group of players, he was in the top 4% for ground duels success rate (60.2%) and top 2% for possession regains per 90 (7.5).
Furthermore, it’s worth noting how West Ham signed him on a free transfer, another reason for this signing could be viewed as smart.
He might take a little adjusting, but in theory he’s the sort of player who could be a real success in England.
Jørgen Strand Larsen
Wolves
Wolves showed some real signs of promise at times last season. Gary O’Neil generally has them playing attractive football and they possess plenty of eye-catching, dynamic footballers, especially in attack.
However, they were lacking a focal point in attack, a genuine number nine to bear the brunt of the goalscoring responsibility.
While Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan both did well in front of goal last term, each scoring 11 non-penalty goals, both significantly outperformed in relation to their non-pen xG; Cunha was 2.3 over, while Hwang was over by 4.1. As such, relying on them to score at the same rate this season would be a risk.
Signed on an initial loan that could become permanent for around £23m, Jørgen Strand Larsen is a tall, physical number nine who offers Wolves something they didn’t have, and his focus will be on being a threat in the penalty area.
His non-pen xG of 14.5 was the third highest in La Liga last term, evidence of him getting into dangerous positions. Further to that, he scored eight times from inside the six-yard box, which is only one less than Wolves managed collectively, and he’s already got one goal in the Premier League this season (albeit from just outside the six-yard box).
Strand Larsen developed into a real handful at Celta Vigo. He could be a big nuisance to Premier League defences if Wolves provide him with quality service.
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