Premier League clubs have been busy adding new players and reshuffling their squads over the summer months, but which new signings look the most exciting?
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From big money moves to bargains, savvy buy-back clauses being activated and multi-club deals, there have been a plethora of ways Premier League teams have strengthened this summer. And plenty of clubs are looking a lot stronger, especially with some key attacking players on the move.
Below we rank the top 10 Premier League signings of the summer, so far, and will update this list in the final days of the summer transfer window.
Top 10 Premier League signings of the summer
10. Savinho (Troyes to Manchester City)
Wears the No. 26 shirt because he wants to emulate Riyad Mahrez at Man City and he certainly plays like him. Signed by the City Football Group in 2022, Savinho has spent time at both Girona and Troyes and the Brazilian winger is assured and incisive on the ball and loves to cut inside from the right flank. Only 20, Savinho dazzled in La Liga last season as he helped Girona quality for the Champions League and he’s a gem which has been polished on the CFG conveyor belt.
9. Ben Brereton Diaz (Villarreal to Southampton)
How did Southampton sign Chilean international forward Ben Brereton Diaz for just $9 million? It could prove to be a real bargain as Brereton Diaz, 25, was superb during his loan spell at Sheffield United for the second half of last season. He scored six goals in 14 games for the struggling Blades and in Saints’ free-flowing system he has license to cut in off the left and he’s already scored one of his trademark curlers against Lazio in preseason. Bargain.
8. Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna to Manchester United)
The Dutch international striker, still just 23, worked his way through Bayern Munich’s academy system and into the first team but last season was the making of him. He spearheaded Bolgona’s remarkable Champions League qualification with 11 goals in Serie A and although this is a big step up, he fits the profile of player United want. Young, flexible and hungry to score goals, Zirkzee can play in a variety of roles across the front line and he will often drop deep and brings both creativity and directness to Erik ten Hag’s attack. Zirkzee underneath Hojlu
7. Daichi Kamada (Lazio to Crystal Palace)
What a bargain the Japanese playmaker is on a free transfer. Kamada, 28, is the direct replacement for Michael Olise and he links up with his former boss at Eintracht Frankfurt in Oliver Glasner. Crystal Palace have a solid system for Kamada to operate in as he will play as one of the two No. 10’s alongside Eberechi Eze and Kamada scored in Palace’s 1-1 draw against Nantes to finish preseason as he was around all summer to settle in.
6. Pedro Neto (Wolves to Chelsea)
Okay, so $70 million is a lot of money for Pedro Neto given his injury record but the only reason he’s down in number six in our rankings is because of his injury history. The Portuguese winger is basically unstoppable when he’s in full flow and he is the carbon copy of Eden Hazard that Chelsea’s fans have been wanting for years. Neto, 24, is an incredible talent and if he can stay fit, he can become one of the best wingers in Europe.
5. Max Kliman (Wolves to West Ham)
Despite the $52 million price tag, this isn’t a flashy signing but it will be hugely important for West Ham’s rebuild. Kilman, 27, played the best football of his career under Julen Lopetegui at Wolves and when the Spanish coach turned up at West Ham this summer the first thing he did was sign the English center back. Calm on the ball, aggressive in the tackle and in the air and able to cover ground quickly to recover, Kilman is so comfortable in a back three or four and is surely set for a call-up to the England national team soon. He has become a real leader as Wolves’ captain and even though Jarrod Bowen is the new West Ham skipper, Kilman will be a strong voice in the dressing room.
4. Fabio Carvalho (Liverpool to Brentford)
So many teams wanted to sign Carvalho when it became clear Liverpool were willing to let the young playmaker go and Brentford won the race and spent $35 million. Carvalho couldn’t break in at Liverpool but is coming off a fine preseason with the Reds and he was brilliant on loan in the Championship at Hull City last season. The 21-year-old has a lot of experience under his belt as he broke through at Brentford’s west London rivals Fulham at the age of 16 after coming through their academy. Now he’s back in west London and will be tasked with leading the attacks for the Bees from a central attacking midfield position with Mbeumo, Wissa and Schade storming ahead of him. He is so direct with his dribbling, has an eye for a pass and is clinical when he gets a chance.
3. Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna to Arsenal)
When the Gunners want a player they get it done and Calafiori ticked all of Mikel Arteta’s boxes to take them to the next level. The elegant left-footed defender can play as a left back or center back and was a star at Bologna last season. He was also the bright spot in Italy’s poor EURO 2024 campaign this summer as Calafiori, 22, is comfortable striding out of the back with the ball and is so comfortable in possession. In the same way City basically play with four central defenders and with no full backs, it appears Arsenal are about to do the same with Calafiori and Ben White at left back and right back respectively and both will push forward into central midfield roles when Arsenal have the ball. Calafiori’s supreme long-range passing ability also gives the Gunners an extra layer to their play which could be crucial as they chase the title.
2. Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth to Tottenham)
Now, there will be a lot of people raising their eyebrows about the $70 million Tottenham paid Bournemouth for Solanke, which could rise to $83 million. But this past season Solanke had has been coming. The 26-year-old scored 19 times for Bournemouth in the Premier League and it was his breakout campaign. He has always had all the attributes to be a top striker in the Premier League, hence why Liverpool signed him from Chelsea in 2017 and then Bournemouth spent big on Solanke in January 2019. The way Spurs play will suit Solanke perfectly as he will run the channels and latch on to passes from Werner, Son, Kulusevski and Maddison in-behind. He is also a real presence and can hold the play up to give Spurs a different dimension and something they haven’t had since Harry Kane departed.
1. Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund to West Ham)
Speaking of hold-up play, Fullkrug is one of the best in Europe at it and now he’s in the Premier League. His fine season for Borussia Dortmund and Germany earned him a surprising move to West Ham and you have to applaud the east London club for their audaciousness in pulling off this deal. Fullkrug, 31, scored 15 times for Dortmund last season (including some big ones in the Champions League) and has 13 goals in 21 games for Germany over the last two years. He is perfect for West Ham, who will whip in crosses galore and Fullkrug has already admitted he’s salivating at the thought of Ward-Prowse, Summerville, Bowen and Paqueta whipping in crosses for him to finish. He is a supreme talent in the air and finishing crosses into the box and even though David Moyes has gone, West Ham will still play a very similar style under Lopetegui. Add in the summer signings of winger Summerville, full back Wan-Bissaka and center back Kilman and Fullkrug’s arrival is the cherry on top of one heck of a summer window for the Hammers. They’ve used the Declan Rice money from last summer wisely and Fullkrug should score at least 15 goals in the Premier League.
Honorable mentions: Yankuba Minteh (Newcastle to Brighton), Crysencio Summerville (Leeds to West Ham), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United to West Ham), Igor Thiago (Club Brugge to Brentford), Jaden Philogene (Hull City to Aston Villa), Marc Guiu (Barcelona to Chelsea), Ismaila Sarr (Marseille to Crystal Palace), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich to Manchester United), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich to Manchester United)
