The transfer window has only just opened and already there has been a flurry of business conducted by Premier League teams.
Here at World Soccer Talk we’ll be keeping you in the loop when it comes to the major deals, but with a full summer of transfer activity to come, we thought it’d be intriguing throughout the off season to see which teams have conducted the best business overall and which player, in our eyes, represents the signing of the summer.
So here’s the first bumper edition of what will be a weekly series, including all the deals done so far and a look at how we’ll be ranking each acquisition with unique criteria as the window rumbles on.
Factors
Player Quality (/10): The most important factor when signing a player; just how good are they? Any team lucky enough to land Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manuel Neuer—maybe even Sergio Ramos?—will be awarded full marks in this section, but the signing needs to be a genuinely proven world-class talent to merit that kind of score.
By contrast, someone who has been making or likely to make a sustained, consistent, positive impact in the division will get eight, while a player likely to become a squad member in a mediocre Premier League side when the season begins will get a five.
Value for Money (/5): Free transfers are a difficult one to gauge, but any player that’s signed on a free and likely to be a first team regular will get full marks; squad members will get four. When it comes to players signed for a fee, the category speaks for itself, although some estimation has been used when it comes to those dreaded undisclosed fees.
Necessity (/5): If Arsenal sign yet another intricate attacking midfielder, they’d be getting a one in this segment, but if they bring in a player to banish the longstanding woes at the base of the midfield, full marks. Essentially, just how much does the purchasing team really need this new player to meet their goals and how will said signing fit into the side.
Longevity (/5): What kind of long-term benefits can the team get from their new signing, whether it’s potential sell-on value or becoming a regular fixture in the team for years to come. Oldies but goodies won’t typically score well in this particular category.
Adaptability (/5): English football is notoriously difficult to adapt to, so players who are well acquainted will its abrasive nature will score top marks in this. Players coming from league that operate with a similar tempo and tenacity, such as the Bundesliga, will also be getting high scores in this section as well as those purchases whose qualities marry up well with English football.
Note: Only permanent signings included in this list, no loan deals
So with every incoming signing rated out of 30, here are the top 10 so far…
1. Petr Cech – Arsenal – Rating: 27/30
Cech is a game-changing acquisition for Arsenal, who have struggled to fill the void left by Jens Lehmann between the sticks ever since he departed.
Not only is Cech one of the best goalkeepers on the continent, he’s exactly the kind of goalkeeper—solid, fundamental and authoritative—that this team has been crying out for. The winning mentality he’s refined during his glittering spell with Chelsea will also enrich Arsenal’s bid to challenge for Premier League and Champions League honors.
2. Nathaniel Clyne – Liverpool – Rating: 26/30
In many respects, the lack of a top-class right-back, as well as Liverpool’s poor form, was the catalyst for Brendan Rodgers shifting to a back three last season. But in Clyne the Reds have picked up a full-back many would argue is the very best in the division.
The England international’s scorching surges on the right flank were a patent of Southampton’s engrossing playing style last season. His defensive instincts are the most important qualities he’ll bring to this Reds side, however, adding some fortitude to a back line that can occasionally cave in in spectacular style.
3. Roberto Firmino – Liverpool – Rating: 25/30
Firmino was a player that had so often been linked with a move to one of Europe’s illustrious names, but Liverpool decided to take a punt on the Brazilian international. As is the case with any big money flair player, he’s an acquisition that’s got the Liverpool fanbase counting down the days until the start of the season.
The former Hoffenheim man is a tremendously gifted attacker that exudes a swaggering joga bonito with the ball at his feet. Some eyebrows were raised about the price-tag for Firmino, but if he takes to the Premier League then Liverpool could potentially be in possession of a future world star.
4. James Milner – Liverpool – Rating: 25/30
In a summer of glitzy purchases for the Reds, the signing of Milner has gone a little under the radar. But there are plenty who have seen the England man in action at close quarters for Manchester City down the years that’d say landing the midfielder on a free transfer is the savviest bit of business we’ll see in the window.
Milner is no replacement for Steven Gerrard, but he’ll add some vital experience to the heart of the Liverpool midfield. He’s regularly lauded for industrial and adaptable qualities, but Milner has an understated class on the ball that the Anfield faithful should see more of in what looks likely to be a central midfield berth.
5. Memphis Depay – Manchester United – Rating: 25/30
Louis van Gaal admitted that he had to act fast when he was told Depay could be on his way to another team and you can see why the Dutchman was desperate to land last season’s standout player in the Eredivisie.
Blessed with blistering pace, tons of trickery and a dead-eye from set pieces, the young winger is going to add a refreshing edge to United’s front-line next season. He may need a little time to adapt, with Eredivisie to Premier League proving a troubling transition for players in the past, but Depay seems poised to thrive under the tutelage of his former national team boss.
Read a more detailed rundown of Memphis here.
6. Gerard Deulofeu – Everton – Rating: 25/30
Everton were so one-dimensional in their forward play last season, so Roberto Martinez will be delighted to have Deulofeu back at the club on a permanent deal.
The young Catalan was rated as one of the very best prospects in the revered La Masia before he joined the Toffees on loan in the summer of 2013. He lost his way a little at Sevilla last season, but a reported transfer fee of circa £4.5 million represents a major coup for an inherently talented winger that’s capable of rekindling Everton’s attacking spark.
Read more on Deulofeu here.
7. Cedric Soares – Southampton – Rating: 24/30
With Clyne off to Liverpool, Saints needed to move swiftly to fill the hole he was poised to leave in this team. And, just as the club did last summer, they’ve cast their net wide and in Soares, the South coast club have picked up another bargain buy.
The former Sporting man may be a little raw defensively, but he has attacking quality and energy comparable to Clyne. Soares loves to surge forward, get crosses into the box and link up with offensive players in dangerous areas; if Ronald Koeman can fine-tune his defensive work, the loss of Clyne shouldn’t hit the club too hard with Soares in situ.
8. Danny Ings – Liverpool – Rating: 24/30
Burnley’s cohesive and diligent approach to Premier League football won them many admirers last season, and although the stardust needed to stay up wasn’t prevalent, in Ings it’s clear they possessed a very capable striker indeed.
Liverpool will have to pay a tribunal fee to sign the England U21 international, but the forward is the kind of talent that’ll only get better with other top players around him. While Ings may struggle to secure a first team spot initially, if he does get a chance in the Reds XI, back him to seize his opportunity with distinction.
9. Tyrone Mings – Bournemouth – Rating: 24/30
Although Bournemouth’s enterprising brand of soccer in the 2014-15 won them many admirers, manager Eddie Howe will be well aware of how important it is to add some defensive structure to his XI. It’s what makes the purchase of Mings such an important one.
Whether deployed at left-back or centre-back, the former Ipswich Town man was immaculate in the Championship last season and seems more than ready for the step up to the top flight. If he performs well in his maiden campaign for the Cherries, expect some of the Premier League juggernauts to come calling.
10. Andre Ayew – Swansea City – Rating: 24/30
The Ghana star has been a menace on the flanks for Marseille in Ligue 1 for years now, showcasing the pace and power required to be a major threat in the Premier League. The prospect of the 25-year-old linking up with Bafetimbi Gomis at the Liberty Stadium next summer is a tantalizing one for Swans supporters, who will be desperate to replicate last season’s heroics.
SEE MORE — Important facts about Andre Ayew, Swansea’s quality signing.
To see the ratings for every signing made so far, click here.
Who do you think has been the best signing of the summer so far? Could any potential purchase knock Cech off top spot? Let us know in the comments section.
Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJFootball
