As we complete the fourth matchday of the Premier League season, we come to an end of what has been one of the most frantic transfer windows in modern history with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Jadon Sancho joining the biggest football league on the planet. We are looking back at each club’s transfer window and grading them according to the overall impact those signings had and how the window has affected the individual club in response to their squad quality.
Arsenal
Notable arrivals: Ben White (Brighton), Martin Ødegaard (Real Madrid), Albert Sambi-Lokonga (Genk), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield)
Notable departures: Willian (Contract terminated), Joe Willock (Newcastle)
Starting with Arsenal, the highest spenders in the Premier League this season have also become the highest underperformers this season. Adding to an already weakened squad from last year, Arsenal haven’t really upgraded their starting eleven, except probably the likes of Ben White and Martin Ødegaard. Although they have greatly improved their bench strength with players like Lokonga, who is a real talent, but have let go of players like Saliba and Guendozi on loan deals, especially at a time where their services would be useful. It’s upto coach Mikel Arteta to galvanize the squad immediately or his future at the Emirates will be called into question. In the end, this transfer window was amazing from a futuristic point of view, but it was not the right way to go, considering the present state of disarray.
Grade: D+
Aston Villa
Notable arrivals: Emí Buendía (Aston Villa), Leon Bailey (Leverkusen), Danny Ings (Southampton)
Notable departures: Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Manchester United), Wesley (Club Brugge; On Loan)
The Jack Grealish transfer saga finally came to an end in this window with their club captain moving to the blue side of Manchester for more than 100 million pounds. Although his creativity and dynamism will be missed, the Villans have reinvested the money well by bringing in Norwich’s Emiliano Buendia and Leverkusen’s Leon Bailey, two absolutely amazing players to partner David Trezeguet and Anwar El-Ghazi. Tuanzebe and Ashley Young will provide great depth as well. With Danny Ings, they have a proven Premier League goalscorer. They also managed to retain key players like John McGinn and Ezri Konsa, thus following up a really strong window last season as Villa look to compete for the European places.
Grade: B-
Brentford
Notable arrivals: Frank Onyeka (Midtyjlland), Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic)
Notable departures: None
As the Bees look to play in the top flight for the first time in 49 years, they have made a set of sensible transfers with the arrival of Onyeka, who had a stellar debut against Arsenal to add some creativity and threat to the side and also the addition of Celtic’s Ajer to partner Ethan Pinnock. But their biggest achievement this window is that they managed to keep hold of talismanic striker, Ivan Toney. Personally, I feel that the club could have done more, maybe bringing another central midfielder, but a decent window nonetheless.
Grade: C+
Brighton & Hove Albion
Notable arrivals: Enock Mwepu(Salzburg), Marc Cucurella (Getafe), Abdallah Sima(Slavia Prague)
Notable departures: Ben White (Arsenal), Davy Pröpper (PSV)
Arsenal’s signing of Ben White for more than 50 million pounds was one of the big headlines this summer. The Seagulls reinvested that money on the likes of Salzburg’s Mwepu to partner Yves Bissouma and highly rated youngster Marc Cucurella, who is a great option on the right hand side. But, for a side who creates so many chances as Brighton, having the third highest xG in the league last season, not bringing in a striker was absolutely criminal, as Frenchman Neal Maupay underperformed severely last season. Overall, their window could be better but Graham Potter will still have the bulk of his squad from last season as they look for a mid-table finish.
Grade: C-
Burnley
Notable arrivals: Maxwell Cornet (Lyon), Conor Roberts (Swansea), Nathan Collins (Stoke)
Notable departures: None
Since their promotion to the top flight in 14/15, Burnley under the stewardship of Sean Dyche have become a proper Premier League side, and their boldness has been emphasized by their transfer window. Nathan Collins is a brilliant addition, considering the fact that James Tarkowski will leave the club at the end of the season and in Conor Roberts, they have a Euro 2020 star player and in Maxwel Cornet, they have a Champions League level player who is absolutely brilliant down the right hand side. They have gotten rid of a lot of deadwood and have bolstered their squad in the right areas making this window one to remember for the Clarets.
Grade: B+
Chelsea
Notable arrivals: Romelu Lukaku (Inter), Saúl (Atletí; On Loan)
Notable departures: Tammy Abraham (Roma), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan),Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan)
Following on from an amazing transfer window last season, the only thing Chelsea needed was goals, as Timo Werner struggled in his first season at Stamford Bridge. The signing of Romelu Lukaku, a player in the form of his life, star of Serie A last season, star of Euro 2020, was the final piece of Abramovich’s puzzle as the European Champions look to win it all this season. A lot of young players have left the club, like Abraham and Tomori, but they were smart transfers, regarding the lack of gametime they would get at Chelsea. Saúl Niguez also brings fantastic depth to their already stacked midfield and caps off yet another superb transfer window for the Londoners.
Grade: A+
Crystal Palace
Notable arrivals: Odsonne Edouard (Celtic), Marc Olise (Reading), Marc Guehi (Chelsea), Connor Gallagher (West Brom), Joachim Andersen (Lyon)
Notable departures: Andros Townsend (contract expired), Patrick van Aanholt ( contract expired), Mamadou Sakho (contract expired)
Crystal Palace have continued their trend of signing young, exciting talents this window with creative players like Guehi and Olise. Star player Wilfried Zaha will be partnered with the Scottish League’s top scorer last season Odsonne Edouard and Connor Gallagher has already become a goal-scoring option for them. The signing of Joachim Andersen, who was prolific for Fulham last season, joins to stabilize a defense which was losing multiple players on free transfers. A lot depends now on Patrick Vieira’s ability to galvanize the squad and deliver results. But overall, they have done a really good job in the window.
Grade: B+
Everton
Notable arrivals: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace), Demarai Gray (Leverkusen), Salomon Rondón (Dalian Pro)
Notable departures: Theo Walcott (Southampton), Josh King (contract expired), Bernard (Sharjah), Yannick Bolasie (contract expired)
I really don’t know what to say here. What Everton have managed to do is to get rid of players like Besic, Bolasie and Bernard and free up the wage bill. As for the signings, Demarai Gray is the biggest name, having previously won the title with Leicester, and he is off to a good start in Mersey, having being nominated for the PL Player of the Month. But in players like Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondón, they have two ageing veterans past their prime. This transfer window just hasn’t improved their overall squad quality, and Toffees fans will be disappointed.
Grade: D-
Leeds
Notable arrivals: Daniel James (Manchester United), Junior Firpo (Barcelona), Jack Harrison (Manchester City)
Notable departures: Pablo Hernandez (contract expired), Ezgan Alioski (contract expired), Hélder Costa (Valencia)
Since Leeds made their return their Premier League last season, they have gone from strength to strength and the permanent signing of Jack Harrison and Dan James, a deal three years in the making, strengthening an already strong attack.
Leeds are a team which have become over-reliant on Kalvin Philips, so another midfielder would have been great. But Leeds did very well to keep him at the club as well as the Brazilian Raphinha. They could have also signed another centre back as a rotation player but all in all, it was a decent transfer window for them.
Grade: C+
Leicester City
Notable arrivals: Patson Daka (RB Salzburg), Boubakary Soumaré (Lille), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton), Ademola Lookman (Leipzig)
Notable departures: None
The reigning FA Cup champions were absolutely brilliant at the start of last season, yet ultimately losing out on the Champions League qualification, as multiple injuries hit the squad and Brendan Rodgers’ side just ran out of steam. They have made some amazing deals this window, with the likes of Patson Daka, expected to be the successor to Jamie Vardy, Boubakary Soumaré who was excellent in Lille’s triumphant Ligue 1 campaign last season, Jannik Vestergaard to replace the injured Wesley Fofana, and in Lookman and Bertrand, they have added squad depth that will help them challenge for the UCL. Overall, Leicester have done exactly what they needed to do, and it was a really successful window for the Foxes.
Grade: A-
Hope you enjoyed the article and stick around for part 2 of this article where we look at clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City!
