With the 2023 summer transfer window now finally over, this is a good time to reflect on which Premier League clubs made the best moves.
Chelsea were the busiest club, splashing the cash on another raft of new players and sanctioning outgoing moves for a plethora of underperformers.
They set a new British transfer record when they signed Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion, but you’d be hard-pushed to suggest the move represents value for money.
A similar accusation can be levelled at Arsenal, who paid over £100 million to snap up midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham United.
With that in mind, we have scoured this summer’s transfers to identify which Premier League clubs have completed the best moves.
James Maddison – Leicester City to Tottenham Hotspur – £40m
Tottenham Hotspur pulled off one of THE best moves of the transfer window by signing Maddison from Leicester City for £40 million.
Judging by his early season form for the club, Maddison looks tailor-made for manager Ange Postecoglou’s style of play.
As another member of the Football Today team commented over the weekend, ‘Maddison was there for Chelsea to buy, but they chose some random Brazilians for £80m’. Madness.
James Ward-Prowse – Southampton to West Ham United – £30m
Having filled their coffers with Rice’s sizeable fee, it took West Ham a little while to secure their incoming targets this summer.
Given the silly money thrown around during the transfer window, the Hammers’ £30m outlay on Ward-Prowse is excellent value.
The former Southampton star brings a guarantee of goals and assists to West Ham – quite why more clubs weren’t in for him is baffling.
Josko Gvardiol – RB Leipzig to Manchester City – £77.6m
History has shown that clubs that win major silverware must not rest on their laurels if they want more success in the future.
Manchester City have applied that ethos to perfection this summer, making several tweaks to the squad that swept to the continental treble last term.
Despite the bumper fee, adding sought-after RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol to their squad will likely prove to be a stroke of genius.
Moussa Diaby – Bayer Leverkusen to Aston Villa – £43.2m
It is less than a year since Steven Gerrard was seemingly on a mission to send Aston Villa hurtling into the Championship.
Fast forward to today and Villa are a completely different proposition under Unai Emery (aka a proper manager).
Moussa Diaby has already shown he will be an excellent addition to their attacking options following his move from Bayer Leverkusen.
Ansu Fati – Barcelona to Brighton & Hove Albion – Loan
Once tipped as the ‘next big thing’ at Barcelona, it would be fair to say that things have not quite gone to plan for Fati in recent times.
However, the 20-year-old still has plenty of time to fulfil his undoubted potential, and Brighton could be the perfect place for that to happen.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi is an excellent coach and should soon have Fati demonstrating why he is so highly rated.
Dominik Szoboszlai – RB Leipzig to Liverpool – £60m
Liverpool’s much-needed midfield revamp has seen them secure the services of Szoboszlai from Leipzig, and his early performances have been full of promise.
The Hungarian star’s creativity has brought an added dimension to the team’s attacking play, while his willingness to work has not gone unnoticed.
Szoboszlai has been the pick of Liverpool’s midfield signings this summer, although their final acquisition could ultimately usurp him.
Ryan Gravenberch – Bayern Munich to Liverpool – £34m
Gravenberch was one of the most coveted midfielders in the world last summer and looked to have the world at his feet when he signed for Bayern Munich.
However, the former Ajax star struggled to force his way into the first team and has been deemed surplus to requirements by the Bundesliga giants.
Bayern’s loss should prove to be Liverpool’s gain. If Gravenberch rediscovers his best form, the £34m fee will look a snip.
Sofyan Amrabat – Fiorentina to Manchester United – Loan
It took Man United until deadline day to get the deal for Amrabat over the line, but they eventually secured the services of a player who should be a big hit for the club.
His boundless energy will boost United’s energy room – something they have been sorely lacking over the past few seasons.
The way Amrabat bossed the midfield for Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final last season perfectly highlighted what he will bring to United.
Ibrahim Sangare – PSV Eindhoven to Nottingham Forest – £30m
Sangare was previously linked with several top European clubs, so his £30m move to Nottingham Forest is somewhat surprising.
Forest had been tracking the Ivory Coast international for the past 18 months, with defensive midfield an area they were keen to address.
The former PSV Eindhoven star is a top-class performer and looks a good bet to help Forest climb the ranks in the Premier League.
Mohammed Kudus – Ajax to West Ham United – £36m
While they missed out on signing a central striker this summer, West Ham’s other transfer business deserves a massive pat on the back.
Kudus has been a standout performer for Ajax in the Eredivisie and is a quality addition to the Hammers’ attacking options.
The Ghana international’s versatility is a bonus – in today’s inflated market, the £36m fee looks to be excellent value.
Andre Onana – Inter Milan to Manchester United – £44m
Our final top summer transfer is a goalkeeper who will help United properly implement Erik ten Hag’s style of play.
Onana has already shown plenty of examples of what he will add to United, and he will only get better once he has had time to settle in.
The decision to replace David de Gea could be argued to be risky but is one that will pay huge dividends in the long run.
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