The Premier League‘s prime golf equipment have leapt into motion early this summer time, splashing the money and securing a sequence of high-profile signings. On the time of writing, 13 separate offers have been struck for £30 million or extra, with Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis significantly energetic forward of the Membership World Cup, whereas Liverpool have moved shortly to strengthen forward of their title protection to the tune of over £170m.
Nevertheless, many of those transfers ought to appeal to real query marks and pause for thought. It’s no assure that spending massive cash yields success and, in lots of instances, new arrivals both want time to adapt, or create ripple results that change the make-up of a crew.
Right here, we assess six of these 13 main offers and ask what challenges lie forward for them.
Switch: Jeremie Frimpong, Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool, £30m
Query: Can he play at proper again?
It has been some time since Frimpong performed at proper again — the place he’s slated to play for his new membership following the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Certainly, the Netherlands worldwide spent the overwhelming majority of his final two seasons at Leverkusen enjoying wing again, winger or perhaps a barely narrower attacking midfield function.
Trying to find current examples of him enjoying as an precise proper again is a borderline fruitless job: His nationwide facet has deployed him there twice previously 16 months, whereas Opta’s match logs recommend Frimpong performed there towards fourth-tier German facet FC Teutonia Ottensen within the DFB-Pokal spherical of 64. Nevertheless, he began his Leverkusen profession in that place, having signed from Celtic in 2021 as a flying fullback who exhilarated the gang.
The curious factor about this kind of switch is that, whereas Arne Slot can be hoping to faucet into Frimpong’s muscle reminiscence, the actual fact is the Dutchman has flourished and developed into the participant he’s at this time partly as a result of he has performed elsewhere.
He might return to enjoying proper again at Liverpool a extra completed, rounded participant and look higher than ever earlier than … although it may also be truthful to count on some rising pains, given he is altering positions whereas additionally stepping up by way of the standard of the league.
It is in all probability for the perfect that Liverpool have gone for a very completely different model of proper again to Alexander-Arnold — a poor imitation of him would have certainly failed — however shifting so markedly in a special path brings questions all the identical.
Switch: Milos Kerez, Bournemouth to Liverpool, £40m
Query: Will he go away Liverpool uncovered?
Talking of recent Liverpool fullbacks, there is a recent face on the alternative facet, too. Kerkez looks like he can be an incredible long-term alternative for left again Andy Robertson, who’s starting to decelerate after half a decade on the prime, and mirrors the Scotland worldwide’s nonstop power, aggression and all-round bodily attributes.
However, as with Frimpong, Kerkez is not any plug-and-play alternative. That a lot ought to be apparent by the actual fact he is solely 21 years outdated and has restricted expertise on the prime stage. He might want to enhance in quite a few other ways to really step into Robertson’s footwear.
The primary massive distinction might come throughout Liverpool’s buildup play, as Robertson had a behavior of inverting into extra central areas throughout this part. It wasn’t unusual to see him grow to be a short lived left heart again because the again 4 switched to a 3, nor was it unusual to see him invert into midfield as soon as the ball had moved a bit of larger.
Kerkez does not actually do any of this, as a result of Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola by no means requested him to. Slot does not have to stay to the identical system — though he isn’t going to ask Frimpong to grow to be a 3rd heart again for causes famous above — so the one different different can be to ask midfielder Ryan Gravenberch to drop in from the No. 6 place.
One other problem, based on a specialist one-vs.-one coach consulted for this piece (who works with Premier League and Bundesliga gamers and compiles particular person evaluation for them to study from) is how Premier League wingers have been ready to make use of Kerkez’s excessive power towards him.
“As a defender, he’s jumpy and impulsive. He falls for feints, swerves and fakes a bit too simply,” the coach informed ESPN. “He is impatient, jumps in and bites on issues too simply, ending up on the ground too typically. He additionally locks onto gamers and follows them in every single place, opening up gaps for others to make the most of.”
The coach was fast to notice that Kerkez’s restoration capability is prime notch, so he inspired his shoppers to go or shoot shortly after beating him. However with the highlight brighter than ever, it is vital that Kerkez works together with his coaches on how you can stand as much as Europe’s prime wingers higher.
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Ogden: No logic behind Chelsea signing João Pedro
Mark Ogden reacts to Chelsea’s proposed transfer for Brighton’s João Pedro.
João Pedro, Brighton to Chelsea, £55m
Query: Will he get in Cole Palmer’s manner?
Pedro adopted Moisés Caicedo and Marc Cucurella from Brighton to Chelsea, however he represents the end result of a giant shift within the membership’s switch coverage. After spending the previous two years with only one pure striker (Nicolas Jackson) within the squad, the Blues now have three, after including Liam Delap and Pedro in fast succession.
Jackson and Delap are comparable sorts of forwards — they’re each massive, burly guys who occupy heart backs, battle within the channels, run in behind and stretch play — however Pedro is completely different: way more cultured, adept at enjoying flicks, and as a lot of a playmaker as he’s a finisher.
Briefly, the best way to explain Pedro is that he is the Premier League’s closest providing to former Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino proper now.
On paper, that sounds nice. Firmino was a part of an all-conquering Liverpool entrance three by which Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané fed off the Brazilian’s luxurious assists, intelligent actions and unselfish conduct. Who would not need such a useful ahead? The issue is, the encircling make-up of Chelsea’s crew does not clearly lend itself to a Firmino-like No. 9.
Probably the most obtrusive problem there may be that Chelsea’s extensive forwards are hardly aim machines. Salah and Mané had been principally strikers in disguise, however Pedro Neto (4 targets within the league), Noni Madueke (seven) and Jamie Gittens (extra on him later) are real wingers. If Pedro scores solely 10 league targets subsequent season — and his profession historical past means that may very well be the case — others might want to choose up the slack.
After all, that scenario will not be new to Chelsea. Jackson scored 14 league targets in 2023-24 and 10 in 2024-25, leaving Palmer to do the remainder from midfield. In actual fact, Jackson’s motion and runs, which dragged defenders out of Palmer’s manner, had been key to creating the house the England worldwide wanted to shoot and rating. However what occurs to Palmer’s recreation if his teammate is dropping in towards him, not dragging defenders away from him? Does it crush the pocket of house he must work in?
Lastly, it ought to be famous that there’s a basic expectation for costly strikers to attain numerous targets. Even when they’re multitalented and convey a lot extra to the desk, they’re criticized if they do not hit 20 per season. Firmino suffered from it, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz and Jackson endure from it … heck, even Karim Benzema wasn’t resistant to it at Actual Madrid
Pedro scored 5 non-penalty league targets final season, and 5 the season earlier than that. On the idea he does not get to take penalties at Stamford Bridge as a result of Palmer is so good at them, will the Brazil worldwide ever be capable of do sufficient to be absolutely appreciated?
Jamie Gittens, Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea, £55m
Query: Will he assist his teammates?
Having didn’t make the grade at Manchester Metropolis’s academy in 2020, Gittens’ first full marketing campaign on the prime stage with Dortmund culminated in a £55m transfer again to England. An thrilling younger winger, he actually matches the Blues’ switch temporary to a tee.
However that assertion could be taken in each a constructive and destructive mild. On the one hand, it is clear he has big potential; on the opposite, it is apparent he is nonetheless in his improvement stage. Gittens scored 12 targets within the Bundesliga and Champions League final season, and plenty of seemed very comparable: He would obtain the ball extensive on the left, reduce inside, skip previous challenges and discover the far, prime nook. He started doing it so persistently it began to appear like a signature transfer.
Sadly, virtually all of his targets got here within the first half of the season, when Dortmund occurred to be an absolute mess. As a crew they had been disjointed, left big gaps in protection and attacked with out coordination. It left them eleventh within the desk by the tip of January, so supervisor Nuri Şahin was sacked and changed by Niko Kovač.
Kovač steadily stabilized the crew and, within the course of, Gittens fell out of the XI. He began 79% of league video games beneath Şahin, however simply 40% beneath his alternative. There have been recommendations the England U21 worldwide was battling damage, however his major drawback was that the participant being picked forward of him (Karim Adeyemi) was keen to sacrifice himself for the crew, put within the defensive work and maintain Kovač’s construction, whereas Gittens was seen as extra individualistic.
There’s a component to that which Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca may like — in spite of everything, he actually implored his wingers to shoot extra this season, and Gittens is not shy — however the winger’s lack of expertise with the extra boring elements of enjoying top-level tactical soccer might result in a tricky studying curve.
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Are Cunha and Mbuemo the signings Manchester United want?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens query whether or not Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are appropriate signings for Manchester United’s rebuild.
Matheus Cunha, Wolves to Manchester United, £62.5m
Query: Can he repeat final season’s efforts?
Cunha completed second in a very dreaded statistic in 2024-25: anticipated targets (xG) overperformance. And the membership’s different goal, Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo, completed prime. This serves as a sign that the 2 gamers had the season of their lives in entrance of aim … and sure will not be capable of repeat the feat.
Based mostly on the pictures Mbeumo took within the league final season, he was statistically anticipated to attain 12.3 targets however really hit the 20 mark. Cunha achieved the same feat by netting 15 off 8.6 xG.
How? Put merely, they did it by regularly scoring from distance or from tight angles. Certainly, Cunha scored a outstanding 5 targets from 24 yards out or additional, with some significantly outrageous efforts coming towards Aston Villa, Southampton and Man United themselves. His 15 complete targets represented his best-ever haul, up from 12 the season earlier than, and he had by no means breached double figures earlier than 2023-24.
You may slice that kind of factor certainly one of two methods: optimists will level to the actual fact he has outperformed his xG for 2 years straight and recommend that, at 26 years of age, he has discovered his groove; others, although, would recommend it will not occur once more.
ESPN requested a few information analysts working in Europe’s prime 5 leagues how they’d gauge this overperformance. “Signing gamers following xG overperformance is not a sin in itself; all of it depends upon how that overperformance influences any potential payment and what you count on of the participant,” one defined. “How a participant matches in is vital. In the event that they slot effectively into Rúben Amorim’s system and proceed to carry out, the inflated charges may very well be justified.”
On the very least, Cunha (and Mbeumo) have apparent locations in Amorim’s trademark system — the 2 extensive No. 10 roles that help the lone central striker. These gamers ought to be capable of get pictures off from these positions and angles, giving them at the very least the platform to repeat their 2024-25 heroics. But when the targets do not come the best way they did earlier than, nobody ought to be significantly shocked.
