A whole host of players who have never played in the Premier League before will be making their debuts in 2022/23....CONTINUE READING
Here is my best XI of the league’s new signings
GK: Thomas Strakosha
Lazio to Brentford, free
Of the new goalkeepers arriving in the Premier League this summer, Strakosha is undoubtedly the most experienced.
The 27-year-old Albanian international joins the Bees after seven years at Lazio and he is not only a good shot-stopper but decent at distributing the ball with his feet too, making him strong competition for David Raya.
CB: Sven Botman
Lille to Newcastle, £31.9m
The galacticos are yet to truly arrive at St James’ Park but in Botman, Newcastle have made a very shrewd signing indeed.
Still just 22, the Dutch international has been coveted by many of Europe’s top clubs in recent years thanks to his positional intelligence and impressive range of passing. The Magpies have splashed the cash and it would be a surprise if they live to regret it.
CB: Kalidou Koulibaly
Napoli to Chelsea, £33.9m
View pictures in App save up to 80% data. After seemingly being linked with every club under the sun at one stage or another, Koulibaly finally left Napoli this summer and joined Chelsea.
The departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen means the Senegalese centre-back will be a crucial player at Stamford Bridge this season and at 31, you could say he’s still at his peak.
CB: Lisandro Martínez
Ajax to Manchester United, £46m
It hasn’t been a perfect summer of transfer activity at Old Trafford, but beating off competition from Arsenal to sign Martinez is a big reason to be cheerful.
Erik ten Hag knows the 24-year-old Argentine international well from Ajax and he will slot in nicely alongside Harry Maguire or Raphael Varane and help massively with United’s build-up play from the back.
DM: Cheick Doucoure
Lens to Crystal Palace, £18m
Palace boss Patrick Vieira has been watching Doucoure for a while and described this signing as a “statement of intent” this summer.
The 22-year-old Malian midfielder brings so much promise to Selhurst Park and should add some much-needed steel to the Eagles midfield. One of the transfer coups of the summer.
DM: Boubacar Kamara
Marseille to Aston Villa, free
Another big transfer coup also moves to England from Ligue 1, and the fact Villa got him for nothing makes this one all the more eye-catching.
Steven Gerrard described Kamara as “one of the most promising young talents in Europe” and the ex-Liverpool midfielder knows a player when he sees one. 169 games for Marseille and three caps for France is very decent for a 22-year-old, and he should be a great addition to the Premier League.
RW: Luis Sinisterra
Feyenoord to Leeds, £21.3m
Raphinha’s departure to Barcelona was a blow for Leeds this summer but in Sinisterra, they may have unearthed another gem to replace the Brazilian.
The 23-year-old Colombian can operate on either flank and scored 23 goals for Feyenoord last season, assisting 14 others. A hamstring injury sustained in pre-season means Elland Road may have to be patient with him, but once he hits his stride Sinisterra should have the fans off their seats.
LW: Ivan Perisic
Inter to Tottenham, free
Of all the business done by Spurs this summer, the signing of Perisic could prove to be the most important in the short-term.
It took far too long for the Croatian to finally arrive in the Premier League but at 33 he still has plenty left in the tank, and his ability to play on the wing or at wing-back makes him ideal for Antonio Conte’s system.
AM: Fabio Vieira
Porto to Arsenal, £30m
It’s an unwritten rule that every good team needs a diminutive attacking midfielder and now Arsenal have theirs.
A left-footed Portuguese playmaker in the Bernardo Silva mould, the 22-year-old’s transfer from Porto came out of nowhere and was done quickly. He’s one for the future but could also have the Emirates Stadium drooling in no time.
ST: Darwin Nunez
Benfica to Liverpool, £64.3m
The most expensive arrival in the Premier League this summer is also one of the most intriguing.
The loss of Sadio Mane is a blow to Liverpool but one they can absorb if Nunez settles quickly. The 23-year-old Uruguayan is big and strong with a lovely touch, and his 34 goals for Benfica last season showed he’s ready to make a big step up.
ST: Erling Haaland
Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City, £51.5m
View pictures in App save up to 80% data. The marquee signing of the summer was effectively sealed before last season had already finished and 2022/23 could be the year of Haaland.
If the 22-year-old Norwegian goal-machine adapts quickly to Pep Guardiola’s demands and stays relatively injury free, he could single-handedly transform the champions from an incredible team into a near-unstoppable force.
