'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The transfer window has officially been open for just three weeks, but teams across the Premier League have already splashed the cash on a few big names this summer.
I could be horribly wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the players who have moved to the Saudi Pro League this summer return on loan to the Premier League in January. I can't for the life of me understand why someone like Ruben Neves - who is in his prime - has decided to swap Europe for the Middle East.
He'd have got bundles of money even if he stayed in the Premier League and Saudi will still be an option three or four years down the line, so I don't see why he opted to go there at the peak of his powers.
A lot could change between now and the end of the transfer window, but as things stand, here are my five best signings in the Premier League so far.
#5 Christopher Nkunku - Chelsea
We've seen over the years that if you're a center forward from the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich will take you. Christopher Nkunku signed for Chelsea as early as September 2022, but do you know what I'm saying? Call me a cynic, but that's my only worry, which is why I've put him at #5.
Nkunku has performed incredibly well for RB Leipzig over the past two seasons and Chelsea are in desperate need of a center forward, so this is definitely a 'watch this space' signing. They've also signed Nicolas Jackson, but the kid is young and is very much a work in progress.
As things stand, Chelsea's summer transfer window has been shocking, to say the least. They've got rid of top-class players like Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz and replaced them with unproven players, for the lack of a better word. A lot could change between now and the end of the transfer window but at the moment, I don't see it as good business.
Todd Boehly has called the shots this summer so far. For a manager like Mauricio Pochettino who has just joined the club, he'd have wanted to get players who can hit the ground running immediately, not youngsters and potential superstars who could be the real deal in five years. Pochettino isn't going to be around five years later, so why would he identify such players over proven winners who can win you games today?
#4 Alexis Mac Allister - Liverpool
I'm a big fan of Alexis Mac Allister, he's very simple and effective. He's not got major legs and isn't the strongest midfielder you'll see, but he'll keep things ticking for Liverpool in the center of the park and play a big role in their build-up play.
However, Liverpool are crying out for legs in midfield - we saw what happened to them last season. The likes of Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are at the fag end of their careers, so they need a lot more than just Mac Allister to become a force to be reckoned with once again.
I haven't seen enough of Dominik Szoboszlai to pass a judgment, but if you're a Liverpool fan, you'd be hoping he has the legs and the engine to give them what they missed dearly last season. Additionally, Mac Allister flourished at Brighton with someone like Moises Caicedo next to him, with the Ecuador international's engine and defensive acumen acting as the perfect foil to his skillset. He's an absolute bargain for £35 million, but I still think Liverpool need more midfield reinforcements.
I've said for the longest time that Trent Alexander-Arnold is the best passer in English football, but I was actually shocked by the amount of adulation he got for his performance for England on international duty. They played against Malta and North Macedonia, c'mon. He has been deployed in midfield recently by Gareth Southgate and Jurgen Klopp, but I still think he will play as a right-back come next season.
#3 Kai Havertz - Arsenal
Kai Havertz is a good signing and he definitely improves Arsenal. He fell behind the eight ball last season, but that was the case for everyone at Chelsea barring Thiago Silva and Reece James.
He looks a bit like Mesut Ozil in terms of his effortlessness on the ball, so if he's not playing well, people sometimes think he isn't bothered. It's not like he's not trying; it's just how he plays football. When they're winning, it's elegant and classy but when they lose, fans will jump on him like a rash - much like what was the case with Ozil.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli had the seasons of their life, but they didn't score more goals in the 2022-23 campaign than someone like Mohamed Salah, who was deemed to have had an off-season by his standards. Arsenal will look to compete in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League next season, so they need options and a bit of unpredictability, something Havertz brings to the table thanks to his skill set and versatility.
When Martin Odegaard wasn't playing well at the end of last season, Arsenal struggled to string together a run of wins. If that were to be the case next season, Mikel Arteta has another weapon up his armory in Havertz, who can play a handful of positions across the front six.
It's a clever signing by the club that allows them to mix it up slightly. When they buy players, there's a thinking behind it, so I have a good feeling about this one. I'm absolutely astonished Chelsea sold him to Arsenal, I find it extraordinary, to be honest.
I know they're trying to balance their books by offloading a few players, but I personally don't get how it makes sense to sell important players to direct Premier League top-six rivals.
#2 Mason Mount - Manchester United
As I mentioned earlier, it's absolutely unbelievable that Chelsea have decided to sell Mason Mount to Manchester United. I'm even more flabbergasted by the fact that only one club was after him and I've seen a handful of Manchester United fans moan about his signing, wow!
They'd all be excited if they got someone from abroad who they watched a one-minute highlight reel of. I've seen this kid play a lot over the past few years and he brings them the energy they currently lack. Mount can play on the half turn and always looks forward - he could be a dream to play with for the likes of Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.
He's been an indispensable member of Gareth Southgate's England set-up in recent years and was Chelsea's Player of the Season for two seasons, so I thought even Manchester City would make a move for him. This kid is a top player and he's going straight into the starting XI - there's no doubt about it.
That said, I hope they play him in a midfield three alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes - it would be a massive waste if he's shafted out wide.
#1 James Maddison - Tottenham Hotspur
If Harry Kane stays at Tottenham, this is an unbelievable signing. Kane managed to score 30 Premier League goals last season with pretty much no one to support him from midfield - that's how good he was for the North London club. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but none of Spurs' midfielders could thread the needle in terms of a defense-splitting pass, so he had to do a lot of work on his own.
With Maddison in the squad, I dread to think how much he'd score, because the former Leicester City man doesn't mess about. He gets on the half-turn and puts the ball on the platter for his striker - look at how well he combined with Jamie Vardy at the King Power Stadium.
While we're talking about Kane, I'm struggling to see why he'd go to Bayern Munich. He's 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer's Premier League record, so I can't see him leaving. Even if he were to leave to win trophies, what's the challenge in winning the Bundesliga title with Bayern? They've already won it about 97 times on the trot!
I can't believe Manchester United haven't put the boat out for this lad. In my opinion, he's the best all-round center forward in world football and he isn't someone who relies on his pace, so he can play for however long he wants. If he stays - and I think he will - Maddison immediately becomes the signing of the season, for me.
If Arsenal finally manage to get a deal for Declan Rice over the line, he'd also be right up there. He's an amazing holding midfield player and can also take up an advanced role if necessary. When push came to shove last season, Thomas Partey went missing for Arsenal, so it was always clear Arteta would look to add another weapon to his midfield options.
I couldn't talk highly enough about Rice. His transfer fee has been the talk of the town, but I don't care even if he costs £500 million if I'm being honest. What I like about Arsenal is that they have a method. It was clear last season that they are unbelievable going forward, but what they lacked was a player who could hold it together for them in the center of the park, which is why they faltered in the title run-in by conceding too many goals.
