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The 2019 Premier League summer transfer window has entailed its fair share of surprises since opening on the 16th of May, 2019. However, one can expect that number to increase in the coming days, with the transfer window not slamming shut until the 8th of August.
Contrary to previous years, the English clubs have spent relatively less lavishly than their continental counterparts. While the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid have gone on a monumental shopping spree, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham have been more judicious in the market.
Yet, akin to the British norm, these sides have brought in a few fresh faces for significant sums of money. Additionally, the clubs in the bottom half of the table have been active to acquire footballers that suit their needs.
Consequently, a buzz has been created around the Premier League with millions of eyes trained on how the new arrivals would fare on British shores.
Thus, through the course of this article, we would chalk out five individuals who have the potential to have a considerable impact on the league and stamp their authority from the outset.
Without further ado, here is a look at them:
Also See : Arsenal Transfer News, EPL Transfer News, La Liga Transfer News.
#5 Ayoze Perez (Leicester City)
Leicester City enjoyed a topsy-turvy campaign last term which included a managerial switch in February. The Foxes started brightly before tailing off a touch in the middle and then regaining momentum towards the end.
Thus, the Midlands club knew that they had to tweak a few things in order to sustain their quest of breaking into the Premier League’s top six. And to that end, Leicester have made a couple of shrewd signings.
Ayoze Perez was influential in 2018-19 as Newcastle staved off relegation and veered themselves to a respectable 13th place finish. However, the Magpies, lured by the cash the Foxes offered, decided to offload their star striker, even before the season started proper.
While Newcastle are certain to rue the departure of Perez, Leicester wouldn’t really be complaining, considering they’ve gotten their hands on a proven Premier League talent and a player who has previously shown the attributes to succeed in England.
Under Brendan Rodgers, the Foxes have returned to their quick transitional, counter-attacking roots and have looked to inject the side with pace. Perez fits that bill perfectly and he could develop into a perfect foil for Jamie Vardy.
The Spaniard is capable of playing anywhere across the forward line and that flexibility could endear him to the Foxes’ faithful in a jiffy. Moreover, he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty when tasked with defensive work. Thus, he could be an ideal fit in Rodgers’ system.
A few weeks ago, not many would’ve batted an eyelid at Perez’s move from Newcastle to Leicester. Yet, it could turn out to be one of the more thoughtful signings of the summer.
#4 Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)
The Belgian midfielder arrived at Leicester at the start of the year and created an enormous splash instantly. He initially joined on a six-month loan deal in January.
Subsequently, the rich quality of his performances ensured that a race for his signature ensued in the summer. And fittingly, it was the Foxes who outfoxed the others and added Youri Tielemans to their band of promising midfielders.
A box to box midfielder by trade, the Belgian is equally adept at attacking and defending. Through his loan spell, he averaged 1.3 tackles per game in the league and complemented that with an 85% passing accuracy.
However, the most impressive aspect of his game-play is his ability to pass through the lines and open up opposition defences.
An accomplished passer of the football, Tielemans averaged 1.2 key passes per game in the Premier League last season and bagged four assists. Additionally, he also popped up with three goals, indicating that he has more facets to his game than just moving the ball around.
At 22 years of age, the Belgian has the time to develop into one of the best central midfielders in the game. Thus, the Foxes seem to have pulled a rabbit out of the hat by signing a player with world-beating potential.
Leicester has flown under the radar during the 2019 off-season. Yet, there is enough reason to suggest that they’ve had the best transfer window of all English top-flight clubs. And with Tielemans being one of those signings, not many would be arguing.
#3 Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the English full-back, captured each football fanatic’s imagination in the 2018-19 season with a string of inspired displays for Crystal Palace. Inevitably, the ‘big boys’ of the Premier League came calling and Manchester United eventually snapped him up.
The Englishman was at the heart of everything good the Eagles did last term. He was a defensive rock and contributed in the offensive third too. Through the course of the 2018-19 season, he averaged 3.7 tackles, 3.7 clearances and 2.4 interceptions per game, meaning he was on hand to sense the danger early and then mop it up if the danger presented itself.
Blessed with blistering pace, Wan-Bissaka boasts of the ability to recover quickly and that allows him to bomb forward.
He was efficient if not extravagant going the other way, assisting three goals through the campaign and averaging 0.4 key passes per game.
Though there are still a few flaws the youngster needs to iron out, he certainly has the potential to blossom into a top-drawer right back.
Moreover, Manchester United have been crying out for a full-back of the ilk of Wan-Bissaka to help them re-establish their supremacy on the flanks. Thus, the signing of the Englishman seems a match made in heaven and early evidence suggests that it could take the Premier League by storm.
#2 Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur)
A week ago, Tanguy Ndombele became the first player Tottenham Hotspur brought on board since January 2018. A remarkable feat considering the North London outfit made the Champions League final last term. Yet, Mauricio Pochettino stuck to the adage of not fixing something until it broke and that paid rich dividends.
However, towards the fag end of the 2018-19 season, there were signs hinting at a bit of fatigue in the camp, owing to their threadbare squad. Thus, Spurs decided that it was time to bring out their recently rusted cheque book and splash the cash on Ndombele.
The Frenchman, in principle, has all the ingredients to be a complete midfielder. He is strong in the tackle, skillful in possession and an epitome of muscle in midfield.
Defensively, he is tough to get past and he accumulated an average of 1.9 tackles per game last term. Thus, signaling that he could fulfill the role previously played by Moussa Sissoko. Yet, Ndombele is an upgrade on his French compatriot and is arguably the perfect blend of the aforementioned Sissoko and Moussa Dembele.
The former Lyon midfielder is superb on the ball and specializes in spraying passes all across the pitch. Moreover, his end product is exemplary, a credential strengthened by his tally of 7 league assists and an average of 1.4 key passes per game.
Hence, at this juncture, the signing of Ndombele seems a masterstroke. In truth though, Spurs would’ve bitten anyone’s hand off at the offer of procuring a central midfielder. After all, it wasn’t long ago that Danny Rose was manning the midfield.
Yet, in Ndombele, they’ve got a massive upgrade on the current midfielders at their disposal. And for all one knows, he could just be the missing piece that propels Spurs to the perch of the Premier League.
#1 Rodri Hernandez (Manchester City)
A decade or so ago, a lanky, Spanish midfielder, an epitome of a metronomic passer, started making waves in European football. Representing Barcelona under Pep Guardiola, that footballer revolutionized the defensive midfielder position. A certain Sergio Busquets had somehow combined the brawn and the brain to serve an irresistible feast to the world.
Unsurprisingly, many believed that no one could even come close, let alone match his style of play. Yet, through 2018 and 2019, there seems to be an heir apparent to his throne: Rodri Hernandez.
The Spaniard, re-signed by Atletico Madrid from Villarreal in the 2018 off-season caused many a ripple on his return to Madrid. The Los Rojiblancos weren’t quite at their best through last season but Rodri was one of their stand-out players, a footballer who took the term ‘consistency’ to another level.
In 2018-19, he averaged 3 tackles, 2 clearances and 1.2 interceptions per game. Hence, highlighting his defensive soundness. With the ball though, his numbers were even more astonishing.
The midfielder averaged 56.7 passes in the league at a mind-boggling accuracy of 91.1%.
However, Rodri’s game entails much more than just raw statistics.
Capable of controlling the tempo of the game, the Spaniard has the innate ability of knowing when to speed things up and when to slow them down. Moreover, he has a deceptive turn of pace which allows him to stand his ground and not let opposition midfielders out-run him.
After Manchester City’s success last season, many felt that the Sky Blues had reached their zenith. Yet, with the arrival of Rodri, Guardiola’s men seem on course to frighteningly get better.
Years ago, it was Pep who molded Busquets into a midfielder that bossed games for fun. And with another Spanish protégé lying in wait, one feels that Guardiola might just be able to weave his magic, again.
While that may be music to the Cityzens’ ears, it certainly is not a sight any of the other Premier League sides would particularly fancy.
