5 players who are having the best debut seasons so far

Three months into the 2021-22 season, things have slowly started to take shape for the remainder of the campaign. With the summer transfer window done and dusted, clubs all across Europe have begun their battle for supremacy with their updated squads. While big guns like Chelsea and PSG have been predictably emphatic, several mid-tier clubs have emerged as surprise packages for the season.

Multiple clubs have surprised the footballing world with their bright start

The construct of the traditional Premier League "big-six" has been consistently put into question over the past few years. While London giants Tottenham and Arsenal have suffered a colossal dip in form, Leicester City have capitalized on their downfall to establish themselves as European regulars. Following in the footsteps of the Foxes, West Ham and Brighton have reintroduced themselves as possible contenders for a place in the top six.

Elsewhere, Real Sociedad have had a solid start to the 2021-22 season, currently occupying top spot in La Liga. Serie A leaders Napoli, Rayo Vallecano and SC Freiburg, are some of the other teams who could impress this campaign.

The success of the aforementioned teams can be directly linked to the fiery form of their players. Despite having minimal experience with their current team, several debutants have surprised the footballing world with their consistent performances. With multiple stars experiencing a breakout campaign this term, let's take a look at five players who are having a great debut season with their new clubs:

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#5 Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal)

Tomiyasu has been a breath of fresh air at the Emirates

Arsenal have endured a bumpy ride ever since Arsene Wenger's departure in 2018. Aside from a reliable midfielder at the base of their midfield, an erratic defense has been at the top of their problems. However, the Gunners seem to have unearthed a real gem in Takehiro Tomiyasu this summer.

Bought from Bologna for €18.6 million, the 22-year-old Japanese right-back has gelled smoothly into the Arsenal first-team. In seven appearances at the Emirates so far, Tomiyasu has proved to be extremely dependable, looking sure of himself in every move.

In a summer where Arsenal splashed a whopping €58.5 million on Ben White, the Japan international has surprisingly acted as the better signing. Tomiyasu has been instrumental in his side's recent upturn in fortunes, keeping two clean sheets in six Premier League games. Arsenal fans will be hoping to see a lot more from their latest defensive recruit in the coming seasons.

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#4 Arnaut Danjuma (Villarreal)

RCD Espanyol v Villarreal CF - LaLiga Santander

Villarreal's €23.5 million procurement of Arnaut Danjuma from English second-tier side Bournemouth was initially viewed as nothing more than a gamble. The Yellow Submarine had sunk to seventh place last term, explaining fans' concerns over such exorbitant spending.

However, Danjuma has proved to be worth every penny so far, almost single-handedly rescuing Villarreal on multiple occasions. The Dutch attacker has already racked up six goal contributions in just 10 league games for his new side.

Darting inside with incredible pace, the 24-year-old forward has recorded an impressive 60.87 per cent shot accuracy, having attempted 23 shots in the league from the left flank. Possessing exceptional technical abilities, Danjuma has wasted no time in hitting the ground running at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

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#3 Tammy Abraham (AS Roma)

Abraham has impressed in Serie A so far

In the early stages of 2021, Tammy Abraham was the talisman at Stamford Bridge, providing for Frank Lampard's Chelsea in every hour of need. Nevertheless, the appointment of Thomas Tuchel signaled the end of Abraham's promising career in London, with the German rarely giving the striker any chance.

As a result, the talented forward was offloaded to AS Roma in the summer transfer window, exiling him to the Italian league. Pouncing on the much-deserved opportunity, Abraham exploded onto life in Rome. The Englishman has six goal involvements in 14 games this season and is already one of the most trusted players under Jose Mourinho.

Abraham has also proven to be a valuable addition to Roma's creative unit due to his tendency to drop back and participate in the build-up play. Therefore, the 24-year-old forward has been responsible for 13 chances created. With an experienced manager like Mourinho to lead his development, Abraham is sure to build on his excellent start.

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#2 Gavi (Barcelona)

FC Barcelona v Valencia CF - La Liga Santander

During a time of extreme crisis, a promising batch of young players have been the only shining light in an otherwise doomed Barcelona squad. Out of the bunch, 17-year-old Gavi has managed to thoroughly stand out on all fronts.

Having debuted for both club and country this term, the talented midfielder already looks more composed than most of his teammates. Likened to Xavi for his diminutive stature and ability to dictate the game's tempo, the La Masia product has earned widespread acclaim for his performances.

Gavi famously managed to dominate a midfield containing players like Marco Verratti, Nicolo Barella and Ballon d'Or contender Jorginho in his first international outing. Furthermore, the teenager has managed to maintain a passing accuracy of 88.57 per cent, laying the ball forward 65 times in the league so far. With so many stats to back his skills, Gavi is definitely one for the future.

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#1 Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

Bayern have signed a certified superstar in Upamecano

Having established their place as the strongest and most well-balanced team in Europe, Bayern Munich were dealt a double blow this year. The combined loss of Jerome Boateng and David Alaba had seriously weakened their backline.

However, the Bavarians had already put contingency plans into the works, acquiring French prodigy Dayot Upamecano from rivals RB Leipzig. As expected, Bayern have hardly missed their veteran superstars, with Upamecano firmly cementing his place in their backline.

The 23-year-old stalwart has put in stellar performances so far, mastering all virtues of a seasoned ball-playing centre-back. With 618 attempted passes and an 80 per cent take-on success rate in the league, Upamecano has proven to be the full package. Considering his pedigree, the €42.5 million fee Bayern paid for his services could turn out to be a bargain.

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