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The winter transfer window is now less than a month away, and Premier League clubs are already being linked with several high-profile players.
Many big clubs have underperformed in the league so far (read Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal), while some underdogs have surprised us by climbing up the table rapidly (Leicester City, Sheffield United, and Wolves).
Chelsea have also had their transfer ban cut short by half, allowing them to pursue transfer targets in January. Jadon Sancho is being heavily linked with the Blues after reports emerged that he was feeling scapegoated at Borussia Dortmund.
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Manchester United and Arsenal will surely want to strengthen their squads as they look to launch another bid for the top 4, while also preparing for the Europa League's knockout rounds.
Spurs are being linked with a few players that new boss Jose Mourinho will need, and Pep Guardiola will be eager to reinforce a defence that has lacked depth at Manchester City.
A lot of summer signings have impressed in the English top-flight as well, with the likes of Daniel James, Rodri, Joao Cancelo and Tanguy Ndombele seamlessly fitting into their new clubs.
However, there have been a fair share of disappointments. A lot of high-profile, big-money signings have struggled to adapt to their new environments. While it's still a bit early to classify them as flops, let's take a look at a few players who really need to step up their game:
#5 Moise Kean (Juventus to Everton for £27.5m)
Moise Kean was one of the hottest young properties in Europe last season, as he burst onto the scene for both Juventus and Italy towards the end of the campaign.
The young striker made his debut for the Old Lady back in 2016 when he was only 16 years old, and spent the following season on loan at Verona. On his return to Turin, he scored an impressive 6 goals in 13 Serie A appearances, leading to a call-up to Italy's senior squad.
He scored his first goal for his country in March this year in Euro qualifying, as his profile continued to grow. With the return of Gonzalo Higuain from a loan spell at Chelsea, Kean made the brave decision to leave Juve in search of more game time in the summer.
Everton signing him for almost £30 million was seen as a huge coup for the Toffees. The likes of Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin haven't worked out for them, and Kean should have had no trouble breaking into the starting XI.
However, he's started only 2 games so far, and scored 1 goal in 11 league appearances. While he did suffer from a lack of playing time, he's also failed to grab the opportunities he has received.
He's still only 19 though, and with the sacking of Marco Silva and the appointment of Duncan Ferguson, he could still turn things around.
Also check out: EPL fixtures EPL table Champions League table
#4 Patrick Cutrone (AC Milan to Wolves for £16.2m)
Patrick Cutrone's move to Wolves was a very puzzling one, considering how prolific Raul Jimenez has been for them. But Nuno Espirito Santo had no backup for the Mexican, and it looked like a shrewd purchase considering the Italian's age and transfer fee.
Milan were compelled to let go of their 21-year-old prospect after they were banned from the Europa League for FFP infractions. New signing Piatek had also ousted him from the starting XI.
Predictably, Cutrone has not seen a lot of game time, playing second fiddle to Jimenez. On the few occasions when he's received opportunities, he's failed to live up to the reputation he'd created in Italy.
It doesn't help that he's also very similar to Jimenez in his playing style - he's a physical number 9 who can hold up the ball and link-up play with his strength, while also providing an aerial presence in the box.
As the season progresses though, he is bound to get a few more chances to prove himself. Wolves have qualified for the Europa League's Round of 32, which will create a congestion of fixtures later in the season, which might force the manager to rotate his players.
#3 Joelinton (Hoffenheim to Newcastle for £40m)
Joelinton arrived at St. James' Park for a club-record fee of £40 million, a considerable investment for a club like Newcastle United.
The Brazilian striker spent last season at Hoffenheim, where he contributed to 12 goals in 28 matches.
Unlike Kean, Joelinton has had no shortage of chances. He's started 14 matches for the Magpies so far, but scored only 1 goal and provided 1 assist. He's been outscored by the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Jetro Willems.
Worryingly, he was also dropped for 30-year-old Andy Carroll for the recent win against Sheffield United. It was the first Premier League match he hasn't started this season.
To be fair to him, Newcastle, in general, have struggled to score goals, with only Watford and Crystal Palace scoring fewer. But when a striker comes with a £40 million price tag, you expect a better goalscoring output from him.
Still only 23, he has time to improve. But with the likes of Andy Carroll, Dwight Gayle and Yoshinori Muto waiting for a chance, he has to do so quickly.
#2 Pablo Fornals (Villareal to West Ham for £24m)
Pablo Fornals moving to West Ham raised a lot of eyebrows in the summer. The young Spanish playmaker was among Villarreal's brightest prospects, and many fans expected him to move to a much bigger club.
The Hammers were delighted with such a high profile signing, but Fornals has struggled to cope with the Premier League's demands. The likes of Felipe Anderson, Robert Snodgrass and Manuel Lanzini are all above him in the pecking order.
In 14 Premier League appearances, he has just 1 assist to his name and is yet to score. West Ham have been struggling to score and create goals going forward, which is surprising considering the quality of midfielders they have.
Fornals will turn 24 next February, and it doesn't look good for him. He's not getting as many chances as he would have liked, and he's failed to make an impression when he is on the pitch.
Perhaps a change of pace is what he needs. Manager Manuel Pellegrini has come under pressure for a very poor run of results, and maybe a change of manager could spur both club and player forward.
#1 Nicolas Pepe (Lille to Arsenal for £72 million)
Things are really not looking good for Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal. The Ivorian was one of the most highly sought wingers in Europe after scoring 22 league goals for Lille last season, and the Gunners managed to sign him amid intense competition from other clubs.
A lot was expected from him, and not just because of his transfer fee. Eden Hazard was signed by Chelsea from the same team at roughly the same age back in 2012, and we all know how that turned out.
Pepe struggled for game time under Unai Emery initially, before he broke into the starting XI, forming an attacking trio with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. However, his lack of impact in games meant he was dropped soon after.
The fact that he's managed to provide a few moments of sheer brilliance must be all the more frustrating for fans and the manager. In the Europa League against Vitoria Guimaraes, he helped the Gunners come back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 by scoring two delightful free kicks.
Currently, even Mesut Ozil is higher up the pecking order than him. He clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, but he's still got a very long way to go before being considered a success.
