Premier League 2018-19: Top 10 signings made by the clubs this summer till now

Leicester City v Arsenal - Premier League
Riyad Mahrez Was Signed By Manchester City From Leicester City

The Summer transfer window is Christmas time for football clubs when they go out and do their shopping to fill the holes in their squads or upgrade where they need to. And the Premier League is not a stranger to the frenzied transfer speculations and eventual sales and acquisitions.

It is a time when scouts are called in and they submit their reports which contain options, from all across the globe, to the manager and to the board. Selections are made on huge computers that crunch the big numbers into simpler terms after an exhaustive analysis is done on available statistical data.

The never ending rounds of negotiations between club representatives and players' agents come next with the agents managing to scoop out ludicrous sums of money for their clients.

It is but natural that the board looks for instant results from their investments with expectations forced out via the manager. Not only do the requirements come from the need to forge out profits, by the board, in the business of football - but there is an even greater expectation which lies in not failing the fan base and their dreams and hopes.

The Twitter handle of Juventus Football Club getting a million followers overnight after they had signed Cristiano Ronaldo is a testimony to the hope that a new signing brings to a football club.

We look at the top ten players who changed homes over the summer and will most likely create an impact at their new clubs in the English Premier League.


#10 João Moutinho

Portugal v Mexico: Play-Off for Third Place - FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017
The diminutive midfielder prefers a central role but can play on either flank in midfield

Previous Club: Monaco

Club Joined: Wolverhampton Wanderers

Nationality: Portuguese

Age: 31

This will be the 14th year for Moutinho in a senior capacity but the veteran midfielder shows no signs of wearing out with perfect Portuguese persistence. He is only third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo in the list of international appearances for his national colours and has the Winners medal with them at the Euro 2016.

At the club level, he has won the league back in Portugal on three occasions with Porto before moving to Monaco in France where he won the Ligue 1 in the 2016/17 season.

The diminutive midfielder prefers a central role but can play on either flank in midfield and newly promoted Wolverhampton who is back in the Premier League will rely on his experience to avoid relegation.

#9 Jonny Evans

AFC Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League
Evans has three league titles with Manchester United and was approached by the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal while he was with West Brom

Previous Club: West Bromwich Albion

Club Joined: Leicester City

Nationality: Northern Irish

Age: 30

Claude Puel said that he had signed, "a winner and a leader" when Leicester City activated Jonny Evans' relegation release clause of £3.5m with West Brom and acquired him for a three-year contract.

Evans has three league titles with Manchester United and was approached by the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal while he was with West Brom.

Leicester City has Harry Maguire and Wes Morgan in a central defensive partnership but with the latter now aging, Evans could fit in there just as comfortably.


#8 Naby Keita

Bury v Liverpool - Pre-Season Friendly
Keita will have a big say in Liverpool's title aspirations

Previous Club: RB Leipzig

Current Club: Liverpool

Nationality: Guinean

Age: 23

When a young playmaker makes it to the "Team Of The Season" in the German league, it is a reason to sit up and take notice. Naby Keita turned many heads when he made it to the one in Bundesliga in the 2016/17 season.

He moved from his boyhood club of Horoya back in Guinea to French club Istres in 2013 after managing to have a successful trial with them.

2014 saw him move to RB Salzburg where he won the Austrian League with them on two occasions before moving to sister club Leipzig and now it is only five years within which he is at Liverpool.

Expectations could not be higher even though he would be tasked with filling the boots of James Milner as the veteran is phased out.


#7 Fred

Manchester United v Real Madrid - International Champions Cup 2018
Fred has all the qualities of a player that Mourinho admires

Previous Club: Shakhtar Donetsk

Current Club: Manchester United

Nationality: Brazilian

Age: 25

Fred will face immense competition from the likes of Ander Herrera, Mata and even Fellaini to make it into the Manchester United midfield alongside Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic but he has all the attributes that Jose Mourinho values. He can use both feet and has a balanced approach to his attacking intent.

Fred comes to Manchester United with seven years of experience at the top level and had a fruitful five-year spell with Shakhtar Donetsk. Brazilian roots and Ukrainian seeds make a perfect cocktail of street-smarts and staunch steadfastness.

The midfield at United has never looked so potent and Morgan Schneiderlin must be glad that he moved to Everton.

#6 Lucas Torreira

Juventus v UC Sampdoria - Serie A
Lucas Torreira comes in with the tenacity of keeping a tight defense amidst clean tackles

Previous Club: Sampdoria

Current Club: Arsenal

Nationality: Uruguayan

Age: 22

Lucas Torreira comes in with the tenacity of keeping a tight defense amidst clean tackles. He went through the entire World Cup campaign with Uruguay as a central defensive midfielder and did not pick up a single card.

Torreira is what Arsenal need in midfield. Granit Xhaka has produced a few bullets in his offensive displays but offers very little defensively.

He has been clumsy throughout his campaigns for Arsenal picking up 15 yellows and two reds costing the Gunners stability in high-pressure situations.

Torreira also has a knack for quick distribution and with Aaron Ramsey or new recruit Guendouzi, the Uruguayan could build up a stellar defensive midfield at Arsenal.


#5 Jorginho

Chelsea FC v Perth Glory
Jorginho could boost up the Chelsea midfield

Previous club: Napoli

Current Club: Chelsea

Nationality: Italian

Age: 26

The fact that champions Manchester City wanted him should speak volumes for his worth. Jorginho was supposed to replace Fernandinho at City but Sarri prised him away having worked with him at Napoli for the last three years.

With N'Golo Kante in partnership, this could be a chance for Chelsea to have a robust midfield ever since the departure of Matic and could very well be the beginning of something beautiful.

He has won the Coppa Italia with Napoli in the 2013/14 season and the Supercoppa Italiana which is the equivalent of the Community Shield in Italy, in 2014. He could very well be the decisive force in Chelsea's Community Shield match-up with Manchester City, this Sunday.


#4 Xherdan Shaqiri

Sweden v Switzerland: Round of 16 - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
Shaqiri was the standout player for Stoke last season

Previous Club: Stoke City

Current Club: Liverpool

Nationality: Swiss

Age: 26

Xherdan Shaqiri has been around the block and knows what is expected of him. He has won the Swiss League with FC Basel thrice and gone on to win the Bundesliga and the Champions League with Bayern Munich.

After a brief stint with Inter Milan in Serie A, he transferred to the English Premier League and has proved that he can do it on a cold and rainy night in Stoke, albeit for Stoke City.

After the relegation of Stoke, he transferred to Liverpool after they triggered his release clause and even though he may find starting positions limited at the Merseyside - he will definitely create the impact when brought on.

#3 Andre Schurrle

Fulham v Sampdoria - Pre-Season Friendly
Schurrle could be a shrewd signing for Fulham

Previous Club: Borussia Dortmund

Current Club: Fulham (On Loan)

Nationality: German

Age: 27

Andre Schurrle has a World Cup Winners Medal, having won the coveted trophy with Die Mannschaft in 2014.

His goals against Brazil after coming on as a sub, the sixth and seventh in a 7-1 rout of the host nation will be forever etched in memory.

And the ongoing project at newly-promoted Fulham will hope for just that - utilizing the deadly poaching skills of the German, who is at his peak, when brought on as a substitute after the opposition shows signs of tiring.

Schurrle from the left wing is expected to combine well with centre-forward Mitrovic who has been acquired from Newcastle if given a start.


#2 Allison Becker

AS Roma v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Europa League
Allison Becker was signed by Liverpool for a world record fee

Previous Club: AS Roma

Current Club: Liverpool

Nationality: Brazilian

Age: 25

Allison Becker was signed by Liverpool for a world record fee for a goalkeeper, in the range of £66.9m and he is expected to answer Liverpool's long-standing problem in goal.

Dismal performances from Simon Mignolet and very recently Loris Karius in Liverpool's Champions League Final defeat to Real Madrid in May of this year led Liverpool to loosen their purse strings and Becker will be expected to create an immediate impact.

Liverpool has a menacingly potent attack and if Becker can shore up their defenses then there will be no stopping them. At 1.91m in height, Allison Becker could very well be the transfer of the season with a 47% clean sheet record with Roma.


#1 Riyad Mahrez

FC Bayern Munich v Manchester City - International Champions Cup 2018
Mahrez almost signed for City in January

Previous Club: Leicester City

Current Club: Manchester City

Nationality: Algerian

Age: 27

Manchester City are looking to retain the title, something that they have not been able to achieve in spite of their recent successes with three crowns in this decade alone.

The Algerian national was acquired for £60m and he could be the perfect tonic for the Citizens who are hoping to build a team that garners consistency at the top under Pep.

He will have competition from Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane for the attacking wingers' slots but will get chances under Pep's "rotational squad" policy.

This depth in wingers could be a lethal offense for City with the likes of Aguero and Gabriel Jesus up top and fed by de Bruyne. Pep might just have found the quality in depth to win consecutively in England with Mahrez.

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Edited by Alan John
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