EPL Transfers XI: Best buys of the summer so far

We are on the brink of another exciting football season in the EPL. The end of the transfer window may be a month away but we have already seen clubs purchasing key players. Manchester City have been quiet by their standards but have made smart moves. Chelsea and Arsenal have moved swiftly to sign first team players. Liverpool continue to re-furbish their squad for the Champions League. Manchester United have signed two exciting talents but surely have got more aces up their sleeves. It promises to be quite the season this time around and the players involved. A best XI of the completed transfers in each league has been made in accordance with the author’s opinion in a 4-3-1-2 formation.Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of the site.

#1 Goalkeeper: David Ospina

Arsene Wenger was always keen on signing a goalkeeper who could give Wojciech Szczesny a run for his money. He has hit the bull’s eye with David Ospina’s signing. The Colombian joins the North London club from French Ligue 1 outfit Nice for a fee of just €3.5 million.

Ospina is an excellent organizer of the defence. He conceded just 2 goals from corners, the second least in Ligue 1. His positioning makes his saves look easy. He is just 25 years old, a relatively young age for a goalkeeper. Ospina failed to collect only one of his attempted claims in the Ligue 1 and ended up with claim success rate of 98%.

If things go according to plan, Ospina might just become Arsenal’s main goalkeeper. Beware Szczesny. Beware!

Buy the new Arsenal 2014/15 kit here

#2 Right Back: Bacary Sagna

Manchester City’s decision to sign Bacary Sagna from Arsenal came as a surprise to some. Pablo Zabaleta has been City’s mainstay at right back for some time now and has shown no signs of stopping. But when a player of Sagna’s quality comes up as a potential free signing, it is hard to resist the temptation. He edges out French compatriot Mathieu Debuchy because he is a lot more consistent and is better defensively.

Sagna has been one of the Premier League’s best defenders in the last five years. A tireless player, Bacary Sagna is a simple defender. He can go forward as easily as he can track back. Sagna is one of the least error-prone players. He averages just 1 defensive mistake in the past three seasons. He completed 86% of his passes in the Premier League and is also capable of playing centre back.

Sagna could push Pablo Zabaleta for a starting spot . This could get the best out of both these brilliant right backs.

Buy the new Manchester City 2014/15 kit here

#3 Centre Back: Dejan Lovren

Southampton have experienced a massive exodus of first team players seeking newer pastures. Dejan Lovren will surely be a huge miss for the Saints. Liverpool signed the 25-year-old Croat for a fee of €25.3 million after prolonged negotiations. Lovren brings much needed solidity to a Liverpool side which was rather susceptible at the back last season.

Lovren had a brilliant season with an impressive Southampton side. He scored 2 goals and provided an assist last season. He has a superb knack for making interceptions, averaging almost 3 interceptions per game. He can easily fit into Liverpool’s side. Brendan Rodgers side play a high pressing game leaving them vulnerable to sudden long balls and maintaining the offside line can be pivotal in such situations. Lovren is an expert at holding the defensive line together and won more offsides per game than anyone else in the Barclays Premier League.

Rodgers likes his defenders to pass the ball well. Lovren has a decent pass percentage of 82% despite making almost 6 long passes per game. He is exactly the sort of defender that can make Liverpool’s defence hard to beat.

Buy the new 2014/15 kits here

#4 Centre Back: Steven Caulker

Cardiff City were miserable after the sacking of Malky Mackay by owner Vincent Tan. They finished bottom of the Premier League and conceded the second most goals. QPR were still convinced that defender Steven Caulker could help them in maintaining their Premier League status this time around. Steven Caulker was one of the few shining lights in Cardiff’s miserable season. The 22-year-old joined QPR for a fee of €10 million.

The English youngster was a rock last season. He blocked more shots than anyone else in the Premier League. Only two players made more clearances than Caulker last season and only 3 players performed more defensive actions (interceptions + blocked shots + clearances). Harry Redknapp has said that he would like to employ a three man defence and Caulker could be the focal point of that plan.

Caulker’s concentration lapses are his only drawback. He will hope that veterans like Rio Ferdinand and Richard Dunne will help him improve this aspect of his game significantly. And if he continues to perform consistently, Caulker could become a vital part of the England setup.

Buy the new 2014/15 kits here

#5 Left Back: Filipe Luis

Filipe Luis’ exclusion from Brazil’s World Cup squad came as a surprise to many. Brazil could have done with an actual left back like Luis in defence. Chelsea however made no such mistake and signed him from Ateltico Madrid for a fee of €20 million. Jose Mourinho realized that he needed a specialist left back and brought in probably one of the best in the world.

Luis was a mainstay in Atletico Madrid’s superb defence which conceded the least goals in La Liga last season. He is a sensible left back whose positioning skills are top notch. The Brazilian made no defensive error at all in his 32 appearances in La Liga. Only two players made more successful tackles in La Liga.

At the age of 28, he is entering his prime and could be a solid addition to the Chelsea defence. His signing also allows Cesar Azpilicueta to concentrate on the right back slot.

Buy the new Chelsea 2014/15 kit here

#6 Defensive Midfield: Fernando Francisco Reges

Manchester City have been very smart in this transfer window. Fearing FFP regulations, they have decided to improve the depth of their squad by spending lesser on players, Fernando is very much a player who has been signed to play a backup role to Fernandinho and Yaya Toure. He signs for a fee of €15 Million from FC Porto.

Fernando is a workhorse and is mainly given the job of hassling the opposition’s creative players and shields the defence. City needed a player of his attributes to come in for Fernandinho or Yaya Toure. He covered one of the highest distances in the Liga Sagres.

Playing the role of a ‘destroyer’ is bound to make him an accumulator of bookings. He is a solid addition to City’s midfield and is best used in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 diamond.

Buy the new Manchester City 2014/15 kit here

#7 Central Midfield: Ander Herrera

Manchester United have been crying out for a decent creative midfielder since Paul Scholes’ retirement. Ed Woodward failed last summer to bring in any noteworthy midfielder and had to settle for Marouane Fellaini. David Moyes failed to motivate the squad to lift their performances and the burden of creativity and goals were too much to handle for Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney. Manchester United have moved quickly to lighten that burden and have signed Ander Herrera for a fee of €36 million from Athletic Bilbao.

Ander Herrera’s transfer saga to Manchester United lasted for two years before they finally signed him. He was brilliant in Athletic Bilbao’s 4th place finish season. He played the third most accurate through balls in La Liga and made more key passes than Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Luka Modric. He is an pbvious upgrade to the current Red Devils’ midfielders and has created more chances than the trio of Carrick, Fellaini, Cleverley and Fletcher combined. His presence on the field is daunting with players struggling to put a legal tackle in on him. He was fouled almost 3 times per match, the highest for a player in his position.

The 24-year-old’s acquisition may have been a touch expensive, but if recent friendly performances are taken into perspective, he will be an instant hit at the Old Trafford club.

Buy the Man Utd 2014-15 home kit here

#8 Centre Midfield: Cesc Fabregas

When Barcelona decided to cash in on Cesc Fabregas, there was going to be only one destination for the Spaniard in a perfect world. Arsenal could have brought back their iconic captain but decided against it. Football has always been an ironic sport and Arsenal fans will now have to endure Fabregas in the Chelsea jersey after he moved to Jose Mourinho’s side for a fee of €36 million.

Jose Mourinho’s side depended on Eden Hazard for creativity last season. Fabregas adds creativity through the middle. Only Angel Di Maria made more assists than Fabregas in Spain’s top division. No player made more accurate through balls in La Liga than Fabregas. The 27-year-old created the second most chances after Lionel Messi at Barcelona. His ability to play as a false 9 and create in the final third is unique.

Chelsea are favourites for the Premier League this time around and Fabregas is surely one of the prime reasons for that prediction.

Buy the new Chelsea 2014/15 kit here

#9 Attacking Midfield: Remy Cabella

Newcastle United have been among the best in Europe in terms of their transfer business this summer. The St. James’ park club lost their most creative force Yohan Cabaye in January and endured a miserbale second half of the season. Owner Mike Ashley was scrutinized heavily for the decision to sell the club’s best player and he has gone some way in righting the wrongs this season by signing players well capable of giving Newcastle fans joy once again.

Remy Cabella is one of the many Newcastle signings and will probably have to shoulder Cabaye’s responsibility. He joins from French League outfit Montpellier FC for a fee of €10 million. He was a shining light in Montpellier’s campaign, scoring 14 goals last season. The 24-year-old is a player with fantastic dribbling ability but it his ability to initiate counter attacks that makes him dangerous.

Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic was more effective in counter attacks than Cabella. Only two players had more shots than Cabella in the French League. He played the second most accurate through balls in France and only two players had more accurate crosses and key passes than him.

He picked up the most Man of the Match awards in Ligue 1 and the fourth most in the whole of Europe.Remy Cabella can play anywhere along the front line. Newcastle’s hopes to appease their strong fanbase will depend heavily on the partnership between Cabella and Emmanuel Riviere. As always, the French contingent will play a critical role again.

Buy the new 2014/15 kits here

#10 Centre Forward: Alexis Sanchez

One has to wonder what Barcelona’s hierarchy are thinking. They have sold two players, who performed well during Messi’s absence, in one transfer window. Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas moved to rivals clubs Arsenal and Chelsea respectively. Arsenal have bought a marquee player from La Liga in consecutive seasons now and Sanchez joins the Gunners for a fee of €44 million.

Sanchez scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists in La Liga last season. Only three players had more combined goals and assists in La Liga. He is a clinical player considering the fact that he scored all those goals by avergaing just 2 shots per game in La Liga. He scored important goals against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and he had a superb FIFA World Cup with Chile. Only Lionel Messi had more dribbles per game in the World Cup. Players have no option but to foul him and stop his forward runs. He was fouled an astonishing 6 times per game, the most in the World Cup.The Chilean international can play on the wings and is dangerous on the break. The 25-year-old could form a sumptuous partnership with Mesut Ozil and cause havoc. The optimism in the Gunners’ camp to lift the Premier League for the first time in a decade is high.

Buy the new Arsenal 2014/15 kit here

#11 Centre Forward: Diego Costa

Chelsea’s lack of a potent striker might have prevented Jose Mourinho from getting his hands on another Premier League trophy. The Portuguese manager publicly admitted his strikers were not up to the mark and the Blues have taken immediate action and appeased Mourinho with the signing of one of Europe’s top marksmen in Diego Costa. The Brazilian born Spanish international signs from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid for a fee of €40 million.

Diego Costa was absolutely phenomenal for Atletico Madrid last season. He scored 35% of his side’s goals. He scored the third most goals in both the Champions League and La Liga. Costa has more quality than all of Chelsea’s existing strikers and 25-year-old scored more goals than Torres, Eto’o and Ba combined.

He is a tireless worker and hassles defenders relentlessly. But he is a volatile character and needs to keep himself in check. His fitness issues during the latter part of the season might be the reason why he had a poor World Cup. However, Jose Mourinho could make him forget the World Cup easily and get the best out of him. Considering his age, he might just be Chelsea’s ace striker for years to come.

Buy the new Chelsea 2014/15 kit here