As the dust has settled and a week has passed since the Premier League transfer window shut up shop for another few months, we at University Times have constructed a list of the best new players entering the English game. Most clubs will be aiming to unveil their shiny, new players this Saturday here are the best moves to watch out for over the coming season.
Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool to Swansea)
He was both misused and underused during his frustrating spell at Anfield. A strong, competitive midfield player with technical ability he is without doubt one of the unpolished gems of English football. Michael Laudrup could prove to be the perfect mentor for the young midfielder and with Swansea he will be giving far more playing time which should see him fulfil his undoubted potential. If so for just £5 million he could prove to be an absolute steal.
Nathan Redmond (Birmingham to Norwich)
Costing the Canaries a mere £3.5 million this player looks an absolute bargain on the basis of what we have seen of him for Norwich this season. Although Ricky Van Wolfswinkel was their marquee signing this summer, Redmond looks to be their best piece of business. The England U-21 star has made an immediate impact adding a new attacking dimension to a Norwich side that often struggled for pace and inspiration last year. The only problem for Norwich is if he continues to progress at his current rate they may struggle to hold onto him.
Dani Osvaldo (Roma to Southampton)
A player who has promised Southampton fans ‘plenty of rock ‘n’ roll’ over the course of the season. Osvaldo does not come with the cleanest of reputations and whether he can strike up an effective partnership with Ricky Lambert is another question worth addressing. However, Osvaldo’s aggressive playing style is also matched with his impressive technical ability which saw him net 16 goals for Roma last season. At £15 million there is no doubt that eyebrows will be raised at his price tag, but Osvaldo could prove to be the signing that spurs Mauricio Pochettino’s side to a top ten finish this season.
James McCarthy (Wigan to Everton)
A player who certainly has the ability to play for a top four side, he is in many opinions, as good as the likes of Tom Cleverly and Aaron Ramsey. Even at £13 million this is still a major coup for Everton. Playing alongside Gareth Barry this season he should be given more of a license to roam forward, which should allow the much underrated attacking side to his game to properly develop. If he continues to develop at the same rate under Roberto Martinez his value will double during his time at Everton.
Simon Mignolet (Sunderland to Liverpool)
They say a good goalkeeper can win you up to ten points a season, Mingolet has already won Liverpool four with a penalty save on his Anfield debut and a brilliant late save at Villa Park. It was a big call by manager Brendan Rodgers to oust the former Kop favourite Pepe Reina and replace him with the Belgian international but so far this gamble seems to have paid dividends. At just 25 years of age, his best years are still ahead of him and with three clean sheets from his opening three games, the £9 million man looks to be a bargain.
Erik Lamela (Roma to Tottenham)
A huge amount of pressure will be on his shoulders this season coming to White Hart Lane as Spurs most expensive player in history, but both Daniel Levy and AVB obviously have huge faith in him and if he can live up to his price tag then Spurs fans are in for a treat. However, his 15 league goals and 5 assists for Roma last season are very impressive especially for a winger. Hopefully he can justify the £30 million price tag.
Kolo Toure (Free Agent to Liverpool)
Free transfers don’t come much better than this. At 32 years of age Toure did not exactly fit the Fenway Sports Group model of signing young players with resale value, but he looks to be a shrewd signing by Brendan Rodgers. He was Liverpool’s best player in their opening two games of the season and brings some much needed experience to a young Liverpool squad. So far Toure looks to be the perfect replacement for Jamie Carragher and could prove instrumental in Liverpool’s bid for a top four place this season.
Christian Eriksen (Ajax to Tottenham)
With just one year remaining on his contract Spurs were able to snap up this exciting you talent for just £11 million. The Danish playmaker had established himself as one of the best young players in the world during his time at Ajax scoring 26 goals but far more impressively adding 57 assists during his three year spell in Amsterdam. Even with all the money Spurs have spent this summer, Eriksen could easily prove to be their best piece of business. He’s got bags of potential at only 21 years of age and AVB could turn the young Dane into one of the outstanding attacking midfielders of the Premier League.
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea to Everton, on loan)
Why he was allowed to leave Chelsea we’ll never know, as he looks a far better option up front, over Torres, Ba or Eto’o. Chelsea’s loss is very much Everton’s gain. He will immediately replace that physical presence in the final third of the pitch that Everton would have lost with the departure of Marouane Fellaini and Victor Anichebe. Lukaku should also bring goals with him to Goodison Park after an impressive loan spell at West Brom last season which saw him net seventeen goals. Another year of first team football for the 20 year old should do him the world of good and his late, late capture rounds off an impressive summer of transfer dealings by Roberto Martinez.
Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid to Arsenal)
The transfer deal that stole the show on deadline day. Ozil’s transfer to Arsenal sent shockwaves throughout the world of football with his former teammates at Madrid still aggravated by his sale. At £42.5 million you may argue that he’s not much of a coup but if Gareth Bale is worth £85 million, then Ozil is certainly worth it. He has established himself as one of the best playmakers in the world during his last few years at the Bernabeu and Arsenal fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of him linking up with Wilshere and Cazorla in midfield. This should also give Giroud and Walcott the sort of service they will relish. This signing could easily signal a real change of intent from Wegner and the rest of the board at The Emirates as Arsenal look to re-establish themselves as genuine title contenders.
