With large sums of money being thrown about on players, almost every team has improved their squad in one way or another, especially those competing at the top of the table. Many sites that offer Premier League betting tips are still undecided about who is going to win the title. And although it isn’t clear who’s going to end up with the prize next May, it is clear that there have been some fantastic signings made by clubs this summer.
The biggest Premier League signing of the summer so far, Romelu Lukaku, is definitely one to look out for. Before joining Manchester United for a fee that could rise to £90 million, the Belgian striker made his name as a lethal finisher, scoring 85 in 186 appearances for West Brom and Everton combined. Lukaku has always expressed his desire to play for a Champions League club, and his impressive 25 goal tally last season finally persuaded the ‘big clubs’ to take a chance. Although he is regarded as a ‘flat-track bully’, Lukaku could be the man to finish the numerous chances that Manchester United missed against the lesser teams last season.
While United managed to land a former-Chelsea player, Chelsea landed a former-Manchester United target in Álvaro Morata. Despite regularly being a backup for the majority of his Real Madrid career, Morata still managed to maintain a very impressive strike rate last season with most of his appearances coming from the bench. His move to Chelsea will prove whether he is a suitable replacement for the soon-departing Diego Costa, and whether he can maintain his impressive form from the Real Madrid bench to regular first team football.
After missing out on the Champions League for the first time in 20 seasons, Arsenal have signed Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette in an attempt to get back into the competition at the first time of asking. For years Arsenal fans have been crying out for a star striker, and this summer they finally got their man. Lacazette had been linked to other clubs such as Atletico Madrid, but their summer transfer ban meant Arsenal could swoop in and get their target for around £50 million. Fans will hoping that the Frenchman can live up to expectations and score some vital goals.
Although the London club have spent big money on Lacazette, the signing of Sead Kolasinac could prove to be the bargain of the summer as the left-back arrived from Schalke 04 on a free transfer. Given Arsenal’s defensive woes in certain games during Arsene Wenger’s reign, the signing of the versatile Kolasinac could be key in Arsenal’s chance of maintaining a title challenge instead of going through their annual slump.
Liverpool have also improved their attacked by adding rapid winger Mohamed Salah to their team. After an unsuccessful stint at Chelsea, Salah has been proving himself in Italy with Fiorentina and Roma. Last season, the Egyptian recorded 15 goals and 11 assists in Serie A as Roma finished runners-up. Having left England three years ago, Salah has joined Liverpool in a £34 million deal to add another dimension to Liverpool’s high-pressing and attacking style of play.
Although the majority of ‘top’ signings have primarily been players in attacking positions, Manchester City’s signings of Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy could be the key to Manchester City winning their first trophy under Pep Guardiola. Given City’s expectations, last season was a disappointment, primarily due to their aging squad and defensive woes – especially their full-backs. Over the summer the Citizens have heavily invested in the full-back positions with Walker and Mendy being bought for £50 million and £52 million respectively. Pre-season performances give us the indication that Guardiola has got the players that he wants for everything to fall into place.
It’s not just the big clubs who have signed some very impressive players. West Ham have managed to sign one of the most prolific ‘goal-poachers’ the Premier League has seen, Javier Hernández. During his career, Hernández has scored some vital goals and has often found the back of the net when he finds pockets of space in the area. In most games last season, West Ham often struggled to score (especially at home), so they will be hoping that Hernández can bag some goals and turn draws into wins. In recent years, it’s fair to say that the Hammers haven’t been successful with the strikers they’ve signed recently, so they will hoping that ‘Little Pea’ breaks that trend.
Watford have also pulled off a great move with the purchase of Will Hughes from Derby County for a bargain fee of £8 million. Hughes has been involved in first-team football in some way since the 2011-12 season, and was linked to clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Barcelona previously. Despite reported interest from these clubs, Hughes continued to improve his game at Derby before making the move to Watford this summer. At a cheap price of £8 million, Hughes could give Watford a creative spark they were desperately missing last season.
Finally, Aaron Mooy is a signing Huddersfield Town fans are excited about. He may not be the biggest name on this list, but he could be a vital part of a newly-promoted Huddersfield team and could be the difference in whether they stay up or get relegated at the first attempt. Although Mooy spent last season on loan at Huddersfield, he was a key part of their promotion squad and their acquisition of the Australian should allow them to attempt to build a successful squad for the future.
