Transfer business is hotting up with less than two weeks to go until the new Premier League season kicks off. Stuart Watson highlights a key signing at every club so far this window.
ARSENAL: RICCARDO CALAFIORI
The Gunners boasted the meanest defence in the Premier League last season, but that hasn’t stopped manager Mikel Arteta splashing £42m on a centre-back.
Calafiori was one of the best players in Seria A last season, helping Bologna qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 60 years last season, then impressed for Italy at Euro 2024.
A powerful and intelligent left-footer, the 22-year-old is known for charging into midfield spaces to create attacking overloads. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes now have a real battle on their hands for a starting spot.
ASTON VILLA: AMADOU ONANA
Villa's need to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) meant they had to sell key midfield man Douglas Luiz to Bayern Munich for £42.5m before the end of June.
Onana is the man who has been brought in to fill his boots. The powerful Belgian international reportedly snubbed Manchester United to move to Villa Park in a £50m deal from Everton.
The 22-year-old said: "The team played very attractive football last season with loads of goals and will now be playing in the Champions League. That’s very exciting. We also have a manager (Unai Emery) that’s one of the best in the business and I think he can take my game to the next level."
BOURNEMOUTH: DEAN HUIJSEN
A quarter of the goals Bournemouth conceded last season came from set-pieces. Manager Andoni Iraola has responded by paying £12.8m to sign 6ft 5in centre-back Huijsen from Juventus.
Born in Holland but raised in Spain, the 19-year-old spent time on loan at Roma last season and had been linked to the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle. He’s been described as ‘elegant on the ball’ and a ‘set-piece monster’.
"I'm a defender that is really good on the ball. I score quite a lot for a defender. I like playing forward, attacking football," said the Spanish U21 international. "I hope in the next years we can maybe achieve European football and just progress as a club."
BRENTFORD: IGOR THIAGO
Anticipating the likely departure of star striker Ivan Toney this summer, Brentford struck a £30m deal for Brazilian front man Thiago back in February.
The 23-year-old, who scored 23 goals from Belgian side Club Brugges last season, officially joined on July 1 but then promptly suffered a knee injury during a pre-season game against AFC Wimbledon.
Having undergone surgery, he is ‘expected to return towards the end of the year’. That's going to sting for the Bees.
BRIGHTON: MATS WIFFER
Seagulls technical director David Weir believes the club have signed ‘one of the best deep-lying midfielders in Europe’ in Wiffer. The 24-year-old Dutch international joined from Feyenoord for around £25m.
He will have to help fill the void left by Pascal Gross. The 33-year-old, who contributed 32 goals and 52 assists over a seven-year spell on the south coast, felt the chance to join his boyhood club Borussia Dortmund in an £8m deal was too good to turn down.
CHELSEA: KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL
One of the first things newly-appointed Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca did was raid old club Leicester for the talisman of his Championship promotion side.
Dewsbury-Hall contributed 12 goals and 15 assists as the Foxes won the second-tier title. The 25-year-old cost £30m and will join an attacking unit that includes the likes of Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk.
"I think he (Marseca) just wants a player that knows that role in his teams well," said Dewsbury-Hall. "'He wants his number eights to be involved in the attacking play, getting in the box and contributing goals and assists."
CRYSTAL PALACE: CHADI RIAD
Having finished last season on fire, Crystal Palace could be set for a major talent drain this summer. Winger Michael Olise has already moved to Bayern Munich for £60m, while livewire attacker Eberechi Eze and centre-back Marc Guehi are being heavily linked with move to bigger Premier League clubs.
If Guehi does go – Newcastle are reportedly in talks – then new signing Riad will need to hit the ground running. Palace have paid £14m to sign the 20-year-old Moroccan international from Barcelona after he impressed on loan at Real Betis last season.
“I would describe myself as an aggressive footballer who knows how to think, who doesn’t get carried away by the tension of the moment, and who is intelligent. I think I can fit in perfectly in Crystal Palace,” he said.
EVERTON: JAKE O’BRIEN
Several Premier League clubs were said to be interested in the former Crystal Palace centre-back after his impressive debut season at French club Lyon. O’Brien, however, opted to join Everton in a £16.4m deal.
“I’m a ball-playing centre half, fast, I like to attack in both boxes and I like to bring a bit of excitement,” said the 6ft 6in Republic of Ireland international. “You see how Sean Dyche develops young centre-halves and what he has done for Jarrad (Branthwaite). That's obviously something I want to replicate.”
The 23-year-old may yet end up being a direct replacement for Branthwaite if Manchester United meet the Toffees’ £70m asking price.
FULHAM: EMILE SMITH ROWE
After bursting on the scene, exciting attacker Smith Rowe was given the No.10 shirt by Arsenal and then nominated for Premier League Young Player of the Season after a 10-goal haul in 2021/22. Injuries subsequently set him back though and opportunities have proved limited for the three-cap England international over the last two years.
The 24-year-old will now be looking to reignite his career at Fulham following a £27m switch. It's quite the coup for Marco Silva.
“It’s been a tough couple of seasons for me, so it was important for me to feel at home somewhere,” said Smith Rowe. “It’s an exciting project for me and definitely the perfect place for my career going forward.”
IPSWICH TOWN: BEN JOHNSON
Ipswich have spent close to £60m on transfer fees since ending a 22-year absence from the Premier League, but I'm going to highlight their one free agent addition.
West Ham reportedly offered Johnson a new five-year deal this summer, but the 24-year-old - who found himself behind Vladimír Coufal in the pecking order - opted for a fresh start. He wasn't short of suitors, but Kieran McKenna persuaded him Portman Road was the place to further his career.
With 69 top-flight appearances under his belt, Johnson becomes Ipswich's most experienced Premier League player. The athletic right-back is likely to be a mainstay in a side that will be looking to beat the odds again.
LEICESTER CITY: CALEB OKOLI
Leicester have added to their central defensive options by paying £12.6m to Atalanta for Okoli. The athletic 23-year-old is capped by Italy at Under-21 level.
While Okoli is right-footed, he did play on the left of a back three for Serie A loan club Frosinone last season. New Foxes boss Steve Cooper does favour that system and may put Okoli in alongside Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes.
LIVERPOOL: N/A
Arne Slot is yet to make a signing as the new Liverpool boss.
"The bar is really high for new signings because we have so many good players," said the Dutchman. "It is not so easy to first find a player to meet those standards and then ask, ‘is he available?’ Then we have to find an agreement with them. But we are working hard on it."
With Wataru Endo seemingly out of favour, the Merseyside club are reportedly looking to bring in a new player for the No.6 position.
MAN CITY: SAVINHO
The exciting 20-year-old attacker is already capped seven times by Brazil.
He’s joined the four-in-a-row champions in a £31m deal from French outfit Troyes – part of the City Football Group - having spent the last two seasons out on loan at PSV Eindhoven and Girona. He scored nine goals and provided 10 assists in La Liga last term.
“He can play on both sides - left-winger, right-winger, can even play in the middle - but we need him more especially on the wings. His one-against-one is devastating,” said Pep Guardiola.
MAN UNITED: JOSHUA ZIRKZEE
The Dutch international, 23, arrives at Old Trafford in a £36.5m deal from Bologna. He provided 12 goals and five assists last season to help the Italian club claim a surprise spot in the Champions League.
“I want to play a pure game,” he said. “Nutmegs, chops and back heels are moments that belong in football. That style has value for me. It’s the soccer kid in me because it’s supposed to be fun too, isn’t it? You have to pick the right moments. It’s intuition.”
He describes himself as ‘false striker’ whose position is a ‘9.5’. May have to lead the line initially given Rasmus Hojlund has picked up an injury in pre-season.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: ELLIOTT ANDERSON
Several Newcastle supporters voiced their hurt at seeing local lad Elliott Anderson sold to Forest for £35m.
The 21-year-old, an energetic and versatile midfielder, made 55 appearances for Eddie Howe’s men after emerging from the academy and is seen as someone with a high ceiling.
The Magpies were forced to cash in though to stay within PSR rules though as the end of June deadline approached.
“I’m an attacking threat who likes to create goals,” he said. “I haven’t got too many yet, but I can see myself getting many for Forest. I just like to create chances.”
NEWCASTLE: LLOYD KELLY
Following a five-year stint with Bournemouth, the 25-year-old centre-back is reunited with Eddie Howe at Newcastle following a Bosman free transfer switch.
“The gaffer knows how highly I think of him and the way he wants his teams to play,” he said. “I think it suits my attributes. The way I view myself is someone who's calm, composed and wants to play with the ball.”
Ability to play at left-back could also prove useful to the Magpies.
SOUTHAMPTON: BEN BRERETON DIAZ
Having seen 18-goal striker Che Adams depart on a free transfer to Torino, newly-promoted Southampton have moved to sign a striker who recently proved he can cut it in the Premier League.
Brereton Diaz - the Stoke-born, Chile international – earned a move to Spanish club Villarreal last summer off the back of some prolific Championship form for Blackburn. He was loaned out to Sheffield United in January though and bagged six goals in 14 games for a side that ultimately couldn’t beat the drop.
After the Saints paid out £7m to sign him on a four-year deal, boss Russell Martin said: "He's a versatile and intelligent footballer, a strong, powerful runner and a confident finisher. He is a proper team player and the sort of hard-working, hungry character we want in our squad."
TOTTENHAM: ARCHIE GRAY
After seeing their side beaten in the Play-Off Final, Leeds fans were gutted to see young star Archie Gray sold to Tottenham for £30m.
Gray – the 18-year-old great nephew of Leeds legend Eddie – was named Championship Young Player of the Year after producing consistently composed performances that belied his years in both centre-midfield and right-back roles.
From a family of big Celtic fans, he admitted that the chance to work under Ange Postecoglu was a big pull.
“I think I’m ready for it,” he said, on stepping up to the Premier League. “I think the fitness and technical aspects of it really suit me, but there’re obviously loads of things I need to learn.”
WEST HAM: NICLAS FULLKRUG
German international has joined West Ham in a £27m deal from Borussia Dortmund after bagging 22 goals for club and country last seaoson.
An old-fashioned No.9 who has blossomed late in his career, the 31-year-old is licking his lips at receiving service from the likes of Jarred Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, Lucas Paquete and Mohammed Kudas.
He said: “In Germany, I just played for big and traditional clubs. It was always important for me to have the feeling that the shirt had a bit of weight to it, and I think West Ham are also another big and traditional club.”
WOLVES: RODRIGO GOMES
Wolves, who already have Toti Gomes and Joao Gomes, have now completed the Gomes hat-trick in landing Rodrigo from Braga for £12.7m.
The West Midlands club will be hoping they’ve unearthed another Portuguese star in the making following the success stories of the likes of Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes to name just three.
Rodrigo Gomes, 21, is a pacy and technical right-winger who contributed nine goals and eight assists on loan for Estoril last season.
Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “He’ll be an important player for us with his versatility, creativity, technical ability and attitude on the pitch. The fans will love him and I’m genuinely really excited to have him here.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here