The 2021 transfer window was the craziest summer in recent memory with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo swapping clubs, while European giants such as Chelsea and Manchester City broke the banks for stars such as Romelu Lukaku and Jack Grealish.
While some players have taken some time to adapt to their new team’s and surroundings, plenty of signings have hit the ground running for their respective clubs in the Premier League.
Here are my top five Premier League signings of the summer.
5. Demarai Gray – Everton
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In terms of value for money and immediate impact, there are very few summer signings that can match Demarai Gray’s move to Everton from Bayer Leverkusen. When you consider the transfer fee of just £1.7 million, Gray has been the bargain buy of the summer, with the Englishman already returning five goals and two assists in the league this season. Gray has been one of the few shining lights in an otherwise forgettable season for Everton, with his hardworking nature and skill on the ball making him an ideal fit for a team managed by Rafael Benitez.
4. Valentino Livramento – Southampton
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Another one of the bargains of the summer has been Valentino Livramento, who joined Southampton from Chelsea for just £5 million. The 19-year-old was awarded Chelsea’s academy player of the year last season and has made the step up to Premier League football seamlessly despite only making his senior debut in August. The right-back is the most fouled defender in the Premier League this season, a stat that indicates that the only way to stop his marauding forward runs is to bring him down.
Livramento has been one of the standout players in the Premier League in the opening half of the season, and his combination of speed, technical ability and athleticism already make him one of the most complete full-backs in the country.
3. Emmanuel Dennis – Watford
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One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the performances of Emmanuel Dennis, who arrived from Club Brugge for just £3.6 million. Only Mohamed Salah (23) has more goals involvements than Emmanuel Dennis (12) in the league this season, and the Nigerian striker has formed an impressive strike partnership with Josh King for the Hornets. Dennis’ ability to stretch the pitch vertically as an attacking outlet has been invaluable for Watford so far this season and the 24-year-old will play a key role in helping Claudio Ranieri’s side avoid the drop.
2. Conor Gallagher – Crystal Palace
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Another Cobham graduate that makes the list is Crystal Palace midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has starred for the Eagles after joining on loan from Chelsea this summer. The Englishman has six goals and three assists in 15 appearances this season for Patrick Vieira’s side and has been equally impressive without the ball, ranking second at Palace for tackles and averaging 5.4 ball recoveries per 90 mins. Gallagher has grown in stature as the season progressed, and his impressive performances for the Eagles earned him his first international call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad in November.
1. Aaron Ramsdale – Arsenal
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Arsenal received widespread criticism when they announced the signing of Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United over the summer. However, three months later, the Gunners seemed to have got it spot on, with Ramsdale proving to be worth every bit of the £30 million they spent on him. The 23-year-old displaced Bernd Leno in goal within the first four games of the season and has been a revelation between the sticks, keeping seven clean sheets in 13 league games to go along with his excellent save percentage of 80.6%.
However, what’s been even more impressive from the Englishman has been the intangible leadership qualities he has shown in his short spell at the club, along with his distribution, which has been elite. Playing out from the back and beating the opposition press has been an important facet to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, and Ramsdale has looked exceedingly comfortable in possession, playing line-breaking passes on a regular basis to kickstart the Gunners’ attacks.
[Featured Image Credit: Aaron Ramsdale]
Shivaan Shah