25 Top Signings In Europe’s Top Five Leagues
By Segun Olape
The transfer window is over and clubs have finally signed the players they wanted. Some clubs spent huge money, some found good deals and some made signings that could turn out to be very important. Now the real test starts, Sportivationng.com reports.
It is easy to look good during the transfer window. The real question is what these players can do on the pitch.
Here are the 25 signings that could have the biggest impact in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
1. Rodri – Barcelona
Barcelona did not just sign Rodri for his name. They signed him because they need a midfielder who can control games.
Rodri has already won almost everything there is to win. He has four Premier League titles, a Champions League and a Ballon d’Or.
At Manchester City, his importance was clear. City lost only 12.1% of the games Rodri played, compared with 26.2% of the games he missed.
Barcelona now have one of the best midfielders in the world in their team. If he stays fit, this could be one of the best signings of the summer.
2. Enzo Fernández – Manchester City
Manchester City spent around £125 million on Enzo Fernández, so there will be a lot of eyes on him.
Enzo had a very good season at Chelsea last year, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in all competitions.
He is not only about goals, though. He is a player who likes having the ball and keep the game moving.
In his first two Premier League games for City, he completed 151 of his 164 passes and created four chances.
3. Donyell Malen – Roma
Malen has started his Roma career in an impressive fashion.
He has scored five goals in his first three Serie A games, including a hat trick against Fiorentina and two goals against Lecce. Roma reportedly paid around €25 million for him.
Malen has always had the talent, but he has not always been consistent. If he can keep playing like this, Roma may have got themselves one of the best deals of the summer.
4. Morgan Rogers – Chelsea
Chelsea spent around £117 million to bring Morgan Rogers to Stamford Bridge.
Rogers scored 10 Premier League goals and had six assists for Aston Villa last season. He has also started well at Chelsea, with three goals and one assist in his first five league games.
He is strong, quick and not afraid to take on defenders. Chelsea will be hoping this is the start of something big.
5. Rasmus Højlund – Napoli
Højlund needed a fresh start and Napoli could be the right place for him.
His time at Manchester United did not go as planned, but he has already scored two goals in his first three Serie A games for Napoli after joining the club on a permanent basis. He also scored against Inter.
The pressure will still be there, but Napoli fans will be happy with what they have seen so far.
6. Bradley Barcola – Liverpool
Liverpool spent big on Bradley Barcola because they believe he can become a key player for them.
At PSG last season, he scored 11 Ligue 1 goals and provided four assists in the Champions League.
His biggest strength is his pace. He likes to run at defenders and create problems.
The Premier League will be tougher, but Liverpool have given themselves another dangerous attacking option.
7. Bruno Guimarães – Arsenal
Bruno Guimarães already knows the Premier League very well. He scored nine goals and provided eight assists for Newcastle last season, despite missing 15 games through injury.
Arsenal are getting a midfielder who can defend, pass, tackle and also contribute in attack.
He also brings a bit of grit to the team. That could be very important for Arsenal.
8. Ismael Saibari – Bayern Munich
Saibari is one of the players I am most interested in watching this season.
He scored 16 goals and had eight assists for PSV last season.
He came off the bench on his Bayern debut and provided two assists against Stuttgart. He is still adapting to a much bigger club, but the early signs are very good.
9. Anthony Gordon – Barcelona
Anthony Gordon to Barcelona was one of the more surprising moves of the summer. But it makes sense.
Barcelona wanted pace and someone who could stretch defences. Gordon can do that. He has already provided four assists in his first four La Liga games.
If he continues like this, Barcelona fans will quickly forget how strange the transfer looked at first.
10. Yan Diomandé – Real Madrid
Real Madrid spent a huge amount of money on 19-year-old Yan Diomandé. That alone tells you how highly they rate him. He had 23 goal contributions in 36 appearances for Leipzig last season.
He is young, fast and full of confidence. The only problem is the pressure that comes with such a huge transfer fee.
11. Jonathan David – Atlético Madrid
Jonathan David knows how to score goals. He scored 87 goals in 178 Ligue 1 appearances before leaving France.
His first season at Juventus was not as good, with six goals and four assists in Serie A.
Now he gets another chance at Atlético Madrid. If he finds his old form again, Atlético have a very good striker on their hands.
12. Christopher Nkunku – RB Leipzig
Nkunku is back where he became a star.
During his first spell at Leipzig, he scored 70 goals in 172 games and provided more than 50 assists.
His time away from Leipzig was not as smooth, especially with injuries. Now he is back. If he can stay fit, Leipzig could get the best out of him again.
13. Karim Adeyemi – Barcelona
Adeyemi brings something Barcelona does not have in every position: serious pace.
He left Dortmund after scoring 36 goals and providing 25 assists in 146 appearances.
He has already started well in Spain, scoring and assisting early in the season. The big question is whether he can stay consistent.
14. Gonçalo Ramos – AC Milan
Milan need goals and Ramos has been brought in to help provide them.
He scored six Ligue 1 goals for PSG last season, although he did not start every game. At Milan, he should get more chances.
He has already shown that he is not afraid to shoot, with 13 attempts in his first two league games. Now he needs to start putting more of them in.
15. Elliot Anderson – Manchester City
This is probably one of the biggest risks on the list.
City spent around £116 million on Anderson after his impressive season at Nottingham Forest.
He scored four goals and provided four assists last season.
Those numbers do not explain the price. City are clearly buying him for what they believe he can become. Now he has to prove them right.
16. Moussa Diaby – Bayer Leverkusen
Diaby is going back to where he made his name. He played 172 games for Leverkusen during his first spell, scoring 49 goals and providing almost as many assists. He now returns with more experience.
For around €30 million, Leverkusen will hope they can get the best version of him again.
17. Loïs Openda – Lyon
Openda has already shown that he can score in France.
He scored 22 goals in 40 Ligue 1 games before moving to Germany.
He then scored 33 goals and provided 12 assists in 69 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig. Now he is back in France with Lyon. If he gets enough chances, he will score.
18. Randal Kolo Muani – Juventus
Kolo Muani already knows Juventus after his first spell at the club.
He scored 10 goals and provided three assists before the club made his move permanent.
He has had eight shots in his first three league games but is still waiting for his first goal. Juventus will need more from him.
19. Maghnes Akliouche – PSG
PSG are putting faith in young players and Akliouche is one of them.
He scored six goals and provided six assists for Monaco last season.
PSG paid around €50 million for him and gave him a long contract.
They clearly believe he can become an important player for the club.
20. Dženan Pejčinović – Stuttgart
Pejčinović could be one to watch in Germany.
He scored 12 goals in 34 games for Wolfsburg last season. Then he scored a hat trick on his Stuttgart debut. That is some way to introduce yourself.
If he keeps that confidence, Stuttgart could have a very good striker.
21. John Stones – Inter Milan
Stones is one of the most experienced players on this list.
He left Manchester City after 295 appearances, 19 goals, nine assists and 20 trophies.
Inter are getting a player who knows what it takes to play at the highest level. The main thing now is keeping him fit.
22. Konstantinos Karetsas – Borussia Dortmund
Karetsas is only 18 but he already looks like a player with a lot of confidence.
He made 44 appearances for Genk last season and had 13 assists.
He also provided an assist on his Bundesliga debut and was named Man of the Match.
Dortmund will not rush him, but there is clearly something special there.
23. Matthis Abline – Monaco
Abline scored six goals and provided four assists in Ligue 1 last season.
Monaco have now spent around €25 million to €30 million on him. It is a big step for the young forward.
If he can improve his numbers at Monaco, this could become a very good signing.
24. Julien Duranville – Lyon
Duranville is a player with a lot of ability but injuries have slowed him down.
Lyon have taken a chance on him for around €5 million.
That is not a huge risk for a player who still has plenty of time to develop.
If he stays fit, he could surprise a few people.
25. Eliezer Mayenda – Rennes
Mayenda is more of a long-term project.
He scored two goals in 20 Premier League appearances for Sunderland last season.
Rennes have still paid around €22 million for him because they believe there is more to come. He is only 20, so there is time.
For now, this is one to watch rather than one to judge.
The big question
The biggest transfers will always get the most attention, but they are not always the best ones.
Rodri could transform Barcelona. Malen has already started flying at Roma.
Saibari could become one of Bayern’s breakout players.
And then there are the youngsters who could make this list look very different by the end of the season.
The transfer window is finished. Now we can stop talking about the fees and start enjoying football.
