20 significant Premier League summer signings you might have missed
With Euro 2020 and the Copa America occupying the attentions of football fans across the world, you could be forgiven for taking your eye off of the transfer window for a moment. However, many clubs certainly did not and in the Premier League alone over £265m has already been spent on new signings, with some big moves still to be rubberstamped too.
With England's top-flight set to get back underway in a little over four weeks, we whizz through 20 significant arrivals that you may have missed.
GOALKEEPERS
Tom Heaton - Manchester United (Free)
Some may argue that this is stretching the meaning of significant but if Tom Heaton is able to return to full fitness after a serious injury that cut his Aston Villa career short, the returning academy graduate is capable of staking a serious claim. An England international who would likely have been in the Euro 2020 squad had he steered clear of injury, he'll be aiming to apply pressure to a position of some uncertainty between the posts at Old Trafford.
Angus Gunn - Norwich City (£5.3m)
Another goalkeeper returning to his former club, Gunn - son of Canaries legend Brian - will be looking to get his career back on track after a torrid time at Southampton and push Tim Krul for the number one spot.
CENTRE-BACKS
Ibrahima Konate - Liverpool (£36m)
Liverpool's decision not to gamble on an expensive January recruit at centre-back paid off and having as yet decided not to activate a buy option for Ozan Kabak, Konate is a real contender for a starting spot next season. In a career hampered by injuries at RB Leipzig - starting just 14 Bundesliga matches over the last two seasons - he's fit heading into the new season and has the power and pace that the Reds defence was so lacking in the absence of Virgil van Dijk.
Nathan Collins - Burnley (£12.6m)
Given a very substantial transfer fee for a club of Burnley's stature, 20-year-old Nathan Collins could be one to watch next season. Breaking the tried and tested partnership of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski will be difficult, but his ability to play at right-back could enable the youngster to see plenty of minutes, earning a solid WhoScored rating of 7.11 in ten league starts in that position for Stoke last season.
FULL-BACKS
Nuno Tavares - Arsenal (£7.2m)
Having been caught short in the left-back department last season in the absence of Kieran Tierney, it's little surprise the Gunners acted fast to find a back up and one of Tavares' profile fits the bill nicely. At 21 he'll likely play in cup competitions more often than not and is an attack minded full-back cum wing-back capable of adapting to Mikel Arteta's changes of shape, having done so in fleeting appearances for Benfica last season.
Junior Firpo - Leeds (£13.5m)
Another team in desperate need of a left-back, Ezgjan Alioski's departure paves the way to Firpo to make a real impact at Elland Road. To catch the eye of Barcelona is no mean feat but the 24-year-old struggled for opportunities in two years at Camp Nou, starting 14 of 24 appearances in La Liga. He carries an attacking threat and is aggressive in the tackle too. No stranger to the referees notebook...
Romain Perraud - Southampton (£10.8m)
With long-term left-back Ryan Bertrand's contract winding down Saints needed a replacement and acted fast with the signing of 23-year-old Perraud from Brest. The Frenchman offers strong delivery from the flanks, registering an impressive seven Ligue 1 assists last season but at just 5'8" could be caught out in the air at the back post.
Ashley Young - Aston Villa (Free)
Another man returning to familiar territory, it's fair to say Young is a very different player to the exhilerating winger that left Villa Park for Manchester United ten years ago. Now 36 and a converted full-back, the former England international chose Villa over Burnley despite facing a tougher battle for minutes. He's likely to deputise for Matt Targett initially but started 16 of 26 matches en route to the Scudetto at Inter and his versatility and experience will be an asset on and off the pitch.
Danny Rose - Watford (Free)
Another former England international handed another shot at the Premier League, Rose only turned 31 earlier this month but didn't kick a ball in anger having been frozen out at Tottenham last season. He'll vie for a starting berth with Adam Masina at Watford and will be desperate to get his career back on track.
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Enock Mwepu - Brighton (£20.7m)
A club record signing for the Seagulls, 23-year-old Zambia international Mwepu has a lot to live up to following his arrival from Salzburg. An all action central midfielder capable of operating from the right, his signing would appear to pave the way - or at least clear it - for the sought after Yves Bissouma's departure, though Brighton fans will be hoping the duo could form an effective partnership. While still young, Mwepu has extensive European experience across the Champions and Europa League, making 20 appearances and an impressive 66 tackles.
Boubakary Soumare - Leicester (£18m)
One of the sides to strip shock Ligue 1 champions Lille of its best parts, Leicester's capture of Soumare could prove a real coup. A defensively minded midfielder capable of breaking the lines with his dribbling, the 22-year-old is slightly different to new clubmate Wilfred Ndidi in that his ability to retain position is perhaps his greatest strength. It will be interesting to see how Rodgers incorporates the pair alongside Youri Tielemans and James Maddison in the Foxes midfield, but maybe he won't have that luxury...
Imran Louza - Watford (£9m)
An extremely versatile young midfielder the likes of which Nantes have a habit of producing - see Jordan Veretout and Valentin Rongier - 22-year-old Louza can play across the midfield and indeed both anchoring and spearheading it. He scored seven goals last season and that ability to contribute from midfield will be an asset to a Watford side lacking firepower.
Billy Gilmour - Norwich (Loan)
We may have only seen him once at Euro 2020 but Gilmour's performance against England was the talk of Scotland and arguably the highlight of an ultimately failed Tartan Army campaign. His composure had been evident before that but the 20-year-old has a big opportunity to showcase it regularly at Carrow Road this season and he'll step straight into the boots of Oliver Skipp, who himself enjoyed an excellent loan spell at the club in their promotion campaign.
Pierre Lees Melou - Norwich (£5.4m)
A first team regular for Nice over the past four years, Lees-Melou is a strong ball winner who is capable of contirbuting at the business end too. The 28-year-old has had a direct hand in 41 goals in 151 Ligue 1 appearances and averaged an impressive 2.8 tackles per 90 in that time.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS/WINGERS
Emi Buendia - Aston Villa (£34.5m)
Another club record transfer, Aston Villa broke it last year on Championship Player of the Season Ollie Watkins and have done so with the winner of said award for the second year running. Buendia earned the highest WhoScored rating in England's second tier last term (7.78), scoring 15 and assisting 16 goals for Norwich. It will now be a case of whether his arrival is to supplement the threat of Jack Grealish or replace it. If it's the former, Villa fans have cause for real excitement.
Follow @EM10Buendia on his first day at Aston Villa! ✨
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 13, 2021
It's great to have you with us, Emi. 👊
Michael Olise - Crystal Palace (£8.4m)
Another shining light in the Championship last season, while Buendia's talent was known, Olise was arguably the breakthrough star of the campaign. The 19-year-old ended the season second to the Argentine in assists, with 12, whilst scoring seven for himself at Reading. While a different type of player, his arrival should offset the loss of Ebere Eze through injury and compliment the youngster upon his return.
Milot Rashica - Norwich (£9.9m)
Having been forced into selling star man Buendia, Norwich moved fast to find a replacement and while Rashica can't necessarily offer the same level of creativity, he's an unquestionable talent. Having been linked with a move away from Werder Bremen last summer, the Kosovan's playing time and performances were clearly impacted by the speculation. He was unable to build on two impressive first full seasons in Germany in which he scored 17 and assisted 10 goals and will be keen to make up for lost time.
Trincao - Wolves (Loan)
The Jorge Mendes effect continues to be prevelant at Wolves who have snared another of Portugal's most promising talents after Trincao struggled to make his mark at Barcelona. The 21-year-old started just three of 28 appearances in La Liga but his confidence was still clear to see, completing 3.6 dribbles per 90, and his pace and trickery will be a real weapon to new Wolves boss Bruno Lage.
STRIKERS
Patson Daka - Leicester (£27m)
With 51 goals over the last two league seasons in Austria with Red Bull Salzburg, Daka served as a remarkably capable replacement for the seemingly irreplaceable Erling Haaland. At just 22 he'll be able to learn from one of the league's finest finishers in Jamie Vardy with the ultimate view of replacing the veteran and competing for a spot with Kelechi Iheanacho. The Foxes' firepower just went up a notch.
Emmanuel Dennis - Watford (£3.6m)
With the ageing Troy Deeney struggling for fitness at times last season and Andre Gray proving relatively inadequate at top-flight level, it's little wonder Watford have looked to add to their attacking ranks. In Dennis they have taken a bit of a gamble but for a relatively low cost on a player whose attitude has reportedly blocked his development. He shot to short-lived fame with a brace against Real Madrid in 2019/20 but the quality of both goals add some much needed context and the 23-year-old hasn't kicked on since. Having shown promise at an early age, he'll need to come good on that quickly to make an impact in England.
