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Updated Premier League summer transfer window grades

Updated+Premier+League+summer+transfer+window+grades

The 2017 summer transfer window has been open since June 9 for English clubs. With the window set to close Aug. 31, there is still plenty of business to be done. However, here are my grades for the teams who have completed early transfers thus far.


Updated: September 6.

Gylfi Sigurdsson: Swansea City to Everton for £45m

Gylfi Sigurdsson is the newest big-money signing to join Everton this summer. Sigurdsson, 27, spent the last three seasons with Swansea City where he established himself as a consistent Premier League player. In his three seasons, Sigurdsson scored 27 goals and had 26 assists in the Premier League. Last season he had nine goals and 13 assists.

Sigurdsson is a very strong attacking player. He likes to operate behind the striker in a more attacking midfield role. He is also one of the best set-piece takers in the league. His quality on corner kicks and direct free kicks should add another dimension to Everton’s attack.

However, Sigurdsson is not strong defensively. He only completed 34 percent of his tackles and won 23 percent of his headed duels, per Squawka. Also the last time Sigurdsson made a move from Swansea to a bigger club was in 2012 when he moved to Tottenham. During his time with Tottenham, Sigurdsson never really got going and was sold to Swansea in 2014.

This transfer from Swansea City to Everton is very similar to Sigurdsson’s transfer to Tottenham. He is moving from a smaller club (Swansea City) with lower expectations to a bigger one (Everton) with more ambition. So it will be interesting to see if Sigurdsson can handle the pressure.

Grade: B


Jese Rodriguez: PSG to Stoke City on Loan

Fun Fact: With the signing of Jese Rodriguez on loan from PSG, Stoke City now have the most Champions League winning players (five) on their team out of any other team in the Premier League. This is all in an effort made by manager Mark Hughes to change the culture of Stoke City from a route one team to a more fluid attacking side.  

Jese, 24, is a winger can play on the left or right side of the attack. He gives Stoke City pace and trickery on the wings and should pair nicely with whoever Stoke City play alongside him.

Jese has the pedigree to succeed in the Premier League. He is a product of Real Madrid’s academy system, and has spent a year with PSG in Ligue 1. In his first game for Stoke City, Jese scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Arsenal.

One good performance does not mean Jese will be a great signing. He needs to prove that he can consistently perform like he did against Arsenal to be a successful signing.

Grade: A-


Wesley Hoedt: Lazio to Southampton £15m

Wesley Hoedt, 23, has played the last two seasons with Lazio in the Italian Serie A. The Dutch center-back is 6-foot-4 and uses that to his advantage. Last season he won 84 percent of his headed duels in 23 appearances in the Serie A.

Hoedt could play alongside fellow Dutchman Virgil Van Dijk in the center of Southampton’s defense this year. Or Hoedt could be the replacement for Van Dijk, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Southampton this summer.

Either way, this is shrewd business for Southampton. They continue to find quality players and buy them on the cheap, or for a reasonable price. Aside from Van Dijk, Hoedt is an immediate upgrade to any of the other center-backs that Southampton currently have.

Grade: A


Davinson Sanchez: Ajax to Tottenham for £42m

Tottenham waited until the almost the end of the transfer window to sign a player, but they have finally done it. Davinson Sanchez is Tottenham’s first major signing this summer.

Sanchez, 21, made 43 appearances in all competitions with Ajax last season. He is one of the most promising center-backs in Europe. At 6-foot-2, Sanchez has the strength to deal with physical strikers and the pace to catch up to with almost anyone.

Another part of his game that makes Sanchez so sought after is his ball-playing ability. Sanchez is incredibly comfortable with the ball at his feet and has a wide passing range.

The only issue with this transfer is that Sanchez will likely not start for Tottenham. Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have formed the best center-back partnership in the Premier League. Sanchez was a key part in Ajax’s team last season and was a guaranteed starter. It will take a lot for Sanchez to break into Tottenham’s starting lineup unless either Alderweireld or Vertonghen leave.

This is definitely a transfer for the future. Sanchez will not bring Tottenham any closer to winning the Premier League this year, but could prove to be a world-class defender in the future.

Grade: B+


Kevin Wimmer: Tottenham to Stoke City for £18m

Kevin Wimmer rarely played for Tottenham during his time with the club. So it is interesting to see Stoke City, who already signed center-back Bruno Martins Indi, spend £18m on Wimmer.

Stuck behind the two best center-backs in the Premier League, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, he did not get a lot of playing time. Wimmer, 24, made five appearances in the Premier League last season for Tottenham. Four of those were starts, and one was a substitute’s appearance. His lack of game time should be concerning for Stoke City. Wimmer’s role at Tottenham was to be the backup center-back.

Stoke City already have plenty of center-backs. Ryan Shawcross, Kurt Zouma and Martins Indi will all be ahead of Wimmer in the pecking order. So Wimmer will have to impress manager Mark Hughes to get game time in front of those ahead of him.

Grade: C


Renato Sanches: Bayern Munich to Swansea City on Loan

By the end of summer 2016, Renato Sanches had just won the European Championships with Portugal and had completed a big-money move from Benfica to Bayern Munich. One year later, Sanches, 20, finds himself with Swansea City and likely a relegation fight. It is not the end of the world for Sanches. However, it is interesting to see one of the brightest young stars in European soccer at Swansea.

This loan is great for both teams. Sanches was stuck on Bayern Munich’s bench and was not getting enough game time to develop. Last season he made 17 appearances in the Bundesliga, 11 of those were as a substitute. Swansea lack dynamism in central midfield. Plus, Swansea just recently sold star midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, and are desperate in need of a replacement.   

Sanches is not an exact replacement for Sigurdsson, but he should still help. Sanches is a box-to-box midfielder that will run tirelessly for Swansea. He has an eye for the goal and is willing to run back and help the defense.  

Sanches will get plenty of game time and gain much needed experience. Sanches could flourish at Swansea. If he does, then that is even better news for Bayern Munich.

Grade: A


Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Arsenal to Liverpool for £35m

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left Arsenal to pursue a career as a central midfielder. His time with Arsenal has been nothing but unfulfilled potential. Signed from Southampton in 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain has never lived up to the hype at Arsenal. Also, Oxlade- Chamberlain has been predominantly been played out of position as a wing-back this season.

He will add depth and versatility to Liverpool. Oxlade-Chamberlain, 24, can play wing-back, in the center of midfield or as a wide attacking midfielder. He likely will not start in his preferred center midfield role due to Liverpool’s amount of quality players at that position. However, his versatility will help Liverpool a lot due to the club’s busy schedule with the Premier League, Champions League and any other domestic competitions. This means he will get plenty of game time.

Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly has the talent to break into Liverpool’s starting lineup. He is a strong runner with the ball, and also possesses pace and skill. He has a tireless work-rate and should fit Liverpool’s pressing style well. It is just his ability to score and create goals that raise issues.

Consistency will be key to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career at Liverpool. During his six years at Arsenal, Oxlade-Chamberlain only scored nine goals. If he wants to play center-midfield, then he will have to produce a lot more goals and assists.

Grade: B


Serge Aurier: PSG to Tottenham for £23.1m

After selling right-back Kyle Walker to Manchester City for £50m, Tottenham have found their new starting right-back. Serge Aurier will go right into Tottenham’s starting 11 once the Premier League resumes.

Aurier, 24, spent the last three seasons with PSG. He has experience winning titles and playing in the Champions League. Both should be vital to help Tottenham remain a contender in the title race.

Aurier likes to get forward and join the attack. He is always available as an outlet on the right touchline. Also, much like Walker before him, Aurier has blistering speed to track down any attacker who tries to run in behind the Tottenham defense.

The only red flag with Aurier is his discipline. He was suspended in 2016 for unsavory comments made towards a Champions League official and as well as his own team. If Aurier can perform on the field and stay out of trouble, then this could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.

Grade: A


Mamadou Sakho: Liverpool to Crystal Palace for £26m

Mamadou Sakho returns to Crystal Palace after spending the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace from Liverpool. During that time, Sakho established himself as a starter, and was one of the reasons why Crystal Palace avoided relegation last year.

Sakho, is a strong defender who can pass the ball out from the back. He might not look smooth when he does defend, but Sakho gets the job done. That is exactly what Crystal Palace need right now.

Crystal Palace are 19th in the Premier League with no points and have conceded six goals. They are desperate to fix their leaky defense. Sakho should fix that. Also, at £26m, Crystal Palace have not overpaid for Sakho either. This is great business for Crystal Palace.

Grade: A+


Fernando Llorente: Swansea City to Tottenham for £12m

Fernando Llorente’s move is another smart transfer by Tottenham near the end of the transfer window. Llorente will likely be a backup to star striker Harry Kane. However, he is a great option to bring off the bench.

Last season Llorente scored 15 goals in the Premier League. He was vital in helping Swansea City avoid relegation. Llorente, 32, is primarily a target-man. At 6-foot-2, Llorente uses his height and size to his advantage.

Llorente also has loads of experience. He has won titles with Italy with Juventus and has also spent plenty of years playing in Spain with Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla. As a backup, Llorente is a welcome addition to a young Tottenham team that is trying to take the next step.

Grade: A


Wilfried Bony: Manchester City to Swansea City for £12m

Wilfried Bony returns to Swansea City after an unsuccessful stint with Manchester City. Bony, 28, played for Swansea from 2013 to 2015. During that time, he scored 27 goals in 54 Premier League appearances.

Bony is a strong forward. He uses that strength to bully defenders off the ball and create space for himself. His style is very similar to Fernando Llorente’s. So there should be not need for Swansea City to change their style of play for Bony.  

Manchester City was too big of a club for Bony. He looked out of place and could not quite adapt to the surroundings. A move back to Swansea City might revitalize his career. Bony will need to replicate his form that he had with Swansea City in 2013 to 2015 if he wants to help the club avoid relegation.

Grade: B


Davide Zappacosta: Torino to Chelsea for £23m

Davide Zappacosta is an unknown player to Premier League fans. Zappacosta, 25, has spent his entire career playing in Italy. Deployed as a wing-back, Zappacosta will provide competition for Victor Moses.

It has been a frustrating transfer window for Chelsea. That can be seen in this signing. This is not a typical signing for Chelsea. Zappacosta is not a big-name player who will have an immediate impact on Chelsea. It is hard to say whether he will improve the team or not.

Grade: C


Danny Drinkwater: Leicester City to Chelsea for £35m

Danny Drinkwater’s transfer to Chelsea is a lot like Davide Zappacosta’s. Although Drinkwater is not an unknown quantity, it is an underwhelming signing. However, Drinkwater will be reunited with N’Golo Kante. The two of them formed a strong partnership in center midfield on their way to winning the Premier League with Leicester City in 2015-16.

Drinkwater, 27, has a good passing range. He is a smart player and is rarely caught out of position. He also has plenty of experience. In five seasons with Leicester City, Drinkwater made 193 appearances. He has been in relegation fights, and won a Premier League title. This variety of experience should be valuable to Chelsea.   

However, Drinkwater is not better than current Chelsea center midfielder Cesc Fabregas at passing. Also, he is not the most physical player like Kante or Tiemoue Bakayoko.

It will be difficult for Drinkwater to break into the Chelsea team. He is only a center midfielder. He offers no positional flexibility, and is not as good as the players ahead of him in the team.

Grade: C


Nemanja Matic: Chelsea to Manchester United for £40m

Manchester United have signed defensive-midfielder Nemanja Matic from Chelsea. Matic becomes Manchester United’s third signing of the summer, and re-unites with former manager Jose Mourinho. Matic, 29, played the last three and a half seasons with Chelsea. During that time he won two Premier League titles.

Matic does not score a lot of goals. He only scored a total of four in the Premier League during his entire time with Chelsea. However, that is not what Manchester United bought him for.

Matic will likely be deployed as defensive midfielder. He will be responsible for protecting the defense and breaking up attacks before they happen. This will allow other Manchester United midfielders like Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera to push forward and attack.

Matic’s experience winning two Premier League titles, and defensive prowess should greatly improve Manchester United midfield.  

Grade: A+


Kelechi Iheanacho: Manchester City to Leicester City for £25m

Leicester City have signed what they hope to be an adequate strike-partner for forward Jamie Vardy. Shinji Okazaki, Ahmed Musa, Leonardo Ulloa and Islam Slimani all failed to lock down a starting position with Vardy last season.   

Iheanacho, 20, spent most of his time with Manchester City as a backup. That is not because he is a bad player. Rather, he was behind Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus. Because of that, Iheanacho scored only four goals in the Premier League last season.

Throughout Iheanacho’s career, he has been lethal in front of goal. He has scored 12 goals out of the 19 shots on target he took in the Premier League for Manchester City. At Leicester City, Iheanacho will likely start more games, and will be playing with up front with Jamie Vardy.

Leicester City payed a lot of money for Iheanacho, and he will have to produce if he wants to justify a £25m price-tag. It will also be interesting to see how he handles a starting role.

Grade: B+   


Mario Lemina: Juventus to Southampton £16m (potential to rise to £20m)

Lemina made 19 appearances for Italian champions Juventus in Serie A last season. The central-midfielder is behind Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic. Lemina scored only one goal last season in Serie A. However, that is not his game.

Lemina operates in the center of midfield and likes to control play. He more likely to set up a goal instead of score one. Lemina will be a good addition to an already strong midfield with Steven Davis, Oriol Romeu and James Ward-Prowse.

This is smart business for Southampton. Lemina, 23, is still young, but has plenty of experience. He played for the best team in Italy and even made appearances with Juventus in the Champions League.

Grade: A  


Andre Gray: Burnley to Watford £18.5m

Ever since the departure of Odion Ighalo, Watford have struggled to find a partner to play up top with Troy Deeney. Last season Deeney managed to score 10 goals in the Premier League, but often was isolated in the attack.

That is why Watford shelled out £18.5m to Burnley to secure the services of striker Andre Gray. Gray, 26, scored only nine goals in the Premier League last season. Gray is a pacer striker that enjoys running in behind the opposing defense.

Deeney and Gray should pair nicely together once they are both on the field. Deeney is a physically imposing striker that will be able to win balls in the air and hold up play for Gray to run in behind. However, Gray will need to score more than nine goals to justify this transfer.

Grade: B


Bruno Martins Indi: Porto to Stoke City for £7m

Bruno Martins Indi is the newest Stoke City signing this summer. Indi, 25, spent all of last season with Stoke City on loan. The center-back made 35 Premier League appearances and was a stand out performer for Stoke City.

Per Squawka, Indi won 51 percent of his tackles and 46 percent of his aerial duels. Having already played a full season in the Premier League, there should be little, if any adjustment for Indi to make.

At £7m, this is great business for Stoke City. They already know the type of player they are getting, and Indi is an immediate improvement over any center-back that Stoke City already have.

Grade: A


Joe Hart: Manchester City to West Ham on Loan

Joe Hart has been loaned out for the second consecutive season by Manchester City. Last season, he played for Torino in the Italian Serie A. This year, he will remain in the Premier League with West Ham.

Hart is a good goalkeeper. He has regularly been the starting keeper for the England national team. During his time at Manchester City, he won two Premier League championships. So it is odd that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola refuses to use him, considering how bad Manchester City were with their goalkeepers last season. Guardiola’s reasoning is that Hart does not distribute the ball to other players effectively, and is not good with the ball at his feet.

However, regardless of outside opinion, Guardiola is set on not using Hart. So West Ham punched on the opportunity to sign a great keeper. West Ham’s Darren Randolph and Adrian only kept 10 clean sheets between the two of them all of last season. Hart will be an instant upgrade to the both of them. In 2014-15 Hart kept 14 clean sheets and in 2015-16 he kept 15. Also, in those two seasons, Hart made 36 and 35 appearances respectively. Last year Randolph made 22 and Adrian made 16. So injuries will not be a problem for Hart.

This move benefits Hart and West Ham greatly. West Ham is getting a quality goalkeeper and Hart will be getting first-team play in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see if West Ham has the option to buy Hart at the end of his loan spell this year.

Grade: A+


Andrew Robertson: Hull City to Liverpool for £10m

Andrew Robertson is Liverpool’s third signing this transfer window. Robertson, 23, was one of Hull City’s few stand out players in a season that ended in relegation. The left-back had two assists and one goal in 33 appearances in the Premier League last season.

Left-Back is a position that Liverpool desperately needed an upgrade at. James Milner, who is naturally a center-midfielder, was preferred to actual left-back Alberto Moreno last season. Milner did do a good job filling, but was often burned by faster and more skillful players. Meanwhile, Moreno was never seen as an option because of his awful defensive ability.

Robertson, although an upgrade, still is not that big of a step up from Milner. Robertson is naturally left-footed and has more balance to his game than Moreno. However, Robertson is not a fantastic player. He spent last season playing for a relegation team. He also does not produce many chances. This signing does not fit under the current Liverpool transfer motto of quality over quantity.

Robertson could greatly improve under a manger like Jürgen Klopp. It will also be interesting to see how Robertson performs on a better team. Also, the fee of only £10m is not that bad, especially in todays transfer market. Although as of now, Liverpool have bought an average (maybe even underwhelming) player.

Grade: B-


Marko Arnautovic: Stoke City to West Ham for £24m

Marko Arnautovic has become West Ham’s most expensive signing. Arnautovic, 28, has spent the last four seasons playing with Stoke City in the Premier League. Last year he had six goals and five assists. Not a bad output from a winger playing on a mid-table team.

Although West Ham are a similar team to Stoke City, Arnautovic will have to produce more if he wants to justify his price-tag. Throughout his entire career, Arnautovic has been seen as a maverick. At 6-foot-4, he has a mix of physicality and skill that make him extremely dangerous. The only problem is that he often goes missing in games, and there are long stretches in the season where he does not have a goal or assist.

If Arnautovic can replicate his 2015-16 season where he scored 11 goals and had six assists, then this would be seen as good business for West Ham. Arnautovic has the quality and experience to shine at West Ham. It is just a matter of whether or not West Ham manager Slaven Bilic can get the best out of him.

Grade: B


Javier Hernandez: Bayer Leverkusen to West Ham for £16m

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez makes his return to the Premier League after have two successful years with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. The former Manchester United super-sub has always been known as a poacher inside the 18-yard box. In the past two seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, Hernandez scored 28 goals in the German Bundesliga.

Last season West Ham were a very mediocre team. Finishing 11th the team struggled to adapt to their new surroundings at the London Stadium. If West Ham want to get back into the Europa League and possibly challenge for top four, it will need experienced players. The club’s business up to this point has been exactly that. Hernandez joins Marko Arnautovic and Joe Hart at West Ham.

Hernandez, 29, has plenty of experience in the Premier League. During his time at Manchester United he played in plenty of big games and won trophies. Even during his time with Bayer Leverkusen, he was playing in the Champions League. This experience will be vital for West Ham if they want to compete with the larger clubs.

Hernandez will likely start ahead of current West Ham forwards Andy Carroll, Ashley Fletcher and Diafra Sakho. If healthy, Hernandez will score goals and should prove to be a great signing for West Ham.

Grade: A  


Alvaro Morata: Real Madrid to Chelsea for £70m

It looks increasingly likely that current Chelsea striker Diego Costa will be leaving the club soon. So how do Chelsea replace the 20 goals that Costa scored from them last season? Chelsea’s answer is Alvaro Morata.

Morata scored 15 goals and had four assists in 26 league appearances for Real Madrid last season. He scored the second most goals, behind Cristiano Ronaldo (25), and helped Real Madrid win the Spanish La Liga and Champions League.

Morata is not as physical or aggressive as Costa is. However, his finishing is on par, and he should get great service from Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro. Morata will also likely start more games and have a bigger impact on games instead of being used as an impact substitute like he was at Real Madrid.

Morata will be expected to come in and immediately produce for Chelsea, but he knows what it is like to play under immense pressure and scrutiny because of his time spent at Real Madrid. If he can adjust to the physical nature of the Premier League, then Morata will be fine.

Grade: A-


Danilo: Real Madrid to Manchester City for £26.5m

Manchester City have signed their second high-profile right-back of the summer transfer window. Danilo will be competing with Kyle Walker for the starting position in Guardiola’s team. Danilo, 26, made 17 appearances in La Liga for Real Madrid. He spent most of last season behind starting right-back Dani Carvajal.

Danilo is much more defensively sound than Walker is. He does not have as much pace as Walker, so he tends not to get involved in the attack as much. Danilo only had three assists in all competitions last year.

Manchester City needed to improve their fullbacks, and so far this transfer window they have. However, spending £26.5m on what will likely be a back-up right-back is head scratching. This move does not make much sense for Danilo either who should be starting games. He likely will not be doing that at Manchester City.

Grade: B


Benjamin Mendy: AS Monaco to Manchester City for £52m

Benjamin Mendy becomes the third full-back that Manchester City have signed this transfer window. Unlike Danilo and Walker, Mendy plays left-back. Mandy will become the starting left-back by default at Manchester City due to the departures of Aleksander Kolarov and Gael Clichy. He is also an immediate upgrade from those two left-backs.

Guardiola did not like using Clichy and Kolarov. This can be seen in his use of Fernandinho, who is naturally a midfielder, play left-back. Mendy, 23, is a physical player who will run tirelessly up and down the flank. He defends as much as he attacks.

Last year Mendy had eight assists in 38 appearances across all competitions last year. He was part of a Monaco team that won Ligue 1 in France and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Mendy should have little trouble adjusting from the French Ligue 1 to the Premier League. He will get plenty of play-time. Also Guardiola’s possession style of play suits Mendy well. Mendy will be able to bomb forward and join the attack, but he also has the defensive prowess to stop any counterattacks.

Grade: A  


Romelu Lukaku: Everton to Manchester United for £75m

Manchester United struggled to score goals last season. Aside from striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, there was not much of a goal threat. Manchester United finished fifth in the Premier League and had a league high 15 draws last year. With the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton, Manchester United could have found an answer to their goal scoring problems.

Over the past few years Lukaku has established himself as a potent striker. Last season he scored 25 goals in the Premier League for Everton. During his time with Everton he netted a total of 68 Premier League goals. The 6-foot-3 striker is physically imposing. He has the ability to score with either of his feet or with his head. Lukaku’s style of play is perfectly suited for the Premier League. He has the strength to hold off defenders and also the ability to run in behind.

Even at £75m this is still a good deal for Manchester United. After all, they did spend £89m on Paul Pogba last year. Lukaku will have high expectations thrown upon him from the start. He will be tasked with leading the front-line and turning some of those 15 draws from last year into wins. If he can do that then Manchester United will be serious title contenders.

The only slight negative from this deal is that this transfer could slow down the development of Marcus Rashford. Rashford, 19, broke onto the scene for Manchester United in early 2016. He will be taking a back seat again to a bigger named striker again this year. However, with Manchester United’s return to the Champions League there will be plenty of opportunities for manager Jose Mourinho to use both strikers across multiple competitions.

Grade: A    


Antonio Rüdiger: AS Roma to Chelsea for £29m (potential to rise to £34m)

Last year’s champions have made their first big signing of the summer in preparation for defending their title. Antonio Rüdiger, 24, is a versatile German defender who primarily plays center-back. At 6-foot-3, Rüdiger should slot in nicely to Chelsea’s back three.

He should improve already one of the best defenses from last year. Rüdiger will only make new teammates David Luiz and Gary Cahill better the more the three center-backs play together. Rüdiger’s calm style of pay will allow Luiz to venture forward into midfield, and also limit the number of mistakes that Cahill makes from time-to-time.

Rüdiger recently won the 2017 Confederations Cup with Germany, and played for Roma last season who finished second in the Italian first division. He will most likely replace Cesar Azpilicueta. Azpilicueta, who is naturally a right-back, played most of last season at one of Chelsea’s three center-backs. Rüdiger also has plenty of time playing in the Champions League with Roma. So it should not take long for him to adjust to the Premier League.

Grade: A


Vicente Iborra: Sevilla to Leicester City for £12m

Leicester City’s third signing of the window, Vicente Iborra, makes the move from Spanish first division team Sevilla. Iborra, 29, is an imposing defensive-midfielder, standing at 6-foot-3.

Physically he should have no problem going shoulder to shoulder with players. But it is his lack of pace that should concern Leicester City fans. He is not getting any younger, and might struggle to deal with the faster and more elusive players in the Premier League.

Aside from that, it is easy to see why Leicester bought Iborra. He has won three Europa League titles with Sevilla, and has also been their captain for the past two seasons. He also has plenty of Champions League experience. Iborra is a natural leader, and Leicester City are hoping that he can translate that to the Premier League.

This signing will not bring Leicester back into the title race conversation, or even push them towards a top four finish. However, what Iborra brings is consistency and maybe a solid mid-table finish for Leicester City.

Grade: B


Kyle Walker: Tottenham to Manchester City for £50m

Manchester City continue to address their team’s weaknesses in transfer window. This time they have bought right-back Kyle Walker from Premier League rivals Tottenham. Walker is an attack-first right-back. He uses his blistering speed to run up and down the sideline and support the wingers in front of him.

Walker will fit in well with the style City plays. His constant runs forward will offer an outlet for midfielders and forwards alike. Walker made 33 appearances last season for Tottenham and provided five assists. If he wants to justify the hefty fee paid for him, Walker will have to produce more than just five assists. Manager Pep Guardiola will demand more from Walker.

Another area for worry is whether Walker can stay healthy. Because of Walker’s explosive style of playing, he often ends up with hamstring, calf and ankle injuries. This was another knock on Walker during his time at Tottenham.

As of now Walker is the only starting-quality right-back that Manchester City have. Unless Manchester City bring in more reinforcements Walker will be playing a lot of games across multiple competitions. Whether it is injury or fatigue, Walker will miss time. It is up to Manchester City to find a backup to fill in for Walker when he does miss games. However, this signing is a step in the right direction for Manchester City as they prepare to challenge for the title next season.

Grade: B+


Tiemoue Bakayoko: AS Monaco to Chelsea for £40m

Chelsea have added another strong player this transfer window in preparation to defend their title. Bakayoko, 22, is an athletic midfielder who will likely be paired with N’Golo Kante in the center of midfield for Chelsea this season. Bakayoko had an impressive 2016-17 season. He helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title and also reached the Champions League semifinals.

The 6-foot-1 center-midfielder scored two goals and had one assist in 32 appearances for Monaco in France’s Ligue 1. Due to his size, Bakayoko will be an interesting foil to the 5-foot-6 Kante. Together, the two frenchmen should from a strong defensive partnership.

The only question mark should come from if the two of them will produce more goals and assists. This will put more pressure on the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro to produce for Chelsea. Bakayoko’s move to Chelsea also allows Nemanja Matic to leave Chelsea. Matic and Bakayoko are similar players, and manager Antonio Conte will likely sell Matic off to make sure that Bakayoko plays plenty of games.

Grade: A-


Jermain Defoe: Sunderland to Bournemouth on Free Transfer

Defoe was only able to make this move thanks to a clause in his contract that if Sunderland were to be relegated, he could opt out of his contract. Defoe, 34, is up there in years, but he is also a proven goal scorer in the Premier League. He scored a total of 30 goals in the past two seasons with Sunderland.

It is always good to have a proven striker on your team. However, attack is not the area where Bournemouth needed to focus on. Forward Josh King scored 16 goals last season, and forward Callum Wilson will be healthy this season after spending much of last season rehabbing from a torn ACL.

Bournemouth conceded 67 goals last season on their way to a ninth place finish. Signing goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Chelsea was a good first step to fix their porous defense. Since Bournemouth were able to get Defoe on a free transfer, this move is not terrible. They will likely now have more money to spend on defender now.

Grade: C+

Mohamed Salah: AS Roma to Liverpool £36.9m

Liverpool’s first big-money signing of the transfer window addresses one of the problems they had last season. It is also a sign of intent for the upcoming season. Liverpool have signed a quality player that has proven himself in a competitive league and in European club competition. This is not another signing that has potential to be great, Salah is already proven.

Salah scored 15 goals and had 11 assists last year with Roma. An impressive haul for a player who was seen as a flop at Chelsea. He uses his blazing speed to run up and down the wings, causing havoc to opposing defenses. Salah will likely play on the opposite wing from Sadio Mane. Just the idea of that should have Liverpool fans giddy.   

In many ways this situation is very similar to Kevin De Bruyne and his development. De Bruyne was cast out at Chelsea and sold to German side Wolfsburg. After a couple impressive seasons in Germany, De Bruyne made big-money transfer to Manchester City. Since his move back to England, De Bruyne has been electric. De Bruyne has scored 13 goals and provided 27 assists in the Premier League since returning.

Liverpool will be hoping for the similar results upon Salah’s Premier League return.

Grade: A


Nathan Ake: Chelsea to Bournemouth for £20m

Defender Nathan Ake, 22, is the third player to sign with Bournemouth along with goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and forward Jermain Defoe. Bournemouth had to break their transfer fee record to secure the Dutch defender from Chelsea.

This is the type of signing that Bournemouth needed to make to improve upon their ninth place finish last season. Ake can play at center back or left back. His ability to play the ball out from the back suits Bournemouth’s passing game. Ake also spent the first half of the 2016-17 season on loan with Bournemouth. So he will be accustomed to the way the team plays, along with each player’s strengths and weaknesses.

It is smart for Bournemouth to sign a player that has prior experience with the club, but it does not mean it is a great signing. Ake stands at 5-foot-11 and is not the most domineering defender. He is prone to be out-dueled in the air and bullied by more physical players. Also, at £20m, a team should expect a starting caliber player. Ake is not there yet.

Grade: B


Sandro Ramirez: Malaga to Everton for £5.25m

Everton has been one of the busiest clubs in England this transfer window. Sandro becomes Everton’s fifth signing of the summer window. The Malaga striker scored 16 goals in 31 appearance across all competitions last season one year after moving from Barcelona.

This is a shrewd deal for Everton. The club continues to add players almost in preparation for life without star striker Romelu Lukaku. Sandro, 21, has been heavily linked with Atletico Madrid after an impressive season with Malaga in the Spanish La Liga.

This signing has potential to be outstanding for Everton. The fee paid for Sandro is nothing compared to todays inflated transfer market. If Sandro can replicate the form that had last season in Spain then this signing will be a great success. The only question is how will Sandro adapt to the physical play and speed of the Premier League?

Grade: B+


Michael Keane: Burnley to Everton for £25m (potential to rise to £31m)

Everton’s sixth signing this transfer window addresses their aging defense. Keane, 24, had a lot of clubs fighting for his signature this summer. Everton center backs Ashley Williams, 32, and Phil Jagielka, 34, are already accomplished defenders, but they are getting old. Keane has Premier League experience and time on his side.  

Keane was a rock in Burnley’s defense last season. He helped them avoid relegation, and was part of a defense that conceded only 55 goals. Keane is a smart player who does not make many mistakes. He only had four yellow cards in 35 appearances in the Premier League last season. He also won 64 percent of aerial duels along with having a 56 percent successful tackle rate (per Squawka).

The last young England center back who made a big money move was Jon Stones for £50m from Everton to Manchester City last season. Stones still has not been able to live up to his sizable price tag.

Keane is also seen as one of the future starting center backs for the England national team. There is a lot of pressure and expectation for Keane, especially after moving to Everton. He will have to improve upon his impressive season last year to be seen as a success.

Grade: A


Wayne Rooney: Manchester United to Everton on free transfer

Wayne Rooney makes his return to Everton after 13 years at Manchester United. During Rooney’s time at Manchester United he became the clubs all time leading goal scorer, with 253 goals, and won 16 trophies. He is one of the most successful Premier League players of all time.

Even though it is nice to see Rooney return to the club where his career began, it does not mean it is a good move. His form has dramatically dipped over the past few years at Manchester United. He scored 12 goals in 2014-15, only eight in 2015-16 and a finally a measly five last season in the Premier League.

Rooney still is a quality player, but he does not have a set position. He is no longer fast enough to play striker, and when in the center midfield he looks out of shape and a few steps behind.

His best role would be to play behind the striker as an attacking midfielder. However, that is where Ross Barkley currently applies his trade. If Everton want to use Rooney as an impact substitute then that is fine. He might not be able to constantly play at the top of his game, but Everton might not need that from him. A few moments of brilliance and a leader in the locker room might be all Everton are asking for.

It will be interesting to see how Rooney’s return will affect Everton. He could be just what Everton needs to push for a top four finish.

Grade: C+


Alexandre Lacazette: Lyon to Arsenal for £52.7m

Arsenal’s first signing this summer is a big one. Star French striker Alexandre Lacazette will be joining the Gunners for a club record fee. It seems that Lacazette has been linked with a move away from Lyon every transfer window. This summer has been no different, but Lacazette has actually made the move.

Lacazette, 26, is one of the most proven strikers in Europe. In the past three seasons he scored 33, 34 and 28 goals in France’s Ligue 1. A fantastic finisher in the box, Lacazette has plenty of pace to burn, along with good dribbling.

There are not many negatives to this transfer except it took Arsenal so long to make a marquee signing. It is clear intent from the club to get back into the Champions League for next year. Also with star player Alexis Sanchez’s future unknown, it is important for Arsenal to find a player that can replace his goals.

Grade: A+


Asmir Begovic: Chelsea to Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee

This move is good for both clubs. Begovic has proven himself capable to be a starting keeper at most Premier League clubs thanks to his time at Stoke City. He is too good to be sitting on the bench at Chelsea. Sure he could stay at Chelsea and win more trophies, but based on this move Begovic clearly wants to start. There was no way he was going to do that while competing with Thibaut Courtois.

Begovic should come in and immediately replace Bournemouth’s starting keeper from last year, Artur Boruc. A fee has yet to be released for the player, but that should not matter too much.

Grade: A


Sead Kolasinac: Schalke to Arsenal on a free transfer

For the first time in 19 years, Arsenal will be fighting to get back into the Champions League. There are a lot of question marks surrounding Arsenal. There are also a lot of positions that need improvement.

Last season in Germany with Schalke 04, Kolasinac scored three goals and had five assists while playing left-back and left-wing-back. He also completed 47 percent of his tackles and won 56 percent of his headed-duels last year (per Squawka).

Kolasinac looks like a steal for Arsenal coming joining the club on a free transfer. The only question mark is how will he be used, and what will Arsenal’s squad look like when the Premier league starts on Aug. 12. Manager Arsene Wenger needs to choose which formation his team will play, whether it is the 4-3-3 or the 3-4-3. There is also the issue of whether star players Mesut Özil, Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stay at the club.

However, for the price, this is a great signing.

Grade: A


Jordan Pickford: Sunderland to Everton for £25m (with possibility to rise to £30m)

The highly-rated English goalkeeper was a standout performer for Sunderland’s woeful 2016-17 season. Although Pickford could not stop Sunderland from being relegated, his great season has earned him a big transfer fee and high expectations for 2017-18.

If Everton want to compete for top four in 2017-18 they need to improve their squad. Goalkeeper was on of those areas that needed the most improvement. Joel Robles was good for Everton last season, but he is not a strong starting option.

Pickford, 23, has plenty of years ahead of him to develop into a world class keeper. He might have conceded 50 goals last season, but that is because he had third worst defense protecting him. In 29 appearances for Sunderland, Pickford had four clean sheets and averaged 3.79 saves per game (per Squawka).

Everton paid a pretty penny for Pickford, and time will tell if he turns out to be a bargain. It will be interesting to see how Pickford plays with a better defense in front of him, and at a club with higher ambitions.

Grade: A


Davy Klaassen: Ajax to Everton for £23.63m

Klaassen is coming off an impressive 2016-17 campaign with Ajax. The central-midfielder scored 13 goals and had nine assists on a young team that finished runners-up in the Dutch Eredivisie and the Europa League.

Klaassen is a good player, but this transfer is a little confusing. Everton already has an impressive midfield with Idrissa Gueye, Ross Barkley, James McCarthy, Morgan Schneiderlin and youngster Tom Davies. With a transfer fee near £25m, Klaassen will expect to start. That means some of the before mentioned midfielders will be dropped to the bench.

A transfer like this could stunt the growth of young players like Davies, who had an impressive second half of the season. But manager Ronald Koeman must know what he is doing if he sanctioned that much money for Klaassen. The transfer window is young, and we will have to wait how things unfold.

Grade: B


Harry Maguire: Hull City to Leicester City for £17m

Leicester is finally starting to address their needs. The only issue is that it is coming a year late, and all it took was the threat of potentially being relegated. The biggest problem with Leicester’s squad is their center-backs. Captain Wes Morgan, 33, Robert Huth, 32, Martin Wasilewski, 37, and Yohan Benalouane, 30, are all old and cannot be relied upon to start an entire season.

Maguire, 24, is still young and has experience in relegation battles with Hull City from last year. Maguire is a strong defender who had a 69 percent win-rate in the air last season (per Squawka). He also does not get booked a lot. He only earned five yellow cards in 29 appearances with Hull City last year.

However the big problem with Maguire is that he was part of a Hull City defense that conceded a league-worst 80 goals last season. That is a concerning statistic. We will have to wait and see if this signing turns out to be a success.

Grade: B-


Bernardo Silva: Monaco to Manchester City £43m

Manager Pep Guardiola enters his second season at Manchester City and is now starting to make the squad his own. Silva is the first of two big signings made by Guardiola early in the transfer window.

The diminutive winger made 37 appearances in France’s Ligue 1 along with another 11 in the Champions League for Monaco. He helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title and reach the semi-finals of the Champions league.

Silva has the technique to play in the Premier League. The biggest issue is his size. He stands at 5-foot-6, and the physicality of the Premier League could prove to be a problem for him.

It will also be interesting to see how Guardiola uses him. Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling both play out wide for Manchester City, and both had good seasons last year. Silva is going to have to work hard just to start. But with Manchester City playing in four different competitions next year, Silva will get plenty of opportunities to impress.

Grade: A-


Ederson: Benfica to Manchester City for £37.4m

The next phase for Guardiola to fix Manchester City is to bring in a goalkeeper that is equally excellent with his hands and his feet. The Claudio Bravo experiment last year did not work out. Bravo turned out to be one of the worst keepers in the Premier League.

Guardiola hopes that he has found a goalkeeper for the present and future in Ederson. The 23-year-old Portuguese international kept an impressive 17 clean sheets in 27 appearances for Benfica in the Portuguese first division.

Much like Pickford, a hefty price-tag and high expectations have been thrown upon Ederson. Manchester City and Guardiola demand excellence. It is the only way they can compete with the other top clubs in the Premier League and the Champions League. Ederson will have to prove himself early and often to avoid being a big-money flop.

Grade: B+


Victor Lindelof: Benfica to Manchester United for £39.6m

Playing alongside Ederson last year with Benfica, Lindelof earned the nickname “The Iceman” for his imposing, but calm demeanor in the backline. That alone should excite any Manchester United fan.

Lindelof has been on Manchester United’s radar for awhile now, but Jose Mourinho and company have finally got their man. He will likely play alongside Eric Bailly in the heart of defense. This would make Manchester United even more difficult to break down.

Mourinho is known as a defensive-minded coach. He could really turn Lindelof into one of the best center backs in Europe. Although this is a great signing for Manchester United, it is not exactly what they need right now. Defensively they were great last year, only conceding 29 goals. What Manchester United need most right now is a forward that will get the 20+ goals a season.

That being said, Lindelof is still a great signing. Also at 22 years old, “The Iceman” may be around for a while.

Grade: A

This list will be updated as more transfers come to fruition.

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