How has each 2016-17 Premier League transfer fared?
The 2016-17 Premier League season has seen the most money spent on transfers in English football history. Not even Real Madrid could compete with some of the astronomical sums thrown around during the summer and winter transfer windows combined.
Here’s a look at the players each club signed during the 2016-17 season and the impact they have made for their respective clubs:
Arsenal
Gunners fans had been calling out for a World Class centre-back to partner Laurent Koscielny and a World Class striker to fire them towards a Premier League title challenge this season. After Arsène Wenger spent a lot of money by his standards over the summer no title challenge came and qualification to next season’s UEFA Champions League is looking very unlikely at this stage.
Granit Xhaka (£30m from Borussia Mönchengladbach) – Arsène Wenger splashed out a huge sum on the Swiss midfielder following Euro 2016. Granit Xhaka arrived in England with a reputation for collecting cards and the 24-year-old has not changed his ways having picked up nine yellow cards and two red cards in 37 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners. An excellent passer of the ball but many feel Xhaka is not the ideal player in the holding midfield role if their team are to win the Premier League anytime soon.
Rob Holding (£2m from Bolton Wanderers) – The young English centre-back was not expected to go into the starting XI immediately but started Arsenal’s opening three Premier League games due to a series of injuries. Wenger’s side shipped five goals during this run. Too early to judge the 21-year-old but for a small fee of £2 million he’s not going to be a bust.
Lucas Pérez (£17.1m from Deportivo La Coruña) – Arsenal fans had been pleading for Arsène Wenger to sign a big name striker over the summer but ended up with Lucas Pérez towards the end of the transfer window. The Spaniard had his breakout season in La Liga only last season and now 28 years old it was certainly a questionable buy. Pérez has shown signs of promise despite not getting much of a run out in his first season but he certainly doesn’t look like Arsenal’s long-term answer up front.
Shkodran Mustafi (£35m from Valencia) – A centre-back was certainly Arsenal’s priority over the summer and Arsène Wenger found a partner for Laurent Koscielny in 2014 World Cup winner Shkodran Mustafi. A player whom David Moyes once let the German international leave on a free transfer from Everton, Mustafi showed early promise alongside the Arsenal captain. However, many games this season the defence has looked leaky. The back two could do with some protection in front of them to be fair.
Bournemouth
Eddie Howe and Bournemouth certainly took advantage of the massive increase in television revenue for Premier League sides as his side smashed their club record transfer over the summer with some high price tags for a number of unproven players.
Lys Mousset (£6m from Le Havre) – One season in the French second division with Le Havre was enough to persuade Eddie Howe to splash out a reported £6 million on 21-year-old striker Lys Mousset. To date, the former France-under 20 international has only made six substitute appearances combining for 65 minutes in the top flight.
Lewis Cook (£7m from Leeds United) – Lewis Cook was only 17 years old when he broke into the Leeds United midfield and went on to play 80 times over two seasons in the Championship. Leeds fans had been big admirers of Cook before the club sold him to the Cherries for £7 million in the summer. The 20-year-old has only made two Premier League appearances so far this season.
Jordon Ibe (£20m from Liverpool) – Steve McClaren is the only manager to have got any success out of Jordon Ibe to date and that was for half a season in the Championship with Derby. Bournemouth’s record signing has made only 13 Premier League starts for his new club and has not registered a single goal or assist in his 23 appearances in all competitions for the south coast club.
Brad Smith (£3m from Liverpool) – Eddie Howe certainly had one eye on the future in the summer with Brad Smith being the oldest of his first four signings, currently only 23. The left-back has had limited opportunities during his first season at Bournemouth and you can’t help but feel he’d have got more action as James Milner’s backup at Liverpool.
Marc Wilson (from Stoke City) – The experienced Republic of Ireland defender joined Bournemouth after falling out with Stoke City manager Mark Hughes. However, he failed to make a single appearance under Howe and was loaned out to West Brom in January.
Burnley
Burnley packed their midfield with new signings in the middle of the park over the summer and made a very promising start to the season – one that may have collected enough points to secure safety come May.
Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson (from Charlton Athletic) – Despite being relegated from the Championship with Charlton last season, the Icelandic midfielder secured a move to the Premier League where he has played in half of Burnley’s games so far (10 starts).
Steven Defour (£8m from Anderlecht) – The once highly-rated Steven Defour finally made a move up to the Premier League over the summer having previously played for the likes of FC Porto and Anderlecht in Portugal and Belgium respectively. The 29-year-old has made a couple of cracking passes to set up goals this season.
Jeff Hendrick (£10.5m from Derby County) – 12 months after originally chasing the Republic of Ireland international, Burnley signed Jeff Hendrick from Derby County for a transfer fee increased by one good performance at Euro 2016. The youngster has grabbed two goals this season including a 25-yard screamer versus Bournemouth, but his 2016-17 season will likely mostly be remembered for a nasty foul on Watford’s José Holebas that earned him a red card.
Joey Barton (Free Transfer) – One cannot deny the work rate of Burnley’s controversial midfielder Joey Barton but his ability still leaves something left to be desired. Still, he scored the only goal in Burnley’s win over Southampton on his Premier League debut for the club after coming on as a late substitute and he hasn’t been sent off so far.
Ashley Westwood (from Aston Villa) – Signed at the end of the January transfer window, Ashley Westwood has only seen limited action for the Clarets so far this season.
Robbie Brady (£13m from Norwich City) – Burnley broke their record transfer with the £13 million capture of Robbie Brady from Norwich City. The Republic of Ireland international has only made five starts in the Premier League under Sean Dyche as he looks to establish himself in the first team ahead of next season.
Chelsea
Chelsea landed a new manager in the summer who quickly upgraded in centre midfield and at left-back before switching to a 3-4-3 formation that saw the Blues go on an incredible winning run, keeping a clean sheet in most matches. Despite Antonio Conte not getting any of his top centre-back targets, the signing of David Luiz has so far worked out. Chelsea currently lead the Premier League and could do the double as they currently have the shortest FA Cup odds at 2/1 with Paddy Power.
Michy Batshuayi (£33.2m from Marseille) – The highly-rated Belgian international was brought in for backup to Diego Costa but even when the first choice striker has been injured or suspended Michy Batshuayi is still yet to make his first Premier League start. Instead, the 23-year-old is on course to break Paul Simpson’s long-standing Premier League record.
N’Golo Kanté (£32m from Leicester City) – Provided Chelsea don’t slip up in the final few games of the season, N’Golo Kanté is going to become the first player to win the Premier League in back-to-back seasons with two different clubs. The French midfielder is a winner – turning Leicester City from relegation candidates to champions in one summer and Chelsea from mid-table to current league leaders. It would be a travesty if he doesn’t win the PFA Player of the Season award this year.
Marcos Alonso (£23m from Fiorentina) – The former-Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland man made a slow start to his career at Chelsea, leaving lots of space defensively as he bombed forward. Marcos Alonso has certainly excelled since and is a real threat going forward, both with his crosses from the left and the five goals he has chipped in with.
David Luiz (£30m from Paris Saint-Germain) – There was lots of laughter in the direction of Chelsea when they re-signed David Luiz at the end of the summer transfer window. However, the Brazilian has earned lots of praise this season and has been part of a very successful defence. I don’t know how he does it, but David Luiz is a winner despite many calamitous moments and poor defending.
Crystal Palace
Steve Mandanda (£1.5m from Marseille) – The experienced French goalkeeper was one transfer that raised a few eyebrows in the summer when Alan Pardew was able to bring him to Crystal Palace. Unfortunately for Steve Mandanda he picked up a long-term injury early into the season.
Andros Townsend (£13m from Newcastle) – Alan Pardew replaced one pacey winger for another when he sold Yannick Bolasie to Everton and replaced him with Andros Townsend from relegated Newcastle United. The England international has remained hit-and-miss but put in his best performance versus Arsenal in scoring a goal and winning a penalty in a 3-0 thrashing of the Gunners.
James Tomkins (£10m from West Ham United) – Crystal Palace hadn’t had the best of defences under Alan Pardew but his replacement, Sam Allardyce, has got the best out of James Tomkins and co in keeping a few clean sheets of late.
Christian Benteke (£27m from Liverpool) – Crystal Palace certainly used the significantly-increased TV revenues in the transfer market as they splashed out a club record £27 million on Christian Benteke. The Belgian striker had previously kept Aston Villa in the Premier League and his 12 goals for the Eagles looks set to keep them in the top flight for a fifth consecutive season.
Mathieu Flamini (Free Transfer) – The experienced midfielder was released by Arsenal over the summer but didn’t have to relocate far as he was picked up by a fellow London club. Mathieu Flamini was brought in as a backup, making only three starts and 247 minutes of action for his new club.
Jeffrey Schlupp (£9m from Leicester City) – Leicester City certainly got a good deal when they received £9 million from Jeffrey Schlupp in January. Though Sam Allardyce seems to rate the Premier League winner as he currently starts him at left-back. The Foxes were able to upgrade by promoting Ben Chilwell from their youth academy to backup Christian Fuchs.
Patrick van Aanholt (£10m from Sunderland) – There appears to be a shortage of left-backs currently and Sam Allardyce was so keen to upgrade this role in January that he signed two. Patrick van Aanholt is able to offer experience and a good crosser when pushing forward.
Luka Milivojević (£11m from Olympiacos) – To complete Sam Allardyce’s £30 million spending in January, midfielder Luka Milivojević arrived from Greece and settled right in. The centre midfielder has made a good start to his career at Selhurst Park.
Everton
Incoming Everton boss Ronald Koeman spent nearly £75 million on Merseyside during the 2016-17 season as he attempts to bring European football to Goodison Park.
Maarten Stekelenburg (£850k from Fulham) – The 2010 World Cup finalist joined on a cheap deal from Fulham to replace the departing Tim Howard. Maarten Stekelenburg and the Everton defence made a good start to the season before shipping five at Chelsea. He has been demoted to the bench since picking up an injury over Christmas and Joel Robles has helped stabilise the defence.
Idrissa Gueye (£7.1m from Aston Villa) – Idrissa Gueye has been one of the signings of the season and for a bargain £7.1 million from relegated Aston Villa too. The centre midfielder has been breaking up opposition possession again and again. It wouldn’t be out of this world to compare him to N’Golo Kanté either. Don’t be surprised if he starts getting linked to the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United over the summer.
Ashley Williams (£12m from Swansea City) – Despite the price tag, Ashley Williams came with experience and a solid record at Swansea City. Ronald Koeman has at least replaced John Stones for the short-term and despite a few errors this season the Welsh captain has largely been a good signing for the Toffees.
Yannick Bolasie (£25m from Crystal Palace) – Eyebrows were certainly raised when Everton splashed out £25 million on Yannick Bolasie. The forward made a promising start in creating a number of chances for Romelu Lukaku before his season was ended in December with a serious knee injury. He may not return until 2018.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£1.5m from Sheffield United) – The youngster has featured in a couple of games for Everton following his summer signing from League One side Sheffield United.
Ademola Lookman (£7.5m from Charlton Athletic) – The teenager was highly-rated at Charlton Athletic in League One despite a poor goal ratio. He’s been signed on potential so keep an eye out over the next couple of years for Ademola Lookman to make his impact in the Premier League.
Morgan Schneiderlin (£20m from Manchester United) – José Mourinho seemed to make his mind up early about Morgan Schneiderlin and after not featuring at Old Trafford during the first half of the season he ended up at Everton in January. Ronald Koeman previously worked with the French international at Southampton and is hoping to create a wall in front of the back four with Schneiderlin alongside Idrissa Gueye.
Hull City
Hull City had a disastrous summer with Steve Bruce walking out as the owners limited transfer spending. The club was in a mess but Mike Phelan kept them in contention of staying up and new manager Marco Silva currently has the Tigers above the bottom three.
Will Keane (£1m from Manchester United) – Former-Manchester United coach Mike Phelan brought in Will Keane from his old club back in the summer. The striker has still yet to prove himself at senior level and has been handed limited opportunities this season.
David Marshall (£3.5m from Cardiff City) – The experienced goalkeeper started the season in goal in place of the injured Allan McGregor but has since been dropped in favour of Eldin Jakupović.
Ryan Mason (£13m from Tottenham Hotspur) – Hull broke their club record transfer with the capture of half-season wonder Ryan Mason. The hardworking midfielder had often been in the first team before fracturing his skull versus Chelsea in January.
Markus Henriksen (from AZ Alkmaar) – The Norwegian midfielder has played in 14 Premier League games this season following his initial loan move in the summer which was made permanent in January.
Evandro (from FC Porto) – Marco Silva signed the Brazilian midfielder from FC Porto in January having previously worked well together in Portugal at Estoril. The 30-year-old didn’t prove much at Porto and has yet to make his mark in the Premier League.
Kamil Grosicki (from Rennes) – The Polish winger has managed to create a couple of assists in his first few games in the Premier League following his arrival from the French Ligue 1 in January.
Leicester City
The Premier League champions may have thought their biggest transfer deal in the summer was keeping hold of Riyad Mahrez but the Algerian has been a massive disappointment after being a PFA Player of the Season candidate last season. The Foxes couldn’t stop N’Golo Kanté going to Chelsea though but did bring in a significant number of players.
Ron-Robert Zieler (from Hannover 96) – Relegation from the German Bundesliga earned Ron-Robert Zieler a move to the Premier League champions over the summer. The six-time German international has made a number of appearances in place of the injured Kasper Schmeichel and is a solid backup in goal.
Luis Hernández (Free Transfer) – The Spanish defender didn’t have the best of debuts on the opening day of the season, only made a couple of appearances for Leicester City before being flogged onto Málaga in January.
Nampalys Mendy (£13m from Nice) – Was labelled as N’Golo Kanté’s replacement but it was quickly obvious that Nampalys Mendy was way out of that league. He’s since spent some time playing at right-back.
Ahmed Musa (£16m from CSKA Moscow) – Many Premier League fans were exited at the prospect of Ahmed Musa joining Leicester City over the summer. However, the Nigerian has yet to make much of an impact during his first season and finds himself fighting for a place on the substitutes bench these days.
Bartosz Kapustka (£2.5m from Cracovia) – Leicester City landed a very highly talented teenager in Bartosz Kapustka for peanuts in the summer but the Polish international has yet to have much of a run out in the first team. When his time comes expect good things from his left boot.
Islam Slimani (£28m from Sporting Club) – The Foxes broke their club record transfer fee three times over the summer with the third and final record being Islam Slimani from Sporting Club of Portugal. The Algerian striker has shown good promise scoring with his head in and around the six-yard box but is yet to convince his manager he should be a first-team regular.
Wilfred Ndidi (£17m from Genk) – Early signs are that Leicester City have found another gem in holding midfield with the performances of Wilfred Ndidi since arriving in January. The Nigerian has been strong in the tackle, breaking up opposition play time and time again in the middle of the park.
Liverpool
Liverpool fans were optimistic of a title challenge in Jürgen Klopp’s first full season at Anfield. After a very promising start the Reds find themselves battling for UEFA Champions League qualification. That would perhaps encourage top defensive players to join Klopp’s army ahead of next season.
Joël Matip (Free Transfer) – The Cameroon defender agreed a Bosman transfer to the Premier League in January 2016. Joël Matip has made mistakes, but who hasn’t in this Liverpool defence? A decent acquisition so far.
Loris Karius (£4.7m from Mainz 05) – Liverpool fans were sure Klopp would bring in a number one goalkeeper to replace Simon Mignolet. Perhaps they were expecting more than young Loris Karius. The German started the season with a hand injury and when he finally replaced the calamitous Simon Mignolet he only cost his side goal after goal and found himself back on the bench.
Sadio Mané (£30m from Southampton) – Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool splashed out £30 million on Sadio Mané who had previously been inconsistent at Southampton. The Senegalese international has proven to be one of the stars of the season and had kept his side in the title race until participating in the African Cup of Nations in January. Liverpool’s win ratio with and without Sadio Mané this season is quite something!
Ragnar Klavan (£4.2m from Augsburg) – Liverpool’s struggle to replace Jamie Carragher continued again this summer when they signed a 31-year-old Estonian international. Ragnar Klavan brought experience at least but Liverpool fans will be calling for a significant upgrade this summer.
Alex Manninger (Free Transfer) – Another arrival from Germany was former-Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger. Unfortunately the 39-year-old has not made a Premier League appearance for the Reds, otherwise he’d set a Premier League record for most days in between two appearances.
Georginio Wijnaldum (£23m from Newcastle) – The Dutch international impressed at Newcastle in his debut Premier League season despite the Magpies’ relegation. Has not quite hit the heights at Liverpool following his big move but has been a decent acquisition for Klopp’s attacking formation.
Manchester City
The pre-season Premier League title favourites have disappointed in Pep Guardiola’s first season and despite the big money signings over the summer Manchester City find themselves fighting for Champions League football instead of putting in a title challenge.
İlkay Gündoğan (£20m from Borussia Dortmund) – The German international has had no luck with injuries over the past few years. He missed out on a 2014 World Cup winners medal and has only managed 10 Premier League appearances following his £20 million move from Borussia Dortmund – in between two injuries.
Nolito (£13.8m from Celta Vigo) – Reuniting with his former manager, Nolito started the season with a couple of late goals but hasn’t had many opportunities since Christmas.
Leroy Sané (£37m from Schalke 04) – The pacey German forward has looked excellent after starting the season injured. Leroy Sané has since been nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award and is causing defences all sorts of problems in recent months with his pace and technical ability.
John Stones (£47.5m from Everton) – Signed for an incredible sum despite a below-par final season with Everton, John Stones has largely struggled at Manchester City and is going to find it difficult for a place in the starting lineup for the remainder of the season should Vincent Kompany remain healthy. One for the future.
Claudio Bravo (£15.4m from Barcelona) – Pep Guardiola insisted on having a ball playing goalkeeper rather than a shot stopper so sent Joe Hart out on loan to Torino to replace him with 34-year-old Claudio Bravo. The Chilean cost his side goal after goal before eventually being dropped in favour of Willy Caballero. It appears Guardiola will have to go with Hart or sign a new goalkeeper for next season.
Gabriel Jesus (£27m from Palmeiras) – Manchester City fought off interest from rivals Manchester United and other elite clubs in Europe to sign the highly-rated Gabriel Jesus. The 2016 Olympic Gold medallist arrived in January and was very impressive after outing Sergio Agüero. Unfortunately an injury after a few games ended his first season in England. Already looks like a future Premier League Golden Boot winner.
Manchester United
José Mourinho had four positions he wanted to upgrade at Manchester United following his summer arrival and ended up breaking the world record transfer fee. The Red Devils are currently on a 22-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, UEFA Europa League quarter-finalists and EFL Cup and Community Shield winners.
Eric Bailly (£30m from Villarreal) – Eric Bailly was Mourinho’s first acquisition in a £30 million deal from Villarreal. Part of a solid defence in La Liga last season the Ivorian quickly settled in at Old Trafford and became a big fan favourite before a serious injury picked up at the end of October hampered his season. The 23-year-old is an excellent reader of the game.
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Free Transfer) – Having been a success everywhere he has played some journalists and fans still questioned United’s signing of Zlatan Ibrahimović on a free transfer over the summer. The Swede answered as Zlatan does best: by proving them wrong. Ibrahimović has been the key component in United’s attack, their top scorer and responsible for many of their points this season. The question is – will he extend his deal for a further year at Old Trafford?
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£27m from Borussia Dortmund) – Manchester United fans were very excited by the prospect of Henrikh Mkhitaryan arriving over the summer. The Armenian international had torn almost every Bundesliga defence apart over the three previous seasons in Germany. However, it took a while before Mourinho could trust the big money signing and the former-Borussia Dortmund star has still yet to get a good run out in the team.
Paul Pogba (£89m from Juventus) – Manchester United broke the world record transfer fee when they splashed out £89 million to bring back former player Paul Pogba from Juventus. Sir Alex Ferguson had allowed the French midfielder to leave on a free transfer to Italy four summers earlier where he impressed. He has hardly been a shining light in his first season back in the Premier League but he has plenty of years ahead of him to sort that.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough returned to the Premier League this season off some excellent defending under Aitor Karanka in the Championship. The North East club then brought in a number of players over the summer before dismissing their manager whilst in a relegation scrap.
Bernardo (Free Transfer) – The Colombian defender arrived on a free transfer after leaving La Liga side Sporting Gijón in the summer. He has yet to be on a winning side in 11 Premier League appearances.
Viktor Fischer (£3.8m from Ajax) – The Danish forward had chipped in with a few goals during his four seasons with Ajax but has failed to make much of an impact in any of his dozen Premier League games so far with 0 goals and two assists.
Marten de Roon (£12m from Atalanta) – Karanka splashed out £12 million on a Dutch defensive midfielder and Middlesbrough still have one of the better defensive records in the Premier League despite languishing all the way down in 19th place.
Víctor Valdés (Free Transfer) – After an unsuccessful and torrid time at Manchester United, Víctor Valdés finally found regular first team action in the Premier League with newly-promoted Middlesbrough. The former-Barcelona shots stopper hasn’t been at fault very many times this season and has been a big part of their impressive defensive record.
Antonio Barragán (£3m from Valencia) – Somewhat of a cheap purchase in this day and age, Antonio Barragán has been a regular at right-back this season. He does get forward but his crosses haven’t been particularly impressive. The partnership with Adama Traoré down the right hasn’t been very successful either.
Gastón Ramírez (Free Transfer) – One of Middlesbrough’s few playmakers in the team, Gastón Ramírez has offered some excitement at the Riverside Stadium but one could argue he could have chipped in with a few more than two goals this season given that he does like to shoot.
Brad Guzan (Free Transfer) – Played more games than Middlesbrough fans would have liked but Brad Guzan does offer Premier League experience as a backup goalkeeper even if he isn’t all that good.
Fábio (£2m from Cardiff City) – The former-Manchester United left-back has split time with George Friend this season. Fábio may be the quicker of the two but Friend certainly delivers a better cross into the box. Middlesbrough have conceded 18 goals during the Brazilian’s 1,418 minutes on the pitch, whilst have allowed 21 goals in the 1,420 minutes George Friend has played at full-back.
Adama Traoré (from Aston Villa) – The biggest curse in football right now; Adama Traoré finished bottom of the Segunda División with Barcelona B in 2014-15, bottom of the Premier League with Aston Villa the following season and will be relegated for a third consecutive year if Boro go down. The exciting young winger is very quick and has excellent dribbling ability – he just needs to bring his teammates into play to be more effective in the final third.
Rudy Gestede (£6m from Aston Villa) – Aston Villa replaced Christian Benteke with Rudy Gestede last season and were relegated. The Benin international has had two good seasons in the Championship with Cardiff City in his career but his Premier League record is woeful: six goals in 46 games as a striker. He made three appearances for Cardiff the season they were relegated, went down in his first season with Aston Villa and is on course to make it a treble with Boro.
Patrick Bamford (£6m from Chelsea) – The once highly-rated English forward hasn’t had much luck in the Premier League over the past two seasons. 23-year-old Patrick Bamford had loan spells with Crystal Palace and Norwich City last season where he failed to score in 13 games and was relegated with the latter. He then failed to score in six appearances for Burnley this term and has only made five substitute appearances combining for 68 minutes with Middlesbrough so far.
Adlène Guedioura (from Watford) – The hardworking midfielder moved to the Riverside in January but has only made cameo appearances from the bench so far.
Southampton
For a third consecutive summer Southampton had a number of their star players pinched, this time as Sadio Mané, Victor Wanyama and Graziano Pellè all left. Then José Fonte transferred to West Ham in January. However, the Saints continue to prove doubters wrong as they are currently in the top 10 with some more astute signings.
Nathan Redmond (£10m from Norwich City) – Nathan Redmond earned his first England cap earlier this year after some impressive performances for the Saints. The 23-year-old has been a versatile attacker in Claude Puel’s side, playing numerous games on the right and left wings as well as up front. He’s chipped in with six goals.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (£12.8m from Bayern Munich) – The Danish midfielder arrived at St Mary’s with high expectations, and whilst Pierre-Emile Højbjerg hasn’t disappointed, he has only started 13 games. Puel has a number of options for the holding midfield spots in his role and the former-Bayern Munich man has found himself rotating with them as well as making eight appearances from the bench.
Alex McCarthy (from Crystal Palace) – Experienced backup to Fraser Forster but has not made a single Premier League appearance so far for the Saints.
Jérémy Pied (from Nice) – Signed as a backup defender and only had one 11-minute run out so far.
Sofiane Boufal (£16m from Lille) – The forward looked woeful in his first few appearances for Southampton but is getting more and more game time under his belt as the season progresses.
Manolo Gabbiadini (£14m from Napoli) – The Italian striker made an immediate impact on the south coast by scoring six goals in his first four appearances, including a brace in the 3-2 EFL Cup final defeat at the hands of Manchester United. Only returned from a month’s lay off this past weekend but early signs are that Southampton have found a replacement for Graziano Pellè’s goals.
Stoke City
Mark Hughes has established Stoke City as a mid-table team over the past couple of seasons. A few astute signings this past summer and the Potters have once again steered well clear of relegation.
Joe Allen (£13m from Liverpool) – Some question marks were raised over the price tag and signing of Joe Allen over the summer but the Welsh international has proved a lot of doubters wrong. Allen has been solid in the Stoke midfield this season and chipped in with a six goals too – Stoke are unbeaten when he has scored, including the equaliser in a draw at Old Trafford.
Ramadan Sobhi (£5m from Al Ahly) – The 20-year-old winger has looked exciting at times but has yet to deliver in the final third.
Lee Grant (£1.3m from Derby County) – Lee Grant started the season on loan at the Potters before the deal was made permanent in January. Had an excellent game versus Manchester United earlier in the season but has been prone to a couple of howlers to cost his side goals. Jack Butland returned to the squad at the weekend after a year out through injury.
Saido Berahino (£12m from West Brom) – Had been one of the most overrated players in the Premier League for the past year or two and following his £12 million move away from West Brom in January, Saido Berahino is yet to score in his first 10 Premier League appearances for his new club.
Sunderland
After a decade in the Premier League it appears the curtain will finally be pulled on Sunderland this season as David Moyes’ side are nine points adrift of safety with only six games to go. Their fixture list does give them some hope at least.
Papy Djilobodji (£8m from Chelsea) – Sunderland’s defence has been chopped and changed throughout the season and generally a big mess. Papy Djilobodji has actually been one of their better players and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a Premier League club comes calling for the former-Chelsea player provided the Black Cats go down.
Paddy McNair (from Manchester United) – David Moyes went to his former club a number of times over the summer. One defender he brought in from Manchester United was Paddy McNair who got a lot of Premier League experience under Louis van Gaal. He scored a late own goal on his debut to gift Manchester City three points and a few more poor performances has seen him struggle to get in the first team since.
Donald Love (from Manchester United) – Made his Premier League debut for Manchester United in a defeat to Sunderland last season before moving to the North East in a joint transfer deal with Paddy McNair. The young full-back hasn’t seen much action either.
Steven Pienaar (Free Transfer) – David Moyes had success with Steven Pienaar at Everton previously but the 35-year-old has looked way past his best this season. Fitness issues over the past few years haven’t helped the South African.
Didier N’Dong (£13.6m from Lorient) – Sunderland’s record signing has hardly set the Stadium of Light alight in his debut season. The midfielder has poor passing ability and cannot cross the ball, though his one goal meant he was Sunderland’s only midfielder to score this season prior to Wahbi Khazri finding the net direct from a corner over the weekend.
Victor Anichebe (Free Transfer) – Another former-Everton player under David Moyes, aside from goals in back-to-back games in November Victor Anichebe has offered nothing to the Black Cats. Currently on a run of 10 Premier League games without a single goal.
Joleon Lescott (Free Transfer) – No one’s sure why David Moyes picked up Joleon Lescott in January other than to add to the wage bill and increase the number of players at the club that the manager has worked with previously. One substitute appearance is all the former-England international has made to date.
Darron Gibson (from Everton) – The Republic of Ireland international looked promising when he first broke through into the Manchester United team under Sir Alex Ferguson but hasn’t offered much since. Everton fans were happy to see him go in January.
Bryan Oviedo (from Everton) – Gibson and Bryan Oviedo arrived in a joint deal for £7.5 million at the end of January and the Costa Rican international has been a regular at left-back since, following the sale of Patrick van Aanholt to Crystal Palace. Perhaps a player that could offer a positive contribution in the Championship next season but otherwise the club needs a big clear out.
Swansea City
Swansea City spent big in the summer but having conceded the most goals in the Premier League to date, the sale of Ashley Williams could be the most significant deal as they flirt with relegation.
Leroy Fer (from QPR) – The one highly-rated Dutch midfielder started the season firing in goals for Swansea City at the start of the season but has since seen them dry up. Leroy Fer has been relegated in both his previous Premier League campaigns (with Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers respectively) and hasn’t been the best protection to the Swans’ porous defence this season.
Mike van der Hoorn (£2m from Ajax) – Got a place in the starting XI from late September, but six defeats and 22 goals conceded in his seven Premier League games and Mike van der Hoorn hasn’t been seen since.
Fernando Llorente (£5m from Sevilla) – Swansea have a pretty good track record with strikers since their promotion to the Premier League and Spanish striker Fernando Llorente is doing his best to keep them there next season as the club’s top goalscorer with 11 goals.
Borja Bastón (£15.5m from Atlético Madrid) – The club’s record signing has only been given four starts in the Premier League this season, scoring one goal having also made 12 substitute appearances.
Alfie Mawson (£5m from Barnsley) – A big part of Barnsley’s promotion from League One last season, Alfie Mawson skipped playing in the second tier and has been a decent acquisition at centre-back which includes scoring four goals.
Luciano Narsingh (£4m from PSV Eindhoven) – Failed to replace Memphis Depay as PSV’s goalscoring wide man following his compatriots move to Manchester United. Luciano Narsingh actually struggled to score many at all in the Dutch Eredivisie during the first half of the 2016-17 season before a winter transfer move to Swansea. Has seen limited opportunities and not made much of an impact in any game.
Tom Carroll (£4.5m from Tottenham Hotspur) – A player who does an adequate job of breaking up the opposition’s possession as well as getting involved a little in attacks; Tom Carroll arrived in January and has been a regular since.
Martin Olsson (from Norwich City) – Swansea were keen to sign a left-back in January and brought Martin Olsson back to the Premier League from the Championship. He has been a regular since his arrival and has even scored two goals, including one in a 2-0 victory over Leicester City.
Jordan Ayew (£5m from Aston Villa) – This deal saw long-serving left-back Neil Taylor move in the other direction. Jordan Ayew hasn’t had too much time on the pitch so far and hasn’t done very much with his cameo appearances either.
Tottenham Hotspur
Mauricio Pochettino is looking for a top two finish in his third season with Tottenham Hotspur. His record in the transfer windows have been hit and miss but the club are playing exceptionally well in 2017. They face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.
Victor Wanyama (£11m from Southampton) – Has been an excellent acquisition in the centre of midfield and one of the best players in his role across the whole of the Premier League this season. A bargain £11 million signing too.
Vincent Janssen (£17m from AZ) – Has been a massive flop in his debut season with Tottenham. The Dutch Eredivisie’s top scorer last season took 24 games before he score his first Premier League goal from open play – that was the final goal in a 4-0 thrashing over a deflated Bournemouth side.
Georges-Kévin N’Koudou (£9.4m from Marseille) – Perhaps one for the future, 22-year-old Georges-Kévin N’Koudou has only seen 47 minutes of Premier League action across six substitute appearances after joining from the French Ligue 1 over the summer.
Moussa Sissoko (£30m from Newcastle) – Fans up and down the country were laughing when Tottenham splashed a ridiculous £30 million for Moussa Sissoko from the Championship. The French midfielder was poor as part of the Newcastle team that were relegated last season but saw his price inflated enormously following two good performances at Euro 2016. Struggling to get into the Tottenham team.
Watford
The Hornets are no longer relying on Sir Elton John’s money to keep their Premier League status and after signing a number of players over the summer and changing their manager every few months they are set to be playing top flight football once again in 2017-18.
Christian Kabasele (£6m from Genk) – Played a few games over the winter period and has only just come back into the first team. Scored two goals from defence in 13 Premier League appearances (5 starts).
Jerome Sinclair (£4m from Liverpool) – Highly-rated youngster who has only been given 115 minutes of Premier League action this season and since sent out on loan to the Championship with Birmingham City.
Isaac Success (£12.5m from Granada) – Briefly Watford’s club record signing, Isaac Success has only made two Premier League starts in his first season in England but has made a further 15 appearances from the bench. He’s made very little impact though.
Brice Dja Djédjé (£4m from Marseille) – A foot injury after signing for the club kept Brice Dja Djédjé out of action for the first half of the season and the Ivory Coast international is still yet to make his Premier League debut.
Younès Kaboul (£4m from Sunderland) – The error-prone centre-back has been quite a regular in the Watford starting lineup this season. One of his better campaigns having been in England for the past decades.
Roberto Pereyra (£13m from Juventus) – Highly-rated during his time in Serie A with Udinese and Juventus, Argentina international Roberto Pereyra has struggled to hold down a regular place in the Watford lineup.
Daryl Janmaat (£7m from Newcastle) – A solid acquisition from Newcastle, Daryl Janmaat has been in and out of the first team as a right-back and right wingback. His 21 appearances so far this season include nine from the substitutes bench.
Stefano Okaka (from Anderlecht) – Stefano Okaka is now 27 years old and last season in the Belgian Pro League was the first time the one highly-rated striker had scored more than seven goals in a single campaign. On both those occasions they were in Serie B too. The former-Italian international does have three goals for Watford this season having made only seven starts and a further six appearances from the bench.
Adrian Mariappa (Free Transfer) – The experienced defender was signed as a backup at the end of August.
Mauro Zárate (from Fiorentina) – Signed in January, but one month and only three appearances later saw his season ended with a cruciate ligament injury.
West Bromwich Albion
Some steady signings from Tony Pulis over the summer has kept West Brom clear of the relegation zone once more.
Matt Phillips (£5.5m from QPR) – The winger has looked exciting for West Brom this season and has been involved in more goals than any of his teammates so far (12 – 4 goals, 8 assists).
Nacer Chadli (£13m from Tottenham Hotspur) – Made a terrific start to the season with a few goals but they have dried up since. The club’s record transfer signing has played all across the attacking midfield three a number of times this season, finding his best success behind the striker.
Allan Nyom (£4m from Watford) – After six successive loan spells at Granada between 2009-15, Allan Nyom has found success in the Premier League during his two seasons so far. West Brom signed the full-back after his first season with Watford and has been dependable to Tony Pulis.
Hal Robson-Kanu (Free Transfer) – Bizarrely linked with a move to Atlético Madrid over the summer following his solo goal during Wales’ surprise win over Belgium at Euro 2016. Hal Robson-Kanu has never been a prolific striker and few will be surprised with his two goals in 27 Premier League appearances this season, albeit only five starts.
Jake Livermore (£10m from Hull City) – The two-time England international has not been a regular in the West Brom team this season, finding himself in the backup role to Darren Fletcher and Claudio Yacob despite his big transfer fee.
West Ham United
UEFA Europa League qualification in Slaven Bilić’s first season, a move to the Olympic Stadium over the summer and linked with a number of top players – it was all looking rosy for West Ham not so long ago but they’ve only recently just secured their Premier League status for next season.
Sofiane Feghouli (Free Transfer) – A flashy player if somewhat inconsistent, West Ham picked up Sofiane Feghouli on a free transfer after his contract expired at Valencia. Took a while to get into the first team and didn’t do enough to keep himself there. Has been involved in five goals so far this season.
Manuel Lanzini (from Al Jazira) – A solid acquisition after being on loan at the club last season, Manuel Lanzini has scored seven goals in 30 Premier League appearances from midfield this season – only Michail Antonio has more (9).
Håvard Nordtveit (Free Transfer) – One of Bilić’s first signings of the summer in an attempt to offer better protection to his defence, Norwegian international Håvard Nordtveit has been below par since his return to England having previously been a youngster at Arsenal.
Ashley Fletcher (Free Transfer) – A young striker from Manchester United who has made a number of substitute appearances for West Ham. Tipped to have a bright future but difficult to judge at this stage.
André Ayew (£20.5m from Swansea City) – The club’s record signing picked up a nasty injury at the start of the season but has come back and looked very good as he did with Swansea City last season.
Arthur Masuaku (£6.2m from Olympiacos) – Started the season at left-back and looked very dodgy at defending. Not had much of an opportunity since.
Edimilson Fernandes (£5.5m from Sion) – A youngster that Slaven Bilić often brings on in the second half, often when his side are losing.
Álvaro Arbeloa (Free Transfer) – Experienced full-back brought in to play backup.
José Fonte (£8m from Southampton) – Eventually forced his way out of Southampton, Euro 2016 winner José Fonte has not had the most positive of starts at his new club, shipping four on his debut versus Manchester City and winning only twice (D3, L6).
Robert Snodgrass (£10.2m from Hull City) – Not made much of an impact so far but Robert Snodgrass does have a great left foot that West Ham fans may still see before the season is out. Had solid campaigns with Norwich City and Hull in the top flight previously.