A record £835 million was spent by Premier League clubs this summer. Not only did this represent an increase of more than £200 million compared to last year, the outlay of England’s top clubs dwarfed that spent by their La Liga counterparts. That said, just splashing the cash is not enough, the new recruits need to be worthwhile additions.
The winners
Chelsea – José Mourinho was confident that he knew what his side needed to topple the might of Manchester City and he ensured he secured these targets nice and early. It was clear last season that the Blues were weak in midfield, in part due to the waning influence of Frank Lampard. With the addition of pass-master Cesc Fabregas, the Chelsea machine now ticks along much more smoothly. The other major problem was the lack of bite in attack. This was emphasised by the fact that Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o scored fewer league goals last season than Stamford Bridge reject Daniel Sturridge. Even so, this problem has been solved by the arrival of Diego Costa whose performances so far this season justify the faith that Mourinho clearly has in him.
Arsenal – Arsene Wenger is often criticised for the tight hold he keeps on the Gunners’ purse strings, but it might well be that he got it right in the end this summer. Danny Welbeck was most certainly not the marquee signing that many Arsenal fans expected, but at least he offers experienced cover for the injured Olivier Giroud. Add in the signing of Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal’s firepower is more than acceptable. That said, a soft centre remains to the Londoners’ midfield and although the new recruits will probably secure another season of Champions League football, they will not challenge for the title.
Liverpool – The Reds have recruited well this summer. Although much has been made of the sums Brendan Rogers paid for Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic, it could well be the £32 million spent on defenders that could have the most lasting impact. Dejan Lovren is not the finished article but he adds vocal leadership to a back four that has been quiet following the departures of Jamie Carragher and before him, Sami Hyypia. The early signs also look good for Alberto Moreno who played regularly for a successful Sevilla side last term.
Hull – In a deadline day dash Steve Bruce bought Abel Hernandez, Mohamed Diame, Hatem Ben Arfa and Gaston Ramirez to complete a squad that should finish safely in mid-table. Although another of Bruce’s new recruits, Robert Snodgrass recently suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for six months, the mercurial Ben Arfa should prove an adequate replacement. The Frenchman was frozen out by Alan Pardew after a breakdown in the pair’s relationship, but despite this the playmaker remained a popular figure on Tyneside. If Bruce can motivate Hatem, then his signing could prove a masterstroke, especially as he becomes a free agent at the end of the summer.
The losers
Everton – Having seen his side ship ten goals in three games at the start of the season, it seemed inevitable that Roberto Martinez would seek out defensive reinforcements. Such signings never materialised as Martinez opted to stick rather than twist. It might seem odd to criticise a side which now has a three-time Champions League winner sitting on the bench, but I feel such criticism is valid. There is no doubt that club-record signing Romelu Lukaku has great potential, but the Toffees’ inactivity on deadline day still leaves lingering doubts about their squad depth. In a way they were caught standing still while those around them (most notably Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur) added wisely.
Burnley – Despite it being no particular fault of their manager, Sean Dyke, the Clarets have emerged from a summer of transfer dealings with an understrength squad. Burnley’s hopes of survival could rest on the shoulders of Danny Ings. If he fails to fire then I am concerned that Burnley lack alternative options who will help to keep them up.
The wildcard
Manchester United – Marcos Rojo, Angel di Maria, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao. On paper all the signings make sense individually, but as a group they do not appear quite so logical. Falcao is an unbelievable talent, having scored 104 goals since he moved to Europe in 2009, while Blind and di Maria performed impressively at the World Cup. Despite this, the squad remains unbalanced. Ultimately, things could well pan out in one of two ways. On the one hand Falcao, van Persie and Rooney could plunder the goals that enable the 2013 champions to resurrect their fortunes. Alternatively, if a couple of United’s centre midfielders suffer injury, not only will the star-studded strike-force be starved of service, Manchester United could face the prospect of another season without Champions League football.
Dan Brimson 