The summer transfer window is a time of hope and anticipation for football fans, as clubs across the Premier League jostle to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season. As the 2023/24 campaign draws near, the transfer activity has reached fever pitch, with some clubs making bold moves while others remain surprisingly quiet.
From big-name signings in elite clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City to the strategic acquisitions by newly-promoted sides like Luton Town, this summer has been filled with drama, excitement, and intrigue. The transfer window isn’t just about spending money; it’s about building a team that can challenge for honors or simply survive in one of the world’s most competitive leagues.
As we edge closer to the closure of this pivotal window, let’s take a comprehensive look at the Premier League’s summer transfers thus far. Examining each club’s activity, we will rate their transfer window out of 10, shedding light on who appears ready to thrive and who may have missed crucial opportunities. The coming season’s success may hinge on the decisions made during these thrilling summer months.
Manchester City – 7/10
Manchester City have had a rather quiet transfer window, especially for a club used to being among the biggest summer spenders. While Mateo Kovacic was brought in from Chelsea for £30m relatively early, it took until August for the Citizens to supplement their defensive ranks with the big-money signing of Josko Gvardiol (£77.6m) – Not that their defence needed much supplementing. The most notable exit for Man City has undoubtedly been Ilkay Gundogan, who joined Barcelona on a free.
Arsenal – 9/10
The Gunners have been steadily going about their business this summer, adding top-quality first-team additions to the defence, midfield, and forward line in the form of Jurrien Timber (£38m), Declan Rice (£105m), and Kai Havertz (£65m). Meanwhile, Granit Xhaka was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for £21.4m. A big statement summer from last season’s runners-up. And there could be even more to come, with David Raya a target.
Manchester United – 7.5/10
We have seen a changing of the guard between the Man United sticks, with David De Gea bringing his decade-long stay with the Red Devils to an end, with the £47.2m Andre Onana replacing him. Signing Mason Mount from Chelsea for £60m strengthened the midfield, while Erik Ten Hag finally has a new number nine in the form of Rasmus Hojlund (£72m).
Liverpool – 6/10
Alexis Mac Allister for £35m could go down as one of the signings of the summer, while Dominik Szoboslai adds to the midfield ranks in Liverpool at a cool £60m. However, some Reds fans will be somewhat underwhelmed by how ambitious their club has been in the summer window, considering how far behind Man City and Arsenal they were last year.
Tottenham – 7.5/10
Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro technically became permanent signings this summer after their loan clauses were triggered. Meanwhile, James Maddison (£40m) and Gugliemo Vicario (£17.2m) have been signed to add a creative spark and replace club captain Hugo Lloris respectively. Manor Solomon was signed on a free, 18-year-old Ashley Phillips on a cheap deal from Blackburn, and both Micky Van de Ven and Alejo Veliz still to come. Busy times in N17!
Chelsea – 7.5/10
Chelsea have been splashing the cash once again this summer, although it has been balanced with some pretty hefty sales this summer. Kai Havertz and Mason Mount left for £65m and £60m respectively, while Mateo Kovacic (£30m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£17.18m), and Christian Pulisic (£18.8m) all fetched good fees. Chelsea invested in their defence in the form of Alex Disasi for £38.5m, as well as Nicolas Jackson (£30.1m) and Christopher Nkunku (£52m) in attack. Robert Sanchez will compete with Kepa between the sticks, while youngsters Lesley Ugochukwu and Kendry Paez set the Blues back a combined £40m.
Newcastle – 7/10
An already-thriving Newcastle side will be strengthened with the arrivals of Harvey Barnes (£39m) and Sandro Tonali (£55m) this season, as well as Yankuba Minteh on an undisclosed deal. Allan Saint-Maximin swaps the Toon for Saudi Arabia with his transfer to Al Ahli (£23m).
Brighton – 6/10
They may have lost Alexis Mac Allister, Robert Sanchez, and perhaps Moises Caicedo, but Brighton have added James Milner on a free for experience, Bart Verbruggen from Anderlecht for £16.3m, Igor Julio from Fiorentina for £14.5m, and Mahmoud Dahoud for an undisclosed fee from Borussia Dortmund. Joao Pedro from Watford will add some extra firepower to the front line too. I wonder which new Brighton signing will inevitably become a star this season…
Aston Villa – 8/10
Aston Villa have gone under the radar a little, but Pau Torres from Villarreal for £33m and Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen are both big-club signings. Not to mention the fantastic work getting Youri Tielemans on a free transfer!
Everton – 3/10
Ashley Young on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma on a loan deal from Villarreal. Everton have hardly been breaking the bank this summer.
Brentford – 6/10
Nathan Collins has been the marquee signing for Brentford at £23m from Wolves, while Mark Flekken comes in to replace David Raya and Kevin Schade (£20m) adds quality to the front line. Brentford have also welcomed Romeo Beckham, Ethan Brierley, Ji-Soo Kim, and Ethan Laidlaw on undisclosed deals.
Fulham – 5/10
Raul Jimenez joins for £5.5m from Wolves, which could come in handy with Mitrovic trying to demand a transfer away. Calvin Bassey will also bolster the defence at £18.2m from Ajax.
Crystal Palace – 4/10
Just the two signings for Palace this summer in the form of Matheus Franca from Flamengo for £26m and Jefferson Lerma on a free. The big story is that Wilfried Zaha chose against signing a new contract and left on a free transfer of his own.
West Ham United – 1/10
The wait for Hammers fans goes on. Despite raking in over £100m for Rice, the only player they have signed is Sean Moore from Cliftonville.
Wolves – 3/10
Matt Doherty makes his Wolves return on a free, alongside Tom King from Northampton. Wolves have also paid £9.5m to Metz for Boubacar Traore. However, they have cashed in on Conor Coady, Nathan Collins, Ruben Neves, Raul Jimenez, and Ryan Giles.
Nottingham Forest – 6/10
Forest have added a bright spark to their squad in Anthony Elanga and guaranteed goals with Chris Wood, as well as Manni Norkett and Ola Aina from Man United and Torino on respective free deals.
Bournemouth – 7/10
People may not have realised, but Bournemouth have been working away behind the scenes to try and add some depth to their squad. Justin Kluivert from Roma for £9.5m is a particularly exciting signing, along with Hamed Traore (£20m), Romain Faivre (£12.8m), and Milos Kerkez (£15.5m). The Cherries also signed Ionut Radu on loan from Inter Milan.
Burnley – 6/10
Vincent Kompany raided his old club, Man City, for highly-rated England youth goalkeeper James Trafford this summer (£19m). Meanwhile, Zeki Amdouni, Jordan Beyer, Luca Koleosho, Michael Obafemi, Dara O’Shea, Lawrence Vigouroux, Nathan Redmond, and Jacob Bruun Larsen all join on free and undisclosed deals.
Sheffield United – 4/10
A rather understated transfer window from the Blades, with Auston Trusty signing from Arsenal for £5m, Yasser Larouci on loan from Troyes, and Anis Ben Slimane and Benie Traore joining on undisclosed deals.
Luton Town – 5/10
Without too much money to spend, Luton Town have focused on expanding their squad a little for their return to the top flight. Ryan Giles and Mads Andersen join on undisclosed deals, while Marvelous Nakamba makes his move permanent after his Luton loan last season. Tahith Chong was signed from Birmingham for £4m, Thomas Kaminski from Blackburn for £2.5m, Issa Kaboure on loan from Man City, and Chiedozie Ogbene from Rotherham on a free.
Conclusion
The summer transfer window of 2023/24 has been a whirlwind of activity, showcasing the strategic thinking and ambition of Premier League clubs. From Manchester City’s targeted investments to Arsenal’s statement signings, the balance of power might well be shifting. Clubs like Aston Villa and Bournemouth have surprised many with their savvy acquisitions, while others such as Everton and West Ham have left fans desiring more. The window’s final days will be crucial, but already the stage is set for a thrilling season ahead. This summer has demonstrated a blend of tactical prowess and bold gambles, and only time will reveal the real winners and losers. For now, supporters can only speculate and dream about what these changes mean for their respective clubs’ fortunes in the 2023/24 Premier League season.