Ranked: The top summer signings in the Premier League thus far
As we head into the first international break of the new season, it’s the ideal time to look back on the four games that have passed in the Premier League, assessing how the newest recruits to their respective clubs have fared thus far.
Here we reveal the top five rated new signings of the season to date, along with a best XI made up of summer signings - including those that made loan moves permanent.
5. Danny Ings (Southampton) - 7.16 rating
When Saints agreed a deal that would see them spend up to £20m to secure Ings services on a permanent deal next summer, eyebrows were raised given the striker’s injury woes in recent seasons. The 26-year-old had missed the best part of three seasons at Liverpool, but enjoyed his first full pre-season since signing for the Reds in the summer and has hit the ground running under Mark Hughes.
The England hopeful scored his second goal of the campaign at Palace at the weekend - another club that had been interested in his signature - and has now scored in two of his three starts for the South Coast club. His overall work rate has caught the eye too, averaging 2.3 tackles along with 4.6 shots, 2.3 key passes and 1.7 dribbles per 90 minutes.
4. Jean Michael Seri (Fulham) - 7.29 rating
While it took time for Fulham to get points on the board this season, the Cottagers have impressed overall and summer signing Jean Seri has been particularly bright. The arrival of the Ivory Coast international was considered quite the coup and has proven as much so far for a player that last year was believed to be close to joining Barcelona.
The 27-year-old fired home a strike against Burnley that was voted as the goal of the month for August and registered a sublime assist for fellow newcomer Andre Schurrle in the draw at Brighton at the weekend. Moreover, he’s averaged 2.3 tackles and 78.5 passes per 90 minutes, with an accuracy of 90.9 per cent in the latter.
3. Richarlison (Everton) - 7.39 rating
The young Brazilian skipped the bad and just went from the good to the ugly in his first three appearances for Everton. With a huge price tag to live up to, Richarlison made the best possible start, scoring twice on his debut against Wolves before netting a decisive goal in the victory over Southampton, earning the WhoScored.com man of the match award in both outings.
The industrious winger was on cloud nine but returned to earth with a bump when he pushed his head into Adam Smith’s face in the Toffees next outing against Bournemouth, earning his marching orders in the first half. That said, three goals in three albeit unfinished matches is a tally that would suggest the Merseysiders could have a new hero on their hands.
2. Adama Traore (Wolves) - 7.40 rating
He may not have started a game for his new club yet but Traore has already made quite the impression for Wolves, culminating in an injury time match-winner at West Ham at the weekend. The winger is known for his power and electrifying pace but the lack of an end product so it will be with great encouragement that he is already off the mark for his new club.
The 22-year-old has only played 91 minutes across three substitute appearances so far but has already completed a remarkable 12 dribbles in that time - which is second only to Eden Hazard in the Premier League. He’s also created five chances and will surely come into the reckoning for a starting berth after the international break.
1. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham) - 7.44 rating
His exploits may be nothing knew to the Fulham fans having fired the club to promotion after arriving on loan from Newcastle in January but there was a time when it looked as though the Cottagers may fail to make the signing permanent over the summer. It took longer than expected to do so, but the Serbian has picked up where he left off already, scoring four times to share the lead in the top-flight.
Only Sergio Aguero and Mohamed Salah have had more shots over the first four matches of the season, but it’s Mitrovic that comes out on top for efforts on target (nine) and he has also hit the woodwork with one of 18 attempts in total thus far. The 23-year-old is already showing Newcastle just what they are missing and clearly loving life on the Thames once more.
