With the effects of Covid still hampering many sides, we may see some sides look to sell some of their prized assets and others look to spend big in anticipation of the increased revenues with the return of fans in the new season. In this article, we will delve into which players each Premier League side should be targeting this summer.
Arsenal
Arsenal will have no European football this season for the first time in 26 years, the lack of European revenue may impact the size of the club's transfer budget this summer. Arsenal ranked ninth in the league for goals, 10th for expected goals, and 12th for big chances created, it is clear that a dearth of creativity remains a major issue. No Arsenal player contributed more than five assists in the league last season, with their top creator being Bukayo Saka, ( who created 38 chances) not ranking amongst the Top 40 creators in the league. It’s not all doom and gloom at the Emirates though, there are some signs that better times may be on the horizon. The club’s young players were the real shining light in their season; the emergence of Emile Smith Rowe, Joe Willock’s impressive loan spell at Newcastle as well as Bukayo Saka’s development should give fans reason for optimism.
Rodrigo De Paul would be the perfect signing for Arsenal, the Argentine is beginning to establish himself as one of the finest creative midfielders in Europe. De Paul contributed 18 goals in Serie A, scoring 9 and assisting 9, whilst even more impressively completing 35 key passes which put him level with fellow Argentines Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. Marcelo Bielsa was desperate to sign De Paul last summer but they got priced out of a move, Udinese have now reportedly set a £35m asking price, which in the current climate may turn some teams away from the 27-year-old, however, there is supposed interest from both Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, so Arsenal could face a stern battle for his signature this summer. De Paul could be the solution to Arsenal’s long-term creativity dilemma.
Aston Villa
The Villains have not messed about this window, already completed the signing of the highly sought-after Emi Buendia. The Argentine’s signing on paper is a real statement of intent, however, there is a lingering doubt with some that it may signal that the club are preparing for life without Jack Grealish, with the club spending that money in anticipation. If the former proves to not be the case, Villa fans should be very excited about the season ahead. A clear issue for Villa is their squad depth, their European chances derailed when Jack Grealish got injured, the club used just 24 players all season, the second-fewest in the league.
Villa have seemingly turned their intentions now to James Ward-Prowse. It should come as no surprise that Dean Smith is an admirer of the English man, after his display against Villa back in November; The 26-year-old scored twice directly from free-kicks and also picked up an assist. Ward-Prowse can count himself unfortunate to miss out on the England squad after yet another impressive season for the Saints. Midfield is an area that Smith rotated regularly last season with John McGinn, Ross Barkley, Jacob Ramsey, Douglas Luiz and Marvelous Nakamba all featuring, and with Barkley returning to his parent club, Ward-Prowse would slot in perfectly. The Southampton captain has continued to build on his reputation as one of the finest dead-ball specialists in Europe and with Grealish’s ability to draw fouls, it could prove to be a match made in heaven for Villa.
Brentford
Brentford are set to play in England’s top flight for the first time since 1947 after they ended their play-off final hoodoo last month. Ivan Toney scored a spectacular 31 league goals last season, no player has scored more in the second-tier since the 1992/93 season, the former Newcastle man will be key to their chances of survival. The club did not struggle for goals last season but had the worst defensive record out of the sides that were promoted, conceding 12 more than Watford, their defence will likely be their main focus of recruitment ahead of their debut Premier League campaign. The side have lots of depth at centre back but may look to add some quality there, Rico Henry’s long-term injury highlighted a lack of depth at left wing-back. However their main priority should be at right wing-back as Henrik Dalsgaard is out of contract later this month, leaving just Mads Roerslev who is still progressing and may not be Premier League level yet.
Brentford should look at 28-year-old Lens wingback Jonathan Clauss, the Frenchman was arguably the bargain signing of last season in Ligue 1 after arriving on a free transfer. Clauss offers a lot going forward, he completed 27 key passes, whilst also contributing to 9 goals last season. His crossing ability and set-piece delivery would help Ivan Toney in his attempts to transfer his Championship goalscoring form. It is hard to gauge who Brentford should get because most of the model focuses on who is undervalued, however, what we do though is that they favour a statistical approach and Clauss had some great numbers last season. Clauss could bring some experience to a backline which will need to be a solid unit if there are to have any chance of staying up this season.
Brighton
Is there a team in the league that is easier to identify what they need going into this window? Probably not. The Seagulls were extremely wasteful in front of goal throughout the campaign, according to xG, they scored 11.7 fewer goals than they were expected. No team lost more points from winning positions last season than Brighton (25), with their inability to finish their chances costing them on multiple occasions. The Seagulls have their defence to thank for keeping them in the division, they conceded just 46 goals, which is less than 6th placed West Ham. The club could have a battle on their hands to keep hold of Yves Bissouma and defender Ben White, with the latter’s stock rising as a result of his surprise call up to the Euro squad. If they managed to keep hold of them both and bring in a prolific goalscorer, Brighton could make a push for a top-half finish.
I think Brighton could find the prolific striker they are looking for in the Championship in the shape of Blackburn’s Adam Armstrong. The 24-year-old is coming off the back of two prolific goal-scoring seasons, Armstrong contributed to 33 goals last term, an impressive feat to do whilst at a team languishing in mid-table. His 4.7 shots per game was the most in the Championship. His agility and acceleration fit the mold of what Graeme Potter looks for in his forwards this seems like a superb fit for both the club and the player, I believe Armstrong is ready to make the step to England’s top tier and could prove to be the catalyst for the Seagulls going forward.
Burnley
Burnley are in serious need of investment, the work that Sean Dyche has done over the last few seasons has been nothing short of spectacular. Now that new ownership has come through the door, Dyche may get the funds he’s been so desperate for. The club’s new American owner Alan Pace spoke about transfer funds, “Do I think that we will be able to support him in the way that he would like? Yes, I absolutely do. I think we can support him in the way he would like to be supported and we can look at that future together and say that future is a very long-lasting one.” With James Tarkowski’s contract running out next summer, the new owners will want to negotiate a new contract for the defender, if Tarkowski was to leave the club’s number one priority would be to find a replacement. Right-back is a position of need with 35-year-old Phil Bardsley needing a long-term replacement. The club have only three senior wingers on their books, so will likely need to bring in another winger this summer. Their main priority though should be finding a strike partner for Chris Wood as Burnley scored just 33 goals last season, which was less than relegated West Brom.
Kiefer Moore is the epitome of a Sean Dyche player, the 28-year-old striker won an outrageous 10.5 aerial duels per 90, to put that into context, Rotherham’s Michael Smith who ranked 2nd for aerial duels won in the Championship got 7 per 90. Burnley attempted over 500 more long passes than any team in the Premier League last season, Moore’s aerial prowess would suit Burnley’s style of play perfectly. The Welshman was clinical in front of goal, scoring 20 goals for Cardiff. Moore fits the system and if he could translate the goals into England’s top flight, this signing would be a no-brainer for the Clarets.
Chelsea
Only Manchester City have taken more points in the league since Thomas Tuchel was appointed on January 26 and the Chelsea boss can boast three wins over the champions; the Blues will be looking to mount a serious title challenge in his first full season in charge. Chelsea have conceded just 13 goals since the German’s arrival, which is by far the best out of any team in the league. Prior to his arrival, a centre-back appeared to be of the highest priority but Chelsea will look to set their intentions on bringing in a striker. Chelsea have scored just 1.32 goals per game under Tuchel, which is actually down on the 1.74 under Lampard. "We need more goals and we rely on anybody and we want to trust anybody who is capable of scoring," Tuchel said. "But you just need to read the numbers, our top scorers have six goals. This is clearly not enough for the demands, the expectations and the targets Chelsea football club has and what we demand."
Chelsea need a focal point up front and who better to go for than 20 year old Erling Haaland. The Norweigan scored 41 goals in 41 games in all competitions last season and as a result has become arguably the most in demand player in football today. Chelsea will face a lot of competition and will have to pay big money to prize him away from Germany, they may use Tammy Abraham as a way to cut down the price in a potential player plus cash deal. Chelsea signing Haaland would be a massive statement of intent and could be the final piece in the puzzle for the Blues as they look to mount a title challenge this season.
Crystal Palace
There is no team in the Premier League that is more in need of numbers this window than Crystal Palace, the club released an incredible twenty-two players this summer and are now left with a minuscule squad. The club is also still on the hunt for a manager, with Swansea’s manager Steve Cooper looking like he may be given the job. Eze’s long-term Achilles injury will probably lead to Palace looking into bringing in a winger this summer. Palace fans will be grateful that Benteke signed a new contract, only he and Wilfried Zaha hit double figures for Palace, the club scored just 41 goals all season. The list of ‘released players’ published by the Premier League included Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Scott Dann, Wayne Hennessey, James McCarthy, Mamadou Sakho, Andros Townsend, Joel Ward, Patrick van Aanholt. With so many names leaving the club, Palace are left with many gaping holes left to fill. With three of their centre backs departing, bringing in a centre half should be their first priority.
Crystal Palace had by far the oldest squad in the league last season, with an average age over 29 years old, which is a key reason why many have been released, the Eagles should be looking to bring in players under 25 to rebuild the side. Barnsley’s centre back Mads Andersen is coming off an impressive season in which he helped his side reach the playoffs, the 23-year-old won 6.7 aerial duels and 2.4 interceptions per 90, ranking amongst the best in the league in both metrics. The towering 6ft 5 Danish centre back should be available at a reasonable price with Barnsley failing to gain promotion through the play-offs and for a club that is needing numbers through the door, Andersen at a bargain price would be a smart investment for Palace as he should slot seamlessly into their starting eleven.
Everton
Everton like Palace are also on the lookout for a new manager this Summer after Carlo Ancelotti left to join Real Madrid, the Toffees look set to appoint Nuno Esprito Santo which could lead to the club looking at bringing in some players from his former side Wolves. Everton struggled when Calvert-Lewin was out last season but Moise Kean returns after an impressive loan spell at PSG, if Everton decide to not cash out on the player it could potentially solve a big issue within their squad. The Toffees were heavily reliant on Calvert Lewin’s aerial prowess last season, they scored a joint-league high 14 headed goals, their long ball strategy became more predictable as the season went on and led to opposition managers setting out to nullify that effect. Only four sides created fewer chances than Everton, with only Sheffield United registering fewer different goalscorers than them last season.
Pedro Neto was the real standout for a Wolves side that struggled last season having racked up 2 key passes and 2.1 dribbles per 90, also contributing 11 goals to the side last season. His arrival would take pressure off Calvert Lewin and give them a different option going forward. Whether Everton are priced out of a move by Wolves, who will value their asset very highly, remains to be seen but there are very few more exciting up and coming players currently in the league than the Portuguese winger. The 21-year-old is a player that all of the Top 6 sides should be keeping a close eye on and if Everton were able to snatch him, it would be a real statement of intent and it would set them up with a player who has the ceiling to become a world-class player.
Leeds
Marcelo Bielsa’s side received huge plaudits throughout the season on their return to England’s top flight, at times their form was erratic but they ended the season in superb fashion and it’s sure to bring much confidence that they can improve on their 9th placed finish this term. There were rumours circulating that Bielsa was going to resign at the end of the season but he now looks set to stay, which will be a huge positive for them going into the upcoming campaign. Anyone coming into the side this summer, will need to suit Bielsa’s high-octane style, Leeds ranked first for both sprints and distance covered last season. Bielsa will be keen to solve his side’s issues with defending set pieces, no team shipped more than Leeds’ 23 goals from set-pieces last season. Ezgjan Alioski has still yet to sign a new contract at the club and could be set to leave, so a replacement for him will likely be needed this summer.
Huesca’s Javi Galan would be the perfect replacement for the North Macedonian. The 26-year-old fits the bill of what Bielsa looks for in a player, only Lionel Messi bettered Galan’s 3.3 dribbles per 90 last season. His defensive numbers were very impressive as well, winning 2.4 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per 90. Huesca were unable to beat the drop and with there reportedly being a relegation release clause in his contract, he could be available at a cut-price. There have been many reports that Victor Orta, the Director of Football at Leeds, is a big admirer of Galan, so do not be surprised if this move was to happen. The move seems like a no-brainer and any club in need of a left-back this summer should be taking a long look at the Spaniard.
Leicester
The Foxes missed out on the top four on the final day of the season for the second year running, they will be looking to make that next step this term and qualify for Champions League football. Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard looks set to arrive as the club start to play for life without Jamie Vardy who turned 34 in January. Boubakhary Soumare also looks set to arrive in Leicestershire, the midfielder played a crucial role in Lille’s incredible title win. Leicester struggled towards the end of the season with their depth at centre-back and with Wes Morgan retiring, the club will be set to bring in further cover this summer. Their highest priority arguably though is on the wing, Cengiz Under is set to return to Roma as his loan spell has come to an end and Harvey Barnes’ season-ending injury really highlighted the lack of depth in a position the club were already reportedly looking at before he even got injured. Brendan Rodgers highlighted the club’s desire to bring in some attacking options this summer after his side lost to Spurs on the final day, “We'll want to strengthen at the top end of the field. We need more of a goal threat, we need to have a bit more physicality in the team and it's also a mindset as well.”
Leicester should look at bringing in Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby this summer to give them some additional firepower going forward. The 21-year-old has become one of the most exciting up and coming wingers in Europe in the last two seasons, Diaby’s 33 key passes last season ranks him amongst the top 10 in Europe’s Top Five Leagues. The Frenchman contributed to 25 goals in 41 matches in all competitions for Bayer. Diaby can play on both wings and in behind the striker, his versatility will suit a side that has struggled with squad depth on the back end of the last two seasons. The winger has four years left on his contract and Leverkusen will likely request a large fee for his services, but this is the type of signing the Foxes should be looking to make if they want to make that next step to Champions League football.
Liverpool
Liverpool used a staggering 16 different centre-back pairings during the 2020/21 campaign after long term injuries to both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez and they have wasted no time in bringing in defensive cover in the form of RB Leipzig central defender Ibrahima Konate. The club have chosen to not make Ozan Kabak’s deal permanent so it will be interesting to see if they chose to bring in another centre back this window. Gini Wijnaldum’s departure to PSG will likely see the club invest in a replacement in the middle of the park. Liverpool scored 1.79 goals per 90 this season, which was down significantly from the 2.24 they achieved in their title winning season. Both Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane struggled to replicate their impressive form from previous seasons, which could be a sign of early declines, and the club’s renowned front three may now be past their collective best.
22-year-old Salzburg striker Paston Daka looks to be the perfect fit for Jurgen Klopp’s side. The Zambian had a sensational season in Austria, scoring 34 goals and providing 12 assists in 42 appearances. Klopp likes to shop at the Red Bull sides, he sees similarities in their pressing styles to his own at Liverpool, which would help Daka's transition into Premier League football a smoother one. The Zambian National coach Milutin Sredojevic revealed that the forward was left out of his latest international squad so he can sort out his future and with Liverpool rumoured to be very interested in the forward, this move could very much be on the cards.
Manchester City
Manchester City ranked first for goals, xG, build-up attacks, and high turnovers, and no team conceded fewer goals and faced fewer shots. The stats truly back their league position, City were completely dominant after a stuttering start. They top both defensive and attacking metrics, so one could argue there is no real need for huge investment this summer, but this is Manchester City. The club may look to bring in a left-back to replace Benjamin Mendy who has found himself out of favour in recent times. City’s goals were spread between 16 players (more than any team in the league), only IIkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling reached double figures and with Sergio Aguero leaving for Barcelona, an heir will most likely be the top priority on their shopping list.
Harry Kane at Manchester City is a scary proposition, the England captain had an incredible season which saw him top both the goals (23) and assist (14) standings despite playing for a Spurs side that finished 7th. Money talks and Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy is not the easiest of negotiators, to say the least, whether City would stump up the money it would cost or potentially offer players as makeweight remains to be seen but it is an option Guardiola will seriously be considering. There is also a debate to be had as to whether City would have to change their system in order to get the best out of Kane, as they played much of the season with no focal point up front. Just the thought of a Kevin De Bruyne and Harry Kane partnership is a mouthwatering one and could be the missing piece in a puzzle that would see Manchester City end their Champions League duck.
Manchester United
Manchester United fans will be wondering how the club are still yet to win a trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they have now lost 4 semi-finals and one final under the Norweigan. However there were signs of improvement last season, the Red Devils finished 8 points better off than they did in the 2019/20 campaign, and with some exciting young players coming through, it should only be a matter of time until they end their trophy ‘drought’. The trophy the club will be desperate to win is the Premier League, they will need to spend wisely this window in order to catch up with their noisy neighbours and fend off resurgent Chelsea and Liverpool sides. United recovered 31 points from losing positions, which is by far the most in the league, even though this showed the side’s resilience, Solskjaer will be hoping his side start on the front foot next season. There have been links with Jadon Sancho once again but Manchester United are best off focusing on other areas of the pitch before looking at bringing in another forward. Cavani was superb towards the end of the season, whilst young exciting players like Anthony Elanga and Amad Diallo could thrive if given more playing time next season. It is debatable if the ‘McFred’ partnership is solid enough to push on towards the title, another centre mid to compete with the two could be a smart move. Their priority should be to find a new partner for Harry Maguire. United conceded more goals than Liverpool last season, who were in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, the Red Devils need more clean sheets if they are to stake a substainal title race this season.
Jules Kounde could be the player that helps United take that next step, the 22-year-old Sevilla centre-back has caught the eye of practically every big club around Europe after another superb campaign. City went for Kounde last season, they bid 55 million Euros but it was rejected by the Spanish club. The CIES Football Observatory rates Kounde very highly, their algorithms place Kounde as the second most valuable player in France's Euro 2020 squad only behind Kylian Mbappe. Kounde reportedly has a £69m release clause in his contract, if it hadn’t been for the pandemic that would have likely been triggered already. "Going to Sevilla seemed to me like the best option to try and improve myself and I do not regret my choice," Kounde said. "I am already at a big club, but obviously I would like to play for an even bigger club." It’s clear the Frenchman would be interested in a move. Kounde is the complete defender, he’s quick, agile, strong, good in the air, and comfortable in possession, he would form a formidable partnership with Harry Maguire.
Newcastle United
The Magpies looked destined for a tough relegation battle when they lost 8 of their first 10 games of 2021. Going into late February they saw a miraculous change in fortunes, losing just 3 of their final 13 games, a run that saw them finish as high as 12th. Steve Bruce will be hoping they can transfer their late-season form into the new campaign. Recruitment is always a sensitive topic in Tyneside with Mike Ashley unlikely to invest heavily this summer and many fans still being left disappointed by the collapse of the Saudi-backed takeover last summer. Newcastle's change of fortunes towards the end of the season can be linked to the return of both Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson, they were often over-reliant on the pair and more attacking options will be needed to take some of the weight off their shoulders. No team completed fewer final-third passes than Newcastle last season, Callum Wilson was often working off scraps, fortunately he was prolific with one of the best conversion rates in front of goal in the league last season (24.49%), they could do with bringing in a creative midfielder this summer.
Joe Willock will likely be given another chance by Mikel Arteta, Newcastle can instead turn their intentions to another player who is returning to his parent club after a successful loan spell, Harry Wilson. The 24-year-old Welshman contributed to 18 goals last season for Cardiff, with 11 goals and 7 assists, whilst also completing 1.7 key passes per 90. Wilson has become a superb dead-ball specialist, whilst Jurgen Klopp has described his shooting technique as “world-class” in the past. His pace and flexibility make this a good fit for Steve Bruce’s side.
Norwich City
Norwich are back in England’s top flight after just one season away, winning the Championship with relative ease. Unfortunately, they have already lost two of their important players from last season’s campaign, with loanee Oliver Skipp returning to his parent club Spurs and their star man from last season Emi Buendia moving to Aston Villa. Teemu Pukki could do with some competition upfront, the Canaries struggled in the second half of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, once the Finn’s goals dried up. Max Aarons has also been strongly linked with a move away, if the club choose to cash on their exciting full-back, they will be set a difficult task to find a worthy replacement. They are already set with an extremely arduous task of replacing Emi Buendia, they could do without having to try and replace Aarons as well, their first priority this window should be to find the replacement for their Argentine talisman.
Reading’s Michael Olise was superb for the Royals last season, contributing to 19 goals, his 1.9 key passes per 90 ranked only second to the departed Emi Buendia. The 19 year old has seemingly attracted attention from across Europe so Norwich could face stern competition for his signature, Olise’s ceiling is lofty and the club will need to be ambitious if they are to stay in the league, if Norwich could pull off this signing they may have found the perfect long term Buendia replacement.
Southampton
The Saints’ season started with much promise, they found themselves top of the table in November and were still in the Top 4 heading into Matchday 14 but unfortunately, Hasenhuttl’s men seriously faltered after beating Liverpool in Early January, the club lost 12 of their next 15 games. Only Brighton lost more points from winning positions than Southampton last season (23). Southampton lacked composure in the final third, they completed the fourth lowest number of passes in the final third in the league, they could do with a creative midfielder this summer. Danny Ings has only one year left on his contract, if Southampton decide to cash out on their starman this summer, they will need a solid replacement otherwise this season could be a real struggle for the Saints. Southampton’s main priority should be bringing in a goalkeeper, as both Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster struggled last season, with xG on target conceded coming in at just over 11 lower than the amount they actually let in.
Hasenhuttl in May said, "You see today that when you ask for an interesting player, it very often starts with £20m and we are not able to spend this money in this moment, but this is how it is.” West Brom’s Sam Johnstone has just one year left on his contract and with West Brom’s relegation, the Manchester United academy graduate could be available at a cut-price. Johnstone was superb for West Brom last season, he averaged 4.5 saves per 90 and was dubbed “magnificent” by his manager Sam Allardyce. There is bound to be lots of interest in Sam Johnstone this summer, especially after an impressive outing for England, but Southampton need to make some bold moves this window to help them turn the tide from what was a very poor second half to the season.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs have a busy summer ahead, the North London side finished outside the Top 6 for the first time since the 2008/09 season. The club has seemingly been on a downward spiral ever since the January window in 2019, in which the manager at the time, Mauricio Pochettino made it clear to Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy that he wanted several of the squad replaced, two managers have come and gone since then and the rebuild Pochettino asked for has still not materliased. Fabio Paratichi is set to take over the football operations at the club, this changing of the guard could lead to the rebuild that many Spurs fans have been hoping for. Former Roma manager Paulo Fonseca looks set to the Italian's first choice, towards the end of his Roma tenure he favoured playing a back three, Spurs centre backs struggled last season and he would likely need to bring in two to make his system work. With Spurs looking set to cash out on Erik Lamela, Lucas Moura heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, and Gareth Bale loan move coming to an end, the club will likely be in the market for a winger or two. Heung-Min Son has two years left on his contract, the club may choose to cash out on the 28-year-old if he chooses to not extend this summer. The club captain Hugo Lloris also has just one year left on his contract, the club would likely let the 34-year-old see out his contract if he chooses to not extend, don't rule out Spurs getting in a long term replacement this summer. Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko have also made their intentions clear that they would be open to moves away from the club, it is bound to be a fascinating summer for the club.
Serge Aurier has one year left on his contract and made his intentions clear that he wishes to not resign, whilst Matt Doherty had a poor debut season for the club, so a right wingback should be on the top of Spurs' shopping list and Metz’s wingback Fabien Centonze could be the perfect fit for Spurs. Centonze is decent going forward but is defensively superb, last term he won an impressive 2.9 tackles per 90. Even more impressive though is his 112 interceptions, no player in Europe's top five leagues won more. Centonze should be available for around £8m and for a team that's working within a budget, this would a smart investment. Centonze would add some defensive stability to a side that was very much in need of it last season.
Watford
Just like the Canaries, Watford are back in the Premier League after just a solo season away. The Hornets found some incredible form after manager Xisco Munoz arrived in December to claim an automatic promotion place. Munoz’s side were by far the strongest defensively in the Championship last season, they conceded just 11 goals since he took over and won the ball back in their own third more times than any other team in the division. The squad's weaknesses lay at the other end of the pitch, they made just 20 passes more in the final third then relegated Rotherham. Ismaila Sarr played a crucial role in the club’s promotion and the Hornets will likely get some big offers for him this summer. Only Sarr reached double figures for the club last season, they will likely need more goals in their squad now they are in the tier above if they are to beat the drop.
Bournemouth’s left-winger Arnaut Danjuma could be the man to add some goals and creativity. The Dutchman contributed to 24 goals last season, scoring 17 and assisting 7. The 24-year-old's 1.8 dribbles per game put him amongst the best in the league. “I am very ambitious and I want to achieve as much as possible in my career. The Championship is a good platform to assert yourself and I am having a good season,” said Danjuma. “I also know that there will be interest and certain clubs that I am linked to. Of course, I hope to be able to play in one of the top five competitions in the world next season.” Placing Danjuma on the opposite flank to Sarr could make Watford a dangerous side on the counter.
West Ham
West Ham were the real surprise package of the campaign, many predicted that the London side would be embroiled in a relegation battle pre-season, but they managed to claim their highest ever Premier League finish in 6th. At one stage it looked as if the Hammers could be playing Champions League football, but their run faltered after some key injuries to players like Declan Rice. The club will likely look to improve the strength in depth in the side, so they are less reliant on some of their key players. Jesse Lingard was superb during his loan spell, Moyes would love him back but he believes a move may not be realistic, "I am not actually sure how realistic it is. Obviously, I think Jesse has enjoyed himself, I hope he has... we have enjoyed having him and he is Manchester United's player so they can decide what to do with him - and if they want to let him go then let's hope he would consider us as one of his options." West Ham will likely look to improve their defence, they conceded more goals (47) than 16th placed Brighton last season. West Ham have an ageing center-back room, which could lead to them bringing in younger faces at the back. West Ham never brought in a replacement for Sebastien Haller when he left in January and with Jesse Lingard looking unlikely to return, they should look to bring some competition for Michail Antonio upfront.
Stuttgart forward Sasa Kalajdžić would be the perfect fit for the East London side. At 6ft 6, Kalajdžić is the tallest player in the Bundesliga and unsurprisingly it makes him a real aerial threat, the Austrian international won 2.9 aerial duels per 90 last season. The 23-year-old scored 16 goals in his debut Bundesliga season, 8 of which were headers. Despite his clear aerial advantage, he is also technically very good, he has a strong powerful left foot and quick feet. "He's come on leaps and bounds in the past few months or so,” said Austria head coach Franco Foda. “He's on fire in front of goal." For a team that looks to get crosses into the box, this seems to be a match made in heaven and a signing West Ham should be looking at if the price is right.
Wolves
Wolves had a very disappointing season by their standards, which ended up costing Nuno Esprito Santo his job, his replacement will be former Benfica manager Bruno Lage. A freak injury to Raul Jimenez in November derailed their progress last season, they lay 6th when the Mexican got injured and finished 13th. To put the club’s troubles solely down to Jimenez’s injury would be a slighty ignorant thing to do, as it was clear there are other issues within the squad that Wolves will be looking to solve this window. The ever-reliable Joao Moutinho is now 34 and is looking like his best days are behind him, whilst Ruben Neves’ performances have dropped this term, a centre-mid should be on the shopping list. With Willian Jose returning to Real Sociedad, the club should look to bring in a striker to take some pressure off 18-year-old Fabio Silva, especially if Jimenez is still unable to play at the beginning of the season. The club’s biggest need though is a creative midfielder, no team created fewer big chances (28) than Wolves last season. Pundits were critical of Fabio Silva and Willian Jose but both were often working with scraps, with Pedro Neto being the club’s only real creative threat and Adama Traore struggling to recreate his form from the 2019/20 campaign.
Sometimes in life, you just need to bite the bullet and admit you made a mistake. Pedro Gonçalves joined Wolves back in 2017 from Valencia when he had just turned 19, he made just one appearance for the club in the Carabao Cup before being sold to Farmalicao for just over £1m in July 2019, two years on Gonçalves is in Portugal's stacked Euro 2020 squad. There are few teams that like to show more ambition in the transfer market than Wolves and bringing back Pote would be an incredible statement of intent. The attacking midfielder has become one of the most exciting up and coming players in Europe, the 22-year-old scored an incredible 23 goals in 32 games last season inspiring Sporting to their first title in 19 years. There are obvious comparisons being drawn to former Sporting player Bruno Fernandes and it's not hard to see why. Gonçalves also completed 25 key passes in the Primeira Liga, his creativity and goals make this perfect signing for Wolves as they fill two of their major weaknesses from last season in one player. Many teams across Europe will be and should be looking at Pedro Gonçalves but you can never rule out Wolves, with their Portuguese links and financial capital. Pote could be the most exciting player on this list.
Who do you think your team should sign this summer? Let me know @brandon_hamme on Twitter. Thank you for reading this article.
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