Premier League clubs spent little money in the first few months of the transfer window, but business has picked up ahead of the start of the new season on Friday.
AFP Sports takes a look at five of the most important new signings and tries to justify their high prices:
Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal)
The Gunners beat off strong competition from Serie A giants Juventus to sign the Italian defender following his impressive 2023/24 season for Bologna.
Calafiori was also a bright spot in Italy’s otherwise miserable defence of its European title in June.
However, it is unclear where the 22-year-old will fit into Mikel Arteta’s team.
Arsenal had the best defence in the Premier League last season, keeping 18 clean sheets in 38 games.
Calafiori is confident on the ball and marches out from the back. He has been talked about as a possible left-back.
However, he has shone as a centre-back for his club and country and could therefore threaten Gabriel Magalhaes’ place alongside William Saliba in the centre of defence.
His arrival for a reported £42 million ($53 million) undoubtedly increases Arteta’s wealth of defensive options as Arsenal look to finally win the title after a 21-year wait.
Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
Spurs hope Solanke can lead them back to the Champions League and perhaps even end a 16-year trophy drought.
The 26-year-old is fresh off his best season to date, scoring 19 times in the Premier League for Bournemouth, and if the additional agreements, worth up to £65 million, are met, he would be Tottenham’s record signing.
Solanke also played briefly for Chelsea and Liverpool earlier in his career, but came of age during his five years at Bournemouth.
“He will fit in well with us,” said Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, whose team finished fifth in his first season as coach.
“He gives us some things that we have been missing over the last 12 months.”
When Harry Kane left a year ago, Spurs did not sign a replacement and now Solanke is under pressure to follow in his footsteps.
Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United)
Dutch international De Ligt is reunited with Erik ten Hag, who helped the centre-back rise to prominence at Ajax as a teenager.
After high-profile transfers to Juventus and then Bayern Munich, De Ligt’s career stalled as he fell out of favour with both club and country last year.
“Erik ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career and therefore knows how to get the best out of me,” said the 25-year-old.
His arrival is just part of a defensive reshuffle, with United also recruiting French teenager Leny Yoro and De Ligt’s Bayern teammate Noussair Mazraoui.
However, Yoro will miss the first three months of the season, giving De Ligt the chance to secure his place in the team with a bright start at Old Trafford.
Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
Neto has been the standout signing so far in another chaotic transfer window at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese winger joined from Wolves for a transfer fee of £54 million.
Nevertheless, he faces strong competition for a place in the team, as Enzo Maresca can score points on the wings with Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, among others.
Cole Palmer, by far Chelsea’s best player last season, is expected to drift inside from his starting position on the right.
Neto has shone consistently since joining Wolves in 2019, but has also been plagued by injury problems that have deterred other suitors.
Niclas Füllkrug (West Ham)
The signing of German international Füllkrug was the highlight of a busy summer for West Ham.
The 31-year-old is a powerful centre-forward and a huge fan favourite in his home country. Many are calling for him to start ahead of Arsenal’s Kai Havertz at the European Championships.
After spending his best years rising through the German football leagues with Hannover and Werder Bremen, Fuellkrug scored 16 goals in his only season at Borussia Dortmund, helping the club reach the final of last season’s Champions League.
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