Premier League - Who your club should sign this Summer

Transfer silly season is up and running, but what if I told you that some rumours don’t have to be so far-fetched?

After some rigorous scouring across the market (admittedly, almost entirely online), I’ve put forward a player that each Premier League club should sign this summer. This is, of course, within the bounds of realism; We can’t have free-agent Paulo Dybala signing for Fulham (sorry Fulham fans).

Without further ado, let's start with Arsenal…

ARSENAL

Last season, the Gunners' average squad age was 24 years and 308 days, the lowest of any side in the Premier League. If Arsenal are to take that one step further into the Champions League, they will need some experience in their side.

They have already acquired the services of Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, but it's his former teammate, Oleksandr Zinchenko, who could fit nicely into the Arsenal set-up.

Zinchenko would provide versatility; He could cover for Kieran Tierney at left-back and would be more than capable of stepping into midfield - a position he fills for Ukraine. As captain of the national side, he could bring leadership to Arsenal, while his international and European experience would be valuable. His versatility across multiple positions would be vital in a busy season, with Arsenal set to challenge for the top four while competing in the Europa league.

Manchester City may be willing to sell, too, with the club reportedly interested in Brighton’s Marc Cucurella, and Mikel Arteta knows Zinchenko well from his time as an assistant coach at the Etihad.

ASTON VILLA

Aston Villa seem to be one of the biggest net-spenders in the league, despite finishing in the bottom half last season. They’ve already acquired two impressive signings: Boubacar Kamara from Marseille and Diego Carlos from Sevilla. Both transfers add quality to an Aston Villa side hoping to challenge in the top half of the table.

However, Steven Gerrard may still look towards signing another player this summer.

Aston Villa lack pace out wide, with Bertrand Traore and Leon Bailey largely underperforming. Both players are left-footed, with Bailey able to play on both wings. However, Gerrard may be tempted by a reunion with Ryan Kent. The winger enjoyed another impressive season with Rangers, as the Scottish side reached the Europa League final.

Gerrard knows Kent extremely well. His pace and energy on both wings could be a great asset for Aston Villa. While he may not be a player expected to go straight into the first team, he could effectively influence games coming on as a substitute.

Kent may also be tempted by a move to the Premier League, after leaving Liverpool permanently back in 2019. The Englishman’s contract runs out in 2023, and so could be bought for a cut-price.

BOURNEMOUTH

Reiss Nelson to Bournemouth… It just makes sense.

He impressed in patches last year for Feyenoord. Nelson was a part of the side that returned to a European final, losing 1-0 to Roma as the Italians won the UEFA Conference League.

If the winger is looking for a move in the Premier League, Bournemouth would be a great option. Scott Parker's team play energetic football, and Nelson would fit in well on either flank.

It should be a cheap option too for the newly promoted side, with Arsenal reportedly willing to sell. With regular playing time, Nelson could become a particularly useful player for Bournemouth.

BRENTFORD

Simply put, signing Christian Eriksen is the number one priority for Brentford. His impact at the club was huge, helping them clear relegation by 11 points, while finishing 13th in the league.

Elsewhere, despite impressing throughout the season, Brentford may need to add a natural striker to their attacking options, with Bryan Mbuemo contributing just four league goals last season, missing nine big chances, with over 62% of his shots whistling off target. Wissa does pose a threat off the bench, but he is not a natural goalscorer.

Thomas Frank may turn his attention to Ben Brereton-Diaz. The Chilean scored 22 goals in 36 championship games last season and could fill in for both Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbuemo. The 23-year-old can operate both as a central striker and as a wide forward. Many Premier League sides have been linked with him, however, so there will be a fair bit of competition for his signature.

In terms of right wing-back, Brentford should look at bringing in Max Aarons. The energetic right-back is currently with relegated Norwich, but he is more than able to perform well in the Premier League.

BRIGHTON

Just when you thought Brighton needed a striker, they finished ninth in the table - the highest finish in their history. But can we still insist that Graham Potter's side lack goals? Well, yes.

The Seagulls notched just 42 goals in the league; Only Wolves, Norwich, Watford, and Burnley scored fewer. Neal Maupay does offer decent all-round play, but he nets fewer goals than he and Brighton would like.

They would be wise to look at Strasbourg's Habib Diallo. The explosive Senegalese centre-forward enjoyed a good campaign with the French side, scoring 11 goals in 31 Ligue 1 games. Furthermore, Diallo can operate very effectively as a left winger, meaning both he and Maupay could play alongside each other.

CHELSEA

Romelu Lukaku's return to Stamford Bridge did not work out as expected. The Belgian has now sealed a loan deal back to Inter Milan, meaning Chelsea's goalscoring conundrum continues. The London club continue to be linked with Raheem Sterling and Jules Kounde but adding a goalscorer to their squad would move the Blues one step closer to serial winners Liverpool and Manchester City.

At the height of their success, Chelsea have always possessed a physical striker, such as Didier Drogba, or Diego Costa.

In a similar mould, and as a long-term solution, Victor Osimhen would be an outstanding signing. The Nigerian is a tall and explosive forward, capable of playing for the best teams in the world. Napoli are not prepared to sell him at the moment, however, so Chelsea would likely have to pay the best part of £100 million in order to secure the 23-year-old's signature – the same fee they shelled out for Romelu Lukaku just last year.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Patrick Vieira's side enjoyed an entertaining season, with one of their star performers being loanee Conor Gallagher. However, with the Englishman returning to his parent club Chelsea, Crystal Palace will be looking to replace the energetic midfielder.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde enjoyed a decent season with Strasbourg, helping the French side finish sixth in Ligue 1, narrowly missing out on qualification for the UEFA Conference league. The 23-year-old French midfielder would be a suitable replacement for Gallagher, similarly able to cover lots of ground in a box-to-box role.

Bellegarde actually gained a higher percentage of ‘successful pressing actions’ than Gallagher, while the French midfielder possesses a similar rate of progressive dribbles and passes.

In the current market, Crystal Palace may have to pay in the region of 10-15 million euros for Bellegarde’s signature. However, the Frenchman’s contract expires in 2024, meaning he could prove much cheaper next summer.

EVERTON

Richarlison sealed a move to Spurs, leaving Everton with the challenging task of replacing their top goalscorer last season.

The most typical signing would be any forgotten fringe player from Manchester United (Antony Martial perhaps). But Everton should look to Ligue 1. Specifically, El Bilal Toure.

The Reims striker made 20 appearances in a decent season in Ligue 1. The 20-year-old managed just two goals and four assists in that time, but he would add a great deal of excitement to Frank Lampard's side.

He is an aerial threat from corners, while he can operate both as a centre forward and a winger. El Bilal Toure can also run directly and effectively at defenders, while his athletic physicality would make him suit not only the Premier League, but also Everton.

FULHAM

The Championship winners need a no.10 to fill the void left by Fabio Carvalho, who makes his way to Liverpool. As hinted at earlier in this article, Paulo Dybala would be a great signing, but they may have to settle for someone who may make a smaller dent in their wage bill.

Another player available for free is Jesse Lingard, who saw his contract run out at Manchester United. The 29-year-old offers plenty of Premier League experience for a club looking to fight off relegation.

Lingard is a similar type of midfielder to Carvalho. He is skillful, energetic, and looks to run beyond the striker to score from midfield. Lingard may have garnered an unfair reputation at Manchester United, and despite a decent loan spell with West Ham in 2021, the midfielder would arrive at Craven Cottage with a point to prove.

Elsewhere, if Fulham don't see Lingard as a good fit, more typical signings could include the similarly forgotten attacking-midfielders Nikola Vlasic or Donny Van De Beek.

LEICESTER

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, but it seems the North London club do not see him as a priority signing this summer. Nevertheless, Brendan Rodgers’ side would miss Tielemans in midfield, and so a replacement would be needed should the Belgian leave this window.

Remo Freuler would be available for a cut-price this summer, as the Swiss International’s contract with Atalanta runs out in 2023. The Italian club also signed Dutchman Teun Koopmeiners in August 2021, potentially opening the door to Freuler’s departure.

Freuler might be a little less attack minded than Tielemans, but the midfielder would bring a wealth of experience and industry to the Foxes. He made a similar number of blocks, progressive carries, and successful pressing actions to the Belgian midfielder last season.

The blow of potentially losing Tielemans would be softened by the emergence of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who recently put pen to paper in a deal keeping him at The Foxes until 2027. He could very easily rotate alongside Remo Freuler, giving Leicester City plenty of options going into the 2022/23 season.

If Leicester were to spend a little more, fellow Serie A workhorse Davide Frattesi would be an excellent (though expensive) option. The 22-year-old recently won his first caps for the Italian national side, and surely has a bright future ahead of him.

LEEDS

Kalvin Phillips looks set to leave, with Marc Roca looking like a potential candidate to fill in at central-defensive-midfield. But it is another of their star players that will likely need to be replaced this summer.

Raphinha has several potential suitors, Chelsea and Arsenal included, meaning Leeds may be tempted to cash in.

If they do let Raphinha leave the club, Ola Solbakken would be a good replacement. The Norwegian winger enjoyed a wonderful UEFA Conference league campaign with Bodo/Glimt, who beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 in the group stages. Effective on both flanks, Solbakken is an athletic, agile winger, who provides pace and skill on his left-foot.

With his contract expiring later this year, he would be a worthwhile investment for Leeds. Solbakken is still only 23 years old and will improve in the coming years. He also could easily fit into Jesse Marsch’s style of football and could soften the blow of Raphinha’s likely departure.

LIVERPOOL

Even before July 1, Liverpool had secured three signings. Klopp may look towards centre-midfield as his next priority, with Milner, Henderson, and Thiago all over thirty years old.

The Reds have been linked with big names such as Jude Bellingham and Gavi, but a financially wiser option would be Konrad Laimer.

The Austrian international is reluctant to renew his contract with RB Leipzig, with Bayern Munich sniffing around. However, Leipzig seem reluctant to sell to their German rivals, potentially leaving the door open for Liverpool to swoop in.

The 25-year-old is a high-energy player, who presses very well, able to regain possession very effectively. He can play anywhere in Liverpool’s midfield three, meaning he can provide cover for an aging group of midfielders in Henderson, Milner, and Thiago.

What’s more, Laimer is a neat and tidy player on the ball, meaning he can zip the ball into tight spaces when Liverpool are up against a low block.

Reports suggest Leipzig are willing to accept offers of around 25-30 million euros, meaning he wouldn’t be a wholly cheap option, but would come at a much more reasonable price than Gavi or Bellingham.

MANCHESTER CITY

How do you strengthen this Manchester City team?

Well, the answer is signing Erling Haaland.

The Premier League champions have already done the bulk of their business in the transfer window, also signing Julian Alvarez, and (at the time of writing) probably Kalvin Phillips.

There are a few departures, however. Gabriel Jesus has secured a move to Arsenal, while Raheem Sterling has been linked with Chelsea. Oleksandr Zinchenko may be out of the club too, especially if Manchester City sign Marc Cucurella.

The left back was player of the season for Brighton in his first year at the club. He has many suitors, and for good reason.

Cucurella, a product of La Masia academy at Barcelona, can play anywhere on the left-hand side of the pitch – left-back, left wing back, and even in a back three. His versatility would suit a Manchester City side that is in almost constant rotation throughout the season.

MANCHESTER UNITED

The Frenkie De Jong transfer saga seems to be one that will keep Manchester United fans tapping their feet nervously throughout the window. Central midfield is certainly a position they need to strengthen, but Ten Hag may also be tempted to look at centre back.

Harry Maguire gets a fair bit of stick, sometimes unfairly, but what he and Manchester United may need is another centre back to challenge the England international for a place in the starting eleven, likely alongside Raphael Varane.

It seems simplistic to just look at Erik Ten Hag's former club, but Jurrien Timber is one of the top young centre backs in the world right now. The Dutchman would easily fit into the side and would bring knowledge of how to operate in a Ten Hag team.

At 5ft10, there are naturally doubts over his physical attributes, but this is mostly unfair and overly simplistic criticism. Timber largely dominated Manchester City-bound Erling Haaland when Ajax hosted Dortmund in the Group stages of the Champions League.

Go back. Watch the highlights. It'll get Manchester United fans purring.

NEWCASTLE

Newcastle United fans will be enjoying the first summer transfer window after the takeover. Nick Pope has completed a move to the North-East, while the club signed the highly sought-after Sven Botman from Lille. These players will form the spine of a team hoping to finish in the European places next season.

But Eddie Howe's side arguably still require some attacking impetus on the right-hand side, something which they already have in abundance with the tricky Allan Saint-Maximin on the left.

Marcus Edwards would be an excellent option for Eddie Howe’s side. The Englishman has been extremely impressive for Sporting Lisbon, where he is one of the most threatening players in the league. He would cost a fair bit, having only joined Sporting Lisbon back in January, but Newcastle might just be able to afford him with that sizeable wod of Saudi Arabian cash.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Forest fans will be disappointed to see the back of Djed Spence. The right-back has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, among others. Spence not only proved key to their promotion last season, but also played a big part in their FA cup victories over Arsenal and Leicester.

Liverpool’s Neco Williams could be a good replacement for Spence, and could join on a loan deal, although it seems the Merseyside club are keen to sell him after signing Calvin Ramsay. Dean Henderson has joined the newly promoted side on loan, while new striker Taiwo Awonyi will hopefully prove to be goal threat next season.

My pick, however, would be Bristol City’s Antoine Semenyo. The forward enjoyed decent spells of form for the Robins last season and could suitably fit into an energetic Forest side. Semenyo enjoyed his best season to date in 2021/22, with eight goals and 12 assists in 31 games. He would provide versatility to the squad, able to operate anywhere across a front three.

SOUTHAMPTON

Armando Broja impressed on loan last season, but the Saints are without him for 2022/23. Therefore, centre forward must surely be a priority position for Hassenhuttl's side in the window.

Noah Okafor is a forward who impressed for RB Salzburg last season, scoring nine goals in 21 league appearances. He also impressed in the Austrian club's Champions League campaign, where they reached the knockout stages for the first time.

Okafor would be a suitable player for any Premier League side. His strength and physicality would give Southampton an edge in attack. What's more, his versatility means he could play both upfront and out wide in Hassnhuttl's 4-4-2 formation.

Okafor would undoubtedly go straight into their starting eleven, but at just 22 years old, he has plenty of room (and time) to improve. He would be a very smart piece of business for the Saints, with his value set to rise in future seasons.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Antonio Conte enjoyed an impressive first season with Spurs, with the club securing Champions League football for the 2022-23 season. The allure of European football has already proved useful in the signings of Richarlison, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma.

It's a fair bit of business from the North London club. A statement of intent? Perhaps it would be if they could add a top defender to their ranks.

Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan seemed to be the number one priority, but he looks set to stay in Italy. Another good option would be Clement Lenglet.

The left sided centre back would operate well in Conte's back three, and Barcelona will be looking to offload him this summer. He is an experienced international, but he would grow and learn with Antonio Conte at the helm.

WEST HAM

The Hammers will be hoping to keep improving another impressive season, finishing seventh in the league while reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League. The end of Alex Kral’s loan deal and the retirement of Mark Noble means they may need to bolster their midfield options, especially as West Ham will have Thursday nights in the UEFA Conference league to prepare for.

One player who could provide decent cover in midfield would be Burnley’s Josh Brownhill. He was one of Burnley’s more impressive players last season, while his hard work and energy in the middle of the park makes him a typical David Moyes player. Brownhill is used to playing in a midfield two and could work alongside either Declan Rice or Tomas Soucek. What’s more, Burnley may be keen to sell. Relegation means that the Lancashire club need to repay a sizable portion of the £65 million loan taken out last year to fund the takeover.

In attack, the Hammers may look to relegated Watford, with Emmanuel Dennis or Ismaila Sarr potentially available to provide an alternative to forward Michail Antonio.

WOLVES

Bruno Lage experienced a mixed first season in charge at Wolves. Jose Sa was one of the signings of the season, while Hwang Hee-Chan provided an attacking alternative to Raul Jimenez.

But despite the success of the ever-pragmatic Wolves, they certainly lacked creativity. Bruno Lage’s side scored just 38 goals last season; Only the three relegated teams scored less. If Wolves hope to creep up into the European spots, they will need more creativity in attack.

Daichi Kamada’s contract runs out in 2023, and would be a great signing for Wolves, but the Japanese attacking-midfielder is set to enjoy Champions League football with Frankfurt next season. Elsewhere, another very decent option would be SC Braga’s Ricardo Horta (A Portuguese player? Linked with Wolves?). The attacking-midfielder enjoyed an excellent season with 19 goals and five assists in 32 appearances.

So, there we have it. A player each club should, could, and (in some cases) will sign this summer. All would be sensible acquisitions, proving transfer silly season doesn't have to be so silly after all.