The first month of a season can make a new signing look either inspired or lost in the floodlights. England’s biggest summer deals have already delivered a sharply mixed picture: Manchester City’s rebuilt midfield is moving, Chelsea have found an immediate creator, while Bradley Barcola and several expensive Tottenham arrivals are still searching for rhythm.
City’s new midfield takes shape
- Manchester City began with a 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal on 16 August, then reshaped their central unit following Rodri’s departure for Barcelona.
- Elliot Anderson, signed from Nottingham Forest for €135 million, has settled quickly. The English midfielder has played seven matches, bringing energy and distribution to the middle of the pitch.
- Enzo Fernandez arrived from Chelsea at the start of September for €145 million and has made an early impact beside Anderson, recording one goal and one assist in four appearances.
- Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old Morocco international bought from Lille for €95 million, has had a slower start. He started the 2-0 Champions League win over Porto on 8 September and the 5-0 cup victory against Norwich on 17 September, but has barely featured in the Premier League amid intense competition in Enzo Maresca’s 4-2-3-1 system.
Bouaddi’s rise at Lille made him one of the most closely watched young players in France, but City’s demands and a different tactical environment require patience. The early signs around Anderson and Fernandez, however, have given the club’s summer rebuild a far more convincing tone.
Rogers strikes early as Barcola waits
Morgan Rogers has made the fastest impact among the leading summer arrivals. Chelsea paid €138 million for the former Aston Villa playmaker, and he has registered three goals and four assists in seven matches. Whether used from the left or closer to the No. 10 role, Rogers has become the most productive new arrival in England so far.
Barcola’s first weeks at Liverpool have been quieter. The France winger left Paris Saint-Germain after a mutually agreed decision to separate, in a €140 million move that stands as PSG’s record sale. At 24, he has made five appearances but is still awaiting his first Liverpool goal.
Used mainly down the left, Barcola has not yet converted chances with the consistency expected of him, nor found the open spaces he attacked so effectively in Ligue 1. Liverpool’s early performances have also lacked fluency, leaving the former PSG forward without the platform he enjoyed in France.
Diomande earns Mourinho’s attention
- Yan Diomande joined Real Madrid for €125 million, with a further €15 million available in bonuses, and did not initially appear to be part of José Mourinho’s preferred starting group.
- The Ivorian winger supplied an assist in Madrid’s 3-2 win at Elche on 15 September.
- He then impressed after coming on in the Madrid derby, despite Real losing 2-1 to Atlético.
Mourinho described Diomande’s derby display as “astonishing” and said it had been his best performance to date. The Real coach believes the winger is beginning to adapt to Spanish football and expects him to feature more often as that process continues.
Arsenal manage Guimaraes carefully
Bruno Guimaraes joined Arsenal, Champions League runners-up last season, for €87.5 million after three and a half years at Newcastle. The Brazil international, who has 48 caps and three goals for his country, has been restricted to 258 minutes after hamstring trouble during pre-season.
Mikel Arteta has praised Guimaraes as a dynamic, versatile player capable of operating across midfield, but has introduced him cautiously. His first start, in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton, ended with his substitution after an hour in a difficult afternoon for Arsenal.
Tottenham’s spending has not changed the mood
Tottenham entered the international break bottom of the Premier League without a win, despite another costly recruitment drive after narrowly avoiding relegation last season. Their expensive additions have yet to reverse the slide.
- Savinho, signed from Manchester City for €87.7 million, has produced a decisive contribution only in the 5-1 FA Cup win over Charlton on 26 August.
- Mateus Fernandes cost €99 million but has struggled to establish himself in midfield. The 22-year-old Portuguese player was withdrawn early again during Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa.
- Roberto De Zerbi said he retained strong faith in Fernandes but wanted more from him, adding that he did not like the player’s display while stressing it was not a personal criticism.
- Sandro Tonali, acquired for €108 million, has offered the most encouraging adaptation among Tottenham’s major arrivals, even if the wider picture remains bleak.
De Zerbi’s squad was given the resources to restart, but the first stretch of the campaign has instead intensified the pressure. At this stage, the summer’s biggest prices have not guaranteed immediate answers.
