Top-10 Premier League Done Deals
Which club has done the best bit of business so far?
With the transfer window in full-flow, it’s time to look at the done deals that have already been announced and already finalised and rank them from 10 down to one.
Now all football fans will have different ideas on what deal represents a good deal, but SillySeason have put together their top-10 from the deals that have already been announced.
There is still around seven weeks left of the transfer window, so anything can happen from now until then, but as of this point, these are the top-10 deals in our opinion.
Lets start the list off.
10) Sylvain Distin – AFC Bournemouth – Free Transfer
Now not many people would have suggested this transfer, but we think it’s a very smart bit of business from the newly-promoted side.
This will be Bournemouth‘s first ever time in the Premier League, and Eddie Howe has moved quickly to add experience to his side and he’s done that by adding veteran Distin.
The centre-back has been in England and usually in the top-division for over a decade now after spells with Manchester City, Portsmouth and Everton.
The 37-year-old has well over 300 Premier League appearances and will be vital experience for the newly-promoted Cherries.
Everton released the Frenchman at the end of last season and Bournemouth snapped him up on a free. He will probably be on a big contract for a newly-promoted side, but his experience will be a huge benefit to the squad.
9) Etienne Capoue – Watford – Undisclosed Fee (Thought to be £5.5m)
Etienne Capoue failed to impress at Tottenham Hotspur and was on the fringes of the first-team ever since Andre Villas-Boas left the club, so a move to Watford represents good business for all parties.
Spurs have got a respectable transfer fee for the Frenchman, whilst Watford have signed a Premier League experienced player, albeit small experience, and Capoue will finally get regular first-team football.
The hard-man centre-midfielder will provide much-needed steel to The Hornets‘ side as they aim to stay in the Premier League.
8) Angelo Ogbonna – West Ham United – £8.5million
The Hammers mean business this summer.
They sacked Sam Allardyce, replaced him with Slaven Bilic and have already made four new signings, including Angelo Ogbonna from Juventus.
The fee is believed to be around £8.5million for the centre-back, but it represents a good deal for the 27-year-old, who made 41 Serie A appearances for the Italian champions during his two years stay there.
Ogbonna has represented his country, Italy, 10 times.
7) Andre Ayew – Swansea City – Free Transfer
Andre Ayew could prove to be a great bit of business for Swansea City after they picked him up on a free transfer from French side Marseille.
The forward/winger made it clear in January that he wanted to leave Ligue 1 at the end of the season, and it was The Swans who won the race to his signature.
After spending eight years in France, the 25-year-old is ready to test himself elsewhere and he will now embark on his career in the Premier League.
Ayew scored 44 goals in 160 games for Marseille.
6) Roberto Firmino – Liverpool – £29million
The Brazilian playmaker could have found himself higher on the list, but the price-tag pushed him slightly further down the list.
It’s a massive risk signing for Liverpool as Firmino may not adjust to English football and with a price-tag of £29million, fans of the club will have high expectations.
A stand-out performer for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga over the past few years, Firmino was wanted by Manchester United, but it was Liverpool who won the race after coughing up nearly £30m.
With the big price-tag on his head, Firmino will want a debut season similar to Alexis Sanchez, who was only a few million more.
5) Dimitri Payet – West Ham United – £10.7million
We told you West Ham United meant business and another one of their signings makes the list as Dimitri Payet completed his switch from Marseille.
The 28-year-old had a superb campaign with Marseille last season, and even earned himself a Team of the Season card on FIFA 15 (reference for you gamers out there)
Payet netted 15 goals in 72 Ligue 1 games during his time with Marseille.
4) Toby Alderweireld – Tottenham Hotspur – £11.5million
Tottenham Hotspur fended off interest from Southampton and Chelsea to land centre-back Toby Alderweireld last week.
The Belgium international was superb for The Saints last season after completing a season-long loan move from Atletico Madrid, but the failed to land him on a permanent deal as he chose Tottenham instead.
Alderweireld will settle in nicely at White Hart Lane due to their Belgium influence in the first-team, and will create a defensive partnership with Jan Vertonghen.
3) Yohan Cabaye – Crystal Palace – £12.8million
What an unreal coup this is for Crystal Palace.
Yohan Cabaye swapped Paris for Palace after wanting to reunite with Alan Pardew and after failing to cement a first-team spot at Paris Saint-Germain.
With the Euros next year, the midfielder wanted regular first-team football, and he’s certain to get that at Selhurt Park next season.
Palace broke their record transfer fee for Cabaye, but it should certainly be worth it if he shows the form he did during his Newcastle United days.
2) Memphis Depay – Manchester United – £25million
Number-two was a tough one to call as Liverpool‘s free signing of James Milner was close to taking it, but we had to go with Memphis Depay just for the ability the guy has.
Signed from PSV Eindhoven, Depay was the first real transfer to be announced as Louis Van Gaal moves quickly in the window.
The winger will excite the Premier League, if he’s able to adapt to English football, and will certainly add several goals to Van Gaal‘s squad.
United have missed a real out-an-out winger for some time now, but Depay is certainly that and he will bring a sense of danger to United when they’re on the attack and also on the counter.
£25million isn’t a bad fee for him either.
1) Petr Cech – Arsenal – £10.9million
Easily the best signing so far and it will take a massive signing to topple it.
Chelsea selling to Arsenal?! Who would have thought it, but even more so, Jose Mourinho selling to Arsene Wenger?!?!
Well Petr Cech was allowed to complete the switch after Roman Abramovich took charge of the transfer and allowed the goalkeeper to choose his next destination due to his services to the club. May he regret that decision?
Arsenal have lacked a top-class goalkeeper since the Jens Lehmann and David Seaman era, but Cech could even top those as he has the record for most clean-sheets in the Premier League.
The Gunners‘ defence will also no doubt improve with the knowledge that Cech is behind them keeping goal.
So there are our top-10 signings of the season so far.
What are your thoughts? Who would you take out and replace with?
Comment below!
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt