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admin — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 14:00:12 +0000

Follow Mail Sport’s live blog as we keep you up-to-date across the 2pm Premier League kick-offs as Liverpool host West Ham, & take on Aston Villa and Bournemouth travel to Brighton.

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Saudi Arabia’s incredible summer transfer window: Pro League clubs spent more than £750m

admin — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:56:05 +0000

Clubs in Europe breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday night when the Saudi Pro League (SPL) transfer window finally closed.

It will be hard to remember 2023 as anything other than the Saudi summer as a new footballing machine powered onto the scene and signed a whole host of world class and Premier League stars.

The next few years promise to be intriguing as we find out whether this summer was just a one-off or, as is more likely, the Middle East becomes a rival destination for top flight teams across Europe when courting players.

European chiefs continue to insist that the SPL recruitment drive doesn’t pose a danger to the continent’s footballing landscape, but the league was second only to the Premier League in spending this summer with an outlay of more than £750million.

In some ways, this has provided a rest bite for English clubs when battling FFP considerations, with the SPL almost acting as a ‘cash-cow’ – as demonstrated by Chelsea selling unwanted stars such as Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy to Saudi clubs for a combined £36m.

The Saudi transfer window finally closed on Thursday after a summer full of heavy spending

Several big-name stars joined the league, including Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema

The likes of Sadio Mane also moved to the Middle East as he joined up with Ronaldo at Al-Nassr

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Much of the incessant spending was mainly restricted to four teams – Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli.

That is because they were all taken over by the country’s Public Investment Fund in June – the same backer that also owns Newcastle – and all four have strengthened significantly.

Former Liverpool favourite Sadio Mane joined Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, while they have also added other stars including Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, former Man United left back Alex Telles, Aymeric Laporte, Otavio and Seko Fofana.

Last year’s champions Al-Ittihad – who are coached by ex-Tottenham and Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo – look like the early favourites for the title again having brought in Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema along with N’Golo Kante and Fabinho.

Newly-promoted Al-Ahli signed Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, Mendy, Franck Kessie and Allan Saint-Maximin and have already shown their mouthwatering attacking credentials with 10 goals in five games.

Meanwhile, the most decorated Saudi club is Al-Hilal and they made an early splash in the market by securing deals for Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves.

However, they also secured what could be the biggest move in the window by adding Neymar from PSG for £78m before handing the Brazilian an eye-watering £260m two-year deal, while Aleksandar Mitrovic also arrived from Fulham.

Of the £750m-plus outlay, more than £680m was splashed by the four PIF-owned clubs which is not surprising given they are backed by a fund worth an estimated £538bn.

Deals were still taking place right up until the transfer deadline, with Luiz Felipe’s £21.5m move from Real Betis to Al-Ittihad and Demarai Gray’s £8m switch from Everton to Al-Ettifaq the major deals on the final day.

For Al-Ettifaq, while they aren’t owned by the PIF, they have still managed to lure some big names this summer due to their backing from Saudi Arabia’s Basic Industries Corporation, which is the kingdom’s second-biggest petrochemicals company.

They added Jordan Henderson, Moussa Dembele and Jack Hendry on mega wages, with Henderson reportedly earning £700,000 per-week.

They also managed to entice Steven Gerrard to the Middle East, before adding Gray and Georginio Wijnaldum in the final throes of the window as they look to improve upon last season’s seventh-place finish.

Al-Ittihad are favourites for the title again after adding Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho

Steven Gerrard was lured to Al-Ettifaq, as was Jordan Henderson, who is earning mega wages

In what is looking like an increasingly positive outlook for the league and it’s appeal, there has also been a move over the summer towards a younger profile of recruits.

An early criticism of the transfer drive was that Ronaldo is 38, Henderson is 33, while Kante, Mahrez and Koulibaly are all 32, with a limited number of stars arguably in their peak.

However, the arrival of Saint-Maximin, Malcom, Neves and Felipe – with the quartet all 26 – shows the league’s strength, while the signing of 21-year-old Spanish starlet Gabri Veiga despite interest from some top European clubs was a statement of intent.

It is hard to look past the four PIF-owned clubs when examining who came out of the window best, particularly when viewing the top 10 net spenders across the world.

Al-Hilal were ranked first, just ahead of PSG, with Al-Ahli third, Chelsea fourth, Arsenal fifth and Al-Nassr sixth.

In truth, the summer transfer window is the latest evidence of Saudi’s global footballing profile being transformed over the past 12 months.

While it has always had a long and rich tradition as a football nation, with the kingdom having reached six of the past eight World Cups, the addition of Ronaldo and their victory over Argentina in Qatar last year, along with the plethora of star names plying their trade in the SPL has taken their reputation to new levels.

The only blot on the success of their window is perhaps that they failed to lure three main targets – Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah – with the trio either remaining at their clubs or in the case of Messi, choosing to move elsewhere to a rival league in the MLS.

However, with Salah, is does feel as if he will inevitably end up in the Middle East, with Mail Sport reporting how Al-Ittihad believe their pursuit to sign the Egyptian is merely on hold after the Reds rejected a £150m offer for their talisman last week.

We’ll have to wait and see how the SPL develops in the coming years and whether it follows in the footsteps of the Chinese Super League or, as league executive desire, truly becomes one of the best leagues in the world and ends the dominance of European football.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the first big name to move to Saudi when he joined Al-Nassr last year

Mohamed Salah stayed at Liverpool, but it feels as if he will inevitably move to the Middle East

But, whatever their ambitions, European chiefs will seemingly continue to ignore the perceived threat the SPL poses.

‘I don’t think there is a danger,’ European Club Association chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said this week.

‘We believe in ourselves. We have the best and biggest competitions and the best players. It is not for me to judge what is happening outside of Europe. But listen, most of the clubs sold players to them. If we are not happy, why do we sell our players to them? That’s the truth.

‘Is it dangerous? I told you my opinion. If there is a danger, the European clubs will not be quiet. So far, I don’t see any danger.’

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

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Jordan Henderson DID move to Saudi Arabia ‘for the money’ insists Chris Sutton… who

admin — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 06:40:19 +0000

Jordan Henderson DID move to Saudi Arabia ‘for the money’ insists Chris Sutton… who questions if he could ‘stomach the fight for his place’ against Liverpool’s new signings on preview show ‘It’s All Coming Up’

WATCH: Mail Sport’s preview show ‘It’s All Coming Up’ ahead of the big games
Chris Sutton has questioned Jordan Henderson’s claims in his interview
Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off!

By Kieran Lynch For Mailonline

Updated: 02:27 EDT, 8 September 2023

Chris Sutton insists Jordan Henderson should have said his move to Saudi Arabia was money-motivated following a public backlash to his controversial interview.

The former Liverpool skipper broke his silence on his move to join Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, insisting that he had gone to ‘grow the game’ in Saudi Arabia and because his ‘value had shifted’ at Liverpool.

Henderson denied reports that he was earning as much as £700,000-per-week and that his intention ‘was never to hurt anyone’.

The England international has been a vocal supporter for LGBTQ+ rights and his move to a country where homosexuality is criminalised has been condemned by gay-rights groups.

Sutton on Mail Sport’s ‘It’s All Coming Up’ – little brother of the weekly podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ – said Henderson will be ‘burying his head in the sand’ following the interview and questioned whether he could ‘stomach the fight’ against Liverpool’s new summer signings.

Chris Sutton (right) told Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman (left) that Jordan Henderson did move to Saudi Arabia for the money despite the midfielder rejecting the claims in an interview

Henderson’s interview with The Athletic to explain his move has received public backlash

Sutton said Henderson (left) will have his head ‘buried in the sand’ over his interview

He told Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman: ‘So, you know he went off to Saudi for the money, didn’t he? That’s essentially it. I don’t know why he just doesn’t stick to that and just say that. And then I think everybody would understand it.

‘You know, a couple of years ago had Jordan Henderson being questioned about the possibility of going to Saudi Arabia when the league was up and running, we know that he wouldn’t have had any interest.

‘The only interest going to Saudi Arabia is for people to earn huge amounts of money. And do you know what? That’s OK. But just say it, you know, don’t get involved in arguments about culture, you know, and other people are burying their heads in the sand.

‘The only person who’s burying the head somewhere is Jordan Henderson and that’s somewhere which you know he shouldn’t be burying his head at the minute.’

Mail Sport’s Ladyman meanwhile said that Henderson has a ‘dug a hole’ for himself due to his previous support of the LGBTQ+ community and revealed his surprise that he didn’t fight for his place at Liverpool.

He said: ‘I suppose Chris, the hole that Jordan has dug for himself relates to his previous support of the LGBTQ+ community and how this sits with him going to play in a country like Saudi Arabia. That is the problem.

‘That is why he’s talking. I think that is the situation he’s trying to explain. And I think we can both agree he’s not made a terribly good job of it. Now, one of the things that did fascinate me about the interview was more of a football nugget.

‘When Jordan explained that he left Liverpool, not for the money he says, but because he didn’t think he was going to be in Jurgen Klopp’s plans. Jordan Henderson has never struck me as a type of footballer who would not want to hang around and fight for his place.’

Sutton questioned whether Henderson could ‘stomach the fight for his position’ at Liverpool against new signings including Alexis Mac Allister (left) and Dominik Szoboszlai (right)

Sutton in response questioned whether Henderson was up to fight for his Liverpool place against the likes of new signings, including Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

He said: ‘It surprised me a little bit, the type of character I think we’ve all perceived Jordan to be over the years as a real fighter. But the stuff he talked about, the conversation with Jorg (Schmadtke – Liverpool’s sporting director) and (Jurgen) Klopp and not feeling valued, I don’t get that.

‘He was still under contract at Liverpool and maybe he just couldn’t stomach the fight for his place up against, you know, the likes of McAllister and Szoboszlai going in.’

‘It’s All Coming Up’ is the punchy, short and sharp little brother of Mail Sport’s new weekly podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off’, featuring Chief Football Writer Ian Ladyman and star columnist Chris Sutton on a heated pre-weekend Zoom chat.

Arsenal and Chelsea have strengthened well but Man United have taken expensive risks and

admin — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:41:46 +0000

As the drama of the transfer window begins to die down, Premier League clubs will now have to make do with their current squads until January.

The big spenders in the division have bolstered, the middle of the road sides have made significant additions and the teams expected to fight it out at the bottom of table have also added to their ranks.

Transfers can make or break a side’s fate during this 38-game marathon, with some teams certain to be cursing their luck that they couldn’t get a major deal over the line or ecstatic that their brand-new signing has come good.

Supporters of each Premier League team will have their own minds already made up about their activity, but how does Mail Sport rank your team’s dealings?

Here, we reveal our A-E transfer ratings…

Chelsea were among the Premier League’s biggest spenders, with Moises Caicedo arriving

Declan Rice moved to Arsenal for over £100million after leaving boyhood club West Ham

Arsenal – B

Arsenal have added well during this transfer window, bringing in faces such as Ajax centre back Jurrien Timber and Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz, alongside the mega money also splashed on Declan Rice from West Ham.

Timber’s long-term injury so early into his Gunners career will be a disappointment for Mikel Arteta’s men, though, while Havertz’s up-and-down time at Stamford Bridge raises question marks about his credentials.

Selling Granit Xhaka has barely been felt in north London, however, with Rice slotting into that central area with ease.

The astronomical £105m transfer fee for the ex-Hammers man saw rivals Manchester City back out of the deal, but his start at Arsenal shows it was a move worth pursuing.

Kai Havertz also arrived at the Emirates for a significant fee but has failed to make an impact

Aston Villa – A

Aston Villa’s transfer business stands out and shows their ambition. Certainly, Unai Emery will want to prove their seventh-placed finish last season was no fluke.

Villa are an attractive outfit to join, clinching European Conference League football recently after destroying Hibernian over two legs to officially make the group stages.

The European market has been smartly exploited this transfer window by the Midlands side, showcased by the signings of Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen and Pau Torres from Villarreal.

Diaby, an exciting talent who is already impressing in England, has scored twice so far in his new surroundings.

Villa have also been smart with their business, sealing a deal for Youri Tielemans on a free transfer while also securing a loan move for Clement Lenglet from Barcelona.

Moussa Diaby has hit the ground running at Aston Villa after joining from Bayer Leverkusen

Bournemouth – A

Bournemouth fans will be delighted by their activity this window with new Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola opting for plenty of young talent to add to his squad.

Signings such as Max Aarons, Alex Scott, Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra saw the Cherries fishing for top quality Championship talent, a strategy that could pay off for a club still seen as relative minnows in the top flight.

They have, however, shown that they can be successful in attracting players from Europe, with Justin Kluivert arriving from Italy, alongside major deals from Serie A and Ligue 1 for Hamed Traore and Romain Faivre respectively.

Traore, of course, spent the second half of last season on loan at the club.

Worries surrounding Bournemouth were fixed on claims that last season’s survival would then be followed up by a collapse back down to the Championship.

But, with the transfer business they’ve managed, they could be dark horses again.

USA international Tyler Adams was snapped by Bournemouth in a deal worth around £25m

Brentford – C

Ivan Toney’s absence hasn’t necessarily negatively impacted Brentford’s start to the season, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa filling in with the goals needed.

Still, Brentford’s transfer window has been underwhelming despite the positives emerging, with a lack of new recruits joining the club.

It’s been understated business with Nathan Collins joining from Wolves, alongside a pair of moves from the Bundesliga in Kevin Schade and Mark Flekken.

Goalkeeper Flekken was a shrewd buy to soften the blow of David Raya joining Arsenal, while Schade’s goal against Crystal Palace shows that Brentford have a raw, emerging talent on their hands.

Yet, it’s not headline-grabbing. It’s more middle-of-the-road for the West Londoners.

Kevin Schade scored a stunning goal against Crystal Palace and will impress for Brentford

Brighton – A+

The Seagulls have arguably won this transfer window, even after waving goodbye to star midfielders Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.

Flying high early into the brand new Premier League campaign, the signings made this summer should see Brighton continue to take the top flight by storm.

Joao Pedro joined from Watford with some critiquing his attitude, but he’s started life in Brighton’s blue and white effortlessly and seems an ideal fit under Roberto de Zerbi.

Scoring against Luton on the opening day, he’s one to watch out for.

Likewise, moves for Mahmoud Dahoud and James Milner give Brighton more midfield options, as does Igor defensively.

The statement loan signing of Ansu Fati from Barcelona has sent shockwaves through the Premier League.

The once League One club are now attracting a player that was at one time dubbed the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne at the Nou Camp.

Sensationally, Brighton completed a loan deal for young winger Ansu Fati from Barcelona

Burnley – B

Vincent Kompany’s Burnley came into the Premier League off a barnstorming promotion from the Championship, with the days of Sean Dyche’s pragmatic football now resigned to history.

They have recruited well for the step-up in certain areas, even stealing players from fellow promoted outfits.

Sander Berge has joined the Clarets from Sheffield United; a coup given the Norwegian international and central midfielder was previously on Liverpool’s radar.

They’ve also managed to sign Jordan Beyer permanently. The centre back impressed in the Championship last season while on loan, before returning for good.

The worry is that Burnley have splashed significant amounts of money on some unknown entities when it comes to the Premier League.

One example is goalkeeper James Trafford signing from Manchester City after only ever featuring in League One in senior football.

It’s a risky and bold strategy from the Clarets, but one that could pay off.

Burnley have strengthened superbly in their survival bid, with Sander Berge an astute addition

Chelsea – B

It’s fair to say Chelsea have been rampant in the market once again, with Stamford Bridge boasting a busy revolving door as Mauricio Pochettino retooled his side.

Todd Boehly has bankrolled some major signings, the pick of the bunch being Moises Caicedo finally arriving in London for a British record £115million fee.

Christopher Nkunku also arrived onto the scene for £53m from RB Leipzig before suffering a major injury.

Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson and most recently Cole Palmer have all joined too, with eye-watering amounts of money spent in the blink of an eye from Boehly.

Pochettino’s men have started this season inconsistently, though he will hope that this new pool of exciting and expensive talent combines effectively to propel the Blues to a better position this time around.

Cole Palmer opted to leave Manchester City and join Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea project

Crystal Palace – C-

Roy Hodgson’s Eagles haven’t had the most exciting transfer window.

The major news involved Wilfried Zaha departing Palace for Galatasaray and Michael Olise staying put after Chelsea looked to trigger his release clause.

Zaha is a big loss for Hodgson’s men, a loss that arguably hasn’t been filled.

Palace have added a few players such as Matheus Franca, Dean Henderson and Jefferson Lerma, the last of these deals a shrewd buy with the former Bournemouth midfielder joining on a free transfer earlier this summer.

Henderson does also give the Eagles another goalkeeping option to go with Sam Johnstone and is a positive transfer to draw a line under the Vicente Guaita saga.

But there are still gaps in Palace’s ranks that haven’t been adequately bolstered in a transfer window that could be characterised as underwhelming.

Dean Henderson secured a permanent move from Manchester United to join Crystal Palace

Everton – C+

Everton’s transfer window has been saved by recent transfer deals. Signing Beto from Udinese means they now have the striker they’ve been crying out for.

Beto scored on his debut against Doncaster Rovers recently when brought on in the Carabao Cup and he looks destined to please supporters.

Unfortunately, other bits of business have seen Everton opt for safer signings, with the arrival of Beto a stark contrast to the shoestring budget displayed elsewhere.

Ashley Young, who is now 38, isn’t a signing that screams glamour, even on a free.

Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison, both on loan deals, saw Everton go for cheap deals to bolster their wide areas.

Danjuma’s deal in particular feels like the Toffees haven’t explored much in recruiting new players, after the Dutchman turned them down last season to join Tottenham on loan instead.

Beto netted on his Everton debut and will be relied upon heavily for goals in his debut season

Fulham – D

Fulham have lost significant players this transfer window, with serial goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic the high profile departure for Saudi Arabia.

The Cottagers did sign Raul Jimenez from Wolves to add a striker but it’s a deal that could be considered underwhelming, especially with Marco Silva’s side managing to acquire the Mexican on the cheap.

Calvin Bassey and Timothy Castagne do add defensive options for the West Londoners. However, Bassey was sent off in one of his first encounters for his new side during their draw at Arsenal.

Keeping Joao Palhinha from leaving on Deadline Day to Bayern Munich is a positive, though.

Nonetheless, the bubble could well burst at Fulham this campaign after they performed so well last season to finish comfortably mid-table.

Raul Jimenez was bought by Fulham to partly offset Aleksandar Mitrovic’s Saudi Arabia move

Liverpool – B-

Liverpool’s transfer window has seen multiple players pass Jurgen Klopp’s Reds by, Caicedo the most publicised transfer that never materialised.

Still, Liverpool have bounced back and recruited well.

Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed since arriving from RB Leipzig, as has his midfield partner Alexis Mac Allister, who joined from Brighton earlier this summer.

Liverpool might not have had Wataru Endo at the top of their shopping list coming into the summer window but he came into the fold at Anfield well-liked from his time at Stuttgart and showed his new club will remain frugal in the face of big money being brandished elsewhere by rivals.

Ryan Gravenberch has also joined from Ajax, a stylish addition.

Mohamed Salah stayed despite fierce interest from Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, and that has to be viewed as a positive after turning down a £150m offer.

Ryan Gravenberch was officially signed by Liverpool during the closing hours of deadline day

Luton Town – B

The Hatters have begun their adventure in the Premier League with a bump, but their recruitment has been admirable in the face of adversity.

They’ve purchased players that have starred in the Football League, gems that might well flourish at the top of the pyramid given time.

Jacob Brown from Stoke City has impressed early on at Luton, and he is a striker who will put in a shift for this unfancied side.

Likewise, Ryan Giles, Tahith Chong and Mads Andersen have performed elsewhere in England, albeit never to the standards expected of them now in the top-flight.

Ross Barkley is an intriguing signing, the attacking midfielder once heralded as a star at Everton now a rogue free transfer deal for the Premier League new boys.

It will be fascinating to see whether or not these new faces can perform above expectation for Rob Edwards’ men to help them have any chance of survival.

Tahith Chong has caught the eye during Luton’s first Premier League fixtures this campaign

Manchester City – A

Pep Guardiola and the powers that be at Manchester City are always methodical when it comes to their transfer business and know exactly who they want.

Losing Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte and Cole Palmer will sting, but City have gone out into the market and purchased excellent replacements.

Josko Gvardiol joins as one of the best centre-backs in world football, while Mateo Kovacic has looked head and shoulders above his Chelsea days already.

Matheus Nunes is also in the building now, causing a fuss at Wolves by striking from training to force through a move to Guardiola’s title-chasers, while winger Jeremy Doku is being tipped to terrorise full-backs after his move.

Matheus Nunes downed tools at Wolves in order to push through his move to Manchester City

Manchester United – C

Manchester United’s business will certainly divide the club’s expectant fanbase.

New No 1 Andre Onana hasn’t quite stepped up to the mark just yet since joining from Inter Milan, though his backline have looked shaky during the early stages of the season.

Rasmus Hojlund has immense pressure on his shoulders to score goals for Erik ten Hag’s men after the Danish youngster moved to Manchester with a £72m price tag on his head despite only scoring nine goals for Atalanta last season.

Mason Mount also joined after a mixed time with Chelsea, although if they can unlock his best form this deal could prove to be a worthwhile one. He is, however, currently injured.

Sofyan Amrabat also joined from Fiorentina on deadline day, ending a lengthy saga, and he will be expected to hit the ground running in shoring up United’s midfield.

Mason Mount was bought by Manchester United to play as a No 8 but endured a tough start

Newcastle United – A

Newcastle, despite having a bottomless pit of money, spent wisely to strengthen after delivering Champions League football last season.

Sandro Tonali’s debut against Aston Villa showed everyone why the Magpies swooped for him – the midfielder scoring on his debut and impressing.

Harvey Barnes has also stood out during his early appearances with his new club capitalising on Leicester’s fall to the Championship to sign the winger.

Newcastle have also invested for the future in the signing of boyhood fan Lewis Hall. Many Chelsea supporters were surprised and disappointed to see the academy star leave.

Bodies out the door will also please Magpies fans. Space was freed up after the dead wood departures of Chris Wood, Karl Darlow and Ryan Fraser.

Sandro Tonali’s debut at Newcastle showcased exactly why the club swooped in for him

Nottingham Forest – B-

Nottingham Forest’s summer transfer business, compared to last year’s manic window, was always going to be subdued this time around.

Steve Cooper’s team have gone about their dealings quietly, signing a number of players from the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal.

Anthony Elanga moved to the City Ground after failing to break into the Red Devils’ first team on a consistent basis, while right back Nuno Tavares joined on loan after fleeting moments of excellence in an Arsenal shirt.

It remains to be seen whether these players can make an impression.

Gonzalo Montiel may be the pick of the bunch from the new personnel, the 26-year-old an experienced centre-back in LaLiga for Sevilla prior to this move. He joins on loan to give the likes of Joe Worrall competition.

However, Ibrahim Sangare has also joined from PSV, with Divock Origi arriving on loan from AC Milan.

Similarly to Newcastle, Forest have also managed to offload fringe players that had fallen down the pecking order such as Steve Cook and Jack Colback.

Nottingham Forest recruited Divock Origi, formerly of Liverpool, on loan from AC Milan

Sheffield United – D+

Sheffield United, going into the new Premier League season, lost both of their prized assets.

Iliman N’Diaye was tipped for a breakout campaign, the attacker – who only a matter of seasons ago was playing in non-league – electric in the Championship.

That was until Ligue 1 giants Marseille came calling, with the 23-year-old packing his bags and leaving on the eve of the top-flight season.

To make matters worse, Sander Berge also left Bramall Lane for Burnley.

But new recruits have softened the blow of both these players exiting, Gustavo Hamer in particular endearing himself to the Blades faithful with a debut goal.

Cameron Archer is the new star striker on the block for Paul Heckingbottom’s side, though the pressure is on him to succeed in a demanding league.

James McAtee back on loan on deadline day was a shrewd signing, with potential relegation rivals Wolves beaten to the chase.

Gustavo Hamer was prised away from Coventry, with Sheffield United winning the race

Tottenham – B

With a new manager at the helm and Harry Kane gone, Tottenham fans have had to endure lots of change in a short period of time.

The influx of players in at Spurs hasn’t helped that, either.

James Maddison has excelled early on in his new surroundings, the attacking midfielder scoring his first goal for Tottenham against Bournemouth last time out.

He’s also assisted two goals, helping his team draw 2-2 at Brentford in their opener.

A revelation so far during this new dawn has been young full back Destiny Udogie, a standout player for Spurs after originally signing back in the summer of 2022.

Loaned out to Udinese, his presence back in the fold at Spurs this campaign makes him feel like fresh blood.

The future’s looking bright for Postecoglou’s new-look Spurs, even in the wake of Kane’s £100m departure to Bayern Munich, with Brennan Johnson snapped up, too.

James Maddison has been inspirational since arriving at Tottenham and is a natural leader

West Ham United – C

David Moyes’ Hammers are performing superbly so far in the Premier League.

This is despite an uneventful transfer window at the London Stadium, James Ward-Prowse the marquee signing in the centre of the park from relegated Southampton.

Mohammed Kudus also looks like a talent coming in from Ajax, with the Hammers pleased to get that deal over the line owing to interest from other potential suitors.

They will be somewhat disappointed by Harry Maguire not leaving Manchester United, the proposed deal having been on before eventually collapsing.

Still, West Ham will hope that a few major additions will be enough to succeed.

Mohammed Kudus left Ajax to join West Ham and made his debut in the victory over Luton

Wolves – D-

Gary O’Neil’s men are the last team to be ranked and they receive the most scathing verdict.

Wolves’ transfer outgoings make for grim reading. Indeed, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Ryan Giles and more have all left Molineux behind.

Managing to steer Bournemouth to survival against all odds, rookie O’Neil has been drafted in to hopefully do the same for a threadbare Wolves team.

Players have joined to try and plug glaring gaps, but it feels like a losing battle.

Wolves opted to bring back Matt Doherty on a free transfer and secure a cheap deal for Tom King from Northampton. It smacks of desperation.

Supporters will hope, perhaps in vain, that players such as Tommy Doyle and Santiago Bueno can lead their side to survival and perform above expectation.

Wolves spent frugally this summer, though Santiago Bueno joined for a reasonable fee

Transfer news live: Liverpool close in on Ryan Gravenberch and Tottenham continue Brennan

admin — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 11:45:44 +0000

12:42

BREAKING NEWS: Liverpool REJECT £150M bid from Al-Ittihad for Mo Salah

12:41

Clement Lenglet’s loan move to Aston Villa is confirmed

Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet has signed for Aston Villa on a season-long loan