Patrick Cutrone (Wolves)
Nuno Espirito Santo switched to a 3-5-2 formation during last season, with Raul Jimenez paired with Diogo Jota up top. The acquisition of Cutrone, who joins from Milan in a £16m deal, gives the Wolves boss another option as he prepares his side for a dual domestic and European campaign.
Many Milan fans were disappointed to lose the 21-year-old, who came through the San Siro side’s academy. Cutrone might not be an automatic starter at the beginning of the season but he is one worth keeping an eye on as 2019/20 progresses.
Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal)
Arsenal did not have too many problems scoring goals last term, finding the net 73 times – more than anyone outside the top two of Manchester City and Liverpool. Their weakness was at the other end of the field, but the Gunners have nevertheless focused on bolstering their attacking armoury this summer.
Pepe arrives for a club-record fee after a phenomenal 2018/19 in which he scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in Ligue 1 for Lille.
Moussa Djenepo (Southampton)
Southampton once had a reputation as the Premier League’s smartest club in terms of player and managerial recruitment, and they are no doubt keen to recapture that tag after it fell by the wayside in recent years.
The appointment of Ralph Hasenhuttl last season was inspired, and the Austrian will hope Djenepo similarly impresses on the south coast. The Malian winger is a speedy, direct dribbler who will add some unpredictability to Saints’ attack.
Rodri (Manchester City)
Rodri performed well in the Community Shield against Liverpool and will no doubt have a big role to play at the base of midfield this season, particularly as Fernandinho is now 34 years old.
With his calm distribution and astute positioning, the Spain international looks well suited to Pep Guardiola’s style of play. Still only 23, he also has plenty of room for improvement in the future.
Adam Webster (Brighton)
Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk have formed one of the division’s most reliable centre-back partnerships in the last two campaigns, but it could be broken up in 2018/19 even if the latter remains at the club amid interest from Leicester.
Webster was one of the Championship’s outstanding defenders last term, when he made 44 appearances for play-off challengers Bristol City. Composed in possession and a fine reader of the game, the 24-year-old should make an impression in the top tier.
Wesley (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa have been the Premier League’s busiest club in the transfer market, making no fewer than 12 new signings to mark their return to the top table. At £22m Wesley represents the most expensive buy, and he will hope to hit the ground running in the west Midlands following his move from Club Brugge.
The Brazilian reached double figures for goals in each of the last two seasons; doing so again would represent a successful first campaign in English football.
Pablo Fornals (West Ham)
West Ham are one of the sides who will hope to push the top six all the way this season, and the purchase of Fornals will no doubt aid that ambition. The attacking midfielder, who can operate as a No.10 or out wide, arrives in east London from Villarreal for a fee in the region of £24m.
A creative force, Fornals was part of the Spain team that won the European Under-21 Championship in the summer.
Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham)
After failing to make a signing for 18 months, Spurs ended their transfer drought with the acquisition of Ndombele last month. The ex-Lyon man has been earmarked as a successor to Mousa Dembele, whose ball-carrying ability was sorely missed when he moved to the Chinese Super League in January.
Ndombele was superb for Lyon in 2018/19 and was linked with a host of big European clubs this summer. His arrival at Spurs therefore boosts their chances of securing another top-three finish this time around.
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