Ranked: The top 10 Premier League summer signings of 2024-25 so far
The upcoming January transfer window will allow Premier League clubs to tweak their squads but it’s the summer where the real game-changers arrive.
Some obscene amounts of cash were splashed around the English top flight several months ago, with the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Leny Yoro among the biggest movers. Those two names were ineligible for the following list due to having played less than 50% available minutes. But which summer transfers have actually made the biggest difference?
Read on for the top 10 signings from the most recent Premier League summer window, based on the Squawka Score*.
10. Pedro Neto
- From: Wolves
- To: Chelsea
- Fee: £54m
- Squawka Score: 66%
Pedro Neto was the most expensive part of Chelsea’s summer splurge and, after a stuttering start in the Premier League, he seems to be finding his feet. He has a goal and an assist in his last three appearances, contributions that were worth a win against Newcastle and a draw against Arsenal, no less.
Neto has also scored in the Conference League and EFL Cup and having started the last three Premier League games, his injection of pace and skill is there for all to see; the Portugal international has created five chances, completed five dribbles and attempted 10 shots in those matches alone.
9. Facundo Buonanotte
- From: Brighton and Hove Albion
- To: Leicester City
- Fee: Loan
- Squawka Score: 66%
Facundo Buonanotte has struggled for consistency since joining Brighton from Rosario Central in January 2023, but still only 19 years old, it’s clear he has immense talent. And the youngster is showing it on loan at Leicester City, where he’s notched three goals and two assists in 10 Premier League appearances. The former matches his best return so far in England — registered last season across 27 appearances — while the latter is as many as he managed during his entire time in England combined prior to this loan.
8. Sander Berge
- From: Burnley
- To: Fulham
- Fee: £25m
- Squawka Score: 66%
Sander Berge has already been around the block in England, now turning out for Sheffield United, Burnley and Fulham in the last three-and-a-half years. The Norway international has added some real bite to Marco Silva’s midfield, averaging 2.41 tackles, 1.89 aerial duels won and 2.07 interceptions per 90 minutes — the latter a team-high. Silva has challenged Berge to improve on the ball, with his passing and ability to retain possession one of his main strengths before arriving at Craven Cottage. But overall, the early signs have been good.
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7. Orel Mangala
- From: Lyon
- To: Everton
- Fee: Loan
- Squawka Score: 67%
Orel Mangala wasn’t exactly the most eye-catching signing of the summer and he did take a few games to get going. But Evertonians are now starting to take to him after some dynamic recent showings. The Belgium international’s best performance so far was in Everton‘s 2-1 comeback win at home to Crystal Palace, when he made four tackles, seven ball recoveries and five interceptions, while winning nine of 13 combined aerial and ground duels and misplacing just four of 33 passes.
Rumour has it Everton are considering using Lyon’s recent financial crisis to land Mangala in a cut-price permanent deal next summer.
- Read more: Why have Lyon been provisionally relegated?
6. Alex Moreno
- From: Aston Villa
- To: Nottingham Forest
- Fee: Loan
- Squawka Score: 67%
With Aston Villa adding Ian Maatsen to their left-back slot alongside Lucas Digne, Alex Moreno was always going to need a new home. He seems to have found the perfect solution in Nottingham Forest, where he’s clocked up 619 Premier League minutes so far and recently provided his first assist in a 3-0 win over West Ham United. On his debut against Liverpool, Moreno made six tackles to help Forest earn a clean sheet and a famous win. You can bet they’ll be weighing up making the loan permanent.
5. Liam Delap
- From: Manchester City
- To: Ipswich Town
- Fee: £15m
- Squawka Score: 68%
Liam Delap’s record at youth level for Man City was phenomenal but after managing just 12 goals in 68 Championship appearances on loan at Stoke, Preston and Hull over the past couple of years, few would have expected him to have such an impact in the Premier League.
However, Delap already has six Premier League goals to his name, accounting for exactly 50% of Ipswich‘s total haul so far, while only six players have managed more. Delap is the second-highest-scoring player not to score a penalty in the Premier League behind Yoane Wissa (7) and is on a one-man mission to keep the Tractor Boys in the top flight.
4. Elliot Anderson
- From: Newcastle United
- To: Nottingham Forest
- Fee: £35m
- Squawka Score: 69%
The figure of £35m felt like a sizeable amount for Nottingham Forest to pay for Elliot Anderson given his relative lack of senior starts for Newcastle. But the plain fact is he’s lit up Nuno Espirito Santo’s midfield, winning Forest’s first Player of the Month award of the season and even filling in for MVP Morgan Gibbs-White. Anderson already has three assists to his name in eight Premier League appearances, which is as many as he’d managed in his first 47 outings in the competition. Only Callum Hudson-Odoi (18) has created more chances for Forest than Anderson (14), while the two are joint-top when it comes to attempted dribbles (21) — with Anderson second once again (16-15).
3. Savinho
- From: Girona
- To: Manchester City
- Fee: £30.8m
- Squawka Score: 69%
Savinho was Manchester City‘s one major outlay last summer — notwithstanding the return of Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer — and the Brazilian took no time getting going with two assists in his first four Premier League appearances. Things have slowed down a little since then, but the Brazilian is still averaging 3.06 chances created and 3.57 take-ons completed per 90 minutes. It’s easy to forget that Savinho is still only 20 years old.
2. Evanilson
- From: FC Porto
- To: Bournemouth
- Fee: £40.2m
- Squawka Score: 71%
Bournemouth eclipsed their transfer record to sign Evanlison this summer and given he was the replacement for Dominic Solanke, it’s easy to see why they left nothing for chance. The two-time Brazil international netted 25 goals for Porto across all competitions last season and after a slow start, now has four goals in his last six Premier League matches, including his last three. Evanilson also looks comfortable in the build-up and is unafraid to get physical when required. In fact no striker has won possession more times in the final third than his total of seven this season. We think he’ll be just fine in the English top flight.
2. Dominic Solanke
- From: Bournemourg
- To: Tottenham
- Fee: £65m
- Squawka Score: 72%
Spurs’ signing of Solanke was of course the reason Bournemouth had to enter the market for Evanilson. As things stand, the two strikers are level for goals scored but Solanke’s score edges ahead due to, among other things, his one intentional assist. He averages 0.62 non-penalty expected goals per 90 minute, the fifth-most among all Premier League strikers. A strong indication he’ll be able to get close to the 19 goals he scored for Bournemouth during the previous Premier League campaign.
His off-the-ball work and link-up play has also been getting rave reviews from new manager Ange Postecoglou, who recently stated “he makes us a better team.”
1. Nikola Milenkovic
- From: Fiorentina
- To: Nottingham Forest
- Fee: £12m
- Squawka Score: 76%
Nikola Milenkovic built quite a reputation for himself in Italy and based on his performances for Forest so far, a £12m fee is an absolute steal. The 27-year-old is second among Forest players for aerial duels won (28), interceptions (10), possessions won in the defensive third (22) and clearances (38), which highlights his best quality: while others have outperformed him in individual areas, Milenkovic performs strongly in nearly all areas.
On a side note, three Nottingham Forest players in the top 10 represents a job well done for the Tricky Trees.
Honourable mentions: Aaron Ramsdale (65%), Joachim Andersen (64%), Yukinari Sugawara (62%), Jorgen Strand Larsen (60%)
How do Squawka player ratings work?
Squawka’s new player rating system is completely stats-based. Player scores are based on the numbers they put up across a range of on-ball events, from goals scored to tackles won.
Using extensive research and our expertise, we tailored each score to the players’ respective positions. For example, forwards are rated on metrics like shots on target, touches in the opposition box and big chances created. Meanwhile, centre-backs are rewarded for winning aerial duels, making blocks, successful long-range passes and so on.
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