We asked AI to recommend one transfer every Premier League club should make this summer. The decisions were based on squad need, tactical fit, likely availability, and whether the deal actually makes some sort of footballing sense.
Arsenal: Antonio Nusa
Arsenal’s attack has reached the point where it is no longer enough to simply have excellent starters. Mikel Arteta needs more players who can change the shape of a game from different zones, especially with Leandro Trossard’s departure removing one of the squad’s more useful connectors. Trossard was never the flashiest part of Arsenal’s forward line, but his ability to drift inside, combine quickly and cover multiple roles made him extremely valuable.
Antonio Nusa would give Arsenal a younger, more explosive version of that multi-zone profile. He can play from the left, attack inside channels, carry through pressure and operate as more than a touchline winger. With Sky Sports reporting that Vinicius Junior is likely to stay at the Bernabeu this summer, Nusa fits the more realistic Arsenal lane: high upside, technically secure, positionally flexible and still young enough to be shaped into exactly what Arteta wants.
Aston Villa: Oscar Gloukh
Aston Villa’s issue is not just replacing individual talent, it is restoring creative balance. Losing the kind of influence previously provided by Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans leaves Unai Emery needing a midfielder who can receive between the lines, connect with the forward players and add imagination without turning the middle of the pitch into a luxury showroom. Villa already have structure. They need someone who can bend it.
Oscar Gloukh makes sense because he sits neatly between a No.8 and No.10. He can take the ball on the half-turn, combine around the box and add final-third invention alongside a more vertical midfield profile like Johan Manzambi. Villa can offer him a clear developmental step, European-level ambition and a tactical environment where creative midfielders are not just tolerated but actively weaponised. He would not be a like-for-like replacement for anyone, but that is the point. He gives Villa a different kind of lock-pick.
Bournemouth: Soumaila Coulibaly
Marcos Senesi’s departure has made a left-sided centre-back the obvious lane for Bournemouth. Marco Rose’s side need defenders who can handle space, defend aggressively and still contribute in possession, which narrows the field quickly. That being said, Bournemouth have built well by finding players just before the rest of the league fully wakes up to them, so the task isn’t insurmountable.
Soumaila Coulibaly fits that recruitment logic. He is left-footed, mobile, physically well-equipped and still young enough to develop into a serious Premier League defender. His Bundesliga and France-developed background also feels like the type of market Bournemouth could realistically get into a room for, rather than a deal that requires Champions League football and a suitcase full of optimism. Coulibaly offers the blend of size, athleticism and upside needed to keep Bournemouth’s back line functioning in Rose’s high-energy system.
Brentford: Oumar Solet
Brentford have rarely been sentimental in the market, and this feels like another summer where they need to refresh the spine with a bit of physical authority. A centre-back who can lead, dominate duels and recover space would help stabilise a side that can occasionally look stretched when games become transitional. Brentford do not necessarily need the most fashionable defender available. They need one who makes opposition forwards have a more irritating afternoon.
Oumar Solet would bring the size, athleticism and duelling power that Brentford could use at the heart of their defence. At his best, he looks like exactly the sort of defender who can step into Premier League football and give a back line more bite. The obvious checks are fitness and consistency, because Brentford are not in the business of paying for theoretical dominance. But if those boxes are ticked, Solet’s age profile and physical tools make him a strong fit for a club that usually enjoys finding value where others see a small warning label.
Brighton: Emmanuel Emegha
Brighton and Hove Albion’s recruitment machine normally finds solutions before most people have spotted the problem, but centre-forward remains a slightly awkward area. Evan Ferguson’s development has not been entirely smooth, Danny Welbeck’s switch to Chelsea is imminent and Brighton still look like they could use a proper central reference point. Not a static target man, but a striker who gives them height, depth-running and penalty-box presence.
Emmanuel Emegha fits that mould. He has the physical upside Brighton tend to like, but also the mobility to run channels and stretch teams in a way that opens space for their technical players underneath. If Chelsea are willing to listen to offers despite him only joining last September, Brighton should at least be asking the question. It would be a very Brighton move: take a player whose pathway looks blocked elsewhere, give him tactical clarity and watch everyone pretend they knew it was obvious all along.
Chelsea: Castello Lukeba
Marc Cucurella’s transfer to Real Madrid leaves Chelsea short at left-back. The sale removes one of their more useful left-sided defensive profiles, especially in games where the full-back role becomes part defender, part build-up player and part emergency centre-back. Chelsea could chase another pure left-back, but a left-sided centre-back who can cover the channel may actually make more sense for a squad that still needs defensive balance.
Castello Lukeba is ambitious, particularly without European football, but the fit is clear. He is a natural left-sided centre-back with the mobility to defend wider spaces, the composure to help in build-up and enough physical quality to develop into a long-term pillar. Chelsea can offer Premier League money, a clearer route to starts than some Champions League clubs and the familiar “project” sell, which sounds less silly when the player is actually good. It would be expensive, but at least it would be expensive with logic attached.
Coventry: Dion Drena Beljo
With Carl Rushworth close to solving the goalkeeper issue, Coventry City can turn their attention to finding a centre-forward who can start straight away and offer a credible source of goals. Frank Lampard’s side need someone with No.9 presence, but not a static target man. The ideal fit is a striker who can occupy centre-backs, attack the box and still move well enough to suit a team that will need to play quickly through transitions.
Dion Drena Beljo has the frame and penalty-box instincts to lead the line, but there is enough mobility in his game to make him more than just a back-to-goal outlet. After rebuilding momentum away from Augsburg, he feels like the kind of forward Coventry could realistically sell the Premier League to.
Crystal Palace: Dario Osorio
Crystal Palace need more final-third craft, especially if their attack continues to evolve around flexible creators rather than a traditional No.10. The Palace model under Pierre Sage has room for players who can break lines, rotate across attacking zones and carry threat from slightly unusual angles. A pure central playmaker would help, but a left-footed wide creator who can also move inside may be even more useful.
Dario Osorio fits that brief nicely. He can play from the right, drift into attacking midfield spaces and use his ball-striking to threaten both as a creator and scorer. Palace have often done well when targeting players in an affordable bracket before they become obvious Premier League names, and Osorio feels like one of those. He is not a guaranteed plug-and-play starter, but he would add imagination, flexibility and a different final-third rhythm to a squad that could use all three.
Everton: Jaden Philogene
Everton’s need is less about adding another centre-forward and more about improving the supply line. With players like Thierno Barry and Beto already giving them central presence, David Moyes needs wide players who can beat a man, commit defenders and create better chances from open play. Everton have spent too long trying to turn honest endeavour into attacking fluency. There is only so much mileage in that.
Jaden Philogene would give them a proper 1v1 threat and a wide creator who can carry the ball into dangerous areas. If Ipswich Town need to cash in on some of their bigger assets to fund their own squad building, Everton should be alert. Philogene would not arrive as a finished product, but he has the directness and technical quality to change the feel of Everton’s attack. Around Barry or Beto, that kind of service matters more than simply adding another body up front.
Fulham: Fotis Ioannidis
Fulham need a reliable senior No.9, not another speculative punt. Losing Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson’s experience leaves Alvaro Arbeloa needing a forward who can lead the line now, occupy centre-backs and bring others into play. Fulham are usually at their best when the striker is more than a finisher. He has to give the attack a platform.
Fotis Ioannidis feels like the right level of ready-made and realistic. He has the frame to compete physically, the hold-up game to connect with Fulham’s wide players and the penalty-box presence to offer a more dependable focal point. Fulham can offer Premier League football, London and a clear route to being the main striker, which is a very clean sell for a forward ready to test himself in a bigger league. It is not a glamour signing, but Fulham do not need glamour. They need a grown-up No.9.
Hull: Ibrahim Osman
Hull City need a wide forward who can add speed, directness and a bit of unpredictability. Leon Bailey would be the more established version of that idea, but Ibrahim Osman offers a similar stylistic lane with a bigger developmental upside should that deal collapse. If Hull want a player who can carry the ball, attack space and give their forward line more electricity, Osman is the kind of move that makes sense.
The Brighton pathway is also important here. Osman has spent time out on loan since joining the club and the route into the first team does not look especially clear. That creates an opportunity for Hull to offer something valuable: regular minutes, attacking responsibility and a chance to become a key player rather than another name waiting politely in a Premier League queue. For a club trying to add edge in wide areas, this would be a smart swing.
Ipswich: Aster Vranckx
Ipswich Town have added plenty in attack and defence, but midfield control still feels like the area that could define their season. Without it, games can quickly become weekly firefights, which is fun for neutrals and absolutely dreadful for managers. Ipswich need a central midfielder who can give them more structure, physicality and calm in the middle third.
Aster Vranckx would be an interesting answer. He spent last season on loan at Sassuolo, but with the option to buy not triggered, there may be a market opening. He has the profile to play as a No.6 or a more conservative central midfielder, adding legs and security without completely killing Ipswich’s attacking intent. For a squad that has plenty of energy, Vranckx could provide some necessary control.
Leeds: Sebastian Boselli
With James Trafford effectively solving the goalkeeper issue, Leeds United can turn their attention to replacing defensive losses. Centre-back feels like the next clear priority. Daniel Farke’s side need defenders who can cope with Premier League speed, handle the ball well enough to support a possession structure and avoid turning every opposition transition into a small emergency.
Sebastian Boselli is a sensible next-step target. He has already made the transition to Europe during his loan spell in Italy, which matters for a player moving from South American football into a more tactically demanding environment. The Premier League would be another jump, but Leeds can offer him minutes, responsibility and a clear role in a young defensive group. It is the kind of signing that would not dominate the window, but could look very smart by the end of the year.
Liverpool: Malick Fofana
Liverpool’s squad planning has a few different lanes, but if Jeremy Jacquet covers the loss of Ibrahima Konate, the attack becomes more interesting. A Bradley Barcola-style left-sided ball-carrier would give Arne Slot another way to stretch teams, especially if Liverpool miss out on the Paris Saint-Germain winger or decide the price has exceeded their valuation.
Malick Fofana offers an alternative. He is direct, sharp over the first few yards and capable of carrying the ball from the left into central danger zones. Liverpool have long valued forwards who can play with intensity and threaten space without needing the whole attack built around them. Fofana would be more developmental than superstar, but that may be exactly the appeal. He gives Liverpool a high-upside left-sided option without forcing them into the most expensive version of the idea.
Man City: Giorgio Scalvini
Manchester City do not often need obvious repairs, but they do need succession planning at centre-back. Given the exits of Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and John Stones, Man City don’t have the luxury of looking a window or two ahead with their recruitment this time.
Giorgio Scalvini fits the Man City brief almost suspiciously well. He is tall, elegant, tactically educated and comfortable defending and playing through pressure. This is less an Ake-style signing and more a Stones-mould investment: a centre-back who can step into midfield spaces, read the game and become part of the structure rather than just the insurance policy behind it. If Atalanta are open to selling for the right price, Man City should be at the front of the queue.
Man Utd: Miguel Gutierrez
Manchester United need a durable, technical left-back. That sentence has been true for so long it should probably have its own plaque at Old Trafford. Luke Shaw’s quality is not really the question, but his availability is. Tyrell Malacia has left and Patrick Dorgu’s injury situation only adds to the need for a more reliable option on that side.
Miguel Gutierrez would give Man Utd a different level of security in possession. He is comfortable receiving under pressure, can contribute to build-up from deeper areas and offers the technical qualities needed for a side trying to play with more control. Man Utd do not just need a runner at left-back. They need someone who can help them progress play without the whole move requiring Bruno Fernandes to perform an escape act. Gutierrez would make sense as both an immediate starter and a long-term structural fix.
Newcastle: Arnau Martinez
Kieran Trippier leaving opens the right-back succession lane at Newcastle United. Tino Livramento is already there, of course, but Newcastle need enough depth and variation to compete properly, especially if the new manager wants different right-sided solutions depending on the opposition. The next signing does not need to be a Trippier clone. It needs to protect Newcastle from losing his technical influence entirely.
Arnau Martinez would be a smart fit. He can play as a traditional right-back, tuck inside, cover as a right-sided defender and help in build-up. That flexibility is valuable for a Newcastle side that can be direct but also need more control in possession. Martinez would give the Magpies another technical option without blocking Livramento’s development outright. It is succession planning with a bit of tactical usefulness attached, which is generally the good kind.
Nottingham Forest: Claudio Echeverri
Elliot Anderson leaving removes progression and creativity from Nottingham Forest’s midfield, and that is not easy to replace. Forest need someone who can carry or pass through pressure, connect midfield to attack and add imagination between the lines. The temptation may be to sign a guaranteed starter, but there is also value in adding a high-upside creator who can grow into a bigger role.
Claudio Echeverri would be that swing. He may not arrive as an immediate nailed-on starter, but his talent between the lines is obvious. He can receive in tight spaces, drive at defenders and add a more inventive final-third profile to Forest’s squad. The key sell is opportunity: Forest can offer him Premier League minutes and a pathway that may be harder to find at a super-club. It is a slightly more speculative move, but the upside is exactly why it is interesting.
Sunderland: Matias Soule
Sunderland are in a different place now. After a major squad-building push last summer, this feels like a window for quality over quantity, especially with European football strengthening their pitch. A marquee wide creator would make sense, and the right side is the obvious area if they want someone who can add craft rather than just straight-line pace.
Matias Soule would be a statement. He is a left-footed right winger who can drift inside, combine around the box and create through disguise and timing rather than simply running past people. If Roma are willing to cash in, and reports suggesting he has been offered to AC Milan indicate the market may be active, Sunderland should be ambitious.
Tottenham: Georges Mikautadze
Tottenham Hotspur need a striker, but not necessarily a fixed No.9 who only lives between the posts. Under Roberto De Zerbi, the forward has to link play, manipulate centre-backs, create space for runners and still arrive in scoring positions. Spurs need a striker who can be part of the mechanism, not just the final touch at the end of it.
Georges Mikautadze feels much more De Zerbi than a traditional penalty-box reference point. He is mobile, clever and comfortable drifting into pockets to combine, but still carries a real goal threat. That balance matters for a Tottenham side with wide and attacking-midfield players who want to attack the spaces a striker creates. Mikautadze would not be the loudest signing of the summer, but he might be one of the more coherent.