We asked our AI model which player every Premier League club should sign this season based on squad needs, realistic transfer fees and tactical fits. Find out which transfer it recommended for your club here.
Arsenal: Benjamin Sesko
From a tactical perspective, the best striker signing for Arsenal would depend on how Mikel Arteta wants to evolve his attack. But based on their current system — 4-3-3 with fluid wide players and a deep-lying No.9 — the ideal striker will have to link play with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. He’ll also have to press aggressively off the ball and be comfortable receiving under pressure or in the half-space. As well as scoring plenty of goals, of course.
Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak certainly fit this profile and have been subject to press speculation over a move. But Benjamin Sesko is the closest to a complete striker profile for Arsenal according to AI. Coming from the Red Bull model, Sesko is a well-coached presser of the ball and showcased his goalscoring ability with 21 goals across all competitions for Die Roten Bullen in 2024-25. He offers the best balance of profile, price and potential over the other big names being linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Aston Villa: Jon Aramburu
While Matty Cash has proved to be a dependable right-back in his five seasons at Villa Park, he is not the most progressive passer of the ball. With a pass completion rate of just 84.55% last season, Villa can certainly upgrade in this position by finding a more tactically versatile defender. And one who is more suited to playing in a higher defensive line.
One man who could fit this bill perfectly according to AI is Jon Aramburu of Real Sociedad. At just 22, he has potential to develop into a world class full-back as he has a larger passing range, is more confident in possession under pressure and can offer more of an attacking threat to this Villa side’s attack. The only drawback? He recently signed a new deal that runs until 2030, so he won’t come cheap if he’s the man that Emery opts for. In other words, they’ll need the cash if they want an upgrade on Cash.
Bournemouth: Yarek Gasiorowski
Dean Huijsen has already joined Real Madrid and his regular partner Illia Zabarnyi is reportedly a target for Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. So strengthening at centre back is the top priority for the Cherries in this window. A potentially perfect fit for this squad could be 20 year old Yarek Gasiorowski, currently of Valencia. A comfortable ball-playing defender, he would be able to slot in as the ideal Huijsen replacement as a progressive passer who also offers a presence within aerial duels — with plenty of potential for development.
The Spain Under-19 international fell out of favour at Mestalla in the second half of last season following Carlos Coberan’s arrival as head coach. So Gasiorowski could be available on a cut-price deal. Having signed Huijsen as he struggled to break into the Juventus first-team, moving to bring in another mobile young defender yearning for game time but with clear potential and aggressive defensive capabilities could be a smart move for Andoni Iraola and his recruitment team this summer.
Brentford: Ben Doak
Ben Doak scored three goals and provided seven assists in 24 Championship appearances while on loan at Middlesbrough in 2024-25. And he’ll be keen to ensure his career doesn’t stagnate at Anfield. With Florian Wirtz already arriving at the Merseyside club this summer, first-team opportunities could be even harder to come by for the Scotland international next season. So a move to a club that could be set to lose some of its key attacking outlets might be smart.
The 19 year old’s explosive ball-carrying ability and relentless pressing could make him a perfect fit for a Brentford outfit that will dearly miss those elements if Bryan Mbuemo is to leave the club. And while he may not be able to replace his goalscoring output immediately, Doak has huge upside and room to grow at a club that has an excellent reputation for nurturing precocious talents.
Brighton: Juanlu Sanchez
While the homegrown Jack Hinshelwood has filled in admirably at right-back for the ageing Joel Veltman and the injury-prone Tariq Lamptey, Brighton and Hove Albion could again be set to turn to Spain to fill the right-back slot in their squad. Juanlu Sanchez has been earmarked as somebody who could continue the tradition of Spanish right-backs at the Amex after Martin Montoya and club legend Bruno Saltor.
Comfortable either as an attacking full-back or winger, the Sevilla man’s numbers are impressive and he averaged 2.61 tackles per 90 minutes in La Liga in 2024-25. But he really excels going forward, providing four assists and scoring four goals last season while creating 1.31 chances per 90 with his fine crossing ability and progressive play. Unfortunately for Brighton, Sanchez’s new contract saw his release clause reportedly doubled to £38m in April. So the Seagulls might have to look for a more affordable full-back option in this particular window.
Burnley: Kasper Dolberg
Defence is clearly not much of an issue for Scott Parker’s Burnley side based on their record in the Championship last season. But Josh Brownhill was their top scorer with 18 goals from midfield last term and a lack of firepower is a clear concern for the Turf Moor faithful. That’s despite Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming both making their loan spells permanent during the January window.
Kasper Dolberg was once tipped for great things after bursting onto the scene at Ajax. He has always been strong at dropper deep to allow on-rushing wingers to run in behind — something that Parker may look for. Burnley are likely to adopt a counter-attacking approach to deal with the stronger opponents in the Premier League. Dolberg has enjoyed the best goalscoring form of his career since moving to Anderlecht, racking up 24 goals in all competitions last season. It could be the right time for the 27-year-old Danish international to make a Premier League switch and Burnley would be all too happy to bring in such a composed finisher with a decent aerial presence.
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Chelsea: Mike Maignan
Mike Maignan has been consistently linked with Chelsea this summer and our AI agrees with their recruitment team in suggesting him as their top priority this summer. The French international possesses exceptional reflexes, a commanding presence in the area, and excellent under-pressure decision-making — all traits that would elevate the Blues’ defensive reliability as they look to upgrade on the unpopular Robert Sanchez between the sticks.
Of course, a key element of Maresca’s tactical plan is to have a ball-playing goalkeeper and Maignan would provide a considerable upgrade on Sanchez in this department. His passing accuracy last season was up at 84.72% in comparison to Sanchez’s 65.3% and his long pass accuracy is even more impressive up at 50.12% in comparison to just 27.93% for Sanchez. What’s more, Maignan’s AC Milan contract is up next summer so the Rossoneri may feel compelled to cash in while they can.
Crystal Palace: Nathan Zeze
It could be a case of Eze out, Zeze in at Selhurst Park this summer. At just 20 years old, Nantes defender Nathan Zeze has not only shown incredible composure on the ball under pressure but also impressive decision-making beyond his years. He knows when to step forward aggressively to win the ball while showing great athletic ability to cover in behind at the same time.
The numbers are impressive too. Zeze averaged 2.26 tackles, 1.37 interceptions and 7.08 clearances completed per 90 in Ligue 1 last season. And with 85.8% passing accuracy he ranked well among central defenders in the French top tier in 2024-25. The youngster has been loosely linked with the likes of Juventus and Liverpool, but he could be considered the ideal replacement for Marc Guehi should the England centre-back finally secure a move away from south London during this transfer window.
Everton: Takefusa Kubo
Everton have a lot of gaps to plug this summer. With Jack Harrison’s loan coming to an end and both Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil preferring to play other roles, a quality right-sided attacker may be the most pressing need. In Takefusa Kubo, the AI model suggests bringing in an inverted winger with excellent ball-carrying ability and the kind of high workrate required to fit comfortably into David Moyes’ plan for the Toffees in their first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Although primarily left-footed, 24-year-old Kubo prefers to play off the right and he does offer a goal threat with seven goals to his name for Real Sociedad last year. The Toffees have been linked to the Japanese international for some time and although he would primarily be brought in to provide a creative spark — having completed the sixth-highest amount of take-ons in La Liga last season — he also won the seventh-highest amount of possessions in the final third. And that kind of workrate will certainly make Moyes take notice.
Fulham: Nicolas Kuhn
The wide areas were also identified as a key target for Fulham this summer. Reiss Nelson’s loan has come to an end and Andreas Pereira is being heavily linked with a move back to his native Brazil. One man who could fill this gap is Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn. But the Cottagers will have to act fast to secure his signature with RB Leipzig and Como also reportedly interested in securing the 25-year-old’s signature this summer.
Kuhn is a direct, vertical winger who has an eye for goal, scoring 21 times across all competitions for the Bhoys last season including three in the Champions League. And Marco Silva clearly values players with this skill-set, with Fulham having the second-highest amount of successful take-ons last season. They also ranked well for progressive carries and carries into the final third. A strong, high-intensity winger with a genuine final product could do wonders for this Fulham attack.
Leeds: Noah Atubolu
Ask any Leeds United fan and they’ll tell you that top of the priority list this summer is a new goalkeeper. And our AI model seems to agree. Daniel Farke is likely to continue taking a possession-based approach despite promotion from the Championship, so he needs a goalkeeper that has accurate distribution as well as being a top-level shot-stopping goalkeeper. Leeds are likely to see their goal come under more pressure this season playing at a higher level.
With 73 first-team appearances to his name at the age of just 23, Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu perfectly fits this mould. The Germany U21 international has excellent physical attributes and is more comfortable with the ball at his feet than Meslier. He completed 31.7 open play passes per 90 last season compared to the Frenchman’s 24 and enjoyed a long pass accuracy of 41.77%, compared to Meslier’s 27.3%. He’s a dab hand in saving spot-kicks too, stopping four of the seven penalties he’s faced in the Bundesliga.
Liverpool: Victor Osimhen
Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Florian Wirtz have already joined Liverpool this summer for a substantial outlay. But there may still be room in the budget for another central striker as patience appears to have ran thin with Darwin Nunez. While Luis Diaz performed admirably in that role at times, if Nunez is to exit this summer, it would leave space for a more physically dominant striker to give Arne Slot another option in attack.
Victor Osimhen looks set to finally leave Napoli on a permanent deal this summer and Liverpool could do worse than to bring him in. He racked up 37 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions while on loan at Galatasaray last season, offering a consistency in goal that Nunez could only dream of.
Man City: Arnau Martinez
Arnau Martinez is not yet a star name, but that isn’t to say he wouldn’t be a good fit for this Manchester City side. Pep Guardiola has already bolstered his squad significantly in 2025. But Rico Lewis is being tipped for more of a midfield role and Matheus Nunes is probably not considered a long-term option. So a Kyle Walker replacement is still on the shopping list for this summer and Martinez could well be the man to fit the bill.
A quick and versatile player, Martinez would be more than comfortable stepping into midfield and covering the centre-backs as Guardiola prefers from his full-backs. And he has strong technical ability to play through the press, which is of course also a key component of any Man City player. The fact he plays for Girona, who are owned by the City Football Group, should mean it’ll be fairly easy to get a deal over the line.
Man Utd: Viktor Gyokeres
If they can pull it off, signing Viktor Gyokeres feels like a no-brainer for Manchester United this summer. While not the sole reason for the Red Devils’ struggles last season, the form of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee was a huge factor in such a disappointing campaign. The pair managed just seven Premier League goals between them in 2024-25. So bringing in a striker who racked up an eye-watering 54 goals in all competitions last term including six in the Champions League would be fantastic.
The role that the Swedish international has been playing in at Sporting CP this season is the exact role he’d be expected to fulfil at Man Utd. After all, it was under Amorim that he began to really flourish in the Primeira Liga. If Gyokeres can bring that same dynamism, link-up play and variety of finishing he showed in Lisbon into a Premier League setting, his signing would be a real signal of intent from the Old Trafford hierarchy this summer.
Newcastle: Yeremy Pino
While Jacob Murphy performed above expectations for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United outfit last season, the feeling remains that the Magpies will need an upgrade on the right-wing as they head into another Champions League campaign. At just 22, Yeremy Pino wouldn’t be a player to add immediate Champions League experience and quality, but he would be a perfect tactical fit for Howe who favours direct, ball-carrying wingers with high workrate.
With four goals and seven assists in La Liga last season, Pino has shown glimpses of what he can offer in the final third. But what could make him an attractive proposition for Newcastle is his verticality and commitment to the press. With an impressive take-on success rate of 50% and an average of 7.6 forward passes per game (more than Anthony Gordon last season for example), his directness would surely make him a quick fan favourite at St James’ Park.
Nottingham Forest: Alassane Plea
Although Nottingham Forest’s starting XI is strong, they seriously need to improve their strength in depth this summer — particularly ahead of their first European campaign in 30 years. Bringing in players with versatility and European experience in attack is key as few players can fill in for Morgan Gibbs-White should he pick up an injury. Chris Wood is also unlikely to maintain the performance levels he showed last season as he turns 34 by the end of the calendar year.
At 32, Alassane Plea could be a perfect fit for this Forest side. Although he does appear to want to remain at Borussia Monchengladbach, the Frenchman only has one year left on his contract and racked up 11 goals last season from a shot accuracy of 53.85%. He also provided four assists from 26 chances created. The ability to play in any of the front four positions is pivotal, but Plea would also bring invaluable experience for the Tricky Trees’ Uefa Conference League campaign. The Frenchman has featured in over 30 European games during his career.
Sunderland: Jan Bednarek
Sunderland will need to strengthen in several positions this summer. So picking up some much-needed Premier League experience on a cut-price deal would be handy. Despite Southampton’s struggles last season, Jan Bednarek still managed to average 4.4 duels won with an aerial success rate of 66%. He also averaged 6.8 clearances, two interceptions and 1.3 blocked shots per 90.
With over 180 appearances at Premier League level at age 29, Bednarek would bring experience of the division without sacrificing any physicality. And he’s also more comfortable in possession than Luke O’Nien or Dan Ballard. With Besiktas amongst the clubs seemingly interested in Bednarek this summer, it seems a move of some sort is likely for the Polish international.
Tottenham: Adam Wharton
Adam Wharton has been at Crystal Palace for just 18 months but it seems inevitable that he’ll leave the club at some point. Tottenham Hotspur supporters will be hoping he makes the relatively short move from south London to north. The Lilywhites are in dire need of midfield reinforcements, particularly a positionally disciplined No.6 who can start attacks from deep while offering some protection to the defence.
Wharton is excellent at keeping possession but he’s also an expansive passer of the ball. He created an average of 1.8 chances per 90 last season, with a long pass accuracy of 57.14%. Wharton also won the ball in the middle third once every 26 minutes on average, the 11th-best rate in the Premier League. At just 21, he would fit with Tottenham’s current philosophy of acquiring youthful talent with huge potential.
West Ham: Brian Brobbey
Another summer has come along and another striker is required at West Ham United. It almost feels like the Hammers are in need of attacking reinforcements every summer. With Niclas Fullkrug managing to start just six Premier League games last season they’re in the same position again this summer. And a move for Ajax striker Brian Brobbey may seem more realistic after a difficult campaign last time around in which he scored just four Eredivisie goals.
While not as aerially dominant as Fullkrug, Brobbey does have a physical element to his game. Nut he’s more likely to drop in deeper to link play, in the same way that Neal Maupay did so successfully for manager Graham Potter at Brighton, which could help bring more out of the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohamed Kudus. The London Stadium faithful may be longing for a goalscoring hero and while Brobbey isn’t likely to be that, he could quite comfortable be the man to unlock the rest of the Hammers frontline.
Wolves: James McAtee
It’s imperative that Wolverhampton Wanderers replace Matheus Cunha this summer after his move to Man Utd. The Brazilian was the talisman at Molineux for the last few seasons and slotted perfectly into Vitor Pereira’s preference for two No.10s. But finding a player who can immediately replace his goal output seems unlikely, so making a move for a talented youngster in need of more game time and giving them an opportunity to develop may be more realistic.
Although he was limited to just 342 Premier League minutes for Man City last season, McAtee still found the net three times. He also showed his attacking ability in the two previous seasons while on loan with Sheffield United, scoring 12 goals and making six assists across 67 appearances in both the Championship and the Premier League. McAtee has exceptional close control and vision and could develop into a rounded threat at Premier League level in the right environment.