The Premier League new signings XI of 24/25 features Fulham pair

We have put together a Premier League new signings XI based on performances and not potential, so there’s no Chelsea and only one Man Utd.

GOALKEEPER: Arjanet Muric (Ipswich Town)
One of Vincent Kompany’s many mistakes last season as Burnley boss was steadfastly sticking with his expensive new signing James Trafford when Arjanet Muric was Right There. Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna is not about to make the same mistake and the excellence of Muric is one of many reasons Ipswich look the most likely of the promoted clubs to survive. His six saves at Brighton earned the Tractor Boys a very impressive point.

RIGHT-BACK: Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United)
How very Manchester United that the player who arrived with the least fanfare has clearly adapted to the Premier League with the smoothest transition; he was possibly the only outfield player to emerge with any credit from the shellacking by Tottenham. You might argue that the Manchester United right-back should not have made more challenges this season than any other Premier League right-back and yet…

CENTRE-BACK: Joachim Andersen (Fulham)
There was some low-key transfer brilliance from Fulham this summer and chief amongst a very solid series of decisions was sensing that Crystal Palace would sell Joachim Andersen for £30m rather than accepting double that price for Marc Guehi. We have said elsewhere that was one of the summer’s major mistakes but well done Fulham; Andersen is quite the upgrade on Chelsea’s Conference League centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo.

CENTRE-BACK: Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)
It’s a piece of bona fide transfer chicanery/magic that Forest sold Moussa Niakhate (15 Premier League starts last season) to Lyon for £27m and then somehow bought a long-time Serbian international centre-half from Fiorentina for less than half that price. He has been nothing short of a revelation for Forest (particularly in that famous win at Anfield), who now boast one of the finest – and definitely hardest – centre-half partnerships in the Premier League in Milenkovic and Murillo.

LEFT-BACK: Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal)
Over to Ian Wright: “He is very good. I always thought our left-hand side wasn’t properly activated. Even when we tried with [Oleksandr] Zinchenko or [Jakub] Kiwior, it hasn’t really worked. Even playing [Jurrien] Timber there hasn’t worked. With Calafiori, the way he activates Martinelli… he’s a whole different kettle of fish now.” So that’s the left side sorted now…Arsenal are really very good at this sh*t.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
Clearly a transfer influenced by PSR but actually a sound investment for Forest in an area that needed reinforcements. Anderson’s versatility has been a massive bonus for Forest in an impressive opening to the season. Has he been spectacular? No. Is there a real lack of central midfield signings who have walked straight into their new teams? Yes.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD: Amadou Onana (Aston Villa)
A really clever signing from Aston Villa of a player who had outgrown Everton. A genuine all-rounder, he has made more tackles than only a handful of Premier League midfielders but he has also contributed two goals. He’s still only 23 so will doubtless get better under Unai Emery, who will iron out some of the raw wrinkles in his game. And he’s just helped them beat actual Bayern Munich.

RIGHT FORWARD: Savinho (Manchester City)
The 20-year-old Brazilian describes his strengths as “playing joyful football”, “taking on opponents, being happy, getting the crowd on their feet” and Man City have already seen plenty of all that, with the assist for Erling Haaland’s goal v Arsenal perhaps an early highlight. A true success of the multi-club ownership model, Savinho has been a City player in waiting since he joined ‘Troyes’ two years ago. The early signs are that he is here to stay.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD: Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham)
Arsenal respected that Smith Rowe needed to play first-team football, while they were very grateful for the pure profit transfer, thank you very much; Smith Rowe has settled straight into life at Fulham, with one goal and two assists in his first six Premier League games. He is simply a classy footballer with an almost old-fashioned touch. The Cottagers really have played a blinder.

LEFT FORWARD: Iliman Ndiaye (Everton)
Creates problems with the ball at his feet and that has become something of an asset to Everton already, particularly as his presence allows Dwight McNeil to wreak havoc in the middle. “Ili’s playing unbelievably,” defender Michael Keane told Everton TV. “Everyone can see he’s a top player.” So top that he is reportedly nicknamed Skilli by his Toffees teammates. Mind you, the bar is awful low…

STRIKER: Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)
Chelsea are inevitably already being linked with a player who came through the Manchester City Academy system and worked with Enzo Maresca. Three goals in six games is a phenomenal start for a player who would be a bona fide £20m bargain if Ipswich somehow stay in the Premier League. That price keeps him ahead of Dominic Solanke here.