Early Summer Signings Roundup
Yes, July is here boys and girls! Summer is in full swing - time to lounge by the pool and brush up on the legality of fireworks in your area. It is also a significant time for those who follow the Premier League, as July marks the traditional opening of the summer transfer window.
Since the 2014/2015 season ended, it has been a month or so of taking a break from the nonstop activity of the Premier League. A chance to recharge the batteries since nothing was really going on.
Or WAS there?
Even though the official kickoff for the summer transfer season began yesterday, you may have noticed some players have already been on the move in recent weeks. In the Premier League, despite yesterday's traditional significance, deals can be hammered out as soon as the season ends, with only the date of July 1 needed to formally make the transfer official.
In all, there have been three dozen players who have signed with new Premier League clubs between season's end and yesterday, and that does not even include PL players who have moved on to play outside the league. What follows are the players joining new teams within the PL, which is what matters most to fantasy managers out there, and a brief look at what their arrival means in terms of playing time or a possible position battle.
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Some significant fantasy producers have joined their new club, as have some that look to be no more than squad depth. No matter, what follow is the full comprehensive list of players that have joined new clubs, including through yesterday (July 1). We are only a month and a week away from PL action! It is time to start studying up, beginning with a look at these Early Summer Signings:
Arsenal
Peter Cech (fee: £10m) - The Gunners only addition so far, but it is a big one. The veteran Cech is being looked at as the possible key to Arsenal's title hopes as he will surely be top choice ahead of Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina.
Aston Villa
Scott Sinclair (fee: undisclosed) - After a loan spell with the Villans last season, Tim Sherwood must have liked what he saw in Sinclair as they sign him permanently from Man City. He will still be fighting for a regular spot out wide with the likes of youngster Jack Grealish and veteran Charles N'Zogbia as of right now.
Bournemouth
Artur Boruc (fee: free) - Boruc was instrumental for Southampton in their promotional season and will look to do the same as the projected #1 shirt for the Cherries, unseating their regular keeper from last season, Lee Camp.
Adam Federici (fee: free) - Bournemouth settled their keeper issues quickly by also adding PL-experienced Federici, who will likely slot in behind Boruc on the depth chart.
Joshua King (fee: free) The Norwegian international could get a shot a regular playing time, but if the Cherries are playing a lone striker, it appears he will be behind 20-goal man Callum Wilson.
Christian Atsu (fee: loan) Chelsea loaned Atsu out to Everton last season, and the wide man barely saw any action. With this promoted side, that figures to change drastically as Atsu should get a good shot at regular playing time.
Tyrone Mings (fee:£8m) The Cherries' record signing, Mings looks to be the nailed-on left back from day one and for the foreseeable future. He should be on everyone's fantasy radar.
Chelsea
Kenedy (fee: undisclosed) The Brazilian teenage forward has plenty of talent to attract the Blues but would seem a longshot to be a major influence in the first team in his first season. He has drawn comparisons to Hulk with his style of play.
Crystal Palace
No new players in for Palace at this time.
Everton
Tom Cleverley (fee: free) Cleverley's joins the Toffees after his contract expired with Manchester United. He will be one to monitor this preseason as his path to regular minutes is uncertain but a good showing leading up to league play could make hime a regular as the Everton midfield was highly inconsistent last year, and a spot is there for the taking.
Leicester City
Christian Fuchs (fee: free) The veteran left back has plenty of starting experience for former club FC Schalke and the Austrian national team, making him the odds-on choice of nailing down the position for the Foxes this summer. Exciting youngster Jeffrey Schlupp will still be a factor further up the pitch.
Robert Huth (fee: undisclosed) Huth arrived via loan from Stoke last season and was a big reason for their late push in the second half of the season. He looks to partner Wes Morgan as the regular center back pairing for the Foxes, though they may go five at the back again next season.
Shinji Okazaki (fee: undisclosed) Okazaki figures to be in the mix at the forward position, as he attempts to translate his current goal leader status for the Japan national team into PL success. Leo Ulloa stands to be threatened the most as Okazaki is thought best deployed in the center forward role.
Liverpool
James Milner (fee: free) Liverpool were shopping early and often, beginning with Milner who looks to be an excellent addition with his versatility, work rate, and with the departure of Steven Gerrard, a leader in the clubhouse.
Danny Ings (fee: Tribunal decision) The coveted Ings lands at Anfield where he should get regular playing time from the jump as Daniel Sturridge works his way back to fitness. He is ahead of Mario Balotelli and Ricky Lambert immediately in the pecking order.
Adam Bogdan (fee: free) The ex-Bolton keeper has top flight experience but will be no more than a backup to the established #1, Simon Mignolet.
Joe Gomez (fee: £3.5m) The teenager has been one of England's top defensive prospects and his resume continues to grow. He will likely be on the fringes of the first team for the Reds this season however.
Roberto Firmino (fee: £29m) A major signing for the Reds, the central attacking midfielder has made a huge leap in development in the past year , being named the Bundesliga's "Breakthrough Player of the Year". It shouldn't take long for him to stake a claim in the XI, and will have an even more guaranteed path to regular playing time if/when Raheem Sterling departs.
Nathaniel Clyne (fee: £10m) Courted by the Reds for quite some time, Clyne's move to Anfield became official today. He looks to become the nailed-on right back immediately for Brendan Rodgers.
Manchester City
No new players in for Man City at this time.
Manchester United
Memphis Depay (fee: £31m) The biggest signing of the summer so far goes to the prized Dutch winger, who will hope to adapt with relative ease as Louis Van Gaal guides him. He looks to be a major fantasy weapon for the Red Devils at some point but it may take time to establish himself. He has to adapt to the rigors of the PL, which is a giant leap from Depay's experience in the Dutch Eridivisie. Considering the trials and tribulations Falcao and Angel Di Maria went through last season, Depay has to try and defeat the reputation of a major signing struggling at Old Trafford.
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Newcastle United
No new players in for Newcastle at this time.
Norwich City
Graham Dorrans (fee: undisclosed) Dorrans was loaned out by the Baggies to the Canaries midway through last season and he made 13 appearances for them down the stretch. He figures to be a regular at Carrow Road next season.
Youssouf Mulumbu (fee: free) The veteran PL defensive midfielder will have a crack at regular playing time for the Canaries but has never been much of a factor in fantasy.
Southampton
Juanmi (fee: £5m) The 22-year old Spanish forward has promise but will need to earn time on the pitch along with a cluster of talented attacking players at Ronald Koeman's disposal.
Cedric (fee: £4.7m) The Saints were proactive in looking for a right back to replace the thought-to-be-departing Nathaniel Clyne and they captured the talented Cedric, who looks to be just as guaranteed at the RB spot as Clyne was.
Maarten Stekelenburg (fee: loan) With Fulham still in the Championship, they have loaned out the veteran Stekelenburg for another season, this time to S'oton. He figures to be the starter until Fraser Forster returns from injury.
Stoke City
Philipp Wollscheid (fee: undisclosed) Wollscheid had a second half of the season loan spell with the Potters last season, being rotated in and out of the XI. He will look to nail a more permanent spot down this campaign, but nothing is guaranteed.
Jakob Haugaard (fee: undisclosed) The young Danish keeper will hope to have the same impact with Stoke that his fellow countryman Thomas Sorensen did, but he is clearly behind Asmir Begovic for now in the depth chart.
Sunderland
No new players in for Sunderland at this time.
Swansea City
Andre Ayew (fee: free) Don't let the free transfer fool you, Ayew is a major talent entering his prime at the age of 25. He looks to be an immediate first-teamer. With his preferred position wide left, it would likely mean less pitch time for Jefferson Montero.
Franck Tabanou (fee: undisclosed) The French left back is another entering his prime at 26 years of age. He figures to be in a tight position battle with Neil Taylor, with Tabanou the favorite to establish the job as his at some stage in the season.
Kristoffer Nordfeldt (fee: £600,000) With the departure of Gerhard Tremmel, Nordfeldt was signed to back up established starter Lukasz Fabianski.
Tottenham
Kevin Wimmer (fee: undisclosed) Spurs add a youthful center back that could one day be first choice, but looks to need time to establish that role, so it is a wait and see approach for fantasy managers.
Kieran Trippier (fee: undisclosed) A fantasy stud last season for Burnley, it was clear Trippier belonged in the top flight. He immediately enters a position battle at right back with Kyle Walker.
Watford
Sebastian Prodl (fee: undisclosed) Prodl arrives from Werder Bremen, where he had seen a fair amount of playing time since 2008 and also has 49 caps for the Austrian national team. He should be afforded every opportunity this summer to nail down a regular center back spot.
West Bromwich Albion
James McClean (fee: £1.5m) McClean returns to the PL after spending last season with demoted Wigan. He has shown periods of success in the past as an attacking midfielder, a position in need of a serious upgrade for the Baggies, so he should factor as a regular this season and could be a nice early season bargain buy in fantasy.
West Ham United
Darren Randolph (fee: free) With Jussi Jaaskelainen having moved on, the Hammers needed a backup for established #1 shirt Adrian. They got their man in Randolph.
Pedro Obiang (fee: free) By way of Serie A, Obiang is a defensive-minded midfielder who has been projected for a very promising career. His immediate playing time will hinge on whether or not the rumor of signing Alex Song to a permanent deal goes through. Even if it does, it shouldn't take long for Obiang to carve out a regular role at the expense of someone like Mark Noble.
Dimitiri Payet (fee: undisclosed) An attacking midfielder, Payet should have plenty of opportunity to stake a claim in a side that needs a bit more flair in the attack. He could play centrally, pushing Stewart Downing out wide, cutting into the playing time of guys like Matt Jarvis.
Follow the RotoWorld_PL team on Twitter: Galin | Jeremy | Neal | Nik | Steve | Ben | Rob | Matt
