Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: Premier League Transfer Window Winners & Losers

Overall Window Assessment

I think Arsenal did everything they wanted to do, and maybe a bit more. When you think of Eze, they didn’t think they were going to get him, but they did. So they obviously got a centre forward in Gyökeres, Zubimendi, you know, on the cards. They’ve got another couple of central defenders. Madueke as a cover for Saka. I might have missed somebody there, but yeah, I mean, you’d say it was a 10 out of 10 transfer window.

It’s not to say they’re going to win the league, but you know, when you do everything you wanted to do, which I think is what has happened at Arsenal, you’ve got to be satisfied.

Standout Signing

I think Zubimendi so far. He’s just settling in now. It’s a difficult debut at Man United, but he’s just beginning to show his class, and I think he moves the ball on so well. He’s a very good player, and I think he’ll do well. Gyökeres has been a little up and down, but he’ll be fine, and I think all of the signings will be good ones, but Zubimendi probably is just ahead of the queue there.

Record-Breaking Window

They’ve spent a record amount on a signing in Alexander Isak, as well as Ekitike, and all the rest. Slot didn’t do much at all when he first came in, so that’s given them the elbow room to spend that kind of money, and he looks like he spent it really well. I don’t know statistically whether that’s the most that’s been paid in a transfer window, but it probably is, isn’t it? And I think for Liverpool, it’s been a sensational window.

Isak’s Quality Assessment

I don’t know if he’s the best striker in the world, but when you think he’s given Saliba, Gabriel and Van Dijk a hard time. He’s given all the top defenders tough times, which is not easy to do. It’s not often you see the Arsenal central defence given the runaround, or Liverpool, and he’s just got that movement, that intelligence. He’s top class, he really is – up there in the top 5 at least, of central strikers in the world, I think.

Attacking Reinforcements

They’ve made a lot of signings, haven’t they? Obviously, they felt it needed pepping up in the final attacking third, even though they’ve scored 5 goals already in 3 games. It’ll be interesting to see how the deadline-day signings fare. Brian Brobbey, I don’t know much about. He didn’t have a great season with Ajax this last season, but before that, he’d scored goals. He’s only 23. It’s a big step up for him, so we’ll see.

Traoré, in and out of the Villa team, didn’t really convince, you know, playing on that right-hand side, cutting inside. I think he’s done well in Holland, by all accounts. So, who knows if he can kind of shine in the Premier League for Sunderland in the way that he couldn’t really for Villa, but I’ll certainly give it a go at Sunderland, you can’t deny that.

Overall Rating

They’ve probably done as much as they possibly could have. I’ll give them a good 9/10, definitely.

Isak Replacement Concerns

Do I think Wissa can replace Isak? No, in a word. He’s not on Isak’s level. They’ve got Woltemade now as well, though. It sounds like he’s a bit more of a 10, slightly withdrawn. It just shows you that maybe the lack of centre forwards around is why they paid £55 million for Wissa… I mean, Wissa, you know, he’s a good player, he’s had a good couple of seasons, but before that, not so great. We’d not really heard of him, I don’t think, in the top flights, anyway, but so, yeah, it’s one of those that you’re never gonna get a replacement straight, like for like, quality for quality, when it comes to Isak, so they’ll be hoping he can do well.

You know, because they’ve made some good signings in general, and with Woltemade, if he can do the business, then they’re not in a bad spot.

Relief After Saga Conclusion

It’s the worst possible start to pre-season, and leading up to the season, and the first few games as well, because you could argue that they’ve dropped points because of the Isak situation. They couldn’t get somebody in before they’d got him out. So, it’s not served them well at all. They’d be delighted to see an end to the whole Isak situation and get on with things. We saw against Liverpool what a very good team they can be, and if they can get one of those boys to be a proper centre forward for them. Then, again, they can have a really good season.

Lacklustre Summer

It just looks flat at Villa at the moment, doesn’t it? I think as a player, you want to see additions, even if it might affect your position, but you want to see quality coming into the club, you want to feel that the club is going places, the team is going to improve. That’s not happened at Villa, and it’s been an underwhelming start, to say the least, and to get beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace at home, you know, the alarm bells will be ringing.

They’ve done some business, haven’t they? On the last day, really, not outstanding business, I don’t think. You know, you look at Lindelof and Sancho, and I don’t know, question marks there. It’s not something that’s going to get the fans excited, I don’t think. So, we’ll see how that pans out.

Sancho Signing Doubts

I was surprised when I heard… Can he find some form?… I mean, he didn’t at Chelsea, did he? Didn’t do much at all at Chelsea. I probably saw his best game; he was at Bournemouth. Came off the bench and set up a goal. So yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know with Sancho. There’s a lot for him to prove.

So we’ll wait and see. Rashford had a pickup in form. You know, he did contribute. So, can Sancho do something similar? We’ll see on that, but I’ve got my doubts.

Attacking Deficiencies

I’ve got my doubts, to be honest. You know, Calvert-Lewin has come in. You know, can he stay fit? Can he reach the levels that he has done, at times in Everton colours? Nmecha doesn’t boast a great goal record at all. Got that penalty on the opening day against Everton.

It was interesting to see that Piroe, their top scorer last season, has been left on the bench Last time out. The likes of Dan James, who I don’t think is quite good enough for this level, make me think they would have hoped to have made more signings. I don’t know if they tried to do more. But the signings they have made, I don’t think, are going to be enough.

Relegation Concerns

Going into the season, I thought, oh, Leeds, you know, the home crowd, Elland Road and everything, maybe that’ll give them that advantage that’ll just allow them to stay up by the skin of the teeth. At the moment, it’s looking like Sunderland, their home advantage, and the players that they’ve signed could do that instead, so Leeds now are looking more likely for the drop. I know it’s very early days, but they’re looking more likely than Sunderland, I think, because Sunderland have got more to play with.