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Declan Rice, Cole Palmer and the 13 best Premier League signings of the 2023-24 season – ranked

This campaign will likely be remembered more for its poor transfers than its good ones, but that’s not to say there hasn’t been any smart recruitment

There’s been a lot of focus on poor Premier League signings over the past few seasons. Most of these sins have been committed by Chelsea and Manchester United, though these recruitment blunders have been witnessed throughout the league.

This seems to prove how difficult it can be to get good value for your money when every selling club knows how well-resourced you are. However, it’s not all bad news for Premier League sporting directors. Amid this deluge of disappointment, there’s been other signings that have thrived at their new clubs during the 2023-24 season.

From free agents rekindling the magic of their youth, to record-breaking fees being forgotten about in a matter of games, GOAL takes a look at some of the players that have bucked the trend. Here are the 13 best signings of the Premier League season:

13. James Maddison – Tottenham (£40m)

Were it not for an ankle injury picked up in November, Maddison would no doubt be significantly higher on this list. Snapped up by Spurs for a reasonable fee following Leicester’s relegation, he was Tottenham’s best player as they went on a 10-game unbeaten run to kick-off this season.

But Maddison has not been the same since suffering that knock in a dramatic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea. He’s still had his moments, but has actually found himself out of the team at times towards the end of the campaign. Regardless, with a full pre-season to fully recover, he should form part of what could be a seriously exciting 2024-25 for Tottenham.

12. Wataru Endo – Liverpool (£16m)

Emerging as an apparent stop-gap for Liverpool after they missed out on the signings of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, Endo has defied the modest expectations placed on him at the beginning of the season.

After a slow start, the former Stuttgart man broke into the first team just before Christmas, with his presence at the base of midfield allowing Jurgen Klopp to get more out of Alexis Mac Allister in a more advanced role.

The German summed up Endo’s underrated contributions perfectly after his side’s Carabao Cup final triumph over Chelsea. “I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool. Just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport, but he’s not. He’s a machine,” he said.

“He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”

11. Pedro Porro – Tottenham (£39m)

During his initial loan spell in the second half of last season, it was difficult to see what all the fuss was about when it came to Porro. However, freed from the dysfunction that was plaguing Spurs at the time, Porro has been absolutely sublime this season.

Only a select few Premier League performers have completed more tackles than the Spaniard, and his contributions with the ball have been equally eye-catching. Instructed to invert in possession by Ange Postecoglou, Porro is a key cog in his team’s build-up, though he’s also been decisive in the final third, racking up an impressive number of assists.

10. Mohammed Kudus – West Ham (£38m)

Kudus’ final act in an Ajax shirt was scoring a thrilling hat trick in a 4-1 Europa League qualification victory over Bulgarian side Ludogorets. It had West Ham fans salivating ahead of his £38m ($47.4m) move, and the Hammers faithful have been treated to a string of similarly magic moments from the Ghanaian during his first season at the club.

He was introduced to the team slowly by David Moyes, much to some fans’ frustration, but he’s now one of the team’s most important pieces. More than that, though, his ability to do the unexpected has kept fans engaged during what has been a sometimes challenging season.

9. Pau Torres – Aston Villa (£31.5m)

Aston Villa’s progress since Unai Emery took over has been relentless. The addition of Torres to their backline was an important part of this process, with the long-time Manchester United target’s distribution unmatched by most defenders in the Premier League.

It’s not just his passing that’s made him such a success either. Torres has a masterful grasp of Emery’s offside trap, a ploy which has got the better of a host of the division’s best centre-forwards. Villa will be very satisfied that they managed to sign the ex-Villarreal man ahead of the host of top clubs that were also interested last summer.

8. Guglielmo Vicario – Tottenham (£17.2m)

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham all opted to change goalkeepers this summer. And after being linked with several higher-profile names, Spurs eventually settled on Empoli stopper Vicario as their new No.1.

Despite a lack of hype, it soon became clear that Tottenham had chosen very wisely. Hugo Lloris’ inability to play out from the back would have always made him a difficult fit for Ange Postecoglou’s frightfully high line, and Vicario’s arrival has played a pivotal role in making this bold approach work.

His goalkeeping basics have been impressive too, and while the Italian does need to prove he can command his box to an elite level, with teams punishing Tottenham from set-pieces during the run-in, he’s still been an inspired signing.

7. Kai Havertz – Arsenal (£65m)

“Now don’t jump down my throat when I say this, let me finish the statement: Havertz is the new Ozil… without the talent.” That was disgraced Sky Sports broadcaster Richard Keys’ take on the German back in August – and he was far from the only one piling in on the former Chelsea forward during the early part of the season.

After Christmas, though, Havertz began to put those challenging beginnings behind him, piecing together a string of outstanding displays. Now, he’s well into double figures for goals and has also racked up a decent number of assists. Havertz’s importance goes beyond stats, though. While leading the line in the final third of the season, he has allowed those around him to thrive, giving Arteta’s side a physical presence up front and creating space with his intelligent runs.

Yes, he likely will have wanted to score a few more goals, but it’s now hard to argue that his signing has not been a success.

6. Ross Barkley – Luton Town (free)

Barkley’s resurgence at Luton has been one of the most uplifting stories of the Premier League season. Once tipped as English football’s next big thing, his career hit the rocks following a surprising move to Chelsea in 2018.

He showed flashes of promise with Nice last season, but nothing compared to his heroics for the Hatters over the past few months. The beating heart of Rob Edwards’ underdogs, Barkley has added some much-needed spark to Luton’s ranks and, perhaps more importantly, managed to stay fit for the entire season. He’s perhaps not done quite enough to earn a spot in the England squad this summer, but he’d have no shortage of Premier League suitors should his current side get relegated.

5. David Raya – Arsenal (loan)

Mikel Arteta’s ruthless decision to dispense with Arsenal No.1 Aaron Ramsdale last summer was met with widespread outcry. At one point, amid Raya’s shaky start to life at the Emirates, Ramsdale’s father even got involved.

But, in the end, Arteta’s decision has been entirely vindicated. Raya’s distribution has been exceptional all year long, while he’s also dealt with crosses into the box expertly. He is guaranteed to receive the Premier League Golden Glove at the end of the season, which is evidence of the sterling job he’s done answering his doubters.

4. Micky van de Ven – Tottenham (£34.5m)

It’s hard to think of a player more integral to how their team plays than Van de Ven. And when you consider he’s only been at Tottenham for a matter of months, this fact is even more impressive.

No striker in the Premier League is capable of beating the Dutchman in a foot race, with Van de Ven acting as a failsafe when the opposition bypasses Tottenham’s high defensive line. It’s little surprise that Spurs won just four of the nine games he missed with a hamstring injury in November and December

3. Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool (£35m)

In a summer where midfielders were being exchanged for over £100m ($125m), Liverpool snapping up Mac Allister for less than half of that is pretty astounding. And while the Argentine was not as expensive as the likes of Declan Rice, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, he’s still made a sizeable impact to his team’s fortunes.

While his team-mates allowed pressure to get the best of them during the title run-in, Mac Allister has invariably kept a cool head, dictating things from the heart of the Reds’ midfield. Jurgen Klopp has certainly been satisfied with the club’s investment, saying recently: “Alexis is exactly the player I hoped he would be; super-influential, super-smart, great guy. [He] loves playing for Liverpool as well, which is really important.

“He’s a rhythm-giver, he’s a difference-maker, [he] can control moments of the game. [He is] always there, always involved, nothing is too much for him, he’s really a top, top, top player. But we had that sense when we signed him and he fulfilled all our expectations and more.”

2. Cole Palmer – Chelsea (£42.5m)

At first, Palmer appeared to be the most inconsequential piece of business Chelsea did all summer. The Blues only turned their attentions to the Man City bench warmer after seeing their Michael Olise approach rebuffed by Crystal Palace, and he was one of the last of 11 fresh arrivals through the door at Stamford Bridge.

However, he has turned out to be their most impactful signing in years. With a team often lacking structure and coherence around him, Palmer has still managed to shine brightly, even challenging the brilliant Erling Haaland for the Premier League Golden Boot.

When he missed a trip to Arsenal in April due to injury, Pochettino challenged his squad to prove they were not: “Cole Palmer Football Club.” Chelsea would go on to lose 5-0, underlining just how much they would have struggled without their unexpected offensive talisman this season.

1. Declan Rice – Arsenal (£100m)

“If I had to describe him with a picture it would be a lighthouse, this is how I see him,” Mikel Arteta said of his club’s record signing back in February. “When I was envisioning the squad, how can I explain him? How can I see him in the team?

“His pressing, he’s overlooking everything, he’s bringing light and clarity and guidance for everybody. That’s his biggest quality. He is a leader, he’s still very young and a lot to you, but he’s got the right foundations to become an incredible player for us.”

It’s a completely fair assessment of Rice’s incredible influence in north London. Such has been his dominance, his price tag is already irrelevant. In fact, West Ham probably have the right to feel a little short-changed, even if they received a nine-figure fee for the England international last summer.

Regardless of where in midfield he’s been deployed, Rice has consistently stood out as Arsenal’s main man, with his presence helping elevate Arteta’s side to an even greater level over the past nine months.

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Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and the best seasons by English players abroad – ranked

Opinion

Two of the Three Lions’ best have been starring on the continent in 2023-24, but how do they match up to some of their compatriots from years gone by?

Jude Bellingham’s campaign has been remarkable. No longer just a midfielder, the 20-year-old has instead developed into a world-class false nine, equal parts deadly goal-scorer and hard-working presser. At this stage, it would be little surprise to see him win the Ballon d’Or.

One of his main challengers for the Golden Ball, however, is his compatriot Harry Kane, who is nearing Robert Lewandowski’s Bundesliga single-season scoring record during his debut campaign at Bayern Munich. That won’t be enough to bring the German title back to Bavaria, but Kane could still win this season’s Champions League, though Bellingham and Real Madrid stand in his way at the semi-final stage.

When it comes to broadening their horizons and thriving abroad, Bellingham and Kane are in pretty rare company. English players, throughout history, tend to stay in their home country for the majority of their careers, while those who do travel seldom experience success.

Still, a select few have made their mark away from home, as GOAL takes a look at the best seasons from Englishmen abroad down the years…

9. David Beckham (Real Madrid, 2006-07)

David Beckham’s time at Real Madrid proved complex, to say the least. The England midfielder’s tenure was marred by negative headlines and an inability to settle into a star-studded side at Santiago Bernabeu.

But something clicked in early 2007. After being exiled by manager Fabio Capello in January, Beckham worked his way back into the team and was instrumental as Los Blancos made a title run in La Liga – pipping Barcelona to the crown.

That would prove to be Beckham’s final campaign with Madrid, as he left to join LA Galaxy in the summer of 2007.

7. Steve McManaman (Real Madrid, 2000-01)

Steve McManaman, if you take him at his word these days, never really wanted to leave Liverpool. But when talks over a new deal at Anfield fell apart, Real Madrid came calling, and the Scouser became one of the highest-profile free transfers in football at that point.

The winger impressed in his first season at the Bernabeu, but financial difficulties in the summer 2000 led to McManaman almost being sold. Still, he pushed back against the numerous bids that Los Blancos accepted for him, and fought for his place in the side.

By September 2000, he was a regular, and Vincente del Bosque had no choice but to keep him in the team. A right-sided player by trade, McMananman switched to an unfamiliar left-wing position and worked wonderfully with Roberto Carlos, the duo forming a deadly attacking tandem as Los Blancos won their 28th La Liga crown.

6. Tammy Abraham (Roma, 2021-22)

Tammy Abraham was an unfortunate casualty of Romelu Lukaku’s ultimately unsuccessful move to Chelsea in the summer of 2021, and the England forward could have felt hard done by for being pushed out the door by his boyhood club, such were the quality of his performances over the previous two years.

But after joining Roma for €41 million (£35.1m/$44.3m), Abraham showed exactly what he could offer. He scored 17 goals in Serie A, and 27 in all competitions, in the 2021-22 campaign, as Jose Mourinho’s side won the Europa Conference League. It was a record-breaking campaign for the centre-forward, who became the first English player in over 30 years to score more than 10 Serie A goals in a season.

5. Gary Lineker (Barcelona, 1986-87)

In 1986, Gary Lineker was at the height of his footballing powers. The Everton side he starred in were consistently one of the best in the English top-flight, while he won the Golden Boot for finishing as top scorer at the 1986 World Cup.

He was a man in demand, then, and it was Barcelona – managed by Lineker’s compatriot, Terry Venables – who eventually won the race for his signature. Venable handed Lineker a major role, and playing alongside Wales striker Mark Hughes, Lineker scored 21 goals in 41 appearances during his first season in Catalunya. That return didn’t bring with it any silverware, but Lineker’s hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Real Madrid etched him into Blaugrana folklore.

4. Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund, 2019-20)

There was a time when Jadon Sancho was one of the most exciting youngsters in world football. It’s hard to believe, given his fall from grace at Manchester United, that that player once existed.

In the 2019-20 season, Sancho was magnificent. He had broken out the previous year, but after 18 months in Germany, the winger truly settled into a role in the first team. In November 2019, he finished as the runner-up in the Golden Boy award, and backed up that narrow miss with performances on the pitch.

The ex-Manchester City academy star scored 20 goals and assisted 20 more across all competitions, and though Bayern Munich won every single trophy available in Germany that year, Sancho – alongside the emerging Erling Haaland – kept Dortmund competitive.

3. Chris Waddle (Marseille, 1990-91)

You could pick any three of Chris Waddle’s three seasons at Marseille and they wouldn’t look out of place on this list. ‘Magic Chris’, as he was christened by the French club’s faithful, spent a trio of campaigns tearing up Ligue 1, helping OM to three straight top-flight titles. The 1990-91 campaign was his best, as Marseille won the league before falling agonisingly short in the European Cup final, losing on penalties to Red Star Belgrade.

Individual accolades never followed Waddle to the European continent, but his legacy in French football has remained stellar. In 2010, Marseille fans named him the second-best player in club history, behind only Ballon d’Or winner Jean-Pierre Papin.

2. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund, 2022-23)

It’s somehow easy to forget, given how good he is now, that Bellingham wasn’t bad in his last season at Dortmund, either. Deployed in a more advanced role than in seasons past, the English midfielder pulled the strings and grabbed the goals as his side made an unexpected run for the Bundesliga title.

Bellingham hit double-digits in goals for the first time in his career, and had it not been for a knee injury that ruled him out for the final few weeks of the campaign, Dortmund might have seen off Bayern Munich’s challenge to win a first title since 2011.

The former Birmingham City starlet did finish the campaign on a high, however, as he was crowned the Bundesliga Player of the Season.

GOAL brings you all of this season’s leading marksmen from England’s top flight – who will come out on top?

The race is once again on for the coveted Premier League Golden Boot, with established superstars set to battle it out for the prestigious crown of the English top-flight’s leading goal scorer.

Erling Haaland stands heads and shoulders – figuratively, literally – above his Premier League colleagues in the top scorer stakes for the 2023/24 season. He has to be, he was that lethal in front of goal last season as the Norwegian hitman set a new single-season Premier League goals record (36 goals) en route to the Golden Boot award in 2022/23.

Runner-up Harry Kane who, in most other years, would have walked away with the crown last time out after netting 30 strikes, has left Spurs for German giants Bayern Munich, so it will be interesting to see who Haaland will face for the Golden Boot in 2023/24.

Man United’s Marcus Rashford, who rediscovered his scoring boots last season, Newcastle United’s pair (Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak), and a host of potent attackers at Liverpool (Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo) or Arsenal (Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli) are all good shouts.

With nets set to bulge regularly throughout the 2023-24 campaign, GOAL is on hand to record the exploits of the most prolific marksmen around.

1 Cole Palmer | Chelsea | 20 goals

Probably the most surprising signing of Chelsea’s summer spree was the arrival of 21-year-old Manchester City talent Cole Palmer, who has already begun to emerge as a key player in the Blues’ attacking style in his brief time at the club. Always looking to probe and create goals, his consistently high performances thus far have caught the fans’ attention.

2 Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 20 goals

Erling Haaland made last season’s top-scorer battle one of the most boring Golden Boot races in Premier League history.

The Norwegian colossus ended on 36 league goals from 35 matches in 2022/23, registering four separate hat-tricks, making an absolute mockery of those who said he would need time to acclimatise to life in England last season.

The Norse titan is in a league of his own and has shown no signs of slowing down in the 2023-24 campaign. Unless he suffers an unfortunate injury or Guardiola drops him to the bench for an extended period, Haaland will likely be the division’s leading hitman this year.

3O llie Watkins | Aston Villa | 19 goals

Ollie Watkins has consistently impressed for the Lions over the past three seasons. The England international has been a key figure in Villa’s revival under Unai Emery and has been revived since the Spaniard succeeded Steven Gerrard in October last year.

He scored 15 goals in the Premier League last season, with his efforts helping Unai Emery’s side qualify for the Europa League. He has started this campaign in great form too, and he’ll hope to keep that up.

4 Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 17 goals

While Mohamed Salah still managed an impressive 19 goals last season despite Liverpool’s sluggish form, the Egyptian did not reach his customary heights of brilliance. He will be desperate to improve his and the Reds’ fortunes this season.

5 Alexander Isak | Newcastle | 17 goals

The silky Swede spent the first third of the 2022/23 campaign out with a thigh injury, and it wasn’t until after the World Cup that Newcastle fans got a taste of what their record-signing had to offer. Upon his return to first-team action, Alexander Isak was like a new January signing, netting eight in their last 19 games, and assisting two, firing the Magpies to Champions League qualification.

Flair, audacity, skill to bamboozle defenders, and lethal finishing quality, he is starting to show his undoubted promise and looks increasingly likely to establish himself as one of the top strikers in the English top-flight in 2023-24.

6 Dominic Solanke | Bournemouth | 17 goals

Dominic Solanke registered a brilliant 13 goal contribution in the top flight last season, standing out as one of the Cherries’ best-performing players as Bournemouth secured survival with relative ease.

7 Jarrod Bowen | West Ham United | 15 goals

With Rice off to north London, a new star must emerge for the Hammers and the onus will once again be on Conference League hero Jarrod Bowen in the final third. A goal-scorer and creator who always gives his team a chance in attacking transitions, his sparkling displays were a key reason why West Ham finished last season in fine form, and lifted their first European title since 1965 in the form of Europa Conference League.

8 Son Heung-min | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 goals

Following a 23-goal season in which he shared the Golden Boot with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, the South Korean produced only 10 goals, and six assists in an underwhelming season last time out. The arrival of former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou – who plays an expansive brand of football – and the addition of creative midfielder James Maddison means Son is steadily getting back to his best, which is vital for Spurs as he will have to carry much of the scoring burden after Harry Kane’s exit.

9 Phil Foden | Manchester City | 14 goals

Foden continues to impress with his mazy dribbles and clever movement, but the young midfielder has now added goals to his game as well.

10 Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | 14 goals

Bukayo Saka evolved into one of the most exciting and consistent young players in world football last term. His stellar performances and 14 goals were key to Arsenal’s impressive title charge last season and Mikel Arteta will be demanding even more from the 21-year-old as the Gunners look to go one step better.

11 Chris Wood | Nottingham Forest | 12 goals

An aerially dominant old-fashioned target-man striker, Wood has come under scrutiny from some quarters of the fanbase for not making the impact everyone hoped for since joining from Newcastle – at first on loan, then permanently. The New Zealand international will be looking to change the narrative by bagging some crucial goals in the 2023-24 season.

12 Darwin Nunez | Liverpool | 11 goals

Liverpool paid an eyewatering transfer fee to secure the signature of Darwin Nunez from Benfica last summer in a record £85m (€100m/$108m) deal. However, despite the high price tag attached to his name, Núñez failed to truly light up the Premier League in his debut campaign on English shores.

More things are expected from the Uruguayan hitman in the 2023-24 season now that he’s had time to settle down in English football. And he already seems to be making the headlines for his clutch goal-scoring exploits.

13 Matheus Cunha | Wolves | 11 goals

Brazilian Matheus Cunha joined Wolves on loan from Atletico Madrid in January before completing a permanent £44m switch in the summer of 2023. His ability to carry the ball forward from deep and his work rate without the ball was evident from the outset, but he’s now emerging as his side’s most dangerous threat and is putting up good attacking numbers.

14 Richarlison | Tottenham | 10 goals

It has taken nearly 18 months, but there are hopeful signs that Richarlison is finally coming to life for Tottenham. A relentless presser off the ball, and a well-rounded versatile forward, he is starting to look like the striker Spurs paid £60million for in the summer of 2022.

15 Anthony Gordon | Newcastle United | 10 goals

Anthony Gordon has been a superb signing for Eddie Howe’s side as the winger has chipped in with crucial goals. The former Everton man has the ability to chip in with crucial goals for his side and can also turn into a creator when required.

16 Hwang Hee-chan | Wolves | 10 goals

Hwang Hee-chan moved to the Premier League in January 2022 as Wolves snapped him up in a £14 million deal from RB Leipzig. For all his versatility, tenacity, speed, and mobility, he has largely struggled to deliver the goods in the final third. However, he’s enjoying a fine goal-scoring purple patch, benefiting from Gary O’Neil’s attacking brand of football at Molineux.

17 Yoane Wissa | Brentford | 10 goals

Yoane Wissa has emerged as Brentford’s leading scorer this season, hitting double digit Premier League goals, outpacing both Bryan Mbeumo and Neal Maupay. His scoring prowess ensured that the absence of Ivan Toney from Thomas Frank’s squad due to the betting suspension and injury struggles was not felt.

18 Elijah Adebayo | Luton | 9 goals

Elijah Adebayo is the leading scorer for Luton Town this season. An aerial threat in the opposition’s six-yard box because of his hold-up play and pressing, he has really picked up in terms of chipping in with vital goals for the newly promoted side.

19 Kai Havertz | Arsenal | 9 goals

Kai Havertz took time to settle into the Gunner’s lineup after joining from Chelsea. But Mikel Arteta’s brilliance and the German international’s scintillating finishes helped Arsenal reach new heights in the Premier League and also offload some weight off the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus.

20 Nicolas Jackson | Chelsea | 9 goals

Chelsea’s summer signing Nicolas Jackson may not be a household name, but he has emerged as one of the most exciting attacking talents in Europe after his breakout season at Villarreal in 2022-23 which saw him score 13 goals and provide five assists in 38 appearances.

A raw and talented forward, he has the ability to link play, run in behind and beat players with a blistering pace. Topped off with excellent poaching and finishing skills, he looks set to star for Chelsea up top this season.

21 Carlton Morris | Luton Town| 9 goals

English forward Carlton Morris was an integral force behind Luton Town’s promotion to the 2023/24 Premier League season. Morris reached double digits in the Championship last term, a feat he’ll be aiming to replicate in England’s top flight as well.

22 Diogo Jota | Liverpool | 9 goals

Jota had a tough first half of last season laden with injuries and inconsistent form, however, when back fit, he proved clutch for Liverpool at the end of the season and will be hoping for better luck with his fitness this time around.

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