We are six weeks deep into the 2023 summer transfer window and though there is still five weeks remaining, and though that period will no doubt produce lots of headline-grabbing moves, already we can gauge which clubs are bossing the off-season, and who are seeing their well-laid plans go astray.
Three obvious places to start, should we begin in the debit column, all lead us to the capital with Fulham worryingly inactive to this juncture.
In a summer where rumours accumulate daily regarding Aleksandar Mitrovic’s departure perhaps the Cottagers’ strategy is to wait and see what shape they’re in as the new season kicks off, to know for sure who they’ll need to replace.
This feels like a missed opportunity however, to refrain from building on a stand-out campaign last year, one that saw Fulham debunk the football betting by inhabiting the top half of the table for the most part.
Crystal Palace too appear to be in stasis, their lack of recruitment exacerbated by the loss of their talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha, while the short-term futures of Marc Guehi and Michael Olise seem to lie elsewhere.
To date, luring Jefferson Lerma from Bournemouth on a free is their only incoming, a canny addition but they need more.
Lastly, there is West Ham, cash-rich from their record sale of Declan Rice but yet to make any significant moves. Veteran gaffer David Moyes will not need to be told of the inherent dangers in leaving things late and playing roulette on transfer deadline day.
It is incumbent that three slow-coaches pick up the pace because those around them last season have wasted little time in strengthening their squads as they aspire to the next level.
Brentford have invested a club-record £23m on Nathan Collins to further solidify an already impressive back-line while in Kevin Schade they possess an exciting young winger, capable of subverting the online betting markets in a flash.
Bournemouth have also been busy, reorganising their roster in preparation for a new era of Iraola-ball. Midfielder Hamed Traore has all the attributes to become one of the low-key success stories of 2023/24. Justin Kluivert meanwhile is a risk but one definitely worth taking.
Why everyone should be excited about Iraola-ball coming to the Premier League. https://t.co/XWMaZdX0eA
— Stephen Tudor (@SteTudor123) July 11, 2023
Then there’s Aston Villa, whose designs on breaking into the elite should be taken seriously if last season’s form under Unai Emery is anything to go by.
If Youri Tielemans is a sensible securement, and Moussa Diaby a purchase that raised eye-brows for all the right reasons, then the signing of Pau Torres for £33m reveals the full extent of their ambition.
Looking further up the food chain, Arsenal have aptly been the transfer window front-runners, replicating their exhilarating sprint from the blocks in the league last term.
Upgrading their spine to the tune of £208m, the Gunners are showing serious intent to mount another assault on the title, this time with sufficient strength in depth to go the full distance.
👀 After years of saving, Arsenal could spend BIG in the summer...
— 888sport (@888sport) March 21, 2023
Join @FabrizioRomano as he talks about the Gunners and their focus in the coming months.https://t.co/t2OhP9aeja
Lastly, Chelsea should be immensely satisfied with their business conducted to this point, largely in how they have cleared the decks to allow for a necessary over-haul.
So much of the chaos and crisis that crippled them last season resulted from having a bloated squad, filled with players bought via different coaches. By releasing 10 established stars – some for very good money – it affords the Blues, under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, to do what they do best. Spend, spend, spend.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
