Considering Premier League clubs splashed out a collective £2.4billion on new signings over the summer, they’d be forgiven for demanding instant results.
But in the wild world of football, a landscape marred by poorly judged gambling in the transfer market and eye-watering figures, it is hard to truly land on a banker.
Millions have been thrown at players unfit to shoulder such a staggering price tag on countless occasions over the years, with most big clubs guilty of such an error.
But occasionally – fleetingly, even – they may well have also struck gold. Indeed, there are several summer signings that are reaping the rewards for a lightning start.
However, what about those who haven’t? Well, have no fear. Ahead of the January transfer scramble, Mail Sport has given each club a grade for their big-money spending…
Arsenal splashed out £105million on Declan Rice as part of their eye-catching summer window
Moises Caicedo joined Chelsea for a British record fee but has endured a mixed campaign
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ARSENAL
Having agonisingly fallen short of the title last season, Mikel Arteta wasted no time in identifying key targets across every position and bringing them in.
David Raya has usurped Aaron Ramsdale as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, but his erratic displays and questionable commanding of his box are weaknesses.
Jurrien Timber was recruited from Ajax in a savvy piece of business, though his promising start to life in north London was quickly derailed after an ACL tear in the season opener.
Brought in for a jaw-dropping £105million was Declan Rice, his move to the Emirates from rivals West Ham handsomely smashing the club’s transfer record.
Rice has caught the eye in his box-to-box role, racing from one end to the other and contributing superbly in both areas. So far, his price tag has been justified.
Kai Havertz initially struggled to live up to expectations after joining from Chelsea, though the jack-of-all-trades forward has begun to find his goalscoring touch and is growing on supporters.
GRADE – A
Kai Havertz initially struggled to live up to expectations but has found his goalscoring touch
ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa threw their backing behind Unai Emery’s ambitious project from the get-go, having splashed out a significant amount to strengthen his squad.
Pau Torres was recruited from Villarreal for a fee of just over £30m and the defender has been a regular starter, with 18 appearances in the Premier League to his name.
Emery also set about drafting in reinforcements in midfield, with Youri Tielemans arriving on a free after his Leicester contract expired and Nicolo Zaniolo signing on loan.
The highlight of their summer spree is undoubtedly tricky winger Moussa Diaby. Snapped up from Bayer Leverkusen, Diaby has delivered a string of bright showings.
Clement Lenglet, a loan arrival from Barcelona, has also been a shrewd defensive back-up.
GRADE – A
Moussa Diaby has been a highlight for Aston Villa with his displays pushing them up the table
BOURNEMOUTH
The south coast club took a real risk in axing Gary O’Neil and turning to Andoni Iraola, but the decision has now proven to be a masterstroke in hindsight.
Crucially, Iraola was also supported by an impressive transfer war chest, allowing him to bring in a raft of players fitting their low fee, high ceiling policy.
Alex Scott, who scored in defeat at Tottenham on New Year’s Eve, was lured from Bristol City and has showcased his lofty talents either side of an injury problem, while Milos Kerkez has caught the eye at left back.
Tyler Adams is yet to live up to his £24m fee after struggling with fitness issues of his own, but forward Justin Kluivert is beginning to revel in life at the Vitality Stadium.
Max Aarons, Ionut Radu and Luis Sinisterra were cost-effective options that provide real depth to Iraola’s ranks, meaning Bournemouth are looking up and not down.
GRADE – B
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has been tipped to enjoy a future at the top of the game
BRENTFORD
Looking to kick on this season has proven a difficult ask for Thomas Frank, although Brentford’s squad is certainly good enough to propel them up the table again.
They bought shrewdly during an understated window in west London, with the likes of Nathan Collins, Mark Flekken and Neal Maupay all putting pen to paper.
Kevin Schade, meanwhile, signed permanently in a deal worth around £20m, briefly a club-record fee. He initially joined the club on loan in January.
Collins, signed from Wolves for £23m, duly impressed before he was ruled out due to an ankle injury. Since his return, however, he has made several glaring errors.
In goal, Flekken is yet to truly settle into his role as Raya’s long-term successor.
GRADE – C
Nathan Collins signed for Brentford for £23m and impressed before picking up an injury issue
BRIGHTON
Roberto De Zerbi has been forced to tackle Brighton’s slight drop-off this season head-on, attempting to walk the tightrope between ambition and realism.
Wonderkid Carlos Baleba is ‘maybe not ready yet’ for the Premier League, the boss claimed, while several other summer arrivals have faltered in his demanding set-up.
Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen should be the club’s undisputed No 1 but has instead been sharing duties with Jason Steele – a questionable decision.
Mahmoud Dahoud has been steady enough in midfield, while James Milner and Ansu Fati bring a blend of youthful exuberance and old-fashioned experience.
Add into the mix Joao Pedro, whose goal sealed Brighton top spot in their Europa League group, and the bigger picture of a mixed but talented group emerges.
GRADE – C
Joao Pedro’s goal saw Brighton finish top of their Europa League group, a superb achievement
BURNLEY
Vincent Kompany set about overhauling his Championship winners during the summer; a rich blend of players arriving at Turf Moor for a considerable amount.
However, only a handful have somewhat adapted to the rigours of the top-flight.
Among them is James Trafford, the talented goalkeeper bought from Manchester City for around £20m. He will certainly be a future regular for England’s senior side.
Sander Berge, Zeki Amdouni and Jacob Bruun Larsen have all been handed regular starts and the latter two forwards have scored three goals apiece in all competitions.
Others are still to find their feet, though, and time is running out for Kompany to find the steel and grit that propelled Burnley back to the big time so explosively last year.
GRADE – D
James Trafford has excelled between the sticks for Burnley after arriving from Manchester City
CHELSEA
Where to begin? At one point, a particularly hectic August week, 25 players came and went through the Stamford Bridge doors – a full Premier League squad, in effect.
When the window slammed shut, Chelsea had spent over £430m on recruits, the most ever invested by any club during a single window in the top-flight’s history.
It was nothing short of a staggering effort, although the pay-off is not yet evident.
Moises Caicedo joined for a British record £115m from Brighton, though his displays have failed to match that outlay, while other big-money signings have stuttered.
The exception is Cole Palmer, who has proven Chelsea’s best attacker more often than not this season having breathed energy into Mauricio Pochettino’s flailing side.
Nicolas Jackson is not prolific enough to lead the line while Christopher Nkunku holds the hopes of the supporters on his shoulders after returning from injury.
The picture is a mess, plain and simple.
GRADE – D
Cole Palmer has been a bright spark for Chelsea in yet another season to forget so far
CRYSTAL PALACE
Roy Hodgson appears to be inadvertently chipping away at any lingering goodwill remaining between he and Crystal Palace’s passionate matchgoers.
There is a stark lack of ambition in the dugout, a determination to lower goals instead of stoking the flames of desire, and this was shown during the summer.
In lieu of a big statement and much-needed squad overhaul, Palace played it safe.
Jefferson Lerma joined on a free from Bournemouth, while goalkeeper Dean Henderson was snapped up in a deal worth £20m from Manchester United.
Rob Holding and the talented Matheus Franca rounded off their business. On paper, these were solid and reliable incomings, with the exception of the livewire Franca.
GRADE – C
Jefferson Lerma slotted straight into Crystal Palace’s midfield after arriving as a free agent
EVERTON
Understandably, there is a gritting of teeth and burning defiance coursing through the veins at Everton at present – and this collective togetherness is working.
Dogged by financial problems, the club was left counting the pennies during a stuttering summer, leaving Sean Dyche to initially dive into the bargain bin.
He emerged with Ashley Young, a free agent, and loan deals for Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison, secured from Villarreal and Championship side Leeds, respectively.
More was needed, though, especially in the goalscoring stakes. Accepting this, moves for Youssef Chermiti and Beto were secured, the latter joining for £25m.
Neither ace has lit up Goodison Park yet but every little helps for Dyche.
GRADE – D
Everton will hope Beto can add to his goal tally after snapping him up from Udinese for £25m
FULHAM
Everything seems a little underwhelming for Fulham this season.
Marco Silva’s side are sliding gradually down the table, with their recent defeat by Bournemouth neatly encapsulating their problems at both ends of the pitch.
Perhaps this malaise can be traced back to their summer business. Out of their six major incomings, arguably only a couple have given supporters reason to cheer.
Alex Iwobi, signed from Everton for £22m, is undoubtedly talented and able to slot into a number of roles. Behind him, Timothy Castagne has been tireless at full-back.
Raul Jimenez, Calvin Bassey, Adama Traore and Fode Ballo-Toure all have improvements to make, however, with Silva sweating on his additions coming good.
GRADE – D
Raul Jimenez has room for improvement, but has shown flashes in recent weeks it is coming
LIVERPOOL
Jurgen Klopp was presented with a midfield dilemma during the summer after the departures of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner and Naby Keita.
His solution? To sign four more. Whether or not these incomings will prove to be a long-term solution remains to be seen, but each of them bring their own strengths.
Ryan Gravenberch is the mystery maestro, capable of dropping his shoulder and charging forward, while Alexis Mac Allister was a wizard during his spell at Brighton.
Dominik Szoboszlai, signed from RB Leipzig for £60m, enjoyed a bright start before dropping off, though his recent displays suggest a return to his displays of old.
Then, sitting neatly in the No 6 role, Wataru Endo is both gritty and steadying. It was, and remains to be, an interesting blend. The next step is guaranteeing consistency.
GRADE – B
Dominik Szoboszlai, a £60m signing for Liverpool, enjoyed a superb start before dropping off
LUTON
For Rob Edwards, his Luton side must be greater than the sum of its parts.
A quick scan down the team sheet on a matchday reveals an assortment of profiles, some of which catch the eye while others slip under the radar somewhat.
But the overall result is a team fighting for each other and banded together in unison, and this backbone has been strengthened by several summer arrivals.
Teden Mengi has impressed while Ross Barkley, sitting in a midfield pivot, has orchestrated play beautifully. Jacob Brown has also impressed up front.
And still delivering at the ripe age of 32 is Andros Townsend, who scored his first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest after joining as a free agent.
GRADE – C
Ross Barkley has been crucial in Luton’s valiant bid to avoid dropping to the Championship
MANCHESTER CITY
Dare we say it, but do Manchester City look vulnerable this season? Pep Guardiola has rallied back at those doubting his side, but they’re certainly suffering a little.
With the departures of Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan hurting City’s ability to inflict a possession-centric strangelhold on their opponents, the style has changed.
There is still measured control on the ball but in the final third, the execution is worse than before. The explosive Jeremy Doku is a superstar but equally unpredictable.
In midfield, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes clearly don’t hold the entirety of Guardiola’s trust. His is a system that requires weeks, if not months, of adapting to.
Josko Gvardiol, the £77m signing from RB Leipzig, has been fielded at both centre back and full-back but has been culpable for a string of uncharacteristic errors.
The overall complexion will certainly improve with time but for now, Guardiola may well be a little frustrated with his summer arrivals as he targets yet another title.
GRADE – B
Jeremy Doku has been explosive for Manchester City but his end product is questionable
MANCHESTER UNITED
The summer business at Old Trafford can be summed up in two words: ‘absolutely’ and ‘diabolical’. Staggeringly, Jonny Evans currently appears to be the best of the lot.
Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund were all signed to strengthen the spine of Erik ten Hag’s side but none of them, at present, represent an improvement.
Onana’s high-profile errors between the sticks almost single-handedly threw United out of the Champions League, while Mount has not scored or registered an assist.
Hojlund, meanwhile, finally scored his first Premier League goal to seal the comeback against Aston Villa. The relief was etched across the £72m man’s face.
Altay Bayindir has not played a minute since touching down from Turkey, leaving Evans, aged 35, as the only player that can genuinely boast of any sort of consistency.
The two loan signings, Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon, have been poor.
GRADE – F
Rasmus Hojlund scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester United against Aston Villa
NEWCASTLE
Undoubtedly, the pressure is beginning to build on Eddie Howe. His squad has been gutted by injuries and performances in recent weeks have taken a visible nosedive.
Of the four big transfers made during the summer, just two – ironically, both of which are the least experienced of the quadruplet – are currently fit and available to play.
Harvey Barnes has been ruled out for a number of weeks after picking up a foot injury in only his second start for the club. He will return in January at the earliest.
Midfielder Sandro Tonali, bought from AC Milan in a surprise £55m deal, has been banned from competitive football for 10 months after breaching betting rules.
That has left full-back Tino Livramento and highly-rated youngster Lewis Hall as Howe’s only available summer arrivals, encapsulating his fitness headache.
GRADE – C
Sandro Tonali was banned from competitive football for 10 months after betting rule breaches
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
The Steve Cooper era faltered to a sad halt, the home defeat by Tottenham spelling the end. Now, Nuno Espirito Santo is the man tasked with reviving their season.
The new man in the dugout certainly cannot complain about being understaffed. The squad is packed to the brim with players, many of whom arrived in the summer.
But as is typical of wide-sweeping overhauls, the end result has been a mixed bag. Anthony Elanga and Murrilo have impressed, while others need to improve.
A particular disappointment has been Ibrahim Sangare, the £30m midfielder prised away from PSV Eindhoven. He has looked directionless and shorn of confidence.
Striker Chris Wood can offer more, and he did during the 3-1 victory against Newcastle after returning to his old stomping ground and leaving with a hat-trick.
GRADE – C
Anthony Elanga has caught the eye for Nottingham Forest and has four goals to his name
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Another season, another round of sackings in the Premier League. One of the more recent casualties was Paul Heckingbottom, with Chris Wilder then parachuted in.
Wilder, of course, enjoyed a truly memorable first stint at Bramall Lane and will need to repeat these heroics to stitch together a squad resembling a lost rabble.
Cameron Archer has shown brief glimpses up top and delivered a hammer blow against his former club Aston Villa, but others need to muck in for this survival fight.
Vinicius Souza has been a regular starter while Gustavo Hamer, Luke Thomas and Auston Trusty have seemingly already won over the trust of their manager.
None of the summer arrivals have grabbed the team’s ailing fortunes by the scruff of its neck, however, and Wilder will be desperate for his players to step up soon.
GRADE – D
Cameron Archer scored for Sheffield United in a 1-1 draw against his former club, Aston Villa
TOTTENHAM
Ange Postecoglou, like several other Premier League bosses, will surely be cursing his injury luck. After all, two of his key summer arrivals have been sidelined.
James Maddison, one of Spurs’ vice-captains and a supreme creative influence, is expected to return in early January after limping out of the defeat by Chelsea.
The same rough timeframe has been given for Micky van de Ven, who was taken off during the same game. Before his setback, the centre back was deeply impressive.
In goal, Guglielmo Vicario has been one of Spurs’ best players between the sticks, while Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski were both tied down permanently.
Brennan Johnson has been drafted into the frontline sooner than expected due to the list of absentees and acquitted himself expertly to life in the top-flight.
GRADE – A
James Maddison was instrumental to Tottenham’s blistering form before picking up an injury
WEST HAM
Over the course of just one summer, David Moyes injected much-needed flair and creativity into his West Ham side – and the end result has been largely superb.
When freed from the shackles of a largely counter-punching system, Mohammed Kudus has been spellbinding, with his penetrating runs leading his team forward.
Behind him, there is no defensive grit. James Ward-Prowse is adept at both ends of the pitch, while Edson Alvarez has typically sat deep to keep play ticking over.
All three players have been deservedly praised for their impact, while signing No 4, Konstantinos Mavropanos, should he further settle, may prove another shrewd buy.
Overall, an impressive and measured summer of spending.
GRADE – B
Mohammed Kudus has been a revelation for West Ham after signing from Ajax in the summer
Matt Doherty returned to Wolves after leaving Atletico Madrid and scored against Chelsea
WOLVES
Gary O’Neil’s side are another stellar example of a Premier League side performing ahead of their station this season due to the superb efforts of their individuals.
They spent frugally in the summer, defender Santiago Bueno arriving for £10m from Girona and Boubacar Traore joining from Metz in a deal worth around £9.5m.
Tommy Doyle, a loan signing from Manchester City, has also been a regular, while Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was on target in the victory against Brentford.
Matt Doherty, meanwhile, returned to the club after his Atletico Madrid release.
GRADE – C