Who are they? The 5 best Premier League newcomers this season

When a new season of the Premier League rolls around, the transfer market opening is one of the most exciting aspects of such an occasion, if not perhaps the most exhilarating part of a new campaign nearing its beginning. Each year, clubs have a summer in which their managers can drill new ideas into their players, a number that can be increased courtesy of new signings being made.

More often than not, especially in recent history, the summer transfer window of the Premier League sees hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on new additions as teams look to either push for glory, improve on a solid, previous term or hope to avoid relegation and maintain their position within the league.

So, with all of this being considered, it is worth asking the question; just which five newcomers to the Premier League this season have been the most impressive thus far?

5. Abdul Fatawu, Chelsea

After beginning his career in his native Ghana, Abdul Fatawu joined Sporting Lisbon in 2022, signing for the side then managed by now-Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim on a five-year contract. After developing with the team for a year, he joined Leicester City on loan for the 2023-24 campaign.

Under the management of Enzo Maresca, the Italian now in charge of Chelsea, Fatawu developed into one of the Championship’s most dangerous wingers with his electric pace and technical ability. He was a key figure in the Leicester side that won the title to secure an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation the term prior, scoring six goals and racking up 13 assists for the Foxes.

He made his move permanent in the summer and has shown the Premier League, thus far, just what he had shown the Championship, an exceptional ability with the ball and all the potential to grow into a top, top player.

4. Archie Gray, Tottenham

Having long been raved about by Leeds United fans and figures within the club, Gray finally broke out into the Leeds first team last season, where he soon became one of the highest-rated young prospects not just in England, but in the world of football as a whole.

EGray, who is still a teenager, is a central midfielder by trade, but under the guidance of Daniel Farke at Elland Road he showcased an ability to be versatile, with Gray often being deployed as a right-back as Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev occupied the midfield pivot that Gray’s former manager likes to use.

Brentford were the first to come calling for Gray in the summer, but Spurs soon caught wind that the prospect was available and snapped him up for a deal worth around £40 million, with defender Joe Rodon making his loan switch to Leeds permanent as part of the deal. Since then, Gray has not played a mass amount of minutes in the Premier League but has been utiliszed often by manager Ange Postecoglou who has also relied on the youngster’s versatility, especially in any Europa League games they have played thus far.

It is a big price tag that hangs over Gray’s head, but one that he has the potential to meet, such is his quality and room to develop.

3. Evanilson, Bournemouth

Dominic Solanke, having developed at Bournemouth after failing to break through with both Chelsea and Liverpool, blossomed particularly under the guidance of Andoni Iraola, who was brought in to replace current Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil ahead of last season.

The Englishman finished last season with 21 goals in 42 games across all competitions for Bournemouth, the latest in a line of consistent campaigns that saw Tottenham Hotspur come calling in the summer, signing the striker for a deal worth up to £65 million. It meant that there were some big shoes to fill, made no smaller for Evanilson when he arrived at the Vitality from Porto in a club-record deal.

Bournemouth have made a promising start to the season, their opening 11 games including wins over both Arsenal and Manchester City. Evanilson has played his part in that, with the Brazilian gradually adapting to the standards of the Premier League, scoring four goals in his opening 10 games.

2. Liam Delap, Ipswich Town

Son of Premier League icon, former Stoke City player and long-throw specialist Rory Delap, Liam rose through the ranks at Manchester City, joining their senior side in 2020 and making just a few appearances for the club in the four years he spent there. He enjoyed loan spells with Stoke, Preston North End and Hull City before joining Ipswich Town on a permanent transfer earlier this year after their incredible promotion to the Premier League.

Delap has appeared in 11 Premier League games at the time of writing, notching six goals in that time as he has emerged as one of the division’s liveliest young strikers. Capable of holding the ball up and punishing defenders with bursts of pace that are perhaps unexpected of such a physical player, Delap has quickly established himself as a key part of Kieran McKenna’s side as they look to retain their place in the Premier League for next season.

Whether Ipswich are able to stay up come the end of the season will only be apparent upon the campaign’s conclusion, but there are promising signs coming from several players and Delap is no exception, his latest goal for the team coming in their first Premier League win of the season away at Tottenham Hotspur.

1. Nikola Milenkovic, Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest were looking to bolster a team that, for a second-straight season, had just about done enough to avoid the drop back down to the Championship from the Premier League. Under the guidance of Nuno Espirito Santo, who replaced the beloved Steve Cooper in late 2023, one such new signing was Nikola Milenkovic, the center-back joining from Fiorentina for around £15 million.

Milenkovic has swiftly established himself as one of Forest’s starting defenders, forming a formidable partnership with Brazilian center-half Murillo, who was recently called up to his national team for the first time. Milenkovic is a tough-tackling defender who is great in the air and comfortable on the ball, the 27-year-old has made over 200 appearances for Fiorentina and over 50 appearances for Serbia, his national team.

It is no coincidence that the strong performances of Milenkovic have contributed to Forest’s impressive start in the league, with the Nottingham side having lost just two of their opening 11 Premier League games. Whether Forest can maintain their early push for European football remains to be seen, however, should they accomplish what would be an incredible feat, then a large amount of credit must be given to Milenkovic and how his presence has bolstered his team’s backline.