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The Athletic have ranked every Premier League signing and a Tottenham Hotspur player has topped the list.
The summer transfer window was as hectic as ever. Deals fell through at the latter stages, players threw their toys out of the pram to demand a move and many clubs were more than eager to splash their cash.
Alexander Isak’s move from Newcastle to Liverpool was one of the biggest talking points near the end of the window, as the British transfer record was broken.
Much has also been said about Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze joining Arsenal, Jack Grealish rediscovering his attacking flair at Everton and Manchester City’s attacking additions.
However, Tottenham Hotspur have also made some impressive signings. Two of the most notable are Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, costing the club more than £100m combined.
Joao Palhinha to Tottenham ranked as the best Premier League signing of the summer
The Athletic have ranked all 155 Premier League transfers and Spurs have been recognised for some excellent signings. Simons is ranked 13th on the list, while Randal Kolo Muani sits in 20th after joining in a deadline day loan deal.
It gets better, as Joao Palhinha joining from Bayern has been dubbed as the Premier League signing of the summer. The midfielder is only on loan at Tottenham, but there is an offer to make the move permanent, which would cost little more than £20m.
Journalist Tim Spiers wrote: “For two years with Fulham, Palhinha was arguably the Premier League’s best ball-winning anchorman, and possibly one of Europe’s best, too. For Spurs to bring him back to England for peanuts adds a layer of steel to their midfield that has been missing for some time.
“Palhinha will not only shore up their defence, but will also help allow their creative talents to shine.”
How has Joao Palhinha performed for Spurs so far?
Palhinha began his Tottenham career with an immediate clash against his parent club and it did not go well. Spurs were defeated 4-0 in the Telekom Cup, but it was just a glorified pre-season friendly.
He was solid in his first competitive start against PSG and when he was substituted, Tottenham still had a 2-0 lead.
The Portugal international only played 10 minutes of the 3-0 victory over Burnley, but he was a key reason Spurs defeated Manchester City a week later, even getting on the scoresheet. Palhinha’s next performance against Bournemouth was less impressive, but in fairness, the whole team was off the mark.
Tottenham were in need of a solid defensive midfielder and they have got that in Palhinha. He may not be the perfect all-round player in the centre of the park, but he is the best at what he does.
Spurs have conceded one goal in three Premier League matches, and with Palhinha around, this type of record could well be kept up throughout the season.
READ MORE – How Tottenham could still sell Yves Bissouma despite the transfer window closing
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