There’s so much pressure on a club when it comes to seeing big-money signings work out. Time and time in the past we’ve seen several flop: Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Barcelona, Angel Di Maria at Manchester United, Fernando Torres at Chelsea and more.
So much rides on a move that can financially set a club back for years, even in this current age of outrageous transfer fees. This past summer, the Premier League spent plenty of dough and there were some expensive fees paid, with five being over 60 million pounds.
So who have been the three best big-money signings for field players in the Premier League so far? Here they are:
Lucas Torreira: $35 million, Arsenal
The Uruguayan midfielder came over from Sampdoria, and it took a little while before he became a starter. Since then, he’s become as irreplaceable as Mesut Ozil. He’s a bulldog in the middle of the pitch, annoys the living heck out of the opponents and can do so many things. But his main task is to control the middle of the field, leading with his defensive ability. He’s been worth the price tag and is just 22 years old.
Arsenal has not lost since August, and he’s a big reason why.
via GIPHY
Riyad Mahrez: $79 million, Manchester City
Everyone knew what he could do from his days at Leicester City. But he finally earned his big-money move to City last summer and has fit in nicely right away. He has five goals through 16 games, he’s looked so dangerous on set pieces and has added even more depth to a team that really doesn’t need it. His pace down the wing and creativity when he cuts inside is the perfect combination with David Silva. It’s quite the price tag, but he is doing what he needs to be to one day live up to it.
Jorginho: $66 million, Chelsea
A midfield with N’Golo Kante can control a game. If you combine Kante with Jorginho, that becomes even more true. The Brazil-born Italian has quickly adapted to life in the Premier League, and it wasn’t hard with his Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri joining him in London. He’s controlled games with Kante in a beautiful way. His passing has been out of this world, and his composure top notch. At just 26 years of age, Chelsea is set in midfield for a long time to come.
And now, our latest power rankings:
How the rankings work
The power rankings list the top 25 teams in the world when it comes to recent form. The teams playing the best soccer, both in their respective leagues or in international competitions, will be considered. Quality of the opponents will also be taken into an account, but above all, the most important factors are recent results and overall standings in competitions.
World Club Soccer Power Rankings
Previous rankings: Oct. 30 | Oct. 23 | Oct. 10 | Oct. 3 | Sept. 26 | Sept. 17 | Sept. 4 | Aug. 28 | Aug. 23 | Aug. 15 | Preseason rankings
1.
Juventus (ITA)
—
2.
Manchester City (ENG)
+1
Barcelona (ESP)
+1
4.
PSG (FRA)
-2
5.
Liverpool (ENG)
—
6.
Arsenal (ENG)
+2
7.
Chelsea (ENG)
—
8.
Borussia Dortmund (GER)
+1
9.
Bayern Munich (GER)
-3
10.
Napoli (ITA)
—
11.
Inter Milan (ITA)
+2
12.
Roma (ITA)
-1
13.
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
-1
14.
Boca Juniors (ARG)
+1
15.
Tottenham (ENG)
+1
16.
+8
17.
PSV (NED)
-3
18.
Cruz Azul (MEX)
NR
19.
Palmeiras (BRA)
-3
20.
Montpellier (FRA)
NR
21.
Club America (MEX)
-3
22.
AC Milan (ITA)
NR
23.
Santos Laguna (MEX)
-1
24.
Porto (POR)
+1
25.
Internacional (BRA)
NR
Biggest movers: River Plate and Bayern Munich.
Teams knocked out of the top 25 this week: Gremio (BRA), Lille (FRA), Sevilla (ESP), Flamengo (BRA)
Honorable mentions: Real Madrid (ESP), Manchester United (ENG), Racing (ARG)
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