Kai Havertz 3rd: Ranking Premier League signings by how much they’ve defied expectations

From players who were tipped to flop to players who joined with little expectations, we have ranked the top ten signings in the Premier League that we believe have turned out better than predicted.

10) Pau Torres (Aston Villa)

The first of a few players who did not join with low expectations but has certainly performed better than first anticipated; Spanish centre-back Torres was one of Unai Emery’s top transfer targets from the day he joined the club and it is no surprise to see why.

Not the strongest of central defenders, some expected Torres to get bullied in Our League. That has not happened and does not look like it will happen. Bravo, Unai.

9) Neal Maupay (Brentford)

For his improved performances after leaving Everton and his incredible sh*thousery moments for Brentford this season, Maupay merits a place on this list.

To say Maupay was poor for the Toffees last season would be a bit of an understatement. He was pants, scoring once in 29 appearances. This term, he has eight in 28, which is impressive for a player who appeared to have completely lost his scoring touch.

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8) Joao Pedro (Brighton)

Brighton’s record signing falls into the same bracket as Torres. We did not expect him to flop at the Amex but we did not see him having 19 goals in his first 32 appearances for the club.

Pedro would probably be a bit higher if so many of his goals were not penalties and if he was not signed for a club-record fee, but it has to be said that nobody saw his form coming.

Clubs like Brighton who recruit unknown players to put into the first team and sell for big money rarely spend big on someone they have no intention of selling for a profit, and when they do, it often does not go well. That has not happened here as the Seagulls continue to impress in the transfer market.

7) Wataru Endo (Liverpool)

It’s almost as if Jurgen Klopp knows what he’s doing.

Klopp was in dire need of a defensive midfielder after letting Jordan Henderson and Fabinho leave last summer and he turned to a pretty underwhelming alternative to £115m Moises Caicedo, but you can argue that Endo has been better than the Ecuadorian this campaign. He has definitely been better value for money.

Comfortable on the ball and excellent at breaking up play, the £16m midfielder has been one hell of a coup for Liverpool.

6) Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest)

You never got the feeling that young Elanga was ever going to make it at Manchester United. He was never given much of a chance to play consistently and big money would often be spent on average players in his position. Antony and Jadon Sancho immediately come to mind.

It is nice to see Elanga find a home after being on the periphery under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag. The 21-year-old has five goals and seven assists in 27 league appearances this term and is going to be pivotal if Forest are handed a points deduction – which looks like the only thing that will make this relegation battle interesting, especially when compared to the title race.

5) Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)

The expectations for Vicario were pretty minimal, mainly because there were not a lot of people who knew much about him. People did not expect him to be rubbish, but they most certainly did not expect him to be this good.

An incredible shot stopper, scarily fast off his line, good with the ball at his feet and commanding of his area, Vicario is an ideal modern-day goalkeeper and it is very clear that Spurs have got themselves a good one.

4) Matheus Cunha (Wolves)

Cunha’s move to Wolves became permanent at the end of last season after six months on loan from Atletico Madrid. In those six months, he was bitterly disappointing and it looked like a waste of money. However, the Brazilian attacker has been superb under Gary O’Neil this term.

Not only showing more ruthlessness in front of goal, but Cunha’s overall play has been a huge factor in Wolves’ success this term and he finally looks like he belongs. He was comfortably in the bottom half of our ranking of every Premier League team’s record signing before 2023/24 and is now sixth. That is a good hint as to why he is fourth here.

3) Kai Havertz (Arsenal)

Tipped by many to be the biggest flop of the season, it took a while for Arsenal fans to be completely convinced by Havertz, but his form in 2024 has won over the vast majority of his doubters.

Havertz started slowly after his £60m move to the Emirates, showing a lack of conviction and confidence in his play while not being afforded the time by his own and rival fans to grow in confidence and prove his worth.

Nobody really knows the German’s best position and after leaving Chelsea it felt like it most certainly was not as a centre-forward, however, he has been excellent up front for Arsenal in recent months, keeping Gabriel Jesus at bay.

Another Arsenal signing, Declan Rice, could have been in this list because he has seamlessly shown he is worth £100m. That takes some doing.

2) Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Chelsea were linked with Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe before making a late move for Manchester City youngster Palmer in the summer transfer window. If the Blues’ interest in the former was genuine, they will be very happy with how things have worked out.

Without Palmer’s performances, you’d dread to think where Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino would be today. Well, the latter would be down the job centre, that much is for sure.

While the majority of us knew Palmer was a talented boy, he has stunned us all with how he has been able to carry a below-average team on his back. Building his team around the England international is the best thing Pochettino has done at Chelsea.

1) Ross Barkley (Luton)

Nobody saw this coming and if anyone claims they did, they are lying to you.

Barkley joined Luton having struggled in his single season in France with Nice, which came after a seemingly career-ending spell at Chelsea. The Blues signed the English midfielder from Everton at a young age and with the world at his feet, destroyed all the promise he had, although it is not like the player did much when given minutes on the pitch.

Luton needed some Premier League experience and turned to Barkley on a free transfer last summer. He has been inspired and will be crucial if the Hatters are to avoid relegation back to the Championship, which looks all the more impossible after Wednesday’s capitulation at Bournemouth.

Barkley grabbed his seventh goal contribution of the season at the Vitality but it is not his threat in the final third that puts him ahead of the rest, it is how he has proven himself to be a wonderful deep-lying midfielder who is not finished at the top level. Get him in the England team and Jordan Henderson out.