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Premier League 2017/18: Best Signing XI Of The Season

Everyone judges – to judge is natural. You bet it is. Everyone judges – right from the cradle to the grave. And when it comes to football transfer – with more than a billion pounds being thrown around in the transfer window by Premier League clubs, each and every move make is sure to come under scrutiny.

This is what brings us today with a compilation of the best signings made by Premier League clubs this season. Finding the right player at the right time can make all the difference in this league. It could be the difference between challenging for the title and finishing a disappointing fourth. Meanwhile at the bottom of the table, it can prove to be the difference between staying up and ending up in the bottom three. 

So, without much adieu let us present to you, the Best Signings XI in the Premier League in 2017/18.

Goalkeeper – Ederson (Benfica to Manchester City)

The goalkeeping rejig at Manchester City has probably been one of Pep Guardiola’s biggest test so far. It was hard to say goodbye to Joe Hart but Guardiola had to do that. However, Carlos Bravo’s solitary season between the sticks had the doubters start wondering about the ex-Barcelona gaffer's plans.

Guardiola finally got his man this season – Ederson for £35m last summer and he looks tailor-made for Guardiola’s system. His qualities regarding his distribution combined with his ability to step out of the penalty box to sweep away has any danger has been eye-catching.

However, he is also no slouch when it comes to reaction saves and his shot-stopping ability.

Right Back – Kyle Walker (Tottenham to Manchester City)

Walker, 27, is enjoying his best season in the Premier League – having won the coveted trophy for the first time in his career in his first season with the Cityzens.

He has been praised by his manager Pep Guardiola as “one of the best'' right-backs in the world and has certainly looked well worth the £50million that City had furbished to lure the England international from White Hart Lane.

His pace down the flanks has always been a telling factor about his success. This season, however, has seen him mature into a mature young defender who doesn’t always have to use his physical attributes to get the better of his man.

Centre Back – Harry Maguire (Hull City to Leicester)

Many might have laughed at Leiceser City for coughing up £17 million to sign Maguire from Hull last summer. They surely aren’t laughing any more. The 6ft 4in man has become the focal point at the back for the Foxes and his physical tough-tackling approach has helped him become a fan favourite at the Kings Power stadium.

A vital part of Claude Puel’s tactics at the back, the England international looks set to be named in the 23-man-squad to be named by Gareth Southgate for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Centre Back – Davinson Sanchez (Ajax Amsterdam to Tottenham)

Tottenham are still odds on favourite to clinch a Champions League place this season despite their recent struggles and one of the biggest reasons for their success so far has been the presence of young Davinson Sanchez at the heart of the defence.

Spurs’ transfer-record breaking fee of £42m shelled out for the youngster now looks to be justified as the young Colombian has taken to the upper echelons of club with the utmost grace.

With Tony Alderweireld out for large portions of the campaign, the former Ajax man has fitted in seamless into Mauricio Pochettino’s scheme of things at the back with the Lilly Whites boasting of the third-best defensive record in the league.

Left Back – Andrew Robertson (Hull City to Liverpool)

The trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane might hog the limelight as Liverpool brandish their style of attacking flair upon all and sundry.

A few yards back on the field (not always – as has been evidenced by his brilliant runs down the flank) another player has quietly become one of the vital cogs in Jurgen Klopp’s machinery.

Robertson has been brilliant since forcing his way into the team at the turn of the year and has more than lived up to his reputation of being an ‘attacking’ full-back who has been able complements his actions with astute defensive performances.

Having been signed for just around £8m in the summer, he certainly has been the biggest bargain buy this summer.

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Centre Midfield – Nemanja Matic (Chelsea to Manchester United)

The Serb moved to Manchester United from Chelsea this summer in a £40m deal in Julyand this one single piece of transfer has had a huge effect on the fortunes of both teams.

A big reason why Chelsea won the title in Antonio Conte’s first season at the club, it still remains a mystery as to why the Londoners let such an influential player move off. Thought by many as a move to let Paul Pogba roam further up the pitch, the 29-year-old has for many outshone his French compatriot.

Centre Midfield – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal to Liverpool)

Chamberlain wanted a fresh challenge, a change in position and an upswing in fortunes. With the move to Liverpool the England international got all those and probably more.

It was only last September when Thierry Henry had said, “I have been watching him for a very long time and I still don’t know what he’s good at,” about the England international.

High notes were hard to find during Chamberlain’s initial days at Liverpool as he played in a variety of positions across the midfield. However, around Christmas his nomadic existence of a clear cut position on the field came to an end as he began to thrive at the middle of the park alongside the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Emre Can.

A string of princely performances against Bournemouth and Swansea were quickly followed by even more impressive string pulling against Everton in the FA Cup and even more importantly against Manchester City.

Centre Attacking Midfield – Pascal Gross (Ingolstadt to Brighton Hove Albion)

Joining Brighton from Ingolstadt last summer, Gross has been a standout in the Premier League this season and a huge reason why the Seagulls will again have Premier League football to cherish next season.

The German craftsman has been at the centre of everything good that has emanated from the Brighton camp this season and has more than caught the eyes with his performances.

His tally of seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League in fact means that he has been involved in 15 of the 33 goals that Brighton have scored this season.

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Forward – Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal)

One might say that this was more than just a signing. This was a clear statement. With Alexis Sanchez moving away in January, the Gunners really had to get a marquee name in to instil belief amongst their fans and tell the rest of Europe that they might have fallen off the pace in the Premier League a bit but were still top dogs in the transfer market.

They duly did that as they broke their transfer record for the second time in the same season in January – this time to bring in Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £57.5million.

The forward is already showing his class on the field after scoring eight and assisting four in his first 11 appearances for the Gunners and the Arsenal faithful will be wetting their appetite to see how he links up with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Henrinkh Mkhatariyan next season under a new manager.

Forward – Richarlison (Fluminese to Watford)

The Brazilian had a terrific start to the season which coincided with Watford’s burst off the gates. The 20-year-old scored five goals in his first 12 games for the Hornets.

However, having just completed the season in Brazil for Fluminense before signing for the Premier League side meant that he has been playing football continuously for more than 12 months now and the effects were there for everyone to see as his scoring drought now goes back to November.

His performances, however, has caught the eyes and has thus been linked with moved to Manchester United and Chelsea in the coming season.

Forward – Mohamed Salah (AS Roma to Liverpool)

If this was a ranked list instead of one based on positions, Salah would have been number one and there is not even a single doubt about it. Undoubtedly the most inspired signing of the summer, the man from Egypt has had a season for the ages.

The forward has already bagged 31 goals in the Premier League (the joint highest for a 38-game season) and 43 overall to lead the Liverpool to the cusp on European success with only Real Madrid now standing in the way of Reds winning it all in the Champions League.

He has been rewriting the record books with every wing of his left foot this season. Defenders have been run wild and pundits have run out of adjectives to describe the kind of season that the Egyptian has been having. One can only say that one would be very much be surprised if he is not a serious contender for the Ballon d'Or next year.

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