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Premier League signings of the season: Football writers pick their top summer buys

Clubs outside top four dominate our writers' list

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Who has been the Premier League summer signing of the season?

Who has been the Premier League signing of the season? Sky Sports' football journalists have their say...

In a list dominated by teams outside of the top four, our writers give their detailed verdicts on who they think has made the biggest impact since moving in the summer.

Salomon Rondon (Newcastle - on loan from West Brom)

Salomon Rondon has impressed for Newcastle
Image: Salomon Rondon has had a huge impact during the second half of the season

It seems as though every time I've covered Newcastle this season, Salomon Rondon has been a key component in a positive result for Rafa Benitez's men. The 29-year-old has fired 10 goals and racked up five assists in what is turning into a comfortable season without relegation fear for the Toon. He leads the line with great authority, in a style that brings the best out of his team-mates in forward areas, plus, he's added more goals to his game this season. Fans will be hoping his loan deal will become permanent over the summer. (Lewis Jones)

James Maddison (Leicester - from Norwich, undisclosed)

James Maddison celebrates scoring Leicester's equaliser
Image: James Maddison's step up from the Championship has been seamless

It has been a stellar first campaign for James Maddison in the Premier League and despite a truly turbulent season for Leicester, the 22-year-old has remained unflappable and mightily impressive in midfield. He has started in 28 of Leicester's 31 league matches - showing his importance to both Claude Puel and Brendan Rodgers - with six goals scored, which is already the second best return of his career. He has also created 81 scoring chances for his side - the joint-most in Europe's top five leagues along with Atalanta's Alejandro Gomez and Lyon's Memphis Depay. At such a young age, it will be exciting to watch his development over the next few years. (Charlotte Marsh)

Alisson (Liverpool - from Roma, £67m)

GRAPHIC
Image: Alisson was brought to Anfield for a world-record fee for a goalkeeper

Brian Clough famously said that you cannot win anything in football without a top-class goalkeeper and Liverpool supporters will attest to that following the summer arrival of Alisson from Roma. The Reds were let down badly last season by the error-prone Loris Karius, leading to their decision to spend a world-record £67m to bring the Brazil international to Anfield.

Alisson's 2018-19 PL stats

Apps 31
Starts 31
Minutes 2790
Clean sheets 17
Clean Sheet % 54.8
Goals Conceded 18
Mins/Goal Conceded 155
Shots on Target Faced 79
Save Percentage 77.22
Saves 63
Errors Leading to Goals 3

But it has proved money well spent, with the 'keeper having provided a previously unseen calm reassurance to the club's defence, including a Premier League-high 17 clean sheets and just 18 goals conceded so far. And perhaps his defining moment came in December with an outstanding close-range stop to prevent Andre Gomes from opening the scoring in a Merseyside derby Liverpool would crucially go on to win at the death. (Richard Morgan)

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Virgil van Dijk praised Alisson after he produced a fine save to help Liverpool beat Napoli earlier this season

Raul Jimenez (Wolves - on loan from Benfica)

Wolves' Raul Jimenez celebrates scoring his side's first goal against Manchester United
Image: Raul Jimenez has scored 15 goals for Wolves this season

Despite scoring 82 goals on their way to promotion to the Premier League last season Wolves' top-scoring striker, Leo Bonatini, netted only 12 times in all competitions. Enter stage left Raul Jimenez, the latest in a long line of imports from Portuguese clubs, and having a difficult time of it at domestic champions Benfica. A season-long loan to Molineux took its time to get going, with three goals in Jimenez's first 13 Premier League games. But the Mexican has got his mojo back and his quality as a traditional number nine, as well as the 15 goals he has scored for his loan club, have both played a big part in their success this season. (Ron Walker)

Felipe Anderson (West Ham - from Lazio, £35m)

ANDERSON
Image: Real Madrid are thought to be interested in Felipe Anderson

Though he's not a like-for-like replacement for Dimitri Payet, Felipe Anderson certainly has Hammers fans off their seats like the Frenchman did. The Brazilian was slow to start, but then chipped in with seven goals in nine games in November and December, and there's a clear reason why Real Madrid are thought to be planning a move for the 25-year-old if they fail to land Eden Hazard. He may not have scored in 2019, but Anderson still remains a huge threat for West Ham; his running off the ball creates space for others and often goes unnoticed, and his statistics are up there with the best. He's ranked in the Premier League top 10 for chances created, final third passes, dribbles, through-balls and tackles. (Gerard Brand)

Felipe Anderson PL stats (18/19)

Number PL rank
Chances created 55 8th
Final third passes 608 7th
Dribbles 63 6th
Through balls 15 6th
Tackles 73 10th

Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal - from Lorient, £8m)

Matteo Guendouzi Arsenal
Image: Matteo Guendouzi was among Unai Emery's first signings for Arsenal

Lucas Torreira's arrival from Sampdoria may have grabbed most of the headlines at the Emirates Stadium last summer and while he's enjoyed an impressive start to life in the Premier League, it is the performances of Matteo Guendouzi that have caught my eye at Arsenal.

Plucked from Ligue 2 side Lorient for just £8m by Arsenal's former head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, the Frenchman was billed as one for the future. However, he quickly forced his way into Unai Emery's plans with a number of impressive performances in the middle of the park and has been a key component of the Gunners midfield ever since. He has gone on to make 37 appearances in all competitions this season and his all-action style has already endeared him to the Arsenal fans. There is still an occasional error lurking in his game but at just 19, the Gunners have a real gem of a player on their hands. (Oliver Yew)

David Brooks (Bournemouth - from Sheffield United, £11.5m)

David Brooks celebrates after scoring Bournemouth's second goal
Image: Welshman David Brooks has had a season to remember for Bournemouth

David Brooks was so small and skinny he struggled to find a club when he was let go by Manchester City aged 17, but Sheffield United were rewarded for gambling on him then and it has been the same story for Bournemouth this season. The 21-year-old has been brilliant since his £11.5m arrival at the Vitality Stadium. So much so, in fact, that he has already earned a new long-term contract at the club and pipped Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to the Welsh footballer of the year award.

His vision and technique make him a joy to watch, and he has also demonstrated the physical and mental resilience to take the step up to the top flight in his stride. There have been six goals and four assists in the Premier League, but his importance to Bournemouth goes beyond those numbers. He is an example to young players everywhere. For the top-six sides now admiring him from afar, meanwhile, his rise is a lesson in the importance of patience and perseverance. (Nick Wright)

Ben Foster (Watford - from West Bromwich Albion, free)

Ben Foster has made the joint-third highest amount of saves in the Premier League this season and ranks second for high claims (29). The 35-year-old has been busy, but also instrumental in helping Watford's surprise challenge for Europa League qualification.

Ashley Barnes shoots wide from close range for Burnley
Image: Ben Foster has been instrumental for Watford in their quest to qualify for the Europa League

Manager Javi Gracia did not hesitate to introduce Foster as his No 1 ahead of Heurelho Gomes at the start of the campaign. And even Foster's Brazilian predecessor told the Watford Observer this week that the former England international is currently the best goalkeeper in the country.

Foster won the goalkeeper of the year award at the London Football Awards in Battersea in February and will surely go on to be Watford's player of the season. (James Kilpatrick)

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