Welcome to England: Top 10 Newcomers

by
Jeff Haynes / Reuters

The summer transfer window has seen Premier League clubs once again set their sights on Europe's other leagues in search of players who are capable of fulfilling their needs - footballers who can help a team close in on the title, avoid relegation, or whatever a side may require.

As is often the case, the Eredivisie, the Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 have been among the more popular fishing grounds, and it will be fascinating to see which settlers capture the imagination of the Premier League and which arrivals fail to live up to their transfer fees.

Here are the top 10 newcomers to the Premier League:

10. Jordy Clasie - Feyenoord to Southampton

An embodiment of a club on the rise, Jordy Clasie - Southampton's fifth signing of the summer - will be reunited with manager Ronald Koeman at St. Mary's Stadium. A defensive midfielder with a wide range of skills, Clasie is an ideal fit for a club that just lost the talented Morgan Schneiderlin to a Premier League giant.

9. Yohan Cabaye - Paris Saint-Germain to Crystal Palace

Another example of a player who could thrive from teaming up with a former manager, Yohan Cabaye has the ability to thrive at Crystal Palace under Alan Pardew's guidance, and could help take the club from a mid-table side to a team that can flirt with Europe. All of this, however, assumes Cabaye is capable of recovering from his failed spell at Paris Saint-Germain.

8. Idrissa Gueye - Lille to Aston Villa

Aston Villa captured an ideal replacement for Fabian Delph in Idrissa Gueye, who established himself as one of Ligue 1's top midfielders last season due to his combination of holding on to the ball for his life and contributing defensively. In Gueye, Villa has a player who can allow the club to continue its resurgence under Tim Sherwood.

7. Bastian Schweinsteiger - Bayern Munich to Manchester United

If Bastian Schweinsteiger can remain healthy for the better part of the season, Manchester United has made one of the signings of the summer. A World Cup winner with experience of the highest variety who can single-handedly dictate the tempo of a match, Schweinsteiger is a player that has 19 clubs envious of his move to Old Trafford.

6. Chancel Mbemba - Anderlecht to Newcastle

Is he 20? Is he 26? Is he 23? Is he 25? Who knows? Who cares? Newcastle United certainly doesn't. Its signing of Chancel Mbemba - who's had four separate birthdays documented throughout his career - is intended to allow the club to improve on a disastrous campaign in which it barely avoided relegation. And make no mistake about it: Mbemba can help Newcastle improve.

5. Georginio Wijnaldum - PSV to Newcastle

Georginio Wijnaldum is another player capable of helping Newcastle recover from last season. Wijnaldum was named Dutch Footballer of the Year following a 2014-15 campaign in which he notched 14 goals and three assists as PSV Eindhoven captured the Eredivisie title. His transfer fee was the third-highest in Newcastle's history for a reason.

4. Dimitri Payet - Marseille to West Ham

Should Dimitri Payet replicate his form from last season, West Ham United is in good shape for its final campaign at Upton Park. He notched six goals and a league-leading 17 assists through 36 Ligue 1 appearances last season at Olympique Marseille while also ranking first in key passes per game (3.7). Payet can single-handedly determine where West Ham finishes in the table.

3. Jordan Amavi - Nice to Aston Villa

Villa supporters will be pleased to know that the club captured the top left-back from Ligue 1 last season in Jordan Amavi, who made at least 25 more interceptions (163) than any other player in Europe's top five leagues. Amavi is a phenom who will be a staple of Villa's backline and who should have no trouble settling in the Premier League.

2. Roberto Firmino - Hoffenheim to Liverpool

In Roberto Firmino, Liverpool has a player who will score more frequently than Mario Balotelli and suffer injuries less frequently than Daniel Sturridge. European football is unfortunately in a weird place where clubs believe Brazilian strikers are destined to flop. Firmino's numbers speak for themselves, however, as he notched 47 goals in 151 appearances at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

1. Memphis Depay - PSV to Manchester United

United finally has a forward capable of scoring the necessary goals to launch a challenge for the Premier League title. Memphis Depay, who tallied 22 goals and five assists at PSV last season, was manager Louis van Gaal's first signing of the summer and the most impressive signing of the summer by an English club. Brace yourself, Premier League.

The Digest

2015-16 Premier League Season Preview: Team breakdowns, player rankings, predictions and more

by
Reuters

Welcome to theScore's collection of 2015-16 Premier League season preview content, where you'll find everything you need to know about what's shaping up to be a thrilling campaign on the pitch in England.

Detailed team breakdowns, player rankings, predictions, and a bevy of other pieces that will have you more than prepared for the EPL season; it's all here.

Peruse, enjoy, and then walk into the office as the most knowledgeable Premier League fan around.

Season Preview

Individual Team Previews

Transfer dealings, lineup projections, and everything else you need to know about each club's upcoming campaign.

The Relegation Battle

The Hornets have been busy in the transfer market. Will it be enough to avoid going straight back down?

The best story from last season's Championship. Can they be more than a yo-yo club?

The Canaries are back. And Luis Suarez isn't here to score against them. Survival in the cards?

No Christian Benteke. No Fabian Delph. Tim Sherwood is in big trouble, right?

In The Bottom Half

The Black Cats have been atrocious out of the gate over the last two seasons, only to save themselves from the drop with a late push. Will we get a three-peat?

Can the Magpies bounce back from a miserable 2014-15 campaign?

Can Claudio Ranieri match the achievement of his predecessor, Nigel Pearson, and keep the Foxes in the Premier League?

Another season mired in mid-table mediocrity for the Baggies?

Pushing For Europe

Will a very impressive transfer window result in the Hammers booking an automatic berth in Europe this season?

The Toffees can't be as poor as they were last season, right?

Yohan Cabaye and Yannick Bolasie will be a treat to watch, and Alan Pardew will ensure things are never dull on the sidelines. Can Palace make a push into Europe?

How will the Potters cope with the losses of Asmir Begovic and Steven Nzonzi?

The Best Of The Rest

Can Jefferson Montero and Gylfi Sigurdsson carry the Swans once again?

Losing marquee players and replacing them with shrewd, impressive signings. Sound familiar?

Several new signings will need to be incorporated into the squad after the Reds sold their best player in a mega-money deal. Has this happened before at Anfield?

After a season marred by defensive frailty, but salvaged by the heroics of Harry Kane, will Spurs' reinforcements take some of the pressure off the English striker's shoulders?

The Title Contenders

Spending. Spree. Louis van Gaal has arguably the most impressive squad in the league at his disposal after a very expensive summer. Is it enough to get the Red Devils back atop the mountain?

The Gunners once again look capable of ending their Premier League title drought. Can they (finally) get over the hump?

Neck and neck with Chelsea before falling off a cliff in the second half of the year, can Raheem Sterling help the Citizens get their hands on the coveted trophy once again?

The defending champions. Will a quiet summer see other clubs close the gap, or are the Blues still the team to beat?

theScore's Top 50 Premier League Players

The Top 50 EPL Players were selected by theScore's quintet of soccer editors, and was based on both the individual players' performance from last season, along with their prospects for the coming campaign.

Listicles and Rankings

Betting Preview

In our 2015-16 season betting preview, you'll find odds from various sportsbooks on the title race, the fight for Champions League places, and the always thrilling relegation battle. theScore's Gino Bottero, Carlo Campo and Gord Brunt examine the bets that can beef up your wallet.

Other Preview Content

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