It has been a record-breaking transfer window in the Premier League, with billions spent by England’s top-flight clubs — including huge fees for Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz (£100 million) and Hugo Ekitike (£69 million) as well as the £66.3 million Manchester United paid for Benjamin Sesko.
Liverpool’s deadline day move for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak will be worth around €130 million, smashing the previous Premier League transfer record which was set by Chelsea when they paid Benfica an initial €106.3 million for Enzo Fernández.
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Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Man United and Tottenham have also strengthened their attacking options, but the new signings have enjoyed a mixed start.
So with the Premier League now shutting down for two weeks for the first international break of the season, it’s time to assess just how well (or badly) the new attackers have done.
João Pedro might finally be the answer to Chelsea’s long-term striker problems. Visionhaus/Getty Images
The Chelsea forward enjoyed a head start on his attacking rivals in the Premier League because he joined Enzo Maresca’s side from Brighton & Hove Albion halfway through the FIFA Club World Cup and made an instant impact for the eventual winners.
His three goals in three games in the United States, after a £55 million transfer from the Amex, quickly confirmed Pedro as Chelsea’s first-choice striker, and he has continued to impress in the Premier League with two goals and two assists.
At 23, the Brazil international clearly has a big future, and Chelsea look to have sealed a bargain with their relatively low-priced deal.
If Chelsea are to challenge for major honors this season, Pedro will be at the heart of everything — if he stays fit.
RATING: 9/10
Hugo Ekitike has made the transition to the Premier League look easy. Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
The signing from Eintracht Frankfurt has been an instant hit at Liverpool, becoming the first Reds forward to score three goals in his first three games with the team since Daniel Sturridge in 2013.
With Liverpool having already signed Wirtz and with Isak on the way, Ekitike’s arrival was somewhat low-key after he rejected a move to Newcastle.
But for anyone thinking that the 23-year-old would be a squad player at Anfield, Ekitike has quickly dispelled that notion by adding pace, trickery and cool finishing skills to Slot’s forward line.
How he fits in alongside Isak, Wirtz and Mohamed Salah is a big question, but Ekitike has already shown that he deserves his place in the team.
RATING: 9/10
Jack Grealish has a new lease on life at Everton. Clive Mason/Getty Images
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made it clear at the end of last season that Grealish did not figure in his plans, but the decision to offload the England winger on loan has certainly benefited Everton.
Grealish, 29, took a pay cut to leave the Etihad and reboot his career in an attempt to get back into the England squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup, and he has made a sensational start by registering four assists in four games for David Moyes’ team.
The former Aston Villa player seems to have the joy back in his game, and his effervescence has sparked Everton’s performances too.
After Grealish assisted on two goals in Everton’s 3-2 win at Wolves over the weekend, former City teammate Erling Haaland called him “Jack De Bruyne” on social media.
RATING: 9/10
Mohammed Kudus has added a new dimension to the Spurs attack. John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images
Spurs did their business early by sealing a £55 million deal with West Ham United for Kudus, and the Ghana international has been quick to show his quality with Thomas Frank’s side.
Kudus has registered two assists for Spurs, both coming in their opening-day win against Burnley, but it is the 25-year-old’s impact away from the stats that has been most impressive.
His work-rate and tenacity is typical of the best Frank sides, and Kudus’ performance in Spurs’ away win at Man City emphasized his willingness to work for the team.
A moment in the second half, when he dispossessed City’s Bernardo Silva and teed up a Spurs attack, showed that the club has signed a forward who will do much more than contribute in the final third of the pitch.
RATING: 7/10
Matheus Cunha has improved the Manchester United attack but now is dealing with a hamstring injury. OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
The Brazil international was United’s first signing of the summer, sealing a £62.5 million move from Wolves to start the rebuild of Ruben Amorim’s attacking options following the club’s dismal return of 44 goals in 38 league games last season.
But after contributing 17 goals and six assists for struggling Wolves last season, the 26-year-old has yet to get off the mark for United, and he could now be facing a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Despite the lack of goals or assists, however, Cunha has visibly added more dynamism and threat to United’s forward line, and Amorim spoke of his importance to the team when asked about his potential absence, saying, “We need him really bad to be competitive.”
RATING: 7/10
Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United (315 mins, 2 goals, 0 assists)
Bryan Mbeumo got his first Premier League goal against Burnley on Saturday. James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Mbeumo joined United from Brentford for £65 million, and the Cameroon international has already brought goals to Old Trafford.
Two goals in four games have been the upside, but Mbeumo’s penalty shootout miss in United’s Carabao Cup loss to Grimsby proved the decisive moment, so that was an obvious downside.
Mbeumo and fellow new signings Cunha and Sesko are still adjusting to life at Old Trafford, and the requirements of Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, but Mbeumo is clearly an upgrade.
He has made United better and there can be little doubt that there is still more to come from the 26-year-old.
RATING: 7/10
Viktor Gyökeres has struggled as Arsenal have faced a difficult opening fixture list. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
The stats look fairly impressive for Gyökeres, Arsenal’s £63 million signing from Sporting CP, but numbers can be deceiving. The center forward has struggled to show that he is the answer to the Gunners’ long-term striker search.
Both of Gyökeres’ goals came in the team’s 5-0 home win against Leeds United, with one from the penalty spot, but aside from that contribution, the Sweden international has looked short of fitness and impact in games away to Manchester United and Liverpool.
The 27-year-old missed a big chunk of preseason due to his standoff with Sporting, so he clearly needs to build up his fitness. But right now, Gyökeres looks short of the quality usually associated with an Arsenal forward, and he was also outmuscled by Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté at Anfield.
It’s still early days, but maybe Arsenal fans will have to accept that while Gyökeres has taken Thierry Henry’s No. 14 shirt, he is a completely different kind of player to the Gunners’ legendary all-time top scorer.
RATING: 5/10
Florian Wirtz, Liverpool (335 mins, 0 goals, 1 assist)
Florian Wirtz has, so far, failed to live up to his transfer fee. Carl Recine/Getty Images
Wirtz was given the club’s iconic No. 7 shirt to underline his importance to Arne Slot’s side after making the move from Bayer Leverkusen.
But the 22-year-old has struggled to make an impact, and his only goal contribution came in Liverpool’s Community Shield defeat against Crystal Palace.
Wirtz limped out of Sunday’s 1-0 win against Arsenal with cramps, and Slot said it was proof that the Germany international is still adjusting to the pace of the Premier League.
“After 85 minutes, I don’t think he knew he could have cramp in so many different places and that’s what happened,” Slot said. “That is welcome to the Premier League.”
RATING: 5/10
Rayan Cherki faces two months on the sidelines with an injury. Michael Regan/Getty Images
Pep Guardiola has taken a gamble on a maverick by signing Cherki from Lyon. The 22-year-old could be a game-changer for City, but there are also doubts as to whether he can successfully make the step up from Ligue 1.
A thigh injury sustained last week forced Cherki to miss the team’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton, and Guardiola said that it will sideline the France international for two months.
So after a bright start with a goal in City’s opening-day win at Wolves, followed by a less impressive outing in their defeat against Spurs, the jury is out.
RATING: 5/10
Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United (170 mins, 0 goals, 0 assists)
Benjamin Sesko has not hit the ground running at Old Trafford. Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Slovenia international Sesko rejected a move to Newcastle to sign with United. The 6-foot-5 center forward had also been a long-term Arsenal target prior to their move for Gyökeres.
So far, the signing from RB Leipzig has struggled for game time due to a disrupted preseason with the Bundesliga club, and his only 90 minutes came in United’s humiliating exit to Grimsby.
Sesko offers more presence and ability to shield the ball than Rasmus Højlund and is more experienced, but he has yet to show clear evidence that he can be the solution to United’s goal-scoring problems.
Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Switzerland this week will help Sesko build his match sharpness ahead of the Manchester derby on Sept. 14.
RATING: 4/10
Liam Delap, Chelsea (399 mins, 1 goal, 1 assist)
Liam Delap is out injured for up to two months. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Delap was the striker whom virtually every top club wanted to sign at the end of last season because of the 22-year-old’s £30 million release clause following Ipswich Town’s relegation from the Premier League. After strong interest from Newcastle and Manchester United, he chose Chelsea.
So far, though, the former Manchester City youngster has been left in the shade by Pedro. Delap looks distinctly like a backup striker behind the Brazil international.
Delap has yet to score or assist in the Premier League, and his hopes of making an early impression have been dented by a hamstring injury sustained in Saturday’s win against Fulham that is expected to sideline him for up to eight weeks.
RATING: 4/10