Following the closure of the transfer window on 1 September, I’ve reviewed the moves of each side in the Premier League in the rush before it shut.

ARSENAL
In: Danny Welbeck | Out: Ignasi Miquel 
Linked: Carlos Bacca, Loic Remy, William Carvalho, CB
Why: Giroud led the line for much of last season.
For his 2 months injured the Gunners could struggle to break packed defences without his power and link-up play.
Welbeck can cover as target man, offering much more pace in the role, but also play across the front line contributing defensively.
Once he returned, Bacca would have been less suited to a wide role, while Remy would have obstructed Theo Walcott’s development.
Chambers is backed to cover at centre-back and the Gunners are not anticipating a series of injuries in defence.
Arteta, Flamini, Wilshere, Ramsey are trusted in midfield even against the top sides.
Verdict: Arsenal showed a soft centre to Chelsea & Liverpool last year and got overwhelmed. The decision not to sign a defensive midfielder like Carvalho means that could happen again, but their strong attack should take the side to the Champions League.

ASTON VILLA
In: Carlos Sanchez, Tom Cleverley | Out: Karim El Ahmadi
Linked: Sergio Canales
Why: Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann have been backed in attack, despite the absence of injured target men Christian Benteke (& his replacement Jan Kozak) who complete their attacking trio last season.
Instead, Villa have reinforced cornerstone Ron Vlaar with 3 new defenders and powerful Columbian defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez, as El Ahmadi left.
Alongside the energetic Fabian Delph in midfield, Cleverley would represent a potential upgrade on Ashley Westwood.
With Joe Cole yet to make an appearance, Canales was also linked as a potential creative arrival, but the returning Charles N’Zogbia and Kieran Richardson look set to provide pace and energy instead.
Verdict: Last season’s side lacked creativity in attack when the athleticism of their front trio proved insufficient to break down defences at home, but Villa look much more solid than last season’s youthful side. Cleverley’s move might help him get the game time to revive his career. Until Benteke returns it might be hard for them to stay in the top half however.

BURNLEY
In: Nathaniel Chalobah, George Boyd, Michael Keane
Linked: Russell Martin
Why: Chalobah can help control games in central midfield, Boyd can provide creativity on the flanks and in attack, Keane adds youth in central defence.
All are versatile and give depth to a thin squad, as Norwich defender Martin would have.
Verdict: Burnley played an attack-minded game last year but will have to be more cautious against superior opposition.
Danny Ings might not be able to net enough goals to keep them up as a result.

CHELSEA
In: Loic Remy | Out: Marco Van Ginkel, Fernando Torres
Why: Remy is quick, powerful and good in the air and can cover for Diego Costa.
He could also offer a direct option on both flanks and would compete with Andre Schurrle for this role.
Torres has disappointed and all concerned might be relieved his exit to AC Milan could be arranged.
Fabregas looks set to provide all the creativity required against packed defences.
Young defenders Tomas Kalas, Kurt Zouma and Nathan Ake are getting the chance to step up and cover in defence.
Verdict: Jose Mourinho’s side look fearsome, but I think they could have used a versatile and experienced defender like Alvaro Arbeloa as cover.

CRYSTAL PALACE
In: James McArthur, Kevin Doyle, Zeki Fryers, Andy Johnson | Out: Glenn Murray
Why: Kagisho Dikgacoi left in the summer and Joe Ledley’s fitness record has not matched Mile Jedinak’s.
Palace needed another central midfielder and the talented and energetic McArthur is a huge coup and perfect fit.
Fryers adds cover at centre-back and left-back.
Experienced strikers Doyle and Johnson could prove more content to appear from the bench than Murray, who has been without a regular first-team place since his knee injury just before the Eagles’ promotion.
Verdict: Squad looks fine now – I’m surprised a move for McArthur wasn’t made earlier.
Perhaps a more proven striker would offer more protection against ‘second season syndrome’.

EVERTON
In: Samuel Eto’o
Linked: Matija Nastasic, Tom Cleverley
Why: Without the injured Arouna Kone, the experienced Eto’o’s arrival offered cover for marquee signing Lukaku in the lone striker role.
But with centre-back Antolin Alcaraz and left-back Bryan Oviedo each injured, Nastasic would have provided depth and quality in possession in both positions.
Young playmaker Ross Barkley’s injury left a vacancy in midfield that could have given a new opportunity to Cleverley, but the return of Darron Gibson and arrival of Muhamed Besic gives Everton the cover they need in central midfield for Gareth Barry and James McCarthy.
Verdict: The Toffees have done well enough to maintain their starting XI over the summer transfer window, and should remain competitive. For England’s sake, it’s a shame Cleverley won’t get Roberto Martinez as his manager.

HULL
In: Michael Dawson, Mohamed Diame, Abel Hernandez, Gaston Ramirez, Hatem Ben Arfa | Out: Shane Long
Why: Striker Abel Hernandez can play instead of Jelavic as a lone striker, alongside him, or out wide and offers the pace to replace Shane Long.
Diame’s arrival adds athleticism in midfield alongside the anchoring Tom Huddlestone and will allow the rotation of Jake Livermore and David Meyler.
Playmaker Ramirez and dribbling wizard Ben Arfa each have the talent to launch attacks in place of the tireless Robert Snodgrass, now ruled out through injury.
Dawson adds experience and a range of passing that could help launch direct attacks.
Verdict: An awful disappointment to be eliminated so early from the Europa League, but the ability to focus could boost their league challenge.
It doesn’t look good for Tom Ince for Hernandez and Ben Arfa to arrive all at once – they both play in his positions, and Ramirez is further competition.

LEICESTER
In: Esteban Cambiasso, Nick Powell, Tom Lawrence
Linked: James McArthur
Why: Nigel Pearson’s 4-4-2 looks very organised but lacks top level experience and the ex-Inter Milan 2010 Treble winner will provide poise while the youthful Powell adds goal threat in central midfield.
Verdict: Winger Riyad Mahrez and striker Leonardo Ulloa have impressed so far against tough opposition. I think others like Anthony Knockaert and David Nugent will step up too.
Odd how Wigan manager Uwe Rosler implied it needed a Leicester bid for McArthur to force Cambiasso to accept the move. Implies desperation and I think there was a case for getting both.

LIVERPOOL
In: Mario Balotelli
Why: Not many players could step into the void left by Luis Suarez’s but Balotelli has the talent, pace and power to do it.
His arrival could test Brendan Rodgers’ capabilities as a man-manager, and the two strikers were polar opposites when comparing work rate, but he was a bargain at that price and Rodgers had already distributed the funds raised by Suarez’s sale across several areas of the pitch.
Verdict: Liverpool’s success last season was achieved without the distraction of European football, but their squad looks deep enough to cope with it now.

MANCHESTER CITY
Out: Alvaro Negredo
Linked: Radamel Falcao
Why: Financial Fair Play rules meant signing Falcao proved too challenging, and if Sergio Aguero stays fit City won’t need another elite forward.
Valencia offered a substantial amount of money for the currently injured Negredo and given the need to raise money for future signings, it proved too good to turn down.
Fernando immediately, and Eliaquim Mangala when he settles in, could each improve City’s defence and provide the foundation to challenge in Europe as well as in the league.
Verdict: Won last season’s Premier League despite a series of injuries, but Pellegrini will need to mould it into a more consistent XI to beat Mourinho’s Chelsea this time.

MANCHESTER UNITED
In: Radamel Falcao, Daley Blind | Out: Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez
Linked: Arturo Vidal, Mats Hummels, William Carvalho
Why: Manchester United have several problem positions, and Vidal’s athleticism could have seen them all filled, but the price required to extract him from Juventus proved too high given his age and that he is yet to demonstrate his fitness after being worn down last year.
Roma’s pursuit of Adrian Rabiot may imply United hope to sign Strootman to anchor CM anyway.
Blind offers improvements at centre-back, left-back and centre midfield, but won’t offer the same level of dynamism.
Falcao’s signing recalls the purchase of Robin Van Persie – a marquee signing of a striker with a brilliant track record.
Welbeck was versatile and Hernandez had finishing ability, but Arsenal and Real Madrid look set to offer them more prominent roles, and newly signed Angel Di Maria can provide the pace they had each offered the side in attack.
Verdict: ‘Why add gold plate to the Bentley when you need an engine…’ ‘Business at the front, party at the back…’
United’s defence don’t look set to support a challenge for the Champions League places, but Van Gaal sides have historically improved despite slow starts.
Selling Welbeck to a direct rival might prove unwise however.

NEWCASTLE
Out: Hatem Ben Arfa, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
Why: Remy Cabella, Nigel De Jong and Emmanuel Riviere were chosen to revitalise an attack that collapsed after the sale of Yohan Cabaye, with Ben Arfa long marginalised.
Yanga-Mbiwa didn’t seem to adapt to the Premier League and Roma look set to provide him with more game time.
Verdict: Time will tell whether their attack proves sufficient to bring the Magpies out of their end of season slump, though a loan move for Arsenal’s Joel Campbell could have given another option in attack, either as another striker or in a wide role.

QPR
In: Leroy Fer, Sandro, Niko Kranjcar
Linked: Lassana Diarra, Fabio Borini, Jermain Defoe
Why: QPR lost midfielder Alejandro Faurlin early in the season to injury, and Sandro’s power will help them control matches, as Diarra would have.
Losing Remy also meant QPR could have used a mobile striker to cover and complement Charlie Austin and the injury prone Bobby Zamora, but Redknapp can instead now choose from among the dynamic Fer and talented Kranjcar in a supporting role behind the striker, with Junior Hoilett and Matt Phillips providing pace from the flanks.
Verdict: Redknapp’s side look a little short in attack but could as long as he can keep his players motivated the Hoops should prove resilient enough to stay up.

SOUTHAMPTON
In: Sadio Mane, Toby Alderweireld, Florin Gardos | Out: Hooiveld
Linked: Diego Capel, Andros Townsend
Why: The winger offers searing pace to complement the aerial ability of Pelle and the creative Dusan Tadic, who replaced Lambert and Lallana respectively, but arrives as more of an unknown quantity than the more established Townsend and Diego Capel.
Quick centre-back Alderweireld arrives to replace the departed Dejan Lovren while Gardos replaces the equally tall Jos Hooiveld.
Verdict: Keeping a well-motivated Schneiderlin will make such a difference to the Saints, though the new manager will struggle to match last season’s 8th.

STOKE
In: Oussama Assaidi, Victor Moses
Linked: Wayne Redmond, Scott Sinclair
Why: Mark Hughes acted early in the window to bring in full-back Bardsley, central midfielder Sidwell, and now adds Moses and the returning Assaidi on the flanks to add cover across the squad. The talented Bojan arrived already to provide the technique to complement pacey dribblers Arnautovic and Odemwingie in attack.
Verdict: Mame Biram Diouf has added yet more pace and power to the Potters front line, and given Hughes’ side finished 9th last year despite a poor start, the Potters could look to contend for a European place.

SUNDERLAND
In: Will Buckley, Sebastian Coates, Ricky Alvarez | Out: Modibo Diakite
Linked: Fabio Borini
Why: Modibo Diakite’s contract was cancelled so he could return to Italy and Fiorentina, so the giant Coates arrives to provide cover for injury-prone Brown.
Talented Alvarez and powerful Buckley provide alternatives for Jordi Gomez in a creative role and Adam Johnson on the wing.
Fletcher has led the line despite struggling with injury last season and has the powerful Altidore and Wickham as back up, though retaining Borini after last year’s successful loan would have provided a mobile option.
Verdict: Poyet revived the Black Cats last year after a poor start under Paolo Di Canio, but much of their team is injury prone or inconsistent and his side could experience further set-backs this season.

SWANSEA
In: Federico Fernandez
Why: Without European football a bloated squad was not needed so of their many departures, arguably only Fernandez was need to replace Chico at centre-back.
Verdict: Gary Monk has got off to a perfect start and The Swans look set for a successful season, though Leon Britton is yet to return at centre midfield.
Celtic would have struggled to resist a move for Charlie Mulgrew, who would have offered physically along with technique in the middle of the park, as well as at centre-back or left-back.

TOTTENHAM
In: Benjamin Stambouli, Federico Fazio | Out: Michael Dawson, Sandro, Lewis Holtby
Linked: Danny Welbeck, Jay Rodriguez
Why: Spurs’ squad is too large to give all the players enough football to keep them happy, and White Hart Lane wasn’t big enough for both Etienne Capoue and Sandro, or for Holtby amid a surfeit of midfielders.
The Brazilian’s replacement Stambouli has a record of making a lot of interceptions which should make him suited to Pochettino’s pressing system, and he can also cover at full-back should the squad be further trimmed.
Dawson leaves to be replaced by the younger Fazio.
Welbeck could have provided competition to Adebayor up front and Chadli on the left, but losing out to Arsenal means a move for Pochettino’s former striker Rodriguez can still happen when he recovers from injury.
Verdict: Pochettino’s arrival gives reason to hope for stability and gradual improvement after last season’s discord,
though breaking past one of the incumbent top four will be difficult.

WEST BROM
In: Giorgios Samaras
Why: Alan Irvine earlier added variety in the full-back positions but spent the summer fortifying team’s core amid inconsistent form among the sides creative players.
The giant striker provides an alternative to Victor Anichebe in the target man role to help Brown Ideye and Saido Berahino score the goals.
Verdict: West Brom look short of goals and could do with more pace on the flanks. I think they’d have improved their survival chances with a move for Callum McManaman who would have provided work rate and both of these, and Wigan signed Andy Delort who could have replaced him.

WEST HAM
In: Alex Song, Morgan Amalfitano | Out: Mohamed Diame
Linked: Micah Richards
Why: Richards would have covered several positions and his powerful style would have added to West Ham’s threat from set pieces, but Carl Jenkinson was already signed at right back, while Song can either bring his passing range to midfield or cover centre-back.
Diame has looked set to leave for a while leaving West Ham looking for another option in central midfield.
With Downing & Jarvis each operating primarily as ‘inverted’ wingers, Amalfitano brings his fine right foot and dribbling ability to West Ham’s right flank.
Verdict: The Hammers invested too much in the injury prone Andy Carroll, and Enner Valencia has no experience in Europe, but Mauro Zarate could inspire a positive atmosphere at Hammers.