The summer transfer window is an important time in any football clubs year, and this summer has been extraordinarily busy in the Premier League.
Some teams have spent very heavily, some have had a whole host of faces come and go and there has been some enormous changes all around the league.
So here is my list of grading Premier League clubs based on their signings, outgoings and situation by the end of the window.

ARSENAL – B+
Arsenal set out to defend their first Premier League title for over 20 years
Arsenal’s window has ended overall positively on face value. Trossard for Tzolis seems like an upgrade so far, despite what might’ve happened at Villa Park, the other Premier League game and what we’ve seen in preseason and the community shield shows that this will be a good signing at a good fee.
Guimaraes is a massive injection of quality into midfield and will be able to partner Rice to good effect, as well as being able to relieve some of the minutes from the England international.
The signing of Konsa in defence will add a good and solid presence in the heart of the defence that adds experience to the backline and a more than capable face while Saliba is injured
There is one thing that I think is missing from Arsenal’s window is another quality attacking asset, the links with them were along these lines; Vinicius Jr, Julian Alvarez and Morgan Rogers were some of the names linked, however none of these materialised.
Despite this it has still been a very solid window for the Gunners, who I think do have the strongest squad and still remain title favourites.

VILLA – B-
Villa have undergone a massive change this window after a very impressive last year that included a European trophy.
There have obviously been massive outgoings at Villa this season: Rogers, Konsa, Tielemans, Martinez… you get the idea, basically there has been a lot of outgoings.
Villa’s recruitment however has been very impressive, they have replaced almost as well as they could’ve hoped for.
Manzambi is their biggest outlay in terms of a fee and after a great world cup adds a good amount of attacking quality and will be a very exciting transfer to watch on the transition.
Suzuki is another statement signing from Villa, the early signs from the goalkeeper look great with the Japanese international’s distribution being a particular highlight so far.
Jackson is a good replacement for Watkins and I believe a very underrated striker and will do well this season.
Ruggeri, Harwood-Belis and Gomes are all smart deals to replace outgoings and they may not have the quality of the previous players but it would be incredibly difficult to replace these players with one singular window and Villa have done an great job at this.
Finally Mbaye is a great talent to sign from PSG, the fee may be heavy and with that fee comes risk, but I do believe it will turn into a very successful signing as we look towards the future.
It has been a massive summer of rebuilding and although the players that have come in do look up to the task in some respects, with the loss of players it will be difficult for Villa to recapture some of their successes in previous seasons.

BOURNEMOUTH – C+
The most important thing Bournemouth could’ve done this window isn’t actually signing players, but keeping the core of their team and the importance of keeping them with all of the interest in them cannot be understated
Scott, Rayan and Kroupi being a main reason for their success last season. It is always going to be difficult losing a manager like Iraola, but the transition to Rose looks very smooth from the outside looking in.
The signing of Silva in defence is an exciting replacement for Senesi with the Portuguese international could improve to a very good level being only 22.
I think a negative that could be said about Bournemouth is maybe the lack of depth to contend with Europe, the injury to Kroupi won’t help things but it does remove their main attacking threat without any replacement.
By no means a bad window for Bournemouth considering what they have lost but maybe could’ve done with a few more additions.

BRIGHTON – B-
Brighton faced what could’ve been a difficult window, losing two first team players in Baleba and van Hecke, however Brighton with their smart scouting have bought well this window.
Luka Vuskovic’s arrival from Tottenham represents, in my opinion, a great coup from the Seagulls. The Croatian is considered to be one of the most exciting young defenders in Europe and has attracted interest from clubs like Bayern Munich.
As well as Vuskovic there are a couple of exciting young additions to the squad in Chema Andres and Zadok Yohanna, two players full of promise for the future.
There may be some worry about the outgoings, replacing the Premier League experience of Danny Welbeck is no easy feat – but if you get an offer of £5 million for a 35 year old it will be difficult to turn down.
Brighton have again balanced big sales with ambitious recruitment and put their trust in young players. On paper with the losses they may seem a weaker squad on paper, however if the right things click under Hurzeler then they should have a lot to look forward to, both in the Conference and Premier League.

BRENTFORD – A
Brentford have conducted themselves very well this window with very smart business.
Sangare is obviously the standout signing, he brings huge quality and athleticism into the midfield and his early performances show he can bring this quality to all areas of the pitch.
Diouf is another great signing, he was one of the few shining lights from West Ham last season and adds good attacking threat on the left hand side, making a very high quality full back pairing with Kayode.
Anthony is a proven Premier League addition that adds depth to the squad and a different dimension in the attack.
Wilson is another proven Prem player, the main concern that comes with him is his injury record. But the Bees are not asking him to be their main striker – they are getting an experienced player who can help from the bench without paying a fee.
The losses of Henderson and Pinnock may not impact the on pitch quality too much, but they may be a loss in the dressing room.
Overall all of the deals here make sense, they have addressed exactly what they needed to without losing any important players and will look to build on an incredibly strong season last year.

CHELSEA – B+
After a disappointing end to the last season that saw no European football at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea have gone for a slightly different transfer approach this season, seeing more experience. Some of the signings have also been made to accommodate the new system under Xabi Alonso.
The statement signing has been Morgan Rogers, over £100 million from Aston Villa has not only added immediate quality to the starting 11 but also seems to have revitalised Cole Palmer, the value of which cannot be understated.
The signing of Lacroix is very good business for the blues and will add a very capable defender with Premier League experience to the club.
Martinez is another signing where I echo what I said above about Lacroix, Chelsea’s goalkeeping issues have been a talking point for what feels like years now and to get the Argentinian you feel like these issues will have been put to bed.
Chelsea have had a very good window, top level talent in Rogers, good Premier League additions in Martinez, Lacroix and Welbeck, who offers a good dressing room presence along with Henderson.
Great window for the blues and a great season incoming.

COVENTRY – D+
Coventry were always going to be busy for their return to the Premier League for the first time in a quarter of a decade, but with over £100 million spent I struggle to see the real quality in the side.
The signing of former loan player Rushworth is a signing I like, he has the makings of a good goalkeeper and is important to keep some of the squad together, Onyeka also being part of this too.
They have also targeted experience in the League with Pinnock being a sensible addition with a low fee, and Hamer returning after being one of the few shining lights of Sheffield United’s otherwise dull campaign a couple of years ago.
Awoniyi is one with Premier League experience but hasn’t been particularly prolific over the past few years and Tchaouna from Burnley failed to really impress on his maiden season in England.
The striker situation is also worrying, I don’t think that Simms or Cherif have quite enough to lead the line until Wright’s return and even then it is no guarantee he will hit the ground running in the a league.
There is definitely some potential in this window; keeping the core of the team together is important and some Premier League experience has been added but I’m not entirely convinced that Coventry have done enough to avoid the drop

PALACE – D
Palace has lost two major pieces of their defence this summer, both Munoz and Lacroix leaving new boss Sage with a bit of a rebuild in his first summer.
There is some business Palace have done that looks good, Timber arriving looks like good value and Khalaili and Osorio look like capable young editions to the squad who can progress in the future.
Good numbers have been added in defence, Disasi and Ahanor both on loan with Mingueza and Tomiasu giving Sage some experienced defenders as options.
The signing of Chilwell is an interesting one, he has of course been at the club before so may be able to bed in easier, and if he can recapture some of his form from previous years will be a very good signing.
Deadline day sums this window up for Palace, they were beaten to the signing of Fofana by Sunderland and were still trying to get many deals done late in the day, Chilwell and Timber both being completed after the deadline.
Keeping Sarr will be important around it, even with the Senegal star wanting a late move to Liverpool, but overall the quality lost in Lacroix and Munoz feels like a step back for the south London team this summer.
Overall I think a disappointing window will be followed by a disappointing league campaign for Palace.

EVERTON – F
We’ll start with the positives, well positive… Hackney is a very smart signing for the Toffees, his championship performances last year were very impressive and you could see a drop off when Middlesboro were without him, and for a fairly small fee it should be some good business for Everton.
But, and this is a big but, they first of all have not addressed some major issues with their squad. The signing of Maitland-Niles is a right back signing but not of the quality Everton need. The squad itself is incredibly thin without the numbers that Everton require for the upcoming season.
All of this without the drama of the Balogun saga on the final day. This does not only leave the Toffees with Barry as their only natural striker. It is debatable as to how much of the deal was at the fault of Everton and the signing would’ve made the window more successful, but the facts are the American striker is still at Monaco and Everton have made their season even more difficult with their lack of activity.

FULHAM – D+
Fulham’s summer feels like one of regression where some of the squad has changed and not necessarily for the better. The biggest change has been with Silva leaving the manager position after five years with Arbeloa stepping in after his time at Real Madrid last year.
Garcia is their biggest addition, he is a young forward and the talent is clearly there but there with only one full season on top flight football under his belt and to have him leading the line for a full season is definitely a risk, albeit one that could definitely pay off.
Palacios and Angel are two more that followed from Madrid with undoubted potential but will have to take a massive step up for the Premier League.
Shea Charles is a signing that I like – although the fee is again heavy at around £30 million the young midfielder is versatile with good experience in English football with room to grow and Larsson adds a good player into the squad.
The main outgoing Fulham has been Wilson who left for free after his standout year last season. I struggle to see anyone that offers a similar level of attacking threat.
There is definitely a new look to this Fulham squad with undeniable potential, but I think a risky window in regards to Premier League experience could lead them towards the lower end of the table.

HULL – C+
Hull have been massive underdogs coming into the season with an unexpected playoff victory and many had already written them off at the start of the season, admittedly myself included, but their first two performances have been incredibly impressive and better than some of the most optimistic Hull fans have been.
In regards to their transfer their early standout has been Tzolakis, the Greek shotstopper has already kept two clean sheets with two solid performances.
Mendy has also been an excellent addition to the squad with his performance, particularly in the first game of the season being impressive. The defender was one of the bigger buys this window has shown he is able to step up.
There are other deals to like, Targett on a free, Gelhardt and Iroegbunam are all undoubtedly smart signings in their own right and Norton-Cuffy and Mouzakitis both add in young potential.
However my issue with Hull is I still just don’t think the quality is quite there for a full Premier League season. The investment is there and the early signs have been very promising, above what anyone would hope for them.
They already have a lot better survival hopes than anyone will have given them credit for, but I just don’t think they quite have enough over the course of the year.

IPSWICH – B
Ipswich have had a very busy window ahead of their Premier League return. Almost £200 million was spent to try again to avoid the drop.
Palacios is my favourite signing for Ipswich, around £25.5 million for a midfielder with experience not only at top flight but Champions League level and with the quality he brings to the side is a major coup for a newly promoted side.
Enciso makes his return to East Anglia, the Paraguayan will add some creative spark going forwards.
Fatawu and Maeda give the side two very direct and quick wingers, Maeda is again a great transfer for me with him goalscoring record at Celtic being very impressive and the ability to play across the frontline being a very favourable deal for £10 million.
They have also added experience of the league in Lukick and Diop, who both arrive from Fulham to step into the 11.
Ipswich have greatly improved the depth and quality of the squad and have done their best to survive this top flight season, I do however feel like they may have defensive issues with this not being entirely addressed.
A very successful window with some great additions to the team with some mixed results to start off the campaign, but with the quality of the league I struggle to see where enough points come the way of Ipswich.

LEEDS – A
An incredible window for Leeds, it was a strong season overall last campaign with survival comfortably established and they’ve built on it incredibly well with the acquisitions of Wilson and Trafford in particular.
Wilson had a standout year last season with Fulham – 17G/A in the league was a very impressive return for the Welshman and for Leeds to get him on a free transfer was great business from the Yorkshire outfit.
As mentioned above Trafford is another very good addition to the squad. He struggled to nail down a starting spot at City with the presence of Donnarumma but the English shotstopper proved himself to be more than capable in goal. Trafford will be looking to use this move to Leeds to gain some momentum for a future England career with Pickford going to be 36 by the next world cup.
The signing of Muharemovic in defence is an exciting signing. The Bosnian international already has a couple of seasons of top flight experience at only 23 years of age more than makes up for the loss of Struijk.
Elsewhere in the window has been some good squad building, adding numbers where needed with faces like Buonanotte, Elvedi and Bahoya joining – even if just on loan – adds a good amount of players to the squad while improving the overall quality.
I think if everything clicks in the squad a push for Europe is possibles this season.

LIVERPOOL – C
Liverpool’s window is very difficult to judge, the quality of their attacking output, mixing their signing of Barcola with Wirtz and Isak should, in theory, make a very good attack and successful team. But the lack of both quality and investment in the defensive side of the team is worrying.
Jaquet looks to be a very good signing from early glimpses but the lack of signings in regards to a proper defensive midfielder or addressing the shortcomings in both fullbacks, with neither Kerkez or Frimpong having an impressive start to the season, will be tough for Liverpool to deal with.
Van Dijk is no longer at the level where he can make up for defensive shortcomings with his fullback, and this has been seen in some of the opening fixtures with their fullbacks being exploited.
Munoz looks to have the makings of a very good player, the Spanish winger is quick and direct and will pose a problem for fullbacks in the league both this year and in future.
With the attacking threat, Liverpool should hopefully be an entertaining watch this season if nothing else.

MANCHESTER CITY – B
The first thing that will come to mind for Manchester City’s window is the amount of money spent, and of course it is extensive, they have also seen a high number of first team outgoings.
Starting with their new Brazilian Allan, who is a relative unknown, his numbers at face value may not look the most impressive, but the Brazilian is highly rated, being described as “A complete player” back in Brazil. The fee for him is not too high, just over £30 million the risk is not too high.
The quality they have brought in is undeniable Anderson and Ndiaye are undoubtedly good players and we have seen their quality over the past couple of seasons and will both bring something new to the squad in their own right.
Fernandez also brings Premier League experience and having worked with Maresca before you can see why he has been brought in, but the fee I think is a little high for the Argentinian who you can’t doubt is a good player but to match the English transfer record I think is too much money.
Bouaddi is a big risk for the
As mentioned before there has been a lot of outgoings in City’s team with a major one being Rodri. The former Ballon’dor winner will of course be a huge loss to any team but with the Spaniard asking to go back to his home country, there was no chance in keeping him.
City will undoubtedly be near the top of the table once again but will this window be enough to push Arsenal for the title, I don’t think so.

MANCHESTER UNITED – C+
It was a very impressive league campaign from the red side of Manchester last time out, however their summer activity has maybe been a little quiet in terms of activity
It started off very promising for the Red Devils, with Tielemans and Santos both joining their midfield early on in the window, however in terms of first team additions this was almost it.
Baleba was signed very late in the window, leading to a new look midfield for Man U. which will in time turn out to be good signings, the Tielemans transfer being a particular highlight for the price they got him for. But the lack of any signings outside of these midfielders could be cause for concern from this side.
With the added games in the Champions League this year the depth in both attack and at full back will be cause for concern, and areas of the team that should have been addressed.
The major criticism for this transfer window won’t be the additions made to the team, as I believe they will all turn into successes in their own right, but the lack of activity and the signings they didn’t make.
Time will tell how needed reinforcements could have been with the added games, but I think their league performance could suffer compared to last year.

NEWCASTLE – B+
This was going to be a very influential window for Newcastle, either one way or another, The Magpies lost 4 very influential players as well as Eddie Howe and for many people looked as if they were a club in crisis.
The activity of the club this summer however will leave many fans looking forward to the future with a much more optimistic start to the season than expected.
They have addressed most areas they needed to.
The signing of Nico Gonzalez in particular is incredibly impressive and with the fee only around £50 million for the quality he will bring is incredible business for Newcastle. This addition of quality mixed with the exciting talents such as Steur and Fernandez-Pardo, Toure etc will make Newcastle fans extremely excited about the future.
A lot of the outgoings for Newcastle were really out of their hands, with Gordon, Tonali and Guimaraes all wanting to leave the club but all fees for the players are ones the Magpies can be happy with.
The only downsides to the window for Newcastle, aside from the obvious outgoings, would be the left back situation. Lewis Hall being the only natural left back at the club is not an ideal situation to be in, however with Livramento, Burn and now Dedic being able to at least cover here I understand it not being an immediate priority.
I think this season will be above the expectations that a lot of people had for them at the start of the year.

FOREST – B-
There is a lot to like about the business Forest has conducted this window, the fee received for Anderson is very impressive and represents very smart financial business, on the pitch though there is a big gap in their midfield they need to fill.
Their incoming transfers are a mixed bag. Munoz represents a very good signing, his quality is undeniable and having worked under Glasner before is an exact fit for the system.
Diomande adds both pace and physicality in defence and will work very well next to the established partnership in Murillo and Milenkovic.
Delap is the clubs biggest addition but you do wonder why Forest have paid the fee for him. He has come off of a very poor season at Chelsea and with a fee around £50 million it is a massive commitment on someone with one good top level season.
Forest have made some good squad editions this window and I do actually believe Delap will be a good signing for them, if a little expensive.
The difficulty is replacing Anderson and it will always be a difficult task filling that gap but it was important not losing other players like Gibbs-White and Murillo.
I think the lack of European fixtures will help Forest’s league campaign and their position in the table will improve because of this.

SUNDERLAND – C+
After a season Sunderland fans could only dream of this transfer window serving as an opportunity to strengthen not only the quality of the squad but the black cats would need more depth this season to contend with games across the continent.
Fofana is the standout signing, beating Crystal Palace to the Belgian winger on deadline day represents a great deal. The 21 year old adds a very dynamic and direct option to the frontline with even more potential to grow.
Danso is another addition which makes a lot of sense and adds a very capable, strong defender into the heart of defence and with a loan that turns into a permanent deal next season is a very good bit of business.
Methalie at left back is interesting with the drama that went on with the signing and the medical around it, the young fullback definitely has promise and could go on to be a very goog signing and will have an important role to play over the coming season, but can go down as a risk.
The signing of Meunier on a free is another piece of good business, the Belgian has a lot of top flight experience in his career and will be a good figure in the dressing room and can also provide on the pitch.
Overall it hasn’t been a bad window for Sunderland, they’ve added young talent and some fresh faces but with the extra games in Europe I don’t think they will quite have the depth to compete successfully on all fronts.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR – C-
Tottenham have come off (another) very disappointing season. They desperately needed to get this window right, especially with all of the money spent.
The first thing to talk about in this window for Spurs will be the money spent – £320 million along with some loan and free transfers puts a lot of pressure on De Zerbi.
In regards to the positives, Fernandes is a very good signing and the kind of midfielder Spurs has been missing for so many years now, he has been a slight bright spark in what has been a pretty disappointing start to the season.
Sensei on a free is also a good bit of business, along with Robertson who brings a good level of Premier League experience.
However the issue with this window is you could argue that all of their signings have been too expensive. Tonali is undoubtedly a good player but for £100 million? Too much I think.
Savio is another example of this – again there have been flashes of a player at City but the output just isn’t there. One goal and one assist in the last campaign doesn’t really warrant the fee paid for him.
Marmoush will be a good signing and I think will revel in the opportunity to be a first choice striker at a club again and has shown some good moments in the first couple of matches.
No one can deny Tottenham have added quality this window, but for the price they have paid for these players along with the disappointing start to the season has to have raised some eyebrows at their summer activity and I have no doubt they will improve on last year, but maybe not as much as they were expected to before the season began.