The new Premier League season is right around the corner and this brings many predictions some bold and some safe. Some of the most anticipated and enjoyable predictions that get made are about which players are going to light up the league next season. And not just light it up, but break out in the league and be touted to bigger clubs by the end of the season. There are obvious players like Foden, Palmer and Haaland who will likely have great seasons once again but my predictions will be a bit more rouge than that.
Enes Ünal – Bournemouth
Ünal was with Bournemouth last season on loan and has since been bought on a permanent transfer from Getafe for £14 million. Although he played a bit part season previous year making only 2 starts and 14 substitute appearances, he still managed 2 goals and 2 assists in 321 minutes. With Solanke being sold to Spurs, this is the perfect opportunity for him to solidify his place in the front line with his physicality and finishing ability. Even before his move to the Premier League, he had a strong goalscoring record with Getafe and FC Twente. With 30 goals and 4 assists in 70 appearances, he boasts a positive
record, which with better creative players behind him can allow him more chances. In La Liga, he averaged 2.4 shots per game which should go up with more opportunities being created and he had a conversion rate of 17.5%. From the shot map of his time in the Spanish League, we can see that he is not scared to shoot from anywhere even if the majority don’t test the keeper. His potency to take long shots and shoot from anywhere will not only increase his scoring likelihood but also bring others into play through deflections and potential goalkeeper parries. Furthermore, due to his shooting potency, defenders will need to stick to him tighter than they would against Solanke and this will create more gaps in behind where the wingers can expose the opposition. Under the assumption and the hope that the Cherries don’t sign a new starting striker, this will be a season for Ünal to make his mark on one of the biggest stages.
Leif Davis – Ipswich
Leif Davis is a left-back who has completed 2 consecutive promotions with Ipswich and has never looked out of place in the higher leagues. But he hasn’t just not looked out of place, he has kept on getting even better and kept on making even more of an impact on the Ipswich left. In League One he made 14 assists and even when he had a full season in the
Championship, he still made 18 assists. His creative ability from a defensive position is top class but he still doesn’t forget his defensive responsibilities. Davis still completed 1.8 tackles per game, 1 interception per game, 4.7 ball recoveries per game and made 0 errors leading to shots or goals during the 23/24 season. He is composed, a constant threat and a truly top-class player. Looking at his heatmap from last season we can see just how good his cardio is with him constantly bombing up and down the left. He hugs the touchline whilst putting constant pressure on the opposition right-back. He reminds me a lot of Alfie Doughty on Luton from the 23/24 season but I feel his will exceed him and will receive a lot more plaudits for his work. Another bold prediction is that he will have an England call-up during the next season and will certainly make an appearance. With Luke Shaw’s injuries and Ben Chilwell’s lack of game time, he can fill that void and put on a variety of stellar performances. Even so, if Ipswich does get relegated some bigger teams will come in for him of which I would personally love to see him at West Ham but that is very biased.
Mats Wieffer – Brighton
Mats Wieffer is a Dutch midfielder who has recently been brought to the Premier League by Dutch team Feyenoord for £26 million. With the league’s finances in the current day, that much for a midfielder is fairly average and will get very few questions asked about whether he is worth it. However, I feel by December, that price will be classed as a bargain and Mats
will go on to become one of the best midfielders outside of the top 6. His passing ability is top class but where he stars is his defensive output. He is a unit in the centre of the pitch and is difficult for many teams to overcome. The 24-year-old completed 2.9 tackles per game, 7.4 ball recoveries per game, and 1.7 interceptions per game as well as winning 8.4 duels per game of which 5.2 were on the ground. His numbers are up with the very best as seen on the radar chart where I compared his numbers with the best defensive midfielder in the world Man City’s Rodri. With every defensive statistic, Wieffer trumps Rodri, and this is not to say Wieffer is a better player as Rodri offers so much more all over the pitch, but what this data comparison does show is that Wieffer top class at what he does best which is tackle hard and be that reassurance for the back line.
Christopher Nkunku – Chelsea
Nkunku is one of the many players who may not be at the front of people's minds with the plethora of new signings that Chelsea have made but his quality can not be understated. So far his Chelsea career has been plagued by injuries but in the 24/25 season, his Blue’s career can explode. Already we have seen bits of what he can do in the Premier League with 3 goals in only 437 minutes. But the numbers we need to be looking at are from during his time at German side RB Leipzig where he played centrally and turned that league into his playground. During the 21/22 season, he musted 20 goals and 13 assists in 34 games and still did well during 22/23 with 16 goals and 4 assists in 25. Everyone knew just how good he was, so much so that Chelsea had to agree a deal with him and the club as early as December of the previous year to arrive the following summer. And to be fair the Chelsea, they got this one bang on and have got a very good player in their ranks. With his lack of game time for the Blues, under new manager Maresca, Nkunku can feel like a completely new signing. Not only is he top quality but he is versatile with his ability to play anywhere along to front line and fill in any gaps. With the likes of Chelsea star Cole Palmer, constant runner Nicolas Jackson and Portuguese talent Pedro Neto around him, he can go from strength to strength and be the catalyst for a good season for his team.
Savinho – Manchester City
New Man City young talent Savinho is the latest player to be added to the Premier League champion’s roster. He is a winger who can play both sides but is far more suited to the left wing and is at his best when running at the defence with the intention of putting a quality ball into the box. We have already seen a little demonstration of what he can do for City as he came off the bench in the Community Shield. Although only getting 27 minutes of game time, he still mustered 3 completed dribbles which was X3 the entire Man United squad, 1
key pass and was a constant positive offensive outlet for the Sky Blues. The young star has recently finished a strong season with Spanish side Girona in which he scored 9 goals and made 10 assists in 37 games. This not only earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad for Copa America but also earned him a £23 million move to the Premier League. During his time with Girona, he completed 2.8 dribbles per game, 1.5 key passes per game and 3.5 shot-creating actions per game. Looking at his comparison with both Jack Grealish and Doku we can see that some of his numbers are down such as his progressive carries and
shot-creating actions. However, with the likes of Haaland in front of him and Rodri reducing his defensive responsibilities, these numbers will blow up and blossom under Pep. If you look at all the young wingers that have played under Guardiola, we constantly see them be given time to develop and improve their game. Savinho is no different other than that he comes in at such a high quality already with bundles of raw talent. With the guidance and increased quality around him, he will have an excellent breakout Premier League season as he competes and dribbles past some of the World’s best.
Yukinari Sugawara – Southampton
Sugawara is the perfect player for Southampton and the new man looks set to fit in perfectly into the Saints system. The Japanese right wing-back looks set to instantly get a run in the first team and create chances from the off. Although he can lack defensive stability, his offensive numbers and creative flair make up for it. Sugawara has gone from strength to strength as he developed from a young age at AZ Alkmaar with his numbers constantly growing. In his most recent season, he mustered 1.8 key passes per game, 7 assists, 5.6 progressive passes p90 as well as 1.5 touches per game in the opponent’s penalty area. If he was a winger then these numbers would be impressive, but as a wing-back these numbers are outrageous. His move to Southampton will instantly move Walker-Peters over to the left wing-back position and will put Ryan Manning out of the team. However, it is hard to believe that many Saints fans will complain when they see what Sugawara has to offer. The 3 at the back formation will allow him to push forward far more with there constantly being a centre-back to cover behind him. With Walker-Peters playing an inverted wing-back role on the left, we will often see him slot in midfield offering more support for the defence which will likely see Sugawara being pushed even higher. At times, Sugawara may be asked to play a winger’s role which will only see his numbers accelerate. With Brereton Diaz also through the middle, Sugawara will have a strong target for him through balls and crosses and I can see these 2 forming a good connection. Watch out for the new Saints wing-back.
Jean-Clair Todibo – West Ham
In what has on paper been an excellent transfer window for the Hammers, the star signing is new centre-back Todibo. In a surprising turn of events, West Ham hijacked his move to Juventus and secured him a loan signing with an obligation to buy for £40 million next season. After already signing centre-back Kilman from Wolves, this is just the next piece of
the puzzle to fix the back-line which conceded 74 league goals last season. He is already an improvement on Zouma by simply having working knee ligaments and the highly acclaimed Frenchman can make a real difference in East London. His defensive numbers are strong but what he has that many others don’t is composure on the ball and the confidence to pass and move the ball. He trumps Zouma in nearly all passing statistics which with the new wave of playing out from the back makes him a vast improvement. He enjoys getting on the ball and putting an extra zing into the game. Not only does he like to get on the ball and play the pass but he is actually good at it. He boasts a strong pass completion rate with an even better progressive pass amount per game. Todibo can drive the ball up the pitch allowing the creative players in front of him more time on the ball in a dangerous area of the pitch. This will change the recent dynamic of West Ham as they begin to transition into being constant goal threats. Todibo adds that piece of class at the back in what will be a clean slate of a season for the Hammers.
Komentarze