Everton, Southampton and Burnley bag themselves the most underrated signings of the season

In the 2022/23 summer transfer window, the Premier League yet again flexed its financial muscle to the rest of the world. The net spend of the league would amount to a whopping £1.9 billion, smashing the previous record of £1.4 billion in 2017. To put this into context, the English league has spent more than the Italian, German, and Spanish combined.

As a result of this massive splurge in cash, we have seen some of the most promising and established names in world football arrive in the Premier League. Top of that list is Erling Halaand who joined Manchester City for £51.5 million and has set the league on fire.

The Norwegian striker has shown no signs of slowing down and is currently 4/11 to score over 35 league goals and has been the recipient of many a football bet. Man City are the bookies’ clear favourites to win everything.

It is easy to focus on these big names and give them their plaudits but there are many signings that have flown under the mainstream radar.

Based on their performances so far, here are the top three most underrated signings of the summer:

James Tarkowski 

The 29-year-old was Everton’s first signing of the summer, arriving from relegated Burnley on a free transfer after his contract had expired. The English centre-half seemed to be a smart pick-up by Frank Lampard at the time and has reinforced that belief with consistent solid performances.

Everton has the joint-best defensive record in the league and it’s mainly up to Tarkowski joining, although credit should also go to his compatriot Conor Coady. The former Burnley man has over 200 Premier League appearances and topped the charts for duels won last campaign. He has the fourth most clearances in the league this season and has made Everton a more compact, resolute outfit.

Nathan Collins

Again, another former Burnley defender managed to jump ship after being relegated to the Championship. Collins joined Wolves in the summer for a fee in the region of £20.5 million, making him the most expensive Irish player of all time.

At first glance, you would be deceived to think that Collins was a seasoned Premier League centre-back, but the Irish man is only 21 years old. He has not just established himself as a dominating presence in defence but as a calm, ball-playing defender, perfect for the Wolves’ possession-based approach. Although rash in the challenge against Jack Grealish which earned him a deserving red card, Collins will go on to have a transformative season for a struggling Wolves team.

Roméo Lavia

At just 18 years old, Lavia already looks like the complete midfielder. Southampton managed to poach the young Belgian from Man City for £11 million, where he was a regular in their U21 setup. Since joining, he has been a revelation and a young standout in a Southampton side overflowing with young potential.

Lavia was so impressive in his opening fixtures for the Saints, that he was the subject of a £50 million bid from Chelsea just weeks after making the move. There is also ongoing speculation linking him with a move back to Man City, it is hard to believe that they would let him go in the first place.

Money doesn’t always buy quality and although big names are unavoidable, keep an eye out for the players who may not be getting the credit they deserve.