Premier League signings of the 2022/23 season - ranked

Two brilliant signings
Two brilliant signings / Stu Forster/Staff and James Gill - Danehouse / Contributor
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Premier League clubs signed a grand total of 251 players during the 2022/23 season.

Some of these signings were bad (Weston McKennie), some were pointless (Arthur Melo) and some were actually quite good.

Here's the top ten best signings that Premier League clubs made.


10. Oleksandr Zinchenko

Oleksandr Zinchenko
Zinchenko has impressed / Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

Fee: £30m (from Man City)

A signing that fundamentally changed the way Arsenal played, it's fair to say nabbing Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City was quite a good move.

In an inverted full-back role the Ukrainian was instrumental in the Gunners' Premier League title challenge.


9. Manuel Akanji

Manuel Akanji
Akanji has been a hit / Alex Livesey - Danehouse/GettyImages

Fee: £15m (from Borussia Dortmund)

If you saw Akanji play during his time at Borussia Dortmund, you wouldn't be remiss in thinking that he was, well, a bit useless.

At Man City under Pep Guardiola, however, he has been very far from useless. Filling across the whole back four, the Swiss defender has been genuinely fantastic.


8. Morgan Gibbs-White

Morgan Gibbs-White
A wonderful player / James Williamson - AMA/GettyImages

Fee: £42.5m (from Wolves)

For his stunning backheel assist in the win over Southampton alone, Morgan Gibbs-White deserves to make this list.

Add to that the fact that he also created 64 chances, made 229 passes into the box, and completed 51 dribbles, and you have a pretty damn good signing if you ask us.


7. Lisandro Martinez

Lisandro Martinez
Small but mighty / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Fee: £48.5m (from Ajax)

'He's too small!'

'He's the size of a small child!'

'Kevin Hart is bigger than him!'

Lisandro Martinez endured quite the wave of criticism when he rocked up to Old Trafford at the start of the season. Now, however, there isn't a single fan of any team in the Premier League that wouldn't have him at the heart of their defence.


6. Joao Palhinha

João Palhinha
A bargain signing / Gareth Copley/GettyImages

Fee: £20m (from Sporting CP)

£20m for one of the best midfielders in the Premier League?

25 years ago that was the going rate for such player, now that's considered an absolute steal.

Joao Palhinha was utterly exceptional for Fulham throughout the 2022/23 campaign, making almost 50% more successful tackles than anyone else in the entire league.


5. Taiwo Awoniyi

Taiwo Awoniyi, Aaron Ramsdale
The hero / Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

Fee: £17.5m (from Union Berlin)

Nottingham Forest signed Taiwo Awoniyi with the hope that he'd score the goals that keep them in the Premier League.

In the final few weeks of the season, Awoniyi popped up with the six goals that did exactly that. Superb.


4. Sven Botman

Sven Botman
Solid at the back / Richard Sellers/Allstar/GettyImages

Fee: £31.8m (from LOSC Lille)

When Newcastle United beat AC Milan to the signing of Sven Botman, it felt like a big deal.

Nearly 12 months later, it's pretty clear how big of a deal it actually was. The centre-back has been fantastic for Newcastle, providing their defence with some much-needed composure and quality.


3. Casemiro

Casemiro
World class / Naomi Baker/GettyImages

Fee: £70m (from Real Madrid)

Casemiro is a good footballer.

Who'd have thought it, eh?

The five-time UEFA Champions League winner has, as expected, been world class for Manchester United.


2. Nick Pope

Nick Pope
Pope has been fantastic / Alex Livesey/GettyImages

Fee: £10m (from Burnley)

£10m for a goalkeeper who conceded a league low amount of goals, won two Castrol Save of the Month awards, and was generally just bloody brilliant.

You can't beat that for bang for your buck.


1. Erling Haaland

Erling Braut Håland
Champ / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Fee: £51.2m (from Borussia Dortmund)

Here's why Erling Haaland is the signing of the season in, not just the Premier League, but the whole of Europe:

Awards
FWA Footballer of the Year
Premier League Player of the Season
Premier League Young Player of the Season
Premier League Golden Boot

Records
Most goals scored in a single Premier League season
Most goal in first five Premier League games
Second most Premier League hat-tricks in a single season
Youngest player to reach 30 Champions League goals

Outrageous.