Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds)
Considering the cost of signing elite Premier League strikers, Calvert-Lewin deserves a spot because he cost absolutely nothing. Plenty played a part in other clubs deciding the centre-forward was not for them after leaving Everton; his injury and goalscoring record left plenty to be desired but everyone knew what was available, if a club could get him fit. Still only 29, Calvert-Lewin wanted a change of scenery and has proved plenty wrong by missing only three Premier League games all season and producing the goals that have gone a long way to keeping his side in the Premier League – scoring seven in six games at the end of 2025 – and earning a first England call in five years along the way. “For me, he is one of the best English strikers in this league,” Daniel Farke said. “Harry Kane is playing in Germany for Bayern Munich, but in the Premier League, he is definitely one of the best English strikers and he will be a key player for us going forward.”
Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth)
An ever-present for Bournemouth, snapped up as part of a defensive rebuild after selling off most of their backline in the summer. Joining from Rennes for a bargain £11m, the left-back seamlessly settled into life on the south coast on and off the pitch, taking his dog Blue along the seafront and performing superbly in a high-energy, progressive role on the flank, making him an integral member of a side built on a foundation of intensity. Truffert is combative by nature, frequently putting in tackles and winning duels, to put him top of Bournemouth’s metrics in those areas. At his boyhood club, Rennes, he was already captain aged 22 and his leadership skills have shone through at the Vitality Stadium. His first goal was a very late winner at Newcastle, where he found the perfect position to smash home a knockdown, indicating his intelligence in both boxes. Truffert is another success of the Bournemouth recruitment model and will inevitably make them a large profit, possibly in the coming months.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton)
The previous campaign was a complete bust for the midfielder, almost wasting a year of his career after a big-money move to Chelsea. Dewsbury-Hall became a bit-part player, almost forgotten about when it came to league matches. He needed an escape route and David Moyes provided it, giving him the opportunity to flourish in an upwardly mobile team as a No 10. Confidence was quickly rebuilt, aided by his manager’s faith and the freedom offered to Dewsbury-Hall, allowing him to make a difference. This has created his best season in the Premier League, scoring eight and assisting a further four, leading to a secure mid-table finish after years of flirting with relegation. “He’s made us more creative and, sort of, cultured in the way we play,” Moyes said of the midfielder. “He might be going under the radar a wee bit – he’s playing so well. He does the work; he covers big distances for us. He’s an intelligent boy, as well. He wants the team to do well, and he’s certainly helped us play better.” The ability to drive Everton forward has helped change the dynamic, supported by the high-quality wingers Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish, bringing the thrust that has often been absent in recent times.
Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
“There are moments I shout at him and there are moments I want to kiss him, so I have that ambivalent feeling with him,” Pep Guardiola said of Cherki in December. It is easy to see why the French flair player can frustrate a coach but he is one of the most exciting to watch in world football at the moment. A contrast to the tedium of long throws and corners, Cherki wants to receive the ball to feet and dribble around 10 players. Guardiola wanted more from him defensively after he moved to England from Lyon, something Cherki is getting to grips with. The supporters are more interested in the tricks and flicks that have led to 16 goal involvements in the league. Considering he is still only 22, everyone will be glued to Cherki’s progress because if he can learn how and when to use everything in his arsenal, he will become almost unstoppable.
Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)
It was a very busy summer at the Stadium of Light, as the last team to get promoted went about overhauling their entire squad as 15 joined Regis Le Bris’ revolution. Finding someone with plenty of Premier League experience was vital to the plan, especially in midfield where games are often won and lost. Le Bris describes Xhaka as “like a second coach on the pitch”, showing what his experience brings to the team. Xhaka brings the intellect in the middle of the park, an area he has helped the Black Cats control in key moments against high-quality opposition. The prospect of returning to England was very tempting and the money even more so, but giving up Champions League football for what looked like an enduring relegation battle was not the easiest decision to make for the Swiss international, who has provided calm at Sunderland and taken on the captain’s armband on their way to securing Europa League qualification.