Top 10 Premier League upgrades of the summer: Liverpool striker swap, Mbeumo and Cunha…

Premier League clubs (excluding Fulham) have used the transfer window to upgrade certain positions, but who are the 10 biggest upgrades? Here’s our ranking…

10) Jacob Murphy to Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United)
Murphy’s Premier League numbers last season were more than respectable (eight goals, 12 assists), but nobody really believes those numbers are sustainable. Newcastle clearly don’t, which is why they moved for Elanga.

The Swede’s blistering pace already makes him one of the most dangerous wingers in the division, and while Murphy impressed in 2024/25, he’s not the long-term answer on the right. Once Elanga settles, he should become a genuine asset and goal threat, and Murphy will be back in his more natural role as a handy back-up.

9) Fabian Schar to Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is known for taking his time with new signings, so Schar’s long-term replacement might not get the nod immediately. But when Thiaw does settle, it’ll be for good – until he inevitably joins Liverpool in 2028.

Thiaw is one of the few Newcastle summer targets who actually wanted to join and could form a top-class partnership with Sven Botman if he gets back to the 2022/23 levels that first caught the eye. Schar’s been a great servant, but this is the beginning of the end.

8) Manchester United bomb squad to Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo
It’s a definite upgrade on Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford. But let’s be honest: This Is Manchester United We’re Talking About.

Cunha and Mbeumo looked sharp on debut against Arsenal, constantly troubling the Gunners’ defence, but couldn’t find a way past David Raya. There’s plenty to like about them, yet history tells us even world-class players have crumbled at Old Trafford. Proceed with cautious optimism.

7) Robin Olsen to Marco Bizot (Aston Villa)
This is a monumental upgrade on one of the weakest back-up goalkeepers in the division, perhaps the biggest on this list. But it is a back-up goalkeeper so we’re not moved enough to put this one any higher.

Bizot kept a clean sheet on his Villa debut against Newcastle and looked very confident, which makes supporters more confident and, more importantly, those in front of him on the grass.

Not only has Unai Emery improved in the goalkeeper department, but he’s added a No.2 capable of usurping Emi Martinez, or at least stepping in if the two-time Yashin Trophy winner gets the summer move he expected back in May.

6) Illan Meslier to Lucas Perri (Leeds United)
Leeds fans hailed this as a huge upgrade before even seeing Perri in their shirt — Meslier was that bad. Last season’s calamities, including his horror show against Sunderland, meant Daniel Farke had no choice but to drop him for Karl Darlow during the promotion run-in.

Perri conceded five against Arsenal but showed enough presence to settle any nerves. And after watching Meslier flap at crosses like a malfunctioning wind turbine, that’s already a win.

5) Darwin Nunez to Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool)
Ekitike has announced himself quickly at Liverpool, scoring and assisting in the 4-2 win against Bournemouth, before netting at Newcastle and after bagging in the Community Shield. Concerns about Bundesliga tax and his PSG struggles now look a little overblown.

Tall, quick and technically slick, he looks absolutely fantastic. And unlike Nunez, he doesn’t spend half the game looking like he’s tripping over his own shoelaces.

4) Ilkay Gundogan to Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City)
What a debut. Reijnders looked right at home pulling Wolves apart, and it’s already hard to imagine City without him. His ball-carrying, creativity and eye for goal make him the perfect heir to Gundogan.

The German’s second stint in Manchester has been underwhelming, but if Reijnders can chip in with big goals like Gundogan once did, he’ll be a hero in no time. This is a proper City signing: seamless, smart, and slightly terrifying for everyone else.

3) Dan Neil to Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)
No disrespect to Neil — he didn’t need replacing — but when a player of Xhaka’s calibre becomes available, you don’t say no.

He’s walked straight in as captain, which tells you everything. The risk, of course, is that Sunderland get the Xhaka who blows up and tells the fans where to go. But if they get the Xhaka of the last three years, the Black Cats have every chance of staying up.

2) Kai Havertz/Mikel Merino/Gabriel Jesus to Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
It was tempting to label this ‘Whoever to Gyokeres’ given how muddled Arsenal’s striker options were; Havertz, Merino and Jesus all had turns, and signing a new centre-forward was the club’s biggest priority going into the summer transfer window.

Gyokeres scored a brace on his home debut to avoid the dreaded early drought and shock kick on from here.

READ MORE: Who are the top scorers of 2025? Mbappe stretches his lead over Gyokeres

1) Jack Harrison to Jack Grealish (Everton)
It took about 90 minutes for Grealish to remind everyone what he can do, assisting both goals in Everton’s 2-0 win over Brighton.

Is he strictly an upgrade on Harrison? Maybe not — but in one start he matched Harrison’s 38-game tally for goal involvements last season. For David Moyes, for Everton, and possibly for England in a World Cup year, this could be the transfer that gets Grealish’s career back on track.