Ten summer transfer ‘fixes’ already in need of an upgrade features Gyokeres and Chelsea trio

Will Ford 13 Dec 2025 7:43 AM

Viktor Gyokeres, Liam Delap and Mads Hermansen have endured difficult seasons.

We’re nearing the midway point of the Premier League season and as the January transfer window approaches, club directors and managers will be reflecting on their summer business as they scour an overpriced market for short-term panic buys to remedy problems they thought they had only just sorted.

These ten summer ‘fixes’ already look like they could do with an upgrade.

Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)

Arsenal fans were only recently in a position where they could (almost) laugh at the Proper No.9 they’ve been coveting for the last two seasons or more looking every bit the Championship striker he was before plundering a gazillion goals in Portugal. They’re not finding it quite so funny now.

Instead they wait for the triumphant return of improper striker Kai Havertz while extolling the virtues of midfielder Mikel Merino up top, who’s great in the air, holds the ball up well, is an excellent technician and is actually more what Arsenal need in that position anyway, so shut up, alright?

MAILBOX: Viktor Gyokeres a ‘real waste of money’ but is he worse than Joao Pedro?

Jamie Gittens/Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea)

You know it’s not going hugely well when a section of the fanbase is asking questions as to when (alleged) heart-pill popper Mykhaylo Mudryk might be allowed to play football again. January apparently, but it almost certainly won’t be for Chelsea.

Because – and we know Blues fans struggle with this reality having been denied the rich opportunity for goading Arsenal fans after their club pinched him from under their noses – he was absolutely terrible before his ban.

Neither Gittens nor Garnacho have been a great improvement, with both of them showing flashes of their undeniable quality but failing to take games by the scruff of the neck. In the words of Logan Roy: “You’re not a killer. You have to be a killer.”

Milos Kerkez (Liverpool)

The only Liverpool flop on the list owing to Arne Slot having a £69m striker signed in the summer to upgrade his £125m one and Dominik Szoboszlai on hand as an alternative to Florian Wirtz, which begs the question for an alternative feature: why spend £225m on players you don’t need?

One goal and no assists in 21 appearances, Liverpool thought they were signing a raiding full-back and instead have landed a frenetic, ineffective one so suspect in defence that Virgil van Dijk has aged at least five years in the space of four months playing alongside him.

Liam Delap (Chelsea)

One goal in 11 games (albeit chiefly off the bench), two injuries and one of the most inane red cards you’re ever likely to see, Chelsea fears that they weren’t in fact signing the next Harry Kane but just quite a big lad to lead their attack have been realised.

Thierno Barry (Everton)

Try as we might to avoid falling into what was an uncomfortable pit of condescension on the back of Barry scoring his first goal for Everton against Nottingham Forest, with patronising ‘smile a wide as the Mersey’ lines trotted out as he celebrated scoring in his 17th appearance for the club, it was impossible not to feel pleased for him. Bless his cotton socks.

Brimming with the heartwarming emotion of it all, David Moyes said after the game: “He will not be able to play another six games and only score one goal.” Chances are he won’t be playing another six games.

Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle)

Three saves in three Premier League starts has hardly put the cat among the Newcastle No.1 pigeons. And while Magpies fans had been calling for Ramsdale to be given a chance ahead of Nick Pope even before the giant got injured, while Ramsdale’s tendency to lean fully into the ‘goalkeepers are a weird, scatty bunch’ cliche may not have dulled their desire for an upgrade in goal, he very evidently isn’t that upgrade.

Mathys Tel/Randal Kolo Muani (Tottenham)

Thomas Frank may well have been concerned before the season started as to how he could possibly manage to keep all of the rich, attacking talent he had at his disposal happy. Tel, Kolo Muani, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke is – if anything – too much firepower.

Tel and Kolo Muani have two goals each and must watch Richarlison from the bench in shame as Frank’s preferred choice to lead the line bundles his way around the pitch, taking time out from doing nothing and kicking people to score the occasional howitzer.

Mads Hermansen (West Ham)

Shipped eight goals in four Premier League starts and it felt like he was at least partially at fault for roughly half of them.

Got to feel for the guy playing behind that defence in a side flailing badly under Graham Potter and there looks to be no way back for him under Nuno Espirito Santo, who’s steadied the ship with Alphonse Areola his preferred option.

Anthony Elanga (Newcastle)

Likely because he was signed from Norwich for just £11m and had spells on loan at West Brom and then Sheffield Wednesday following that move, Jacob Murphy has become a stick to beat Newcastle as a football club and the various wingers who fail to displace him from the starting lineup.

‘You can’t qualify for the Champions League with Murphy in the team’, ‘You can’t win anything with Murphy’, ‘They’ve got to upgrade Murphy’, etc etc. He’s consistently proved doubters wrong and fair f***s to him.

Elanga has done so little of note since a (too) big-money move which we thought made a lot of sense, contributing two assists in approaching 1000 minutes of football. Long live Jacob Murphy.

Jean-Clair Todibo (West Ham)

A rare and glorious example of a football club knowing they would need to sign an upgrade on a player as they were forking out over £32m for them as West Ham made good on their obligation to buy Todibo after an inauspicious first season on loan.

In fairness he has improved under Nuno Espirito Santo, but from an absurd low he reached under Graham Potter.

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