Granit Xhaka, Martin Zubimendi & the 10 best signings of the 2025-26 Premier League season so far

Where would Liverpool be without Hugo Ekitike?! The France international has been a flicker of light in a largely dark and gloomy season for the Reds so far, with their title defence all-but over already barring a miracle in the second half of the campaign. He deserves huge credit, too, for getting his head down and working hard despite his new club spending a record-breaking sum on another new striker later in the summer.

Ekitike has unexpectedly been the standout among a raft of big-money summer arrivals, often carrying the goal-scoring burden as Isak and Wirtz have struggled to settle at Anfield, and only two players - Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago - have more than his eight goals in the English top-flight this term.

It's been a strange start to life at Manchester City for Rayan Cherki, who missed a chunk of the start of the campaign with a thigh injury and then became a victim of Pep Guardiola's habit of regularly rotating in midfield and attack. That said, in his time on the pitch, he has impressed more often than not and finds himself ranking second for Premier League assists with six.

Bringing his unique, refreshing blend of flair and vision, the France playmaker has created the most chances per 90 in the division, racking up his seven league goal involvements in just over 500 minutes on the pitch - the equivalent of a little more than six full matches. His influence is only growing.

Brentford have defied the odds this season, and Jordan Henderson has too. Many pundits' favourites for relegation, former set-piece coach Keith Andrews has guided the Bees to mid-table at the midway point of the season, and despite many believing he was washed up and couldn't cut it back in England's top-flight, Henderson has been a big part of that.

A Premier League and Champions League winner, the experience of England international Henderson has been invaluable in stabilising a squad that was shorn of captain Christian Norgaard in the summer, as well as key forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.

The demanding ex-Liverpool captain has undoubtedly raised standards, and he has even affected the scoreboard by chipping in with three assists and a goal at the ripe old age of 35.

One of a clutch of excellent signings Sunderland pulled off in the summer, Nordi Mukiele has been a cornerstone of the Black Cats' impressive backline and - alongside two others on this list - looks like being an absolute bargain.

The versatile former Paris Saint-Germain man has been one of the standout defensive performers in the Premier League so far in 2025-26, excelling across a host of metrics including tackles, clearances and aerial duels. He's even popped up with some key attacking contributions, scoring in the win over Wolves and collecting a vital assist in the impressive draw with Arsenal. At £12m ($16m), he has been an absolute steal.

Watching Everton this season, you'd think that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had played for the club for years, rather than a matter of months. Having barely had a look in in his one and only campaign with Chelsea, the ex-Leicester City star has looked like he has a point to prove so far at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Stepping straight into the advanced midfield role vacated by Abdoulaye Doucoure at he end of his contract, the Englishman has been transformative, injecting the kind of verve and creativity the Merseysiders were dearly lacking last term while immediately striking up an understanding with fellow new arrival Jack Grealish, who deserves an honourable mention on this list.

Dewsbury-Hall's finest moment so far was undoubtedly his slaloming run and wonderful finish to deliver a rare victory for the 10-man Toffees at Old Trafford in November. If he can maintain this level or even take things up a gear, he could make a late play for Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

A big-money Newcastle transfer that has so far paid off handsomely, towering Germany striker Nick Woltemade is already something of a cult hero at St James' Park following his costly £69m ($93m) switch from Stuttgart in the summer, as the Magpies sought to replace Isak - who is conspicuously absent from this list. Indeed, it speaks volumes that Eddie Howe's side haven't really missed the Premier League's most expensive player of all time, with Woltemade making a flying start in his new surroundings.

The personification of the old adage 'good feet for a big man', the mop-haired centre-forward netted four times in his first five Premier League games and overcame a mini-drought to get back on track in late November. His hold-up play is perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of his game, as he expertly brings others into play with wonderful control and strength - just don't mention the Wear-Tyne derby own goal...

Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle all signed new goalkeepers in the summer, but the Premier League's big hitters may all be regretting that they slept on Robin Roefs, with the ex-NEC Nijmegen custodian snapped up by Sunderland for just £9.5m back in August.

The 22-year-old has become an instant fan-favourite at the Stadium Light courtesy of his impressive shot-stopping, as no 'keeper has made more than his 59 saves, while he has saved around 80% of efforts on his goal. As such, Roefs has played a vital role in the Black Cats' unlikely surge into the European places in the first half of 2025-26; the Dutchman is proving to be the bargain of the summer.

Many rival fans and pundits accused Newcastle of late-window desperation when they finally made their second outfield signing of what was a highly frustrating summer in mid-August, with central defender Malick Thiaw arriving from AC Milan. Fast-forward four months, though, and it looks like a very shrewd piece of business.

The German has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, swiftly becoming an ever-present in a staunch rearguard alongside a combination of Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Dan Burn while even being lauded as one of the best centre-backs in the division. Indeed, the Magpies have the third-best defence so far in the English top-flight, based on total expected goals conceded (18.8).

While it was presumed he would just warm the bench, Thiaw has become a key player - dominating in the air, demonstrating his ball-playing ability and even chipped in with a brace against Everton in late November.

Martin Zubimendi's debut season at Arsenal won't necessarily be remembered for individual statistics, but the Spain international has had a transformative effect on the players around him - none more so than Declan Rice. The 26-year-old has anchored the Gunners' midfield adeptly, bringing his perfectly balanced combination of ball-playing ability and bite in the challenge, which has crucially allowed the England man - previously pigeonholed as a defensive midfielder - to thrive in a more box-to-box role.

Rice has already professed his love of playing alongside Zubimendi, and as he adapts seamlessly to the demands of English football it feels as though we are witnessing the beginning of an all-timer Premier League midfield partnership, with Mikel Arteta's side currently marching towards the title.

Few could have predicted the direction Granit Xhaka's career would go in when the divisive midfielder left Arsenal in 2023, and his incredible form at Sunderland has been almost as surprising as his unbeaten Bundesliga title win at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023-24. Seen as a real coup in the summer, the Switzerland star has been a true leader of men on the pitch for the Black Cats having taken the armband this season, embodying the relentlessness and spirit that has been the backbone of the club's early-season success under Regis Le Bris.

Xhaka's influence on his side is clear: he has led the way in assists, chances created, touches, successful passes, duels won, possession won and distance covered - all at the age of 33. If Sunderland go the distance and secure a top-half finish or perhaps even European football, it will be largely down to him.