You can’t beat an amazing transfer to get a football team firing again.
Inspired signings can be the difference between relegation and survival, top four or a title, and empty hands or silverware.
You have to hand it to all the scouts and analysts around the Premier League, though, it seems to have been a stellar year for buying superstars.
It feels like, more than ever, transfers have gone well and even if the player is not excelling right now, the building blocks are in place for success in the future.
But who were the top signings of 2020 in the Premier League?
Here, talkSPORT looks at 15 of the best, whether their transfer was in January or the summer.
Tariq Lamptey (Brighton)
The Seagulls caught everyone else sleeping when they snapped up the ex-Chelsea youngster.
His height may have put some off, but Graham Potter has been guiding him well, even sticking him up against the 6ft 7in frame of Dan Burn in training.
With Lamptey in the side, Brighton’s right flank is full of energy and skill, but he’s not lacking in defensive ability, rarely have we seen the small in stature starlet bullied by opponents, and we don’t expect to see it any time soon either.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
It can be hard making the leap from the Championship to the Premier League.
Bowen had been linked with a jump in division for around a year before the Hammers finally launched their raid on Hull City.
It might well end up being one of their most inspired signings for some time, his five goals and six assists this year have helped West Ham move from mid-table mediocrity to possible top eight challengers.
Could Bowen fire them into Europe? You wouldn’t bet against it right now.
Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham)
Off down the left flank in a flash, the Spaniard suits Jose Mourinho’s style at Spurs.
And he’s not just an attacking full-back either, he’s capable of commanding displays against tricky opponents, helping turn his side’s iffy defence into the Premier League’s best.
He does need to be careful on occasion, though, his exuberance can lead to the odd lapse but if anyone can iron this out we’d put money on his Portuguese gaffer.
Wesley Fofana (Leicester)
Signed from Saint-Etienne, like Arsenal youngster William Saliba, the 20-year-old has taken to Premier League football with ease.
And that’s saying something give the Foxes’ defensive injury crisis which has seen them shorn of Caglar Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira, and Timothy Castagne.
If he continue to develop under Brendan Rodgers, Leicester have got a real superstar on their hands.
James Rodriguez (Everton)
At the start of the season, he looked set to be at the very top of this list given his initial impact at Goodison Park.
His contributions have faded as injuries have crept for the Colombian but it remains he’s been a quality signing for the Toffees.
Not bad considering many believed he wouldn’t be able to hack the pace of the Premier League.
If he can continue to link up with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison when he’s back up to full speed then he’ll be worth every penny of the wages he’s on.
Ben Chilwell (Chelsea)
He cost a fair bit of money, but the ex-Leicester man is definitely delivering for the Blues.
Chilwell has contributed two goals and three assists in the Premier League already and his attacking nature hasn’t made his new side weaker defensively thanks to their other additions.
It’s hard to imagine it going any better than it has for the 23-year-old, if he stays injury free this campaign he could then go on to have a stellar European Championship with England.
Thiago Silva (Chelsea)
Last season, the Blues’ defence was, in no uncertain terms, the weak link at Stamford Bridge.
Indeed, had Kepa Arrizabalaga had better protection he may well not have had quite the fall from grace he has suffered.
Chelsea were extremely busy splashing the cash this summer but their most vital signing may have been a free transfer.
Some baulked at the deal to land Silva due to his age but the 36-year-old has been a wise head among Frank Lampard’s ranks and really been a fine addition.
Whether he can last the whole campaign is yet to be seen, if he can then they really could have a title challenge on their hands.
Matty Cash (Aston Villa)
In desperate need of additions, the Villans opted to land the Nottingham Forest full-back in the summer.
Only converted to the role last season, having previously been a midfielder, he’s settled in superbly at Villa Park.
He’s getting tackles and interceptions by the bucket load and helped shore up their defence, he may need to cut down on the yellow cards though.
Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
A smart signing by the Reds, sure. But no one anticipated how quickly he would break into the first-team.
And bear in mind he needed to get past one of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane to do that.
Only 24, he’s hit nine goals in 15 matches, adding another dimension to Jurgen Klopp’s attack but sadly injury has just curtailed his season.
Tomas Soucek (West Ham)
One of the key men in David Moyes’ second Hammers revolution.
The Czech ace joined from Slavia Prague on loan initially but the option to buy being exercised was just a formality after only a couple of matches in claret and blue.
Making big plays in both penalty areas, and bringing a controlled press to the West Ham midfield has helped ease the strain on Declan Rice, and finally helped the club move on from stalwart Mark Noble.
Soucek’s success also helped them sign Vladimir Coufal and he’s also starring at right-back.
Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
Kepa Arrizabalaga will go down as one of the club’s worst ever signings but his replacement may turn out to be one of their best.
Snapped up from Rennes in the summer, he conceded just one goal in his first five Premier League matches, while he helped the Blues register five consecutive clean sheets in all competitions for the first time in a decade.
Giving away a penalty against Everton by clumsily bashing into Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears an aberration.
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
How on earth did the Argentine never emerge at Arsenal until the summer? After an injury to Bernd Leno he broke into the team and even helped them win the FA Cup.
Demanding either games ahead of his German teammates or a transfer, the latter was arranged and he’s been just as good for the Villans.
And even at £20million, if he keeps putting on these kind of performances he will be an absolute steal for Dean Smith.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham)
We didn’t think we’d be writing this after his debut against Everton.
After this though, the Dane moved through the gears quickly and is now indispensable for Mourinho.
Called ‘The General’ by his teammates, his boss believes him to be his ‘captain without an armband’, it’s hard to express just how vital he is with his defensive contribution and his attack-starting passing.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Who else was it going to be, eh? The Portuguese ace, who could have joined Spurs in 2019, ended up at Old Trafford in January.
His arrival inspired a revival at the club just as it looked like Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s tenure could be entering its final phase.
Fernandes, though, almost single-handedly at points, fired the Red Devils into the top four by the end of the campaign.
He continues to contribute a goal or an assist every game and is never on the periphery, even when United do struggle.
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