Thursday 15 August 2013

10 Best New EPL/BPL Players



YAYA SANOGO [ARSENAL]

Athletic, pacey and... hailing from France, Yaya Sanogo is the quintessential Arsene Wenger purchase. The 20-year-old forward arrived on a free transfer from French club Auxerre  – and if his pre-season form is anything to go by, Sanogo will very quickly be less of a complete unknown than an exciting diamond in the rough.

KEVIN DE BRUYNE [CHELSEA]

Signed for £7m as far back as January last year, Kevin De Bruyne went on to spend the season on loan at German side Werder Bremen. There, the Belgian international blossomed into a versatile midfielder, capable of traipsing either flank or the middle of the park. Wherever he plays, his movement and vision conjure chances out of thin air, enforced with exceptional ball delivery in the final third. It’s all attack, attack and attack for the 22-year-old prospect, and he does it incredibly well.

IAGO ASPAS [LIVERPOOL]

Already earmarked as a replacement for the wantaway Luis Suarez, and it’s not hard to see why. Iago Aspas can play anywhere across the frontline, and enjoys roving back into midfield to launch attacks by running wide and then slicing in from the wings. Like Suarez, the 26-year-old is fleet-footed and unafraid to take on defenders. The Spaniard has a similar knack for indiscipline, too -- elbowing, head-butting, diving, Aspas has done it all. A former coach called him “part Messi, part monster” -- if the ex-Celta Vigo man can keep his temperament in check, he could yet prove to be a bargain at only £7.7m.

WILFRIED ZAHA [MANCHESTER UNITED]

Fergie’s final signing at Old Trafford is already drawing comparisons with another whizkid once pushed into the limelight by the retired Man Utd boss. Wilfried Zaha’s rangy lower body, searing bursts of pace and all-round youthful bravura unmistakably evoke a raw Cristiano Ronaldo. Send him powering down the flanks and the £15m transfer from Crystal Palace is extremely difficult to take down. At only 20, Zaha earned his first senior England cap last year, and with player-coach-legend Ryan Giggs guiding him, the future is bright.

PAULINHO [TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR]

He was named the 3rd best player at this year's Confederations Cup, behind only Andres Iniesta and Neymar, for good reason. Paulinho’s midfield industry and lung-busting box-to-box play was thoroughly critical to Brazil’s eventual success. The 25-year-old presses and tackles with the fierce, single-minded purpose of protecting his back four, before propelling the team forward through expertly-timed runs and dynamic creativity. At £17m from Corinthians, an absolute steal for Spurs.

ANDRE SCHURRLE [CHELSEA] 

Not since Didier Drogba have Chelsea possessed a true finisher equally adept both inside and outside the box. But the arrival of highly-rated Andre Schurrle is set to change that. What the 22-year-old German lacks in size and power, he makes up for with superb fitness, work-rate and pace. Trust this £18m signing from Bayer Leverkusen to torment more than an EPL defence or two.

JESUS NAVAS [MANCHESTER CITY]

Spanish right-winger Jesus Navas, 27, plays a game as simple as it gets. Run at the opposition left-back, beat the left-back, cross the ball -- rinse, repeat. Predictable and straightforward, but incredibly effective: the World Cup winner launched a table-topping 51 unerring crosses for former club Sevilla last season. Man City fans are already salivating at the potential destruction to be wreaked by their new £21.3m purchase combining his speed, dribbling and nifty ball control with rock-solid right-back Pablo Zabaleta.

STEVAN JOVETIC [MANCHESTER CITY]

Keep your eye on this one -- if the amount of hype floating around Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic is to be believed, the 23-year-old will be soon be setting the Premier League ablaze. City paid Fiorentina £22m for his reportedly unplayable touch, technique, dribbling, passing, tactical awareness, shooting and poaching instincts. Truly a class apart, claim Jovetic's admirers -- and amongst them is Montenegrin icon Dejan Savicevic, who bravely ventured to say: “he reminds me of Johan Cruyff".

ALVARO NEGREDO [MANCHESTER CITY]

City's new number nine appears to be more than fit for the job. Alvaro Negredo, 27, was the fourth top scorer in La Liga last season with 25 league goals, trailing only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Falcao. The ex-Sevilla hitman's finishes were all applied from inside the penalty area, where defenders struggle to handle his imposing six-foot presence both in the air and on his lethal left foot. Provide him with half-decent service and the Spaniard promises the goals to make his £24m price-tag's worth.

ROBERTO SOLDADO [TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR]

Spurs look to have finally solved their striker crisis with this club-record £25.9 million buy from La Liga's Valencia. Roberto Soldado, the new number nine at White Hart Lane, is a classic in his position. He loiters on the shoulder of the last defender, waiting to draw on bursts of pace to cleverly beat his marker or the offside trap, then meeting through-balls and finishing with one touch using either foot or head. The 28-year-old Spanish international is set to assume primary predator duties for Spurs, banishing the inconsistent duo of Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe to the bench for good.


Originally : Yahoo sport news

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