The 2025-26 Premier League season reaches its midpoint with Gameweek 19 scheduled for December 30 and January 1. The season has been filled with unexpected twists, highlighted by the impressive performances of Aston Villa and Sunderland, who have outperformed predictions, while established teams like West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves in relegation battles.
What about the players? While some have struggled to perform as expected, numerous Premier League transfers have showcased remarkable consistency and high-level play after transitioning to new clubs over the summer.
As the January transfer window approaches on New Year’s Day, let’s take a look at summer signings that demonstrate the significant benefits of astute recruitment.
Sunderland’s captain has arguably been the standout signing of the season, making a substantial impact for the newly promoted team after joining for an initial £13 million from Bayer Leverkusen.
At 33, Xhaka brings invaluable experience and the quality that led him to win the 2023-24 Bundesliga title with Leverkusen after a seven-year stint with Arsenal. Sunderland, a promising young team under coach Regis Le Bris, has greatly benefited from Xhaka’s presence, with the Switzerland midfielder proving to be a crucial asset.
When Arsenal made a controversial £48.5 million move for Madueke from Chelsea, it sparked a backlash from Gunners fans, resulting in a #NoToMadueke petition gathering over 4,000 signatures. Despite being an established England international with major trophy success at Chelsea, the Arsenal fanbase was divided on his arrival.
However, the 23-year-old quickly silenced his critics with a string of standout performances and goals, including a sensational long-range strike in a UEFA Champions League victory over Club Brugge. Madueke has established himself as a capable substitute for Bukayo Saka, proving his worth in Mikel Arteta’s squad.
After Bournemouth sold Milos Kerkez to Liverpool for £40 million, they swiftly replaced the Hungary left-back by signing Truffert from Rennes for an initial £11.4 million. The 24-year-old, who represented France at the 2022 Olympics, arrived at the Vitality Stadium with a strong background.
With Kerkez’s notable contributions for Andoni Iraola’s squad, Truffert faced pressure to meet expectations. However, despite his brief tenure, he has already proven to be one of the standout fullbacks of the season.
Robin Roefs, goalkeeper, Sunderland
The young Sunderland goalkeeper, signed for an initial £9 million from Dutch club NEC Nijmegen in August, has emerged as one of the season’s top discoveries.
At just 22, Roefs has exhibited remarkable composure and maturity in his debut Premier League season, achieving six clean sheets as of Tuesday. Although he is yet to make his senior debut for the Netherlands national team following 11 caps at the under-21 level, he received his first call-up in August and appears on track to join Ronald Koeman‘s World Cup roster if he maintains his form and fitness.
– Schoenfeld: How Sunderland’s glorious Premier League return revived a whole city
– O’Hanlon: The true value of positions in the Premier League
– Various: Transfer window preview: What do Europe’s major clubs require?
Although he joined Newcastle from VfB Stuttgart for £69 million, Woltemade arrived at St. James’ Park somewhat unheralded. The 23-year-old took on the challenge of replacing Alexander Isak, who made a £130 million move to Liverpool, knowing he ranked as Newcastle’s sixth choice signing.
Woltemade joined Newcastle following unsuccessful bids for João Pedro, Liam Delap, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha. However, he has proven to be a valuable asset for Eddie Howe’s team, netting eight goals as of Tuesday and quickly adapting to Premier League demands.
In urgent need of a new goalkeeper this summer, Manchester United sought to sign Paris Saint-Germain‘s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez. However, with Donnarumma deemed too costly — he ultimately joined Manchester City — and United opting against a similarly priced deal for Martinez, the club finalized an £18.2 million transfer for Royal Antwerp’s Lammens.
Initially considered a player for the future, the 23-year-old swiftly became a key figure for Ruben Amorim’s squad after taking over from the error-prone Altay Bayindir in September, demonstrating that the club made the right call banking on potential over experience.
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The Everton midfielder quickly became a vital player for David Moyes’ side following a £29 million transfer from Chelsea, ending a challenging year with the Blues.
Dewsbury-Hall’s highlight moment for Everton was a stunning goal that secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester United. His strong performances have attracted interest from the Republic of Ireland, eager to offer the English-born player a chance at international football due to his Irish heritage.
The Brentford right-back was signed permanently this summer after a successful loan from Fiorentina last season and has since become a key player for Keith Andrews’ squad.
Kayode’s impressive long throw-ins are one reason for his importance to Brentford, and the 21-year-old’s athleticism down the right flank has made him a standout performer.
With Italy facing a challenging route to the World Cup through UEFA playoffs in March, Kayode could earn a first senior call-up to the Azzurri after representing the under-21s eight times.
Calvert-Lewin, who faced injury setbacks during his time at Everton, was once linked with £50 million moves to Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, and even Real Madrid due to the admiration of former manager Carlo Ancelotti. However, after joining Leeds as a free agent at the start of the season, the 28-year-old has regained his form, netting eight goals in 16 Premier League appearances and rekindling hopes of an England recall.
Meanwhile, the former Liverpool captain spent two years away from the Premier League with unsuccessful stints at Saudi Pro League team Al-Ettifaq and struggling Ajax in the Netherlands, making his return to England with Brentford a surprise. At 35, Henderson has missed just one league game and has emerged as one of the most reliable midfielders in the Premier League.
Henderson rejoined the England squad after a two-year absence in March and has an outside chance of making Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup selection if he continues his impressive performances.