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Football club fans yearly look forward to that new signing who would join their club and become an instant hit. A new player who hits the ground running with consistent performances which propel the team to its targets is often halfway to cult hero status amongst supporters.
While on the flipside, transfers can go totally wrong for the player or club, we look through the best signings of the current season before it was suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Romelu Lukaku – Inter Milan
The Belgium international striker was sold to Inter Milan following a frustrating final season at Old Trafford. He has formed a deadly strike partnership with Lautaro Martínez and netted 17 league goals to revitalise Inter and push the Milan giants back to the Serie A title race, where the Nerazzurri currently battle in third place with Lazio and champions Juventus
Gabriel Martinelli – Arsenal
The 18-year-old joined Arsenal from Brazilian Série D side Ituano and became an instant hit with his raw attacking play and technical quality. The teenager’s rise to prominence was confirmed by a storming performance against Chelsea including a 67-yard sprint and goal. The goal at Stamford bridge made Martinelli the first teenager with double figures in a single season for Arsenal since Nicolas Anelka.
Victor Osimhen – Lille
The young striker joined French side Lille over the summer and has quickly become Les Dogues’ marksman, netting 18 goals and four assists from 38 matches for Christophe Galtier’s side. His impressive performances domestically and in the Champions League have earned him rave reviews all over Europe, as he has also stepped up at international level for the Super Eagles following Odion Ighalo’s retirement.
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| Ben Yedder is having a great season in front of goal. (Icon Sport via Getty Images) |
Wissam Ben Yedder – Monaco
An unheralded yet prolific frontman, the French striker is joint-top scorer in Ligue 1 with 18 goals; ahead of the likes of Moussa Dembélé, Neymar and Mauro Icardi. Having joined from Sevilla over the off-season, Ben Yedder has fueled Roberto Moreno’s giant-sleeping Monaco back to ninth place this season.
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| Chris Smalling has been a shining light in Rome. (Getty Images) |
Chris Smalling – Roma
The 30-year-old is proving his worth away on loan in the Italian capital. Discarded at Old Trafford to make way for the arrival of €80 million man Harry Maguire, the Englishman has emerged as one of Serie A’s best centre backs this season. Smalling has indeed been a rock at the heart of Roma’s defence, as he leads the squad for average interceptions, blocks and clearances. In addition, he has recorded 3.7 aerials won per game, behind only Edin Džeko in the Giallorossi squad.
Erling Braut Håland – Borussia Dortmund
One of the stories of the 2019/2020 season, Erling Håland’s season has been drenched by a catalogue of goals. The teenage sensation netted an amazing eight times in six Champions League group stage matches for RB Salzburg, shattering many goalscoring records along the way which earned him a winter move to Borussia Dortmund where he has scored 12 goals in 11 appearances including a brace in the Round of 16 first leg against PSG.
Martin Ødegaard – Real Sociedad
The Norwegian hot prospect joined Real Madrid aged 16 and has had to patiently develop his unique talents and prove himself. Joining Real Sociedad on loan over the summer, he has proved the creative lynchpin of the Basque side with Four goals and five assists so far. Ødegaard’s elegant left foot has produced delightful pieces of play as he leads the squad for key passes, dribbles and crosses. The 21-year-old pulls the strings in the “number 10” behind the striker as the Anoeta side occupy a top-four place in La Liga.
Lucas Ocampos – Sevilla
10 league goals from the former Marseille man have stabilized Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla who lie third in La Liga behind heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid. Amidst a crazy summer transfer window that saw 13 arrivals and 15 departures at Seville, the Argentine has steadied a squad still settling in one way or another, registering the form of his career in the process.
Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
The Portuguese maestro is proving United right for being so persistent on signing him from Sporting Lisbon in January. Three goals and five assists in only nine appearances for the club partly describe the influence of the midfielder who ranks top for shots, key passes and passes into the final third in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad. This progressive style of play has bolstered an often toothless side, as he helped his team to a confidence-boosting 2-0 win over City in the Manchester derby before the Premier League’s suspension. His wonderful early performances duly earned him the Premier League Player of The Month award for February.
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| Theo Hernandez has found a home in Milan this year. (EPA) |
Theo Hernández – AC Milan
Brother of France’s 2018 world cup-winning left-back, Bayern Munich’s Lucas. The 22-year-old has been inspirational with six goals and two assists for the Rossoneri after signing from Real Madrid. The left-back has been by far Milan’s most consistent performer this season whilst putting in balanced displays in attack and defence. Indeed, sleeping giants Milan have failed to keep any momentum going in the last few years, it is due to the inspirational contribution of new additions like Theo that the Ultras bear hopes of a revival.
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