Most of this Premier League XI have been linked with the Big Six (plus Newcastle) this year; Brighton lead the way of course.
The names come from Transfermarkt but their valuations are way too low to include here.
GK: David Raya (Brentford)
This summer has gone alarmingly badly for the Spaniard. He thought he might have the pick of Manchester United or Tottenham but Brentford wanted £40m for a goalkeeper that is out of contract next year. The Bees have signed a replacement in Mark Flekken so what happens to Raya now?
RB: Aaron Hickey (Brentford)
Linked with Manchester City – dismissed by Thomas Frank, who said “We will not sell him. He’s not even been here a year” – is the Scottish full-back who joined the Bees for £18m last summer. Frank thinks he will “get there” in terms of the elite clubs but for now he is just 21 and another season in west London awaits.
CB: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
Strongly linked with Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle but Palace seemingly want £60m for the England international and the conversations ended there. He has already been on the books of a Big Six club and Chelsea f***ed it, but he would presumably jump at the chance to try again, particularly with a Euro 2024 squad place in mind.
CB: Pau Torres (Aston Villa)
What a coup that is. A signing that would walk into just about any XI in the Premier League and he’s joined Aston Villa for just £27.5m.
READ: Liverpool, Aston Villa double additions feature in top 10 Premier League transfers of the summer
LB: Pervis Estupinan (Brighton)
“I would sum up my first season here using the word pride,” said the Colombian after being nothing short of phenomenal for the Seagulls as they claimed Europa League football for the first time. And Brighton’s sound planning means that he will be due a move to a Big Six (plus Newcastle) club in 2025.
CM: Moises Caicedo (Brighton)
Brighton have seen what Arsenal paid for Declan Rice and quite rightly decided that they will accept no less than £100m for Moises Caicedo from Chelsea, who are desperate for midfielders. He has watched Alexis Mac Allister join Liverpool and wants a big move of his own; he might have to be patient without a handy release clause but there’s little doubt that he is destined for even greater things.
CM: Amadou Onana (Everton)
Amadou Onana could be the £55m bargain in the Premier League midfield arms race. What more do you need to know?
RW: Michael Olise (Crystal Palace)
Currently out with a hamstring injury but that might save Palace the fight to keep hold of a player who claimed 11 Premier League assists last season. To put that into context, only Kevin de Bruyne and Mo Salah created more goals, and they weren’t trying to service Jordan Ayew and Odsonne Edouard.
AM: Lucas Paqueta (West Ham)
“I can safely say that I am adapting,” said Paqueta in April, though some West Ham fans might argue that it came about six months too late. “This is the Lucas Paqueta I thought I was getting for £51m,” said David Moyes, who pulled off the coup of signing the Brazilian international only to see him look lost. Remarkably he is only 25 so the Hammers would get their money back if they chose to sell. Newcastle were linked.
LW: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton)
Another unbelievable piece of transfer wizardry from Brighton saw them sign the Japanese international for less than £3m. Try buying him for less than £60m now, if you dare. He’s the reason why the Seagulls were happy to take Arsenal’s cash for Leandro Trossard in January.
ST: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
After a 15-goal Premier League season for Villa, Watkins’ stock has never been higher. We would expect him to return to the England fold in 2023 as he continues to thrive under Unai Emery.