TOP FIVE Hidden Gems That Premier League Clubs Should Consider Buying This Summer

David Tully

10 months ago

Categories: Galleries, Manchester City News, Transfer News

Tags: Arsenal, aston villa, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, leeds, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Southampton, spurs, West Ham, wolves

There have been plenty of high-profile transfers across the Premier League already this summer.

The likes of Mason Mount (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal) and Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea) have all made moves for significant amounts of money.

However, in this post, we want to look at some players who could well be good purchases even though they don’t necessarily have stellar reputations.

Press the next page as we list five “hidden gems” that English top-flight teams should consider buying.

1) Yehvann Diouf

Despite only being 22 years of age, the keeper is already a very safe pair of hands for Ligue One side Stade de Reims.

One of the reasons Will Still’s team finished midtable, rather than near the relegation places, last season was down to Diouf and his shot-stopping abilities.

You only have to compare his post-shot xG against the actual goals conceded to see what a difference he made to his team.

Diouf had a +7.0 score, which means he let in seven fewer goals than the average keeper. In terms of the top five European leagues, he finished 9th on that metric.

2) Facundo Medina

The Argentinian international is one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in European football at the moment, helping Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue One last campaign; just one point behind champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Medina is in the top 1% of centre-backs over the past twelve months in the top five European leagues for the following metrics: progressive carries, progressive passes and assists, the top 2% for successful take-ons and passes attempted, as well as top 10% for shot creating actions and passes completed.

It should be pointed out that he is the left-sided centre-half in a back three and it probably isn’t advisable playing him in a back four unless he is deployed at left-back.

Some Premier League teams (such as Tottenham) who do usually play with a three should consider pursuing the 24-year-old.

3) Morten Hjulmand

The holding midfielder is a player in demand this summer, having been in impressive form for Lecce in Serie A last season.

Juventus, Roma and Borussia Dortmund are just some of the clubs outside of England who have been impressed with Hjulmand’s performances.

He made 162 tackles and interceptions in Serie A, six more than Moises Caicedo managed for Brighton, despite playing fewer minutes.

The Dane is also pretty decent on the ball, having provided four assists in 36 appearances. At 23 years of age, Hjulmand is only going to get better over the next few years.

4) Maxence Caqueret

While many have been drooling over the talents of his Lyon teammate Rayan Cherki, Caqueret is definitely a much more consistent performer than his younger compatriot.

The 23-year-old was in the top 10% of midfielders for assists and shot-creating actions (passes, take-ons, fouls) last campaign in the top five European leagues.

Caqueret was in the top 20% for touches and successful take-ons too, as well as tackles, demonstrating he is an all-action midfield player.

With four goals and seven assists to his name in 36 league appearances for Lyon, the Frenchman does deserve to be considered as an option by Premier League teams.

5) Takefusa Kubo

For a player who has come through the youth ranks of both Barcelona and Real Madrid, it may be stretching it to say that the Japanese winger is a ‘hidden gem’ but he is still 22 years of age, and he has yet to reach his full potential.

Kubo scored nine goals and provided four assists in 35 league appearances for Real Sociedad last campaign, but that doesn’t tell the full story.

In possession, he loves to carry the ball (top 2% of forwards) and take on defenders (top 7%), but he is also a real workhorse out of possession.

For tackles and blocks (top 10%), he is up there with the best strikers in Europe across the top five leagues.