With the Premier League season now just days away, fans of most clubs will be looking forward to seeing how their summer signings will get on. Here we look at five new faces to watch in the top flight in 2012-13.
1. Lukas Podolski (Arsenal)
Established German international Podolski needs little introduction to fans of European football as the striker has been a big name in his home country for several years now. The 25-year-old may be used by Arsene Wenger as a direct replacement for Robin van Persie, who seems destined to leave the Gunners, and his goalscoring record suggests that, while he may struggle to match RvP’s return of 30 Premier League goals, he can be trusted to find double figures this season and possibly plenty more besides (40/1 – Top Premier League Goalscorer).
Podolski hit the back of the net 13 times in 2010-11 and followed that up with 18 in the Bundesliga last term – a very impressive return in a struggling side that was eventually relegated. He started all three of Germany’s group games at Euro 2012, and scored once in the tournament, while he has already managed two goals for the Gunners in pre-season – a good sign that he has already settled into life at his new club.
2. Oscar (Chelsea)
Probably one of the highest-profile summer moves anywhere has seen this Brazilian starlet team up with Roberto Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old joined the European champions (Chelsea 12/1 to retain Champions League in 2012-13) in a deal reported to be worth £25million just before the start of the Olympic football tournament and anyone who watched him closely in the UK over the past few weeks will have seen his undoubted potential.
The youngster is as comfortable on the ball as what you would expect from a seasoned Brazil international, let alone a rising star, and he will aim to have the same influence in the Blues’ engine room in the Premier League. The price-tag could weigh him down slightly but he is expected to develop into a world-class star in the next few years and is tipped to make an instant impact.
3.Karim El Ahmadi (Aston Villa)
Not one of the eye-catching summer transfers this, but Villa’s capture of the Morocco international could turn out to be among one of the best pieces of business done by any Premier League boss over the close-season. The midfielder had attracted plenty of scouts from England after some dominating displays for Feyenoord before he signed a three-year deal with the Midlanders earlier in the summer.
It will be a step up for the 27-year-old, but he has already made a big impression in training with several senior Villa players suggesting he will be a big influence in Paul Lambert’s new-look side this term as they look to break into the top six (20/1 – Top 6 Finish).
4. Fabio Borini (Liverpool)
Borini became Brendan Rodgers’ first signing at Liverpool and immediately made an impact in his first competitive match at Anfield, scoring the opener in the 3-0 Europa League qualifying win over FC Gomel. The 21-year-old is well known to Rodgers as he first worked with the Italian international when he was a youngster at Chelsea, before he signed him on loan for Swansea in the 2010/11 season.
The striker, who scored six goals in nine matches during that period for the Swans, impressed in Italy for Roma last season when he managed nine goals in 24 appearances. He is likely to fit into Rodgers’ attacking style well with his work-rate and eye for goal really marking him out as one to watch this season as Liverpool hunt a top-four return (5/2 – Top 4 Finish).
5. Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United).
The 23-year-old is tipped to be another astute Sir Alex Ferguson signing after arriving from Borussia Dortmund on a four-year deal. The Japan international helped Dortmund land successive German titles and scored a very impressive 17 times from midfield last season, while he also claimed 13 assists to help persuade Fergie he is a creator as well as a finisher in the final third.
United needed reinforcements in midfield this summer as they look to wrestle the title back off Man City this season (United 9/4 – Premier League Outright) and Kagawa is likely to be a key man for Ferguson’s side following Ji-Sung Park’s departure and the ongoing question marks over how much football veteran duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes can play.
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Manchester City are 13/2 to win the Premier League and they could have key target James Milner on board for a title push after Aston Villa revealed he could go at the right price.