From Bakwa to Woltemade: How will the new signings shape the FPL landscape?

I will introduce you all the new players in-depth

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I’ve spent the past 12 days relaxing on the Croatian coast, enjoying stunning sunsets, local cuisine, a few beers now and then, visiting some Game of Thrones sets, and even a two-day trip to Montenegro — a well-spent international break.

It was a stark contrast to what was unfolding in the Premier League transfer market.

We all know that the first three gameweeks of the 2025/2026 season were far from a calm start, and the uncertainty arising from teams’ rosters not being finalised was a significant part of it.

And it’s far from over, folks…

Yes, the biggest transfer saga of the summer has finally ended, and Alexander Isak is now a Liverpool player. But there’s still a lot of information to gather. It’s not just about Isak and Liverpool: many other clubs have announced signings that could significantly influence our future moves.

Looking at the title of this article, you might be wondering who this Bakwa fellow is. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

I will review all deadline-day (or near it) transfers to determine which will have a direct or indirect impact on FPL and which will have only a minimal effect.

Let’s have a proper catch-up because there’s A LOT to discuss. In no particular order:

Florentino Luis at Burnley: How has this happened?

Alright, this transfer probably has quite a minimal FPL impact, but I had to mention it because if you had told me one or two years ago this would happen, I would have thought you were completely mad.

Luis (£5.0m) is a 26-year-old number six who has spent the last three seasons playing for Benfica. Not long ago, there were some heated discussions about which of the world’s top clubs he should join.

Teams such as Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich…

Now he’s joining Burnley after being defensively dominant #6 in the 22/23 and 23/24 seasons, and having slightly regressed in the previous one.

The obvious question you ask is “Why Burnley?”, followed by a quick “Well, he’s probably not that good”.

He’s not THAT good, but he’s definitely good enough to be an upgrade on all of the current Burnley defensive midfielders once he settles a bit.

He’s the quintessential destroyer in the centre of the pitch. Think of João Palhinha, but slightly better on the ball—a high volume of successful tackles, numerous blocked and intercepted passes, and the ability to win balls in the most crucial areas.

It in no way suggests that Burnley suddenly become a team we shouldn’t target, but it will be interesting to see what happens when they face sides potentially at risk of relegation.

The more competitive it is at the bottom of the table, the more fun we can have.

Piero Hincapié: Arsenal essentially have two squads

Arsenal concluded their transfer window with the signing of 23-year-old Ecuadorian international Piero Hincapié (£5.5m), who can operate as a left full-back or a centre-back in a back five.

He fits the mould of their other defenders, like Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jurriën Timber. He’s physical, a strong tackler, and good on the ball. Not only can he drive it forward with his runs, but in the last two seasons, he ranked in the 95th percentile for how his passes have improved the team’s chances of scoring a goal. He’s a technically skilled footballer who can both defend and progress the play.

What is more important than describing his quality is that it serves as another reminder of how incredible Arsenal’s depth now is. While Hincapié remains a backup to Gabriel, Saliba, and others, FPL managers dislike depth.

And the fullback situation at Arsenal is a prime example. It’s likely high-reward but also extremely high-risk at the moment. The good thing is, there’s no need to rush things.

We can still largely observe from a distance everything that happens here as they face Nottingham Forest (pardon me, I wrote this before Ange’s arrival), Manchester City, and Newcastle in the next three matches. It’s probably not enough upside tied to those fixtures to experiment unless you want to advance with Viktor Gyökeres (£9.0m), which might be a good idea for some teams.

In GWs 7/8, those without Arsenal will need to act.

Alejandro Garnacho: On the verge of exploding?

Some of Chelsea’s transfers are difficult to grasp, and Facundo Buonanotte is exactly that. He arrived on a season-long loan from Leicester only to be omitted from the Champions League squad two days later.

On the other hand, I understand very well the signing of Alejandro Garnacho. It could also prove quite useful soon, especially with Liam Delap being out for reportedly “a while”.

I often discussed that Chelsea lacks a genuine goal-scorer profile in their squad. Most of their wingers don’t fit this typology. Also, João Pedro isn’t truly that, despite his current streak, and with Delap missing, Garnacho could soon play his part.

He’s a player with world-class potential—a master carrier with a great final product, who will excel under the right conditions.

The Argentinian is still only 21 years old and spent the last two seasons playing for a highly dysfunctional team. With this in mind, let’s look at some numbers:

• Last season: 3.49 shots, 0.33 non-penalty xG, 7.70 touches in the box (7th in a sample size of players with 1,000+ minutes), or 0.17 xA per 90 minutes

• The 23/24 season: 3.50 shots, 0.28 non-penalty xG, 9.35 touches in the box (2nd best), and 0.14 xA per 90 minutes

He accumulated nearly 17 expected goals during that period. His finishing was pretty inconsistent, but that’s nothing unusual for a player this young who isn’t in the right headspace.

As a manager, you want to play someone who does this at his age against the toughest defences in the world. Additionally, he can play on both flanks and centrally. That’s a huge advantage.

I’m not suggesting you buy him immediately, but it’s one of the best chances to be early on a player when we spot a signal that he will earn Maresca’s complete trust. If that happens, he will be a bargain at just £6.4m.

Gameweek 9 is a realistic entry point, although the right opportunity might come sooner than you expect.

Harvey Elliott, Jadon Sancho, and Unai Emery’s sleepless nights

I still believe it’s a bad idea to sell Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers before they face Everton, Sunderland, Fulham, and Burnley. Unless you have 3 free transfers available, you’ve built a well-settled team and want to make some specific high-upside moves. Otherwise, there are likely other problems to address.

However, Aston Villa, in general, are rather a mess at the moment. No disputing that.

Losing both Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana is a major setback for the team, affecting not just their defence but also their control of the game. Additionally, their attack remains inconsistent. We all saw it against Crystal Palace. They need time to regroup, so it’s definitely good news that the upcoming fixtures are favourable until the next international break.

Signing Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho certainly doesn’t bring more peace to the squad-building, but eventually, the former should bring much improvement.

While I’m not too optimistic about Sancho, Elliott is someone who could greatly enhance the team.

To be honest, I can’t say how they will line up at the moment or how advanced he will be. However, he can play as number 8, number 10, or on the wing, and make a significant contribution in all three positions.

While I always strive to be early on players I think will perform, I don’t believe it’s a good idea to buy him with the current information… or lack of it. Still, he’s just £5.4m, and when he gets his clearly defined role, he might become someone worth considering.

Alright, now is the time to talk Wissa, Woltemade, Kevin, Randal Kolo Muani, Xavi Simons, Senne Lammens and some other potential big hitters.

Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade: Now we are talking…