In Focus: Five of the summer transfer window's biggest bargains

Plenty of cash has been splashed this summer — but everybody loves a bargain.

While mega-money moves for Jack Grealish, Romelu Lukaku and Jadon Sancho got pulses racing, some of the transfer window’s best business may have slipped under the radar.

We have rounded up five new arrivals who could soon prove to be the savviest purchases.

Marc Cucurella — Brighton (£15million)

Brighton have forged a reputation for talent-spotting in recent years and may have unearthed another gem in Getafe star Marc Cucurella. 

Capable of operating as a full-back or wing-back on the left flank, 23-year-old Cucurella gives Seagulls boss Graham Potter a genuine option in a position recently occupied by midfielders Pascal Gross and Jakub Moder.

A competent ball-carrier whose 84 key passes over the last two LaLiga seasons ranked the sixth best in the division, Cucurella looks tailor-made for his new club’s style of play.

Speaking after landing his man, Potter said: "He [Cucurella] has had a fantastic education in the youth teams at Barcelona and he has gone on to make a real impression in LaLiga and within the national set-up. 

“He is a versatile player, and he will add competition and options to the squad."

Joining Enock Mwepu and Kjell Scherpen as new arrivals at the Amex, the Spaniard can help the Seagulls fly higher than ever before this term. 

Tino Livramento — Southampton (£5m)

Tino Livramento might not even be a familiar name to Chelsea fans — but the 18-year-old full-back has already made waves after leaving the Blues for Southampton in a deal worth just £5m.

Yet to make his senior debut prior to arriving at St Mary's, the England youth international, 18, has been chucked in at the deep end by new boss Ralph Hasenhuttl and is already catching plenty of admiring glances.

Ex-Arsenal man Perry Groves lavished praise on Livramento on talkSPORT during his debut at Everton.

Groves said: "He [Livramento] looks a player. He’s playing against Richarlison, a proven Premier League player, and his positional play has been outstanding.

"It’s been one of the best young debuts that I’ve seen."

Always thinking one step ahead, the Blues inserted a £25m buy-back clause in the deal — so do not be surprised to see Livramento back at Stamford Bridge in the years to come. 

Demarai Gray — Everton (£1.7m)

With several more high-profile transfers dominating the headlines at the time, few eyebrows were raised when Everton signed Demarai Gray from Bayer Leverkusen.

The winger, 25, left Leicester on January 31 to try life in the Bundesliga — and he was back on home soil just six months later.

Gray, who only cost the Toffees £1.7m due to a release clause, was regarded as one of England’s hottest talents when rising through Birmingham’s youth ranks but often flattered to deceive with the Foxes.

His 13 goals and 17 assists in 169 Leicester appearances is a respectable but underwhelming total, while he was without a direct goal involvement from late February onwards in Leverkusen.

But new Everton boss Rafael Benitez and director of football Marcel Brands have identified Gray as a man who has significant untapped potential and can shine at Goodison Park.

Two goals in his opening two Premier League appearances suggest they may be right — but now it is up to Gray to deliver consistently.

Takehiro Tomiyasu — Arsenal (£17m)

Despite starting their 2021-22 campaign terribly, Arsenal’s deadline-day capture of Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna could prove a masterstroke.

A busy summer at the Emirates was rounded off with the last-minute addition of 22-year-old Tomiyasu, who brings both physicality and versatility to a struggling backline.

In Serie A last term, he ranked ninth in the division for the most aerial duels won (91) and confidently operated at both centre-back and right-back for the Rossoblu.

A proficient tackler, Tomiyasu won 47 of the 60 he attempted in 2020-21 — a statistic that makes his record of not yet picking up a red card in his entire senior career all the more impressive.

With 23 caps already to his name, Tomiyasu is a regular for Japan and the 6ft 2in star is unlikely to be phased by the tempo or ferocity of Premier League football.

In a defence that has already looked worryingly porous, the Arsenal's new man looks like an incredibly shrewd acquisition at a cut-price £17m.

Jose Sa — Wolves (£6.25m)

Losing dependable stopper Rui Patricio was a blow for Wolves — but in Jose Sa, they look to have found an able replacement at a bargain price.

Former Porto man Sa, 28, arrived at Molineux off the back of a successful three-year stint at Olympiacos, where he played a key role in the Greek side winning back-to-back titles.

Usually back-up to Patricio at international level, his capture represents a continuation of Wolves’ heavily Portuguese-orientated recruitment policy and — according to technical director Scott Sellars — the landing of a long-term target.

Sellars said: "Jose is somebody who is very much coming into his peak years as a goalkeeper and has always been high up on our target list.

"He’s aggressive when coming for crosses, he commands his penalty area, has excellent distribution and he’s a very pro-active goalkeeper. He will be an important part in how we want to play under Bruno Lage.”

Already looking at home in the Premier League, Sa looks sure to become a familiar face in the English top flight.