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Five risky Premier League signings which have paid off in 2018-19

The majority of Premier League clubs took risks on a number of signings last summer, but which additions have delivered the most reward?

Premier League clubs spent a total of £1.24bn during the summer transfer window ahead of this season, and it inevitably saw teams take significant risks when it came to making investments. Chelsea spent the most amount of money on one player with goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga costing over £70m, although it would be unfair to make an assessment over whether the Spaniard has been a success given that he penned a seven-year contract. However, big fees were dished out for a wide range of player - experienced, potential or prospect - and in some cases, they have hit the ground running to provide their managers and club with the feeling that they have already been provided with value for money.

Just like punters do when looking at the list of top 10 casino sites, Jurgen Klopp weighed up the pros and cons before completing the signing of Alisson. Punters can only benefit from taking the time to assess which casino website is best suited to their needs, with some websites offering a certain amount of free spins and others providing a variety of casino games which may not be available elsewhere. A wide range of bonuses will also be on offer to punters, and the bonus for Klopp was Alisson topping the clean-sheet standings in his first season at Anfield. Punters can achieve quick rewards by choosing the best casino website, and Alisson has already given Liverpool value for money despite £62.5m being shelled out in the summer.

Everton would have felt satisfied in winning the race to sign Lucas Digne from Barcelona, but there were still question marks over a player who had been provided with just 22 league starts across two campaigns. The risk came with there being uncertainly over whether the left-back could quickly adapt to the rigours of English football after being backup in a less-demanding league. However, the France international has arguably emerged as the player of the season on that side of the backline. Four goals and four assists have come from 34 appearances in the Premier League, and the 25-year-old has also chipped in with plenty of strong defensive performances. Everton have committed to paying £20.2m for Digne, but it would be difficult to find anyone who doesn't think that he has not offered value for money.

Lucas Digne celebrates scoring for Everton on December 26, 2018© Reuters

James Maddison had spent the early years of his professional career playing in the EFL and Scottish Premiership, but that did not stop a number of teams showing an interest in the highly-rated playmaker. It was Leicester City who eventually made the decision to give Norwich City £25m for his services, and the Foxes have not been left disappointed. The Englishman has contributed seven goals and seven assists from 35 outings, and Leicester will receive well in excess of what they paid if they ever decide to cash in on the midfielder. It could be argued that Leicester were not necessarily taken a risk when receiving an inflated fee from the sale of Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City, but onlookers at the King Power Stadium have been left satisfied with the business done behind the scenes.

Bournemouth spent considerably less to bring in David Brooks from Sheffield United, but it initially appeared doubtful that the youngster would justify a fee of £11.5m. Brooks had only made nine starts for the Blades in the Championship, meaning that it wasn't exactly the platform to go straight into Premier League football. However, the Wales international has been a revelation at the Vitality Stadium, with seven goals and five assists coming from 30 appearances. Eddie Howe now regards the 21-year-old as one of the first names on the teamsheet, and Brooks should only benefit from more time spent on the South coast.

Gerard Deulofeu has seemingly been passed from club to club since making an impact during a loan spell with Everton at the back end of the 2013-14 campaign. Both the Toffees and Barcelona have spent money on the winger, only to quickly decide that he was not what they were looking for. Watford ignored that to spend £13m on Deulofeu in the summer after a relatively unspectacular loan spell last season, but Hornets boss Javi Gracia is getting the best out of the Spaniard. Nine goals and five assists have come from 29 outings in the Premier League, while the 25-year-old also played an instrumental part in getting Watford to the FA Cup final. Deulofeu has effectively already paid back Watford for the faith placed in him, and the Hertfordshire-based club will be hoping that he sees his future at Vicarage Road.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Liverpool34228475344174
3Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


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