Murillo (Nottingham Forest). Nottingham only had to spend 17.5 million USD to acquire Murillo from Corinthians in 2023. In his first season, the 22-year-old Brazilian stopper became the team's best player. He partnered with Nikola Milenkovic to form one of the best center-back pairings in the 2024-2025 Premier League, helping Nottingham secure a Europa League spot. With his eccentric personality, penchant for long passes, and surprising long shots, Murillo is also one of the most entertaining and eye-catching players.

Carlos Baleba (Brighton). In 2023, Brighton spent 31 million USD to buy Baleba from Lille to replace Moises Caicedo, who was sold to Chelsea for 135 million USD. Two years on, it's clear how astute their decision was. The 21-year-old Cameroonian star possesses all the strengths of a top central midfielder: abundant stamina, tackling ability, competitive spirit, constant movement, and box-to-box play. Ruben Amorim, the coach who elevated Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting, considers Baleba his number one target for the end of the summer transfer window. However, Man Utd may have to pay a similar amount to the Caicedo deal.

Milos Kerkez (Liverpool). When Kerkez was just 17, legend Paolo Maldini personally called to invite him to AC Milan. But after not getting playing time, the Hungarian left-back moved to AZ Alkmaar. Joining a less prestigious team was a necessary stepping stone for the young player's development. After 57 matches with AZ, including 17 in the Conference League, Kerkez was brought to Bournemouth. He continued to improve, playing two seasons and 74 matches for Bournemouth, including 66 in the Premier League. This season, Kerkez stepped out of the shadows, joining Liverpool for 55 million USD. Real Madrid and Man City also pursued him, but the 21-year-old left-back wanted to play alongside his national teammate Dominik Szoboszlai at Anfield.

Iliman Ndiaye (Everton). The 25-year-old winger was instrumental in helping Sheffield United secure promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-2023 season. After a season back in France playing for Marseille, he joined Everton. Last season, Ndiaye suffered an injury, but recovered in time to help the team avoid relegation. With 11 goals, he was also Everton's top scorer. Coach David Moyes highly values Ndiaye's dribbling, attacking prowess, and tactical vision.

Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City). The Algerian left-back is only 24, but has already played two Ligue 1 seasons for Angers and five Premier League seasons for Wolves. With his ability to receive the ball in tight spaces and his excellent touch, he often reminds viewers of a futsal player. But on the grass, Ait-Nouri is an attacking specialist from the backline. Last season, he scored 4 goals and provided 7 assists, making him the most prolific defender in the Premier League. His outstanding performance at Wolves launched him to Man City this summer for 43 million USD.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest). In the summer of 2022, Nottingham broke their club transfer record by spending 34 million USD to acquire Gibbs-White from Wolves. Three years later, this decision has proven to be entirely correct. The 25-year-old midfielder consistently contributes double-digit goal involvements each season. He also helped Nottingham stay in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons, even finishing 7th and earning a Europa League spot in the 2024-2025 season. Tottenham recently expressed interest in buying him for 80 million USD, but Gibbs-White extended his contract with Nottingham for three more years.

Bryan Mbeumo (Man Utd). In 2019, at the age of 20, Mbeumo began his adventure in England modestly by joining the Championship side Brentford. The Cameroonian winger quickly became a star for the Bees, scoring 70 goals in 242 matches, helping the club gain promotion after two seasons and remain in the Premier League for 4 consecutive seasons. Last season, he scored 20 Premier League goals, trailing only Mo Salah, Alexander Isak, and Erling Haaland. Mbeumo's performance was so convincing that Man Utd agreed to spend 96 million USD to recruit him this summer.

Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace). Munoz is one of the fastest-rising players in the past year. From a defender playing for Genk (Belgium), he has become an indispensable choice on Crystal Palace's right wing. In the 2025 FA Cup final, Munoz provided the assist for Eberechi Eze's decisive goal against Man City, before winning the Man of the Match award. The Colombian star also just helped Crystal Palace defeat Liverpool in a penalty shootout in the Community Shield.

Matheus Cunha (Man Utd). The 26-year-old winger is a late bloomer in Brazilian football. From his homeland, he played across Europe for Sion (Switzerland), RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin (Germany), and Atletico (Spain) before finding stability at Wolves (England). Cunha stands out with his creativity, intelligent movement, and sharp finishing, but is sometimes criticized for being overly emotional and lacking tactical discipline. This summer, he reached new heights by joining Man Utd for 85 million USD.

Joao Pedro (Chelsea). Pedro played three and a half seasons for Championship side Watford before joining Brighton in 2023. But even after scoring 30 goals in 70 games for the Seagulls, the 23-year-old Brazilian forward remained relatively anonymous in England. He only shot to prominence overnight after joining Chelsea this summer. In three matches at the FIFA Club World Cup, Pedro scored three goals, showcasing the technique and finishing ability that most Chelsea forwards lack, helping the team win the club-level tournament. After his outstanding debut, the 74 million USD forward has even become a contender for the Premier League Golden Boot.

Ngoc Tuan

Photo: Reuters, AFP, Club, Cortesia.