EPL Summer Transfer Window Power Rankings: Who's Doing the Best Business?

Premier League managers will be heading back to their offices following a brief summer holiday period in the next few days, so while transfer activity has been slow since the end of the 2012-13 season it will almost certainly pick up heading into July.

Even so, this week’s instalment of the EPL Summer Transfer Window Power Rankings features a handful of clubs that improved their stock over the past seven days by making meaningful transactions, and one team in particular saw their place in the ledger rise significantly.

That said, there are still a handful of clubs yet to do a single piece of business—something that will have to change in the coming weeks lest they be left behind by their rivals.

Following is our transfer table for the week of June 17-23.

20. Newcastle

Movement: down one

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Steve Harper (Released), Danny Simpson (Released)

Longtime goalkeeper Steve Harper has left the club, as has right-back Danny Simpson.

But it’s not a lack of movement that sees the Magpies drop into last place on this ranking. Rather, it was the bizarre appointment of Joe Kinnear as director of football that dropped them to the foot of the ledger.

Newcastle will have enough trouble staying up next season, and Kinnear’s addition to the front office will only add to the embarrassment.

19. Crystal Palace

Movement: up one

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: none

The promotion playoff winners have yet to make a single transaction this closed season, but that could change if the Eagles were to make a swoop for Norwich striker Grant Holt, who the Mirror has reported could be available for £2 million.

18. Cardiff City

Movement: none

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Heidar Helguson (Released), Stephen McPhail (Released)

Malky Mackay has yet to make a single addition to the squad that finished atop the Championship last season, but with the backing of wealthy Malaysian owner Vincent Tan, it should only be a matter of time before the Cardiff City manager makes his first foray into the transfer market.

Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones could be headed to Wales to help boost Mackay’s attacking corps, according to the Mirror.

17. West Bromwich Albion

Movement: none

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Marc-Antoine Fortune (Released), Zoltan Gera (Released), Gonzalo Jara (Nottingham Forest), Jerome Thomas (Released)

West Brom overachieved in finishing eighth in the Premier League last season and risk going backwards without meaningful investment this summer.

To that end, manager Steve Clarke has targeted Wigan’s Franco Di Santo, according to ESPNFC.

16. Tottenham Hotspur

Movement: none

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Nathan Byrne (Swindon), David Bentley (Released), John Bostock (Released), William Gallas (Released)

With the exits of Bentley and Gallas, Spurs have trimmed their wage bill somewhat, and while manager Andre Villas-Boas would no doubt like to bolster his depth in attack, his top priority this summer will be convincing Gareth Bale to remain at the club.

One move that looks sure to happen is the acquisition of Corinthians midfielder Paulinho, who, according to The Guardian, claims the London side have already contacted him.

15. Everton

Movement: none

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Thomas Hitzlsperger (Released), Jan Mucha (Released), Jake Bidwell (Brentford)

Incoming manager Roberto Martinez will be hoping to keep the likes of Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini at Everton following David Moyes’ departure, but there could be one or two new names on Merseyside by next month as well.

Among them is Netherlands U-21 international Leroy Fer—a Twente midfielder who could be available for around £8 million, according to the Daily Mail

14. Stoke City

Movement: none

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Dean Whitehead (Released), Matthew Upson (Released), Rory Delap (Released), Mamady Sidibe (Released), Carlo Nash (Released), Matthew Lund (Rochdale)

New manager Mark Hughes has yet to spend any of Peter Coates’ money, but with the exits of Upson, Delap and Whitehead, it looks certain there will be a new brand of football at Britannia Stadium next term.

The Daily Mail has reported Canadian winger Junior Hoilett could be off to The Potters as Hughes looks to bring in more technically gifted players.

13. Swansea City

Movement: none

Transfers In: Jose Canas (Real Betis)

Transfers Out: Mark Gower (Charlton)

Swansea will just be glad to have held on to manager Michael Laudrup for at least another season.

The ninth-place side will also be contesting the Europa League after winning the League Cup last term and are rumoured, per the Daily Mail, to be in the market for a striker, perhaps Scott Sinclair—who left the club for Manchester City last summer.

12. Arsenal

Movement: Down two

Transfers In: none

Transfers Out: Craig Eastmond (Colchester United, Free), Jordan Wynter (Bristol City, Free), Kyle Ebecilio (FC Twente, Free), Conor Henderson (Released), Jernade Meade (Released), Andrey Arshavin (Released), Denilson (Sao Paulo, Free), Sebastien Squillaci (Released)

The Sun has reported Gonzalo Higuain’s move from Real Madrid to Arsenal is “at an advanced stage,” and as soon as the Argentina striker signs on the dotted lines, the Gunners will rocket up these rankings.

Manager Arsene Wenger has a reported £70 million with which to enhance his squad over the coming weeks and months, per the Independent, so one or two more high-profile players could end up at Emirates Stadium before the club kicks off its Premier League campaign at home to Aston Villa on August 17.

11. Hull City

Movement: down two

Transfers In: George Boyd (Peterborough), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan)

Transfers Out: Sonny Bradley (Portsmouth), Danny East (Portsmouth), Seyi Olofinjana (Released), Jay Simpson (Released), Andy Dawson (Scunthorpe)

Manager Steve Bruce has been linked with a handful of players since Hull earned promotion from the Championship last month, with Celtic striker Gary Hooper and Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given among the rumored players, according to The Express.

Already, Maynor Figueroa has joined on a free transfer from Wigan and should help bolster Hull’s defense as they make their Premier League return.

10. Southampton

Movement: up two

Transfers In: Dejan Lovren (Lyon)

Transfers Out: Frazer Richardson (Released), Danny Butterfield (Released), Dan Seaborne (Released), Ryan Dickson (Released), Ben Reeves (Released), Sam Hoskins (Released)

Southampton showed last season, with the captures of Maya Yoshida and Gaston Ramirez, that they are more than capable of springing the odd transfer-window surprise.

Already they have scooped up Croatia defender Dejan Lovren from Lyon, and manager Mauricio Pochettino has recently been linked with a move for £10 million-rated Cagliari defender Davide Astori, according to the Daily Mail.

9. Manchester United

Movement: down one

Transfers In: Guillermo Varela (Atletico Penarol), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Transfers Out: Paul Scholes (Retired)

Wilfried Zaha’s acquisition from Crystal Palace—announced last January—had Manchester United ahead of the registration period pack from the get-go, and no doubt more moves will follow once David Moyes settles in at Old Trafford and considers what he has to work with and who he’d like to bring in.

One of the players in the latter category is Spain U-21 star and Barcelona playmaker Thiago Alcantara, who, according to the Guardian, could be on the verge of a £17 million switch to the Premier League champions.

8. Aston Villa

Movement: down three

Transfers In: Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznan), Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland), Leandro Bacuna (Groningen), Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg), Antonio Luna (Sevilla)

Transfers Out: Richard Dunne (Released), Jean Makoun (Released), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest), Andy Marshall (Released), Brett Holman (Released), Derrick Williams (Bristol City)

Tonev and Akore are two players Aston Villa fans can get excited about ahead of next season, and in the past few weeks, manager Paul Lambert has cleared out some of the club’s dead wood as well.

But Lambert will likely have to make one or two more meaningful signings in order to ensure Villa’s Premier League survival next term, and holding onto top scorer Christian Benteke will be a priority as well.

7. Norwich City

Movement: down one

Transfers In: Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (Sporting Lisbon), Javier Garrido (Lazio)

Transfers Out: Chris Martin (Derby), Simeon Jackson (Released), Lee Camp (Released), Marc Tierny (Bolton Wanderers), Elliot Ward (Bournemouth), Tom Adeyemi (Birmingham City)

Javier Garrido spent all of last season at Norwich on loan from Lazio, and considering the excellent job he did at left-back, it was a good piece of business for Chris Hughton to sign him on a permanent basis heading into the 2013-14 campaign.

Van Wolfswinkel, meanwhile, scored 45 goals in his two seasons at Sporting Lisbon and should add some pop to an attack that was the Premier League’s third worst last term.

6. Sunderland

Movement: down two

Transfers In: Cabral (Basel), Modibo Diakite (Lazio), Valentin Roberge (Maritimo), David Moberg Karlsson (IFK Goteborg)

Transfers Out: Titus Bramble (Released), Matthew Kilgallon (Released), Ryan Noble (Released)

The Black Cats have already done some good business the past few weeks and will no doubt sign a few more players before next season’s August 17 kickoff.

Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster could be headed to the Stadium of Light, per the Daily Record, as a replacement for Simon Mignolet, who is expected to leave the club.

5. West Ham

Movement: up two

Transfers In: Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk), Adrian (Real Betis), Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Danny Whitehead (Stockport)

Transfers Out: Carlton Cole (Released), Gary O’Neil (Released)

West Ham move up two places this week because of the permanent signing of striker Andy Carroll. Manager Sam Allardyce looks content to build his attack around the towering 24-year-old and will surely be expecting a more productive season from the ex-Liverpool man in 2013-14. Carroll scored seven Premier League goals while on loan at Upton Park.

The Hammers have also signed Real Betis goalkeeper Adrian to give Jussi Jaaskelainen a run at the job, and Razvan Rat should come right into the left-back spot.

4. Chelsea

Movement: down one

Transfers In: Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen)

Transfers Out: Yossi Benayoun (Released), Florent Malouda (Released), Paulo Ferreira (Released), Ross Turnbull (Released)

Chelsea have already made their most important acquisition of the summer in the form of new/old manager Jose Mourinho.

Andre Schurrle’s arrival will only boost an already stellar corps of playmakers, and the Blues are also thought to be keen on bringing Napoli striker Edinson Cavani to Stamford Bridge, according to the Mirror.

3. Liverpool

Movement: up eight

Transfers In: Kolo Toure (Manchester City), Luis Alberto (Sevilla) Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo)

Transfers Out: Danny Wilson (Hearts), Andy Carroll (West Ham)

Liverpool are this week’s biggest movers, thanks to the acquisitions of Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto.

Aspas, 25, scored 12 goals and made seven others while at Celta Vigo last season and will operate in a central playmaking role at Anfield. Luis Alberto, meanwhile, spent all of 2012-13 on loan at Barcelona’s B-team and will likely challenge for a place on the left of the attack.

Manager Brendan Rodgers still has the Luis Suarez situation to sort out, and if he sells the Uruguayan as expected, he will have to acquire at least one centre-forward before attempting to improve on last season’s seventh-place finish.

2. Manchester City

Movement: none

Transfers In: Fernandinho (Shakhtar Donetsk), Jesus Navas (Sevilla)

Transfers Out: Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Wayne Bridge (Reading), Roque Santa Cruz (Released)

With Fernandinho brought in from Shakhtar Donetsk to bolster the midfield and Jesus Navas acquired from Sevilla to push for a spot on the left wing, Manchester City have already done some meaningful business this closed season.

But the Premier League runners-up are thought to be in the market for another striker, and the Mirror has linked them to both Edinson Cavani and Stevan Jovetic.

1. Fulham

Movement: None

Transfers In: Derek Boateng (Dnipro), Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Bilbao), Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma)

Transfers Out: Chris Baird (Released), Simon Davies (Released), Mahamadou Diarra (Released), Giorgios Karagounis (Released), Mladen Petric (Released)

Atop our Power Rankings for another week, Fulham made no moves over the last seven days but have nevertheless made a handful of meaningful transactions already this closed season.

The exits of Karagounis, Petric and Diarra brought the wage bill down considerably, and the acquisition of Amorebieta from Athletic Bilbao could prove one of the more inspired moves of the transfer period when all is said and done.

Cottagers boss Martin Jol will also be looking to revive goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg’s career in the English capital, but given his experience with the Netherlands No. 1 at Ajax, chances are good the club could have another Edwin van der Sar situation on their hands.