Best XI of 2014/15 Premier League Signings
The 2014/15 Premier League season is complete.
Chelsea are champions; Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United will play in the Champions League. Hull City, Queens Park Rangers and Burnley are relegated, with Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich City taking their place.
And so the time has come to reflect on the past nine months. There were fantastic moments from every club, and many came from EPL newcomers.
Transfer windows have become seasons all their own; there are winners, losers and whatever comes in between. At every position, clubs found players to suit their needs—some failed to work, some did not reach their expectations and some were fish to water.
Here is an XI signed in 2014/15 who improved their club's prospects and distinguished themselves as vital additions.
**Using the 4-3-3 formation, with one holding midfielder.
GK: Fraser Forster (Southampton)
1 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 30 games played, 59 saves, 13 clean sheets
Moving to Southampton for £10 million on 14 August 2014, Fraser Forster was thought to be walking into a burning building. After a summer exodus, Saints were tipped for possible relegation, but Ronald Koeman came into St. Mary's Stadium and revamped the squad.
The base of Koeman's new spine was Forster. The 27-year-old goalkeeper was on pace for the Barclays Golden Glove award before a season-ending knee injury robbed him of a complete season.
Scheduled to miss the start of next year, as noted by the Guardian's Dominic Fifield, how the England international returns will be interesting to monitor before Euro 2016.
LB: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton)
2 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 34 games played, 45 tackles, 67 interceptions
Last season, Jose Mourinho was reticent to play arguably the world's best left-back (over the past decade-plus), Ashley Cole, so the Portuguese installing Ryan Bertrand—who is essentially "Cole-lite"—seemed hard to imagine.
Chelsea's loss became Southampton's gain.
Bertrand was loaned to Saints, then sold in January; after a splendid 2014/15, he was named in the PFA Team of the Season.
Included in Roy Hodgson's latest England squad, where Bertrand's career goes from here is undefined. Finally playing regular first-team football, the 25-year-old's star has only just begun.
CB: Emre Can (Liverpool)
3 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 27 games played, 78 tackles, 38 interceptions
Of Liverpool's 2014/15 summer business only one name proved worth his fee. Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno, Adam Lallana, Lazar Markovic, Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli all played below their expected level, but Emre Can was brilliant in his inaugural Anfield season.
Costing the Reds £10 million, the 21-year-old is a jack of all trades; as a centre-back, right-back and central midfielder, the German was possibly Brendan Rodgers' lone bright spot this season.
With Steven Gerrard moving shop to the United States, the young midfielder could switch to his natural position in 2015/16, lifting his game even higher.
CB: Toby Alderweireld (Southampton/Atletico Madrid)
4 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 26 games played, 44 tackles, 32 interceptions
Finishing his 2013/14 season losing the Champions League final (in which he featured 37 minutes), Toby Alderweireld might have wanted to continue his Atletico Madrid career, but Diego Simeone's preferred defensive options are firmly in place.
The former Ajax defender was handed an opportunity to play for former Ajax manager Ronald Koeman on loan, and Alderweireld has been wonderful in England.
Saints should be interested in making the move permanent but, after a great loan spell, the Belgian's price tag will be far more expensive.
RB: Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace)
5 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 31 games played, 94 tackles, 47 interceptions
One might often find Crystal Palace players hoping to play for a club like Liverpool—not the other way around—but Martin Kelly has thrived in his first season off the Reds' books.
Spitting time at right-back, left-back and centre-back this season, Kelly has taken advantage of regular first-team football.
Signed on the day Tony Pulis left Selhurst Park on 14 August 2014, both Neil Warnock and Alan Pardew benefited from the £1.5 million summer signing (per the Daily Mail's Garry Doolan)—as the former Liverpool man can be deployed in any defensive position.
CDM: Esteban Cambiasso (Leicester City)
6 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 31 games played, 70 tackles, 5 goals
Choosing Leicester City on a free transfer, Esteban Cambiasso will have known what he was in for. The Foxes were never going to have an easy 2014/15, yet a player of Cambiasso's calibre chose to fight nevertheless.
His class and experience proved invaluable for a club struggling to stay afloat in mid-season.
Over Leicester's last nine league games, they took 22 points and secured EPL football in 2015/16.
Signing a 12-month deal, Cambiasso's future is a mystery—but Nigel Pearson hopes to have him next year, as documented by BBC Sport.
CM: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)
7 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 32 games played, 7 goals, 10 assists
Swansea City supporters got a preview of Gylfi Sigurdsson in 2012. Scoring seven goals in 18 Premier League appearances on loan, many thought the Icelander would make the deal stick, but then-manager Brendan Rodgers moved to Liverpool and the deal died.
Garry Monk apparently owns a defibrillator.
Traded by Tottenham Hotspur for left-back Ben Davies and goalkeeper Michel Vorm—per BBC Sport—Sigurdsson, upon his return, was directly responsible for 17 of his squad's league goals in 2014/15, helping Swansea to their greatest ever EPL point total.
CM: Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
8 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 34 games played, 18 assists, 2,741 completed passes (led the division)
Leaving the hallowed Spanish giants Barcelona last summer, Jose Mourinho convincing Cesc Fabregas on joining Chelsea was possibly last year's best transaction.
Seen as the replacement for Frank Lampard in Chelsea's midfield, Fabregas began the 2014/15 season in fantastic form—guiding the Blues through 21 unbeaten games in all competitions.
Winning his first Premier League medal in eight attempts, the Spaniard's vision and technical ability were the primary factors in Chelsea's double-winning 2014/15 campaign.
LW: Sadio Mane (Southampton)
9 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 30 games played, 10 goals, 3 assists
Losing Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and not having the injured Jay Rodriguez, Southampton's attacking stable was severely damaged in 2014. Ronald Koeman countered by signing Graziano Pelle, Shane Long and found Sadio Mane for £11.8 million from Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg.
The Senegalese wide man was a terror for English defences all year. Scoring vs. Chelsea, Arsenal and netting the quickest hat-trick in Premier League history vs. Aston Villa (in two minutes and 56 seconds), Mane has been a wonderful addition for Saints.
Were the 23-year-old to better his 2014/15 production in 2015/16, him staying at the St. Mary's Stadium will prove difficult.
RW: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
10 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 35 games played, 16 goals, 8 assists
Costing Arsene Wenger £30 million from Barcelona last July, Alexis Sanchez transformed into the Gunners' best footballer overnight.
Playing third fiddle to Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona's Camp Nou was never going to see the Chilean winger reach his maximum potential, Sanchez should never regret taking the north London lifeline offered by Arsenal.
Wenger's men have an opportunity to win silverware this season; for a second-straight FA Cup to be locked in the Emirates' trophy case, Sanchez must be at his spellbinding best vs. Aston Villa.
CF: Diego Costa (Chelsea)
11 of 11
2014/15 EPL Stats: 26 games played, 20 goals, 3 assists
Scoring 36 goals for Atletico Madrid last season, Chelsea were linked with Diego Costa for what seemed like ages last year. Jose Mourinho was certainly keen on the Brazilian-born Spaniard, and for £32 million the striker was west London bound.
Many assumed the Premier League was suited to Costa's brutish style, and they were correct. The only thing that stopped Costa in 2014/15 was himself.
Suspended or injured for nearly a third of the EPL season, Chelsea will require a healthy, less-manic Costa if SW6 is to witness another parade in 2016.
**Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
