Premier League: Eight-figure buys for Man City, Palace and Watford

Michael Lintorn
01 July 2016

Nolito may be approaching 30, but the last three seasons were the most productive of his career

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Man City, Crystal Palace and Watford have marked the beginning of the transfer window with some big business...

"Nolito combines some characteristics of Pep Guardiola’s final two Spanish purchases at Bayern Munich – someone who has a relatively low profile (Juan Bernat) and has been around for a while so is therefore being sought for an immediate impact (Xabi Alonso). Both were fairly successful for him."

July 1 is the day when the summer transfer window officially opens, and a number of Premier League clubs have shown respect for the sanctity of this date by announcing big-money moves.

The most noteworthy has seen Manchester City complete the signing of Nolito, having activated his £13.8 million Celta Vigo release clause. Many will consider it an excessive fee for a player who turns 30 later this year, but there are several reasons to suspect that it will ultimately prove a bargain.

One is that he was deemed worthy of starting all four Spain matches at Euro 2016 ahead of more established names with grander histories for La Roja and glamorous employers like Pedro, and the other is that he earned that berth with 12 goals and seven assists in 27 La Liga starts in 2015/16.

The wide forward wasn't a one-season wonder either, scoring 13 and creating 13 in his 32 league starts in 2014/15, while he demonstrated his ability to thrive at international level by firing four times in the pre-tournament friendlies.

Nolito also combines some characteristics of Pep Guardiola's final two Spanish purchases at Bayern Munich - someone who has a relatively low profile (Juan Bernat) and someone who has been around for a while so is therefore being sought for an immediate impact (Xabi Alonso). Both were fairly successful for him.

Despite placing fourth in the Premier League last term, Man City find themselves rated 3.613/5 favourites to secure their third title in six years in 2016/17, primarily because of the arrival of Guardiola, who finished first in three of his four La Liga campaigns and all three in the Bundesliga.

Crystal Palace came close to the Citizens' outlay, only their £13 million went on a Championship player rather than a Euro 2016 knockout participant in Newcastle winger Andros Townsend, who has arrived on a five-year deal.

It is an intriguing addition given that they already boast two accomplished flanksmen in Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha, while from the England international's perspective, sticking with the Magpies in the second tier was a viable option.

The impact that the Tyneside switch had in reviving his career, the size of the club, the likelihood of an immediate Premier League return, the chance to work with Rafael Benitez and the fact that 2016/17 isn't a pre-tournament season were all factors with the potential to incentivise him to stay.

Palace made another quality capture in an area where they were pretty well catered for anyway in Hugo Lloris' France understudy Steve Mandanda, a four-time (and reigning) Ligue 1 goalkeeper of the year, who will compete with Wayne Hennessey, Julian Speroni and Alex McCarthy.

Watford are on the brink of outspending both, with their £6 million investment in Genk centre back Christian Kabasele - an as-yet-unused member of Belgium's Euro 2016 squad expected to be followed by a £12.5 million splash for Granada forward Isaac Success, their most expensive ever buy.

Such ambition isn't fancied to inspire immense overachievement, with the Eagles 90.089/1 to finish in the top four and the Hornets 200.0199/1.

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