In between the lengthier Scout Reports on notable Fantasy Premier League (FPL) arrivals, we’re putting together shorter round-ups of purchases who are more of the ‘C-list’ variety.
Here, we give you the lowdown on new arrivals at Sunderland, Leeds United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Don’t forget that you can find all the confirmed transfers listed here throughout the summer.
Our complete pre-season guide also houses heaps of other articles to read ahead of the new season.
Chemsdine Talbi (Club Brugge to Sunderland, £18m)
The money that Sunderland received for Jobe Bellingham has led to a splurge on new talent over recent weeks. As well as triggering the permanent Enzo Le Fee purchase, they’ve tempted Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki and Talbi to join.
Aged 20, this winger has come through the same Club Brugge academy that produced new Brighton and Hove Albion player Maxim De Cuyper, though it’s a large fee for someone who has started only 12 league matches. None before last October.
Still, he found time to score seven goals in 2024/25, including a couple versus Atalanta in the Champions League knock-out phase playoffs.
Above: Talbi’s 2024/25 positions, according to Transfermarkt
Usually deployed on the right flank, Talbi is very fast and a good dribbler – perhaps ideal for a supersub role, as he adapts to the Premier League. It’s handy when Sunderland morphed into a counter-attacking team during the later Championship months.
However, the pattern that many are noticing is that – having declared himself for Morocco rather than Belgium – it’s another Black Cats signing that will likely go to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in December and January.
Simon Adingra (Brighton and Hove Albion to Sunderland, £18.5m)
And what’s this, another AFCON-bound Mackem?
Simon Adingra has swapped the south coast for the slightly chillier promenade up in Seaburn.
An Ivory Coast international, he’s yet another Sunderland acquisition who will be heading for Morocco in December.
A hot prospect a couple of years ago, Adingra has never quite managed to fully convince since.
His debut season for Brighton in 2023/24 saw him make 25 starts, with a so-so six goals and one assist arriving.
That was followed up by a disappointing 2024/25 campaign in which he only made Fabian Hurzeler’s XI on a dozen occasions. Three of his five attacking returns came off the bench.
The underlying numbers were middling, too, including a chance created only once every 74 minutes:
Capable of playing off both flanks (but perhaps most convincing off the left), he’ll challenge Talbi and Romain Mundle for starts.
Reinildo Mandava (Atletico Madrid to Sunderland, free)
It’ll be interesting to know if Sunderland staff are even aware of the tournament’s existence. Also coming to Wearside is 31-year-old Mozambican Reinildo, adding some experienced competition for left-back Dennis Cirkin.
Not that he’s recently played much for Atletico Madrid. Named in 91 matchday squads over the last two seasons, just 23 have been starts.
But the Mackems are spending nothing to gain a Ligue 1 winner with 25 Champions League runouts.
According to our Fixture Ticker, Sunderland have the best early run. But FPL managers will need to see how their transfer activity settles down before guessing who’ll start.
Even if Reinildo is part of that side, three goals and one miserable assist in 140 La Liga and Ligue 1 outings suggests attacking returns are going to be in short supply.
Gabriel Gudmundsson (Lille to Leeds United, £10m)
Bought from Groningen shortly before Reinildo left Lille, Gudmundsson then took over as the French side’s main left-back.
The versatile 26-year-old is making his own newly-promoted move, as Leeds continue their separate spree. Sometimes deployed on the left wing, Sweden have recently been using him as a third centre-back.
But surely he’s their replacement for attack-minded Junior Firpo – a hard task to follow, considering the latter contributed four goals and 10 assists to the title-winning campaign. Especially when comparing his four and three throughout 137 Lille appearances.
Yet Gudmundsson is a good ball-carrier and played a role in January’s Champions League equaliser at Anfield, a cutback that was eventually converted by Jonathan David. He helped Les Dogues defeat Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, too.
Firpo was always seen as more of a defensive liability going up to the top flight, as well, although Gudmundsson’s underlying numbers don’t particularly stand out in that regard, either.
Kota Takai (Kawasaki Frontale to Tottenham Hotspur, £5m)
6ft 4in tall, 20-year-old Takai is an impressive passer with fast recovery speed. Yet the former Frontale prospect likely isn’t an FPL option for now, as Spurs have Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin around at centre-back, plus another new youngster in Luka Vuskovic.
He may therefore go out on loan, although last season’s defensive injury crisis could block that thought.
Takai is very highly thought of, mind. Already on four senior Japan caps, he was voted 2024’s Best Young Player in the J1 League. He also kept Cristiano Ronaldo and Jhon Duran quiet when helping his side beat Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals.
Spurs fans will be hoping that, one day, Takai becomes just as notable as Frontale alumni Kaoru Mitoma, Reo Hatate and Ao Tanaka.
Christian Norgaard (Brentford to Arsenal, £15m)
One of the strangest moves of the summer transfer window sees Christian Norgaard become the latest Bee to desert the Brentford ship.
He follows Thomas Frank in crossing the Thames, although Norgaard has joined the red half of north London.
The 31-year-old Norgaard actually hit double figures for attacking returns last season, thanks to five goals and as many assists.
But his real strengths are off the ball – and it’s doubtful whether he’ll get anywhere close to the 34 league starts he made in 2024/25.
With Thomas Partey and Jorginho gone, reinforcements were needed in midfield. But with Martin Zubimendi already signed, Norgaard looks set to play back-up in the engine room.
