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the wind the rain Michael Buble Songs on Spotify. The countdown to Christmas is well and truly underway, and with the festivities in full flow, summer may seem like a lifetime ago.
But just as the festive season is all about taking stock of what we have, the halfway point of the Premier League season is as good a time as any for reflection.
That is, which of the many, many summer transfer window acquisitions so far have been affected.
Here are five bits of business that seem, well, business done.
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) December 22, 2024
Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)
At 6ft 5in tall, Milankovic is hard to miss. But the Serbian defender’s impact since signing for Forest from Fiorentina has been just as significant.
While Chris Wood has grabbed the headlines for his goals this term, Milankovic has been a giant for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side at the other end of the pitch with his physical presence and no-nonsense style of defending.
Along with Murillo, Milankovic is the mainstay on which Forest have taken themselves to fourth in the table.
Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace)
Palace may have had a largely unremarkable season so far, but centre-back Lacroix has given Eagles fans plenty to shout about.
The Frenchman has been a mainstay in Oliver Glassner’s defense this term and the 24-year-old is rapidly earning admirers thanks to his mix of physicality and composure.
£21 million (plus add-ons) from Wolfsburg already looks like shrewd business.
Amadou Onana (Aston Villa)
Everton’s fifty big man may, at least initially, have seemed like a hefty price to pay for the 23-year-old Belgium international in the summer.
But Onana has more than justified his price-tag with his commanding performances as a holding midfielder as Villa have largely impressed so far this season.
In the age of social media shows, tough determination and a relentless work ethic often go unnoticed. However, these are the features that Onana excels at; Traits that enable Unai Emery’s more attacking midfielders such as Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rodgers to thrive.
Feels good 😌 pic.twitter.com/E97OInjpbV
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 21, 2024
Jadon Sancho (Chelsea)
The Rise and Fall of Jadon Sancho. Like Harry Potter and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, it’s a story that many people know well.
But how about the rise and fall and rise of Sancho? It certainly looks like that could be the case if the winger can get a start at Chelsea.
The 24-year-old, on loan from Manchester United, has increasingly impressed Enzo Maresca’s side as genuine title contenders. An all-round revival at Stamford Bridge, perhaps?
Yankuba Minteh (Brighton)
At just 20 years old, Minteh has all the makings of a star in the making. Quick, skilful and energetic, the Seagulls, who have a knack for honing young talent before selling it for big bucks, could have another moneymaker on their hands.
The Gambian scored 10 goals and made five assists in just 27 appearances in the Eredivisie last season and after acquiring his services for just £25 million, it looks like Brighton have grabbed themselves a bit of a steal.
