Five new boys who can light up the EPL: Richard Buxton

BRYAN GIL

Footballing nicknames can often be misleading but Gil's moniker of "Little Cruyff" is hardly without foundation.

Not only does Tottenham Hotspur's £21.6 million (S$40.6m) summer signing resemble the legendary Dutchman and hail from his former Barcelona parish, but he also operates as a distinctly old school winger.

Taking on defenders at will catapulted Gil into La Liga's spotlight during a season-long loan spell with Eibar.

How the 20-year-old adjusts to Nuno Espirito Santo's plans to deploy him in a more central role, however, promises to be one of the more intriguing subplots in the Lilywhites' latest campaign of transition.

ROMELU LUKAKU

Unfinished business will likely see Lukaku soon heading back to Stamford Bridge for a reported £97.5m after a seven-year absence.

The European champions are no strangers to re-signing players that flew their nest too soon and the Belgian striker is among the ones that got away.

Lukaku's career path since leaving Chelsea has been mixed, having flourished at Everton and floundered with Manchester United before plundering goals for fun again at Serie A's cash-strapped champions Inter Milan.

The 28-year-old's statuesque presence and technical quality is set to offer Thomas Tuchel a much-needed reprieve from watching his compatriot Timo Werner plough a lonely furrow in attack.

RAPHAEL VARANE

Defensive flaws have consistently undermined Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United tenure.

His mismatched pairing of Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire contributed to the highest number of goals shipped by the English Premier League's top four sides last term.

But Solskjaer's wishes are belatedly coming true, with Varane undergoing his medical this morning (Singapore time) ahead of his likely arrival at Old Trafford, alongside Jadon Sancho.

Still only 28 and coming off the back of a success-laden decade at Real Madrid, he offers a simple remedy to several longstanding issues in the Red Devils' backline.

If Varane's presence offers greater organisation at set-pieces and reduces Maguire's margin for error, it will be £42.7m very well spent.

EMILIANO BUENDIA

Filling the Jack Grealish-shaped void has become a three-fold issue at Villa Park.

Before the England international even left his boyhood club, Dean Smith's side acted swiftly to make Buendia the creative arm of their succession plan in a deal worth £33m.

At Norwich City, the Argentinian thrived as Teemu Pukki's supply line and he moves to Aston Villa with fellow recruit Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins, both highly adept at replicating those qualities.

Beating Arsenal to Buendia's signature could be key in deciding which club finds themselves in the European qualification spots next May.

IBRAHIMA KONATE

An injury-plagued final two seasons with RB Leipzig made Liverpool's capture of Konate for £36m appear something of a gamble.

Make no mistake, however, there is a reason why he is already considered one of European football's finest emerging centre-backs.

The France Under-21 international's blend of speed and aerial presence has led to flattering comparisons with new partner in crime Virgil van Dijk.

Confidence is clearly not in short supply either, judging by his willingness to dance through opponents in the Reds' final pre-season friendly against Osasuna yesterday morning.

If he and van Dijk can form a coherent understanding, Juergen Klopp's side will have more than a fighting chance of clawing the EPL title away from Manchester City again.