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Paul Merson's transfer window grades: Positives for Man City, Man Utd but not Arsenal

Merson's Transfer Grades

Paul Merson's grades the transfer window for each Premier League club - and isn't too impressed with Arsenal.

The Sky Sports pundit explains why his former club should have sold Alexis Sanchez and bought defensive players for the new season.

However, he has positive words for the Manchester clubs as he analyses the deals that have been done by each club.

Read on for the Magic Man's analysis...

Arsenal: C-

Arsenal unveil new signing Alexandre Lacazette at London Colney

Major ins: Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon, undisclosed), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke, free).

Major outs: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool, £35m), Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus, £14m), Gabriel Paulista (Valencia, £10m), Kieran Gibbs (West Brom, £7m), Yaya Sanogo (released), Carl Jenkinson (Birmingham, loan).

MERSE SAYS: Arsenal haven't done enough in this window. They've bought a centre-forward when they already had one. They needed to buy defenders and they haven't done it. As we saw against Liverpool the other day, they just aren't good enough.

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I'd have sold Alexis Sanchez all day long. I doubt they'll get in the top four and they'll lose the £50m they would have got for him when he leaves for free. I think £35m for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is good money, but if they're letting him go then why not let Sanchez go as well?

Bournemouth: B-

Jermain Defoe during the Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Manchester City

Major ins: Asmir Begovic (Chelsea, undisclosed), Jermain Defoe (Sunderland, free), Nathan Ake (Chelsea, £20m).

Major outs: Lewis Grabban (Sunderland, loan), Max Gradel (Toulouse, loan), Baily Cargil (Fleetwood, loan).

MERSE SAYS: It's not been a bad window for Bournemouth, but they've had a bad start to the season. I like Asmir Begovic and he will save them a few points, but I think Nathan Ake was a bit overpriced. Chelsea let him go after the game against Watford last season when he was all over the place. I'm a big fan of Jermain Defoe, but he's 34 years old and sooner or later time takes its toll.

Brighton: D

Jose Izquierdo of Club Brugge

Major ins: Jose Izquierdo (Club Brugge, £13.5m), Pascal Gross (Ingolstadt, undisclosed), Mathew Ryan (Valencia, undisclosed), Markus Suttner (Ingolstadt, undisclosed), Izzy Brown (Chelsea, loan), Davy Propper (PSV, undisclosed), Ezequiel Schelotto (Sporting Lisbon, undisclosed), Tim Krul (Newcastle, loan).

Major outs: Chris O'Grady (Chesterfield, free), David Stockdale (Birmingham, free), Elvis Manu (Genclerbirligi SK, free), Oliver Norwood (Fulham, loan), Kazenga Lua-Lua (QPR, loan), Rohan Ince (Bury, loan).

MERSE SAYS: I look through the list of signings and I don't really know any of them. When you get promoted to the Premier League, you need to bring in a few seasoned professionals. This league will be new to almost everybody in that squad and for me that approach isn't going to work. I'm not happy with that.

Burnley B+

Chris Wood

Major ins: Chris Wood (Leeds, £15m), Nahki Wells (Huddersfield, undisclosed), Jon Walters (Stoke, undisclosed), Charlie Taylor (Leeds, tribunal to decide), Jack Cork (Swansea, undisclosed).

Major outs: Andre Gray (Watford, £18m), Michael Keane (Everton, £30m), Michael Kightly (Southend, free), Joey Barton (released), George Boyd (Sheffield Wednesday, free).

MERSE SAYS: I like what they've done. They've let Andre Gray and Michael Keane go for big money, but have brought in some good players. Chris Wood is a good forward, Nahki Wells will look to prove himself, Jon Walters is a good professional and I like Jack Cork as well. People tell me they could go down, but I don't see that at all. Sean Dyche has done well.

Chelsea: B-

Alvaro Morata celebrates scoring Chelsea's second goal

Major ins: Danny Drinkwater (Leicester, £35m), Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid, £70m), Willy Caballero (Manchester City, free), Antonio Rudiger (Roma, £34m), Tiemoue Bakayoko (Monaco, £40m), Davide Zappacosta (Torino, £23m)

Major outs: Nemanja Matic (Man Utd, £40m), Kurt Zouma (Stoke, loan), Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford, undisclosed), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace, loan), Juan Cuadrado (Juventus, £17.3m), Christian Atsu (Newcastle, £6.2m), Asmir Begovic (Bournemouth, undisclosed), Dominic Solanke (Liverpool, fee by tribunal), John Terry (Aston Villa, free), Nathan Ake (Bournemouth, £20m), Tammy Abraham (Swansea, loan).

MERSE SAYS: Diego Costa isn't going to play for Chelsea again - the manager will lose face if he comes back - and they didn't get Romelu Lukaku, so the big question is who will get all the goals? They've got to hope the move for Alvaro Morata works. I didn't think they needed a lot and Antonio Rudiger and Tiemoue Bakayoko are good players and I would have given them a higher mark if they hadn't let Nemanja Matic move to Manchester United. I also wonder if Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Nathaniel Chalobah will come back to haunt them?

Crystal Palace: B+

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 05:  Ruben Loftus-Cheek of Crystal Palace gets past Thino Kehrer of Schalke during a Pre Season Friendly between Crystal Palace an

Major ins: Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea, loan), Jairo Riedewald (Ajax, undisclosed), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Manchester United, loan), Oumar Niasse (Everton)

Major outs: Steve Mandanda (Marseille, undisclosed), Fraizer Campbell (Hull, free), Mathieu Flamini (released), Ezekiel Fryers (Barnsley, free), Joe Ledley (released).

MERSE SAYS: This was looking like a very poor window for Crystal Palace, but Mamadou Sakho makes it a different story. That signing alone increases the rating from a C to a B+. He is exactly what they need - a strong defender who knows the Premier League - to keep them up. I like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Timothy Fosu-Mensah is a bit inexperienced, but they needed defenders and Sakho is the one.

Everton: B+

Wayne Rooney will play for Everton in Tanzania

Major ins: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd, undisclosed), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea, £45m), Jordan Pickford (Sunderland, £30m), Davy Klaassen (Ajax, £23.6m), Sandro Ramirez (Malaga, £5.25m), Michael Keane (Burnley, £30m), Cuco Martina (Southampton, free), Nikola Vlasic (Hajduk Split, undisclosed)

Major outs: Romelu Lukaku (Man Utd, £90m), Tom Cleverley (Watford, undisclosed), Brendan Galloway (Sunderland, loan), Arouna Kone (Sivasspor, free), Aiden McGeady (Sunderland, free), Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona, £10.5m), Gareth Barry (West Brom, undisclosed).

MERSE SAYS: I look at the players they have brought in - Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen, Sandro Ramirez and Michael Keane - and they are all nice signings, but I still think they are short because they sold Romelu Lukaku. How are they going to replace his 25 goals a season? They have done good business and you can't moan at it, but I don't think they are going to get in the top five.

Huddersfield: B+

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12:  Steve Mounie of Huddersfield Town celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Pa

Major ins: Steve Mounie (Montpellier, undisclosed), Laurent Depoitre (Porto, undisclosed), Mathias Jorgensen (FC Copenhagen, undisclosed), Jonas Lossl (Mainz, loan), Aaron Mooy (Manchester City, £8m), Tom Ince (Derby County, £10m), Kasey Palmer (Chelsea, loan), Danny Williams (Reading, free), Scott Malone (Fulham, undisclosed), Elias Kachunga (Ingolstadt, £1.1m), Florent Hadergjonaj (Ingolstadt, loan).

Major outs: Nahki Wells (Burnley, undisclosed), Flo Bojaj (released), Jordy Hiwula (Fleetwood, loan), Mark Hudson (retired), Sean Scannell (Burton, loan).

MERSE SAYS: Huddersfield have had a go. They've brought in a lot of players and a couple of them look to be very shrewd. Tom Ince could end up being a good Premier League player, Aaron Mooy is a smart signing and Steve Mounie has already shown he can score goals. I don't know all of the players they've brought in, but this club has come up into dreamland and they are having a good go at it. You can't complain.

Leicester: B+

Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho

Major ins: Harry Maguire (Hull City, £17m), Vicente Iborra (Sevilla, £12.5m), Eldin Jakupovic (Hull, undisclosed), Kelechi Iheanacho (Man City, £25m), Aleksandar Dragovic (Bayer Leverkusen, loan)

Major outs: Danny Drinkwater (Chelsea, £35m), Ron-Robert Zieler (Stuttgart, undisclosed), Marcin Wasilewski (released), Bartosz Kapustka (Freiburg, loan), Tom Lawrence (Derby, £7m), Nampalys Mendy (Nice, loan)

MERSE SAYS: Leicester are an interesting one. They have bought a good striker in Kelechi Iheanacho and a good defender in Harry Maguire, while keeping most of their star players. If Riyad Mahrez had gone then I would have given them a C, but after holding on to most of their stars I have to give them a good grade. They have spent some money - about 50 million quid - and had a right go.

Liverpool: B

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has left Arsenal for Liverpool (picture courtesy of Liverpool FC)

Major ins: Dominic Solanke (Chelsea, fee by tribunal), Mohamed Salah (Roma, £34.3m), Andy Robertson (Hull, £10m), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal, £35m).

Major outs: Divock Origi (Wolfsburg, loan), Andre Wisdom (Derby, undisclosed), Kevin Stewart (Hull, undisclosed), Sheyi Ojo (Fulham, loan), Lucas Leiva (Lazio, £5m), Mamadou Sakho (Crystal Palace)

MERSE SAYS: I just don't think Liverpool have done enough. Yes, they got Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but where will he play? He wants to be a central midfielder but that's where Emre Can and the captain. Jordan Henderson, play. Mohamed Salah is a really good signing and Dominic Solanke can be whatever he wants to be, but what they needed was a centre-half. If they'd signed Virgil van Dijk I'd be giving them A+++, but they didn't get him and they were happy to let Mamadou Sakho leave, which is Jurgen Klopp chopping his nose off to spite his face. For all they've got, they haven't done enough.

Man City: A-

Kyle Walker

Major ins: Benjamin Mendy (Monaco, £49.2m), Danilo (Real Madrid, £26.9m), Bernardo Silva (Monaco, £43m), Ederson (Benfica, £34.7), Kyle Walker (Tottenham, £50m).

Major outs: Wilfried Bony (Swansea, £12m), Fernando (Galatasaray, undisclosed), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester, £25m), Pablo Zabaleta (West Ham, free), Gael Clichy (Istanbul Basaksehir, free), Jesus Navas (Sevilla, free), Willy Cabellero (Chelsea, free), Bacary Sagna (released), Nolito (Sevilla, undisclosed), Joe Hart (West Ham, loan), Samir Nasri (Antalyaspor, undisclosed), Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma, £4.5m).

MERSE SAYS: You have to give Pep Guardiola credit for going out and buying what he needed. I would have given them a higher grade if they'd signed the centre-half they probably still need. Jonny Evans would have made it an A+ window for them. People may sniff at that because he's a West Brom player, but he's at least as good as what they've got.

Man Utd: A+

Jose Mourinho says Lukaku is a 'natural fit for Manchester United'. Photo: Twitter/@ManUtd

Major ins: Victor Lindelof (Benfica, £30.7m), Romelu Lukaku (Everton, £90m), Nemanja Matic (Chelsea, £40m), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (free).

Major outs: Wayne Rooney (Everton, undisclosed), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad, undisclosed), Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (Leeds, loan), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Crystal Palace, loan), Sam Johnstone (Aston Villa, loan).

MERSE SAYS: I'm not convinced by Victor Lindelof at all, but Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic are very, very good signings and that's why I'm giving them such a high grade. They are two players that they needed and they will make a massive difference to that team. They look like a completely different team with those two players in it and they could be the players to win the Premier League for them.

I must admit I'm not convinced by Zlatan Ibrahimovic coming back. They are a completely different outfit this season with pace and power up front and I don't see how he will fit in.

Newcastle: C

HULL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 29:  Newcastle player Christian Atsu in action during the EFL Cup Quarter-Final match between Hull City and Newcastle United at KC

Major ins: Christian Atsu (Chelsea, £6.2m), Florian Lejeune (Eibar, £8.7m), Jacob Murphy (Norwich, £12m), Javier Manquillo (Atletico Madrid, undisclosed), Joselu (Stoke, £5m).

Major outs: Florian Thauvin (Marseille, £9.8m), Matz Sels (Anderlecht, loan), Vurnon Anita (Leeds, free), Yoan Gouffran (Goztepe, free), Sammy Ameobi (Bolton, free), Daryl Murphy (Nottingham Forest, £2m).

MERSE SAYS: I thought Newcastle were going to have a real go after getting promoted. They have got an unbelievable manager in Rafa Benitez, but I don't think they've done enough to give him the squad he needs. I look at the players that have come in and they are not for me.

Southampton: C

Virgil van Dijk

Major ins: Jan Bednarek (Lech Poznan, undisclosed), Mario Lemina (Juventus, £20m), Wesley Hoedt (Lazio, £17m).

Major outs: Jay Rodriguez (West Brom, £15m), Harrison Reed (Norwich, loan), Cuco Martina (Everton, free), Jordy Clasie (Club Brugge, loan), Martin Caceres (released), Paulo Gazzaniga (Tottenham, undisclosed).

MERSE SAYS: People will look at Southampton and say they've kept Virgil van Dijk, but I honestly don't think he will play. They have kept an unhappy player and after everything that has gone on there I'd be shocked if he gets back in the team and I think they will get rid of him in January when someone will pay silly money. They've bought him for little money, so why not go and make a massive profit? They were just determined not to let Liverpool have him.

Stoke: B+

Stoke City's Spanish striker Jese celebrates scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Stoke City and Arsenal at the Be

Major ins: Darren Fletcher (West Brom, free), Josh Tymon (Hull, undisclosed), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea, loan), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (free), Jese Rodriguez (PSG, loan), Bruno Martins Indi (Porto, £7m), Kevin Wimmer (Tottenham, £18m).

Major outs: Jon Walters (Burnley, undisclosed), Bojan (Alaves, loan), Shay Given (released), Glenn Whelan (Aston Villa. £1.5m), Marko Arnautovic (West Ham, £25m), Joselu (Newcastle, £5m), Phil Bardsley (Burnley, £1.5m), Marc Muniesa (Girona, loan), Philipp Wollscheid (Metz, free), Giannelli Imbula (Toulouse, loan),

MERSE SAYS: I like the signings of Darren Fletcher, Kurt Zouma and Jese Rodriguez and they've let people like Bojan leave, who would have been on a lot of money. I think Glenn Whelan and Marko Arnautovic were allowed to leave a little cheaply, but overall they have done good business in this window. They have had a go.

Swansea: B-

Tammy Abraham is on loan at Swansea for the season

Major ins: Wilfried Bony (Man City, £12m), Sam Clucas (Hull, £16.5m), Roque Mesa (Las Palmas, £11m), Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich, loan), Tammy Abraham (Chelsea, loan).

Major outs: Fernando Llorente (Tottenham, £12.1m), Jack Cork (Burnley, undisclosed), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton, £45m), Marvin Emnes (Akhisar Belediyespor, free), Borja Baston (Malaga, loan), Jordi Amat (Real Betis, loan), Bafatembi Gomis (Galatasary, undisclosed), Modou Barrow (Reading, £1.5m).

MERSE SAYS: Renato Sanches is an unbelievable signing for Swansea - simply phenomenal - and I think Wilfried Bony is a good signing as well. I'd be tempted to give them an A for those two deals, but they have let Fernando Llorente and Gylfi Sigurdsson leave who were their two best players last season. Given they have let those two players they haven't done too badly at all.

Tottenham: B

Serge Aurier during the UEFA Champions League group A match between PSG and Base on October 19, 2016

Major ins: Fernando Llorente (Swansea, £12.1m), Serge Aurier (PSG, £23m), Davinson Sanchez (Ajax, £38.4m), Juan Foyth (Estudiantes, undisclosed), Paulo Gazzaniga (Southampton, undisclosed).

Major outs: Kyle Walker (Man City, £50m), Clinton N'Jie (Marseille undisclosed), Federico Fazio (Roma, undisclosed), Josh Onomah (Aston Villa, loan), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Sheffield United, loan), Kevin Wimmer (Stoke, £18m).

MERSE SAYS: It was a hard summer for Tottenham because they've got their first team settled and they were looking for squad players. Yes, they let Kyle Walker leave but I'd be dropping him off at the gates of Man City for 50 million quid! I look at Serge Aurier and some of the stories that surround him and you wonder what will happen with him. Then they spent £38m on Davinson Sanchez, who is a player they didn't really need and is just happy to be there. Fernando Llorente is good back-up to Harry Kane and will come on when they are chasing games. It's been hard for Spurs in this market and people need to understand that.

Watford: B

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19: Andre Gray of Watford controls the ball while under pressure from Adam Smith of AFC Bournemouth during the Premier League

Major ins: Andre Gray (Burnley, £18m), Tom Cleverley (Everton, undisclosed), Will Hughes (Derby, undisclosed), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea, undisclosed), Richarlison (Fluminense, £13m), Molla Wague (Udinese, loan)

Major outs: Mario Suarez (Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng FC, undisclosed), Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord, £5.8m), Juan Carlos Parades (released), Valon Behrami (Udinese, undisclosed).

MERSE SAYS: I look through the list of signings that Marco Silva has made and I think they've done good business. Will Hughes and Nathaniel Chalobah could prove to be very good players. I tipped them to go down, but I've held my hands up and said that looks to be wrong. Even the other day when they went down to 10 men they dug in and got a point against Brighton.

West Brom: B+

WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12:  Jay Rodriguez of West Bromwich Albion during the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and AFC Bournemouth

Major ins: Jay Rodriguez (Southampton, £15m), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal, £7m), Ahmed Hegazi (Al Ahly, loan), Gareth Barry (Everton, undisclosed), Oliver Burke (RB Leipzig, £15m), Grzegorz Krychowiak (PSG, loan).

Major outs: Darren Fletcher (Stoke, free), Sebastien Pocognoli (Standard Liege, free), Craig Gardener (Birmingham, undisclosed).

MERSE SAYS: Gareth Barry is a great signing. Fans of other clubs will be looking at that and wondering why they weren't in for him. Kieran Gibbs wasn't good enough for Arsenal, but will be solid for West Brom. Jay Rodriguez is decent and Oliver Burke will offer pace. Plus they kept Jonny Evans, so it has to be a high grade. Tony Pulis is a shrewd, shrewd manager.

West Ham: B+

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19:  Javier Hernandez of West Ham celebrates scoring his teams second goal during the Premier League match between Southampto

Major ins: Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City, free), Joe Hart (Manchester City, loan), Marko Arnautovic (Stoke, £25m), Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen, £16m).

Major outs: Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough, £5m), Reece Oxford (Borussia Monchengladbach, loan), Alvaro Arbeloa (retired), Havard Nordtveit (Hoffenheim, £8m), Enner Valencia (Tigres, undisclosed), Ashley Fletcher (Middlesbrough, £6.5m), Sofiane Feghouli (Galatasaray, undisclosed), Robert Snodgrass (Aston Villa, loan).

MERSE SAYS: Pablo Zabaleta is a good pro, but is coming towards the end of his career, but I think they've made three strong signings in Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez. However, it's not enough, is it? I saw Tony Gale on TV, saying they have spent £4m net in four years which is ridiculous. They should be spending £100m, but I will give them a decent grade because what they have brought in is decent.

Watch the new signings back in Premier League action from September 9 as Man City host Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League.

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