The 2026 Premier League summer signings changed the landscape of the league, with several major arrivals adding new storylines, rivalries and expectations to the opening weeks of the season.
Amid that excitement, some of these new players have started strongly, while several others are still struggling to find their rhythm and make an impact.
Those early struggles have been influenced by different factors, with some players still adapting to the league while others are trying to settle into their new environments.
With several high-profile arrivals still searching for their best form, we take a closer look at the big names among the 2026 Premier League summer signings yet to make their mark and explore what is behind their struggles.
2026 Premier League Summer Signings: Four Stars Yet to Hit Their Stride
Five matchdays into the new season, the gap between expectation and reality is already becoming clear for some of the biggest 2026 Premier League summer signings.
Bradley Barcola, Savio, Andrey Santos and Alejandro Garnacho arrived with high expectations at their respective new clubs, but those expectations have not been matched by their early performances.
Those anticipations come from the pedigree of each player, with some arriving for high transfer fees and others bringing significant talent expected to make an immediate impact. Yet, their minutes, output and overall contributions have been limited in the opening weeks of the season.
However, this does not imply that the signings have already failed, but rather that their overall impact has fallen short of the reputation and transfer fees attached to them.
It now remains to be seen whether these players’ current struggles among Premier League summer signings will be merely a slow start or become more apparent as the season progresses.
Barcola Has the Quality, But the Impact Has Yet to Follow
Barcola arrived at Liverpool as one of the expensive Premier League signings, costing £123m from Paris Saint-Germain, yet there have been concerns about his early form.
The Frenchman possesses explosive pace, strong dribbling ability, creativity in tight areas and the capacity to progress the ball into dangerous areas.
However, those qualities have not translated into goals, assists or consistent decisive movements since joining Liverpool as one of the most expensive Premier League signings.
His fit into head coach Andoni Iraola’s system also comes into play, as the Spanish manager prefers direct and high-intensity attacking football that suits Barcola’s strengths, yet attacking output remains the biggest problem after three matches and 170 minutes played.
That lack of output is also reflected in his involvement in dangerous areas, as he has just seven touches in the opposition box so far, underlining his limited progressive carries, positioning and impact in the opponent’s box.
Those numbers do not mean his long-term potential at Anfield should be questioned yet, as these are still early days, but his enormous fee as one of the most expensive Premier League signings has added another layer of scrutiny to his performances.
The key issue now is turning those promising moments and progressive carries into tangible end product that justifies his transfer fee.
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Savio’s Creativity Has Yet to Become Consistent Production
That need for greater end product is also visible in another of the expensive Premier League signings for summer 2026, with Savio joining Tottenham Hotspur from Manchester City for an £85m deal.
His strength lies in dribbling, one-on-one ability and willingness to attack from wide areas, which remain assets that can create problems for full-backs.
While he frequently looks threatening on the ball, those moments have not yet translated into goals or assists during his early days at Spurs.
His underlying numbers, however, show the level of activity he is already bringing to the team, with 25 touches in the opposition box, 24 completed dribbles, 18 duels won and 94 passes completed in three matches.
Those high volumes of successful dribbles and key passes highlight his creative threat, but the conversion of those actions into output has so far lagged behind.
Despite being among the expensive Premier League signings, his biggest challenge appears to lie less in raw ability and more in making the final choices over when to shoot, pass, and convert promising positions into goal contributions.
Garnacho Must Rediscover the Edge That Made Him So Dangerous
While Savio’s issue is mainly about converting his creativity into production, Alejandro Garnacho brings a different narrative among 2026 Premier League summer signings still struggling to make an impact.
Rather than a simple lack of numbers, Garnacho’s early struggles lie in his diminished directness, confidence, and ability to influence decisive moments that once made him so dangerous.
His natural game focuses on aggressive running at defenders, a willingness to take players on with pace and the ability to create and finish chances.
That profile makes his move to Aston Villa, on loan from Chelsea, an opportunity for a fresh start under manager Unai Emery, who is known for developing attackers. Yet, he is still waiting for his first Premier League start, while his performances as a substitute have not been convincing enough to earn one.
The primary issue therefore appears to be a combination of regaining sharp decision-making and self-belief rather than simply adapting to a new tactical system.
Emery now needs to focus on restoring that confidence and sharpening his decision-making to transform Garnacho from one of the 2026 Premier League summer signings still struggling into an impactful addition.
Andrey Santos Has a Different Problem to Solve
Moving away from attackers finding it difficult to hit top form among the 2026 Premier League summer signings, Andrey Santos comes with a distinct story as a midfielder.
Following his £50m move from Chelsea to Manchester United, he enjoyed a strong pre-season, with his ball-winning, line-breaking passes, and progressive carries giving him a start in Man United’s first league game of the season.
Since then, however, he has been restricted to limited minutes after failing to replicate those pre-season performances in his first league starts against Hull City, while competition from other midfield options has intensified.
That lack of consistent playing time has made it difficult for him to build rhythm, confidence and influence, particularly with few minutes coming from the bench and no clear, consistent position in the midfield.
Adjusting to the physical and tactical intensity of United’s midfield while competing for regular starts therefore remains his primary challenge at the club as part of the 2026 Premier League summer signings.
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Four Players, One Warning: The Premier League Gives You No Time to Hide
The struggles of these four players among the Premier League summer transfers highlight the competition in the league and how every performance is heavily scrutinised.
That scrutiny has produced different challenges for each player, with Barcola needing to turn quality into end product, Savinho needing consistency, Santos needing to establish his midfield influence and Garnacho needing to rediscover his edge.
While we are still in the early weeks of the season, no Premier League summer transfers can be written off already, but the longer the wait for meaningful contributions, the louder the questions will become.
Overall, reputations may earn players patience, but performances will ultimately decide how their Premier League stories are remembered.
Extra Time Notes
Some of the 2026 Premier League summer signings have not all started as expected, with Barcola, Savinho, Garnacho and Santos still trying to find their rhythm.
Barcola needs more end product, Savio needs to turn his creativity into goals and assists, Garnacho needs to regain his confidence, while Santos must fight for a more consistent role at Manchester United.
It is still early to judge these players, but the pressure will grow if their performances do not improve. Their next few appearances could be important in changing the conversation around their starts.
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