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In Focus: Four star arrivals set to light up the Premier League
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Paige Simmonds
LiveScore
Dejan Kulusevski is one of two Juventus stars to trade Northern Italy for North London
Dejan Kulusevski is one of two Juventus stars to trade Northern Italy for North London

The January transfer window slammed shut last week and the Premier League welcomed back some familiar names as well as a host of fresh faces.

Newcastle overhauled their squad, Liverpool stole a player from under Tottenham's noses and Spurs responded with a deadline day double signing.

Christian Eriksen and Kieran Trippier were among the returning stars but we know what to expect from the duo already.

Ahead of this week's round of midweek top-flight fixtures, LiveScore look at four Premier League signings who are new on the scene.

Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus to Tottenham, loan)

Dejan Kulusevski joined the North Londoners from Juventus on deadline day in an 18-month loan deal that will set Spurs back £9million.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims Tottenham will have to fork out £35m to make the move permanent if they qualify for the Champions League and the Swede triggers appearance clauses.

Kulusevski has not managed to reproduce his best form since joining Juve from Atalanta and managed just one goal in 20 Serie A appearances this season.

But the tricky winger was named Serie A's best young player in 2020 and should provide stiff competition to the likes of Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn if he can work on his end product.

The 21-year-old already has 20 caps for Sweden and, after winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, brings plenty of big-game experience to Spurs alongside his potential to be a future star.

Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus to Tottenham, £15m)

Rodrigo Bentancur is a midfield all-rounder who will provide a solid option for Tottenham
Rodrigo Bentancur is a midfield all-rounder who will provide a solid option for Tottenham

Rodrigo Bentancur headed to North London on deadline day along with Juve team-mate Kulusevski.

The Uruguayan star was snatched for £15m with another £5m in potential add-ons to add an extra body in midfield.

Bentancur joined the Old Lady in 2017 and won three consecutive Serie A titles between 2018 and 2020, in addition to lifting the Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia twice.

He has featured in several roles and is comfortable shielding the back four or playing in more advanced positions, using his physical strength and ability on the ball to make an impact at both ends of the field.

Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli do not provide such versatility, which may explain why Antonio Conte allowed the duo to leave in January as he looks to build a squad capable of competing for honours.

Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon to Newcastle, £33m)

Bruno Guimaraes offers a massive upgrade to Newcastle's midfield
Bruno Guimaraes offers a massive upgrade to Newcastle's midfield

Arguably the signing of the window, Bruno Guimaraes joined Newcastle late in January for a fee which could rise as high as £40m.

The highly-rated playmaker shrugged off relegation concerns to sign a four-and-a-half-year deal at St James' Park.

Guimaraes is an all-action player who has averaged 1.98 opportunities created per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 this season — the sixth-best tally in the division — and is behind only Lille’s Renato Sanches with 66.07% of his dribbles being effective.

The four-cap Brazil international also attempts 2.75 tackles per 90 with a commendable 62% success rate.

Toon chiefs will hope Guimaraes can match his namesake Bruno Fernandes and transform their fortunes like the Portuguese ace did after arriving at Manchester United in January 2020.

Luis Diaz (Porto to Liverpool, £37.5m)

Luis Diaz made his Liverpool debut in Sunday's FA Cup win against Cardiff
Luis Diaz made his Liverpool debut in Sunday's FA Cup win against Cardiff

Liverpool’s £37.5m signing Luis Diaz completed his Anfield switch while on international duty with Colombia.

The Reds were keen to wait until the summer to make their move but rival interest from Spurs forced Jurgen Klopp into action to jump the queue.

Diaz, whose fee could rise to £50m with add-ons, has an impressive CV after winning titles in Colombia and Portugal and helping his nation reach the semi-finals of last summer's Copa America.

He finished the tournament as the joint-leading scorer alongside Lionel Messi and brought his impressive form into the current season with 14 league goals in 18 games for Porto. 

Diaz, 25, enjoys cutting in on to his left root from the right flank much like Mohamed Salah and will have to adapt his game with the Egyptian talisman likely to continue in his normal role.

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Premier LeagueTottenham HotspurLiverpoolNewcastle United
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