Five new arrivals who have made an impact in the English Premier League
The English Premier League is widely regarded as one of the world's best and most competitive football leagues.
As a result, it attracts some of the finest players from across the globe, who are looking to test themselves against their contemporaries and win some of the most prestigious silverware in the sport.
Some, but not all, players who make the move to England enhance their reputations. At English clubs, Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo became household names as a result of their talents.
Others like Diego Forlan have fizzled under the bright lights of the English football world.
For most players, it takes several years to become an important player at their club. The elite few, however, are capable of making an immediate impact.
Here's a look at five summer arrivals who have already made their mark in the 2010-11 season:
Javier Hernandez
The Manchester United frontman has proven himself to be a key figure in the club’s season since his summer move from Guadalajara.
The pacy 22-year-old has netted three league goals for the club, including two in the 2-1 win over Stoke City on 24 October. He also netted in the 90th minute of a League Cup tie to give United a 3-2 win
over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With Wayne Rooney out of action for the next few weeks, Mexico international Hernandez looks set to lead the line for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men alongside Dimitar Berbatov, giving him plenty of opportunities
to add to his goal tally.
Rafael van der Vaart
The Holland international moved to Tottenham Hotspur from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day for a fee of eight million pounds. So far, the player looks to have been a bargain for Harry Redknapp as the
27-year-old has been in sensational form.
Van der Vaart, who featured for his country in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, has netted four goals in seven league games for Spurs as he roams around the pitch from an attacking midfield position.
Yaya Toure
The mammoth figure of defensive midfielder Yaya Toure has menaced attackers from all over Europe during his time at clubs including Olympiacos and Monaco.
Since his £24m summer move from Barcelona, City manager Roberto Mancini has regularly deployed Toure further up the pitch in a more advanced role.
It is a move that has already begun to pay dividends as Toure has already netted once — against Wigan Athletic on 19 September — in his nine EPL games so far, and helped put City at fourth in the table.
Marouane Chamakh
Chamakh joined Arsenal on a free transfer from Bordeaux, signing a four-year contract with the North London side.
He has provided the Gunners with an attacking threat not traditionally associated with the North London side due to his strength in the air.
The 26-year-old Morocco captain has begun to pay back the faith showed in him by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, having scored three goals in his 10 EPL games to date.
The player recently reflected on his first few months at the club, saying that he was at the club he’d supported since he was a boy.
“I’m at the club of my life. I don’t want to see too far ahead in football. I’ll go to the end of my contract. That leaves me four good years. I played in my favourite club in France. I’m playing now in the
club I’ve loved since I was small.
“For others, it’s Real or Barca. For me, it was always Arsenal. You can see that I finish each match completely used up. I take an awful lot of knocks. It’s difficult, so I want to take an enormous amount
of pleasure during four years. I’m proud to be a Gunner.
“At the moment it’s nothing but pleasure. Everything is exactly as I thought it was. Whether it’s the football, the football culture, the supporters, the passion or the game itself, the speed … I haven’t
been disappointed," said Chamakh.
Ahmed Al-Muhammady
The Egypt international arrived at Sunderland in the summer transfer window on a loan-to-buy deal from ENPPI Club in his homeland after a trial at the club in 2009.
Since then, he has become a staple of the first-team. While he is yet to score, he has often been deployed on the right of midfield by manager Steve Bruce and has caused opposition defences all manner of
problems.
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