Premier League’s 12 best and worst 2021 transfers including Arsenal duo and

The last two transfer windows have thrown up various curveballs in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many clubs resorting to loan deals to curtail their spending. Yet whilst some have spent small, some have spent big – although it may not have paid off. Express Sport takes a look at the best and worst transfers of 2021.

Best

Aaron Ramsdale to Arsenal: B+

Many laughed when Arsenal spent £24million on Ramsdale, especially with Bernd Leno already in their ranks.

Having endured two successive relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United respectively, Ramsdale looked set to be branded as a curse given Arsenal were bottom of the league at the start of September.

Yet his stellar performances and superb saves have propelled him into Arsenal folklore already.

Martin Odegaard to Arsenal: B-

Odegaard originally joined Arsenal last January on loan and only registered one goal and two assists from 17 league games.

Yet after making his move permanent for £34m, Odegaard has come to life – registering four goals and three assists in the same amount of games.

And at just 23, he looks to be a bargain already.

Jesse Lingard to West Ham: A

Lingard was discarded by United at the start of the 2020/21 season, making just three appearances – none in the Premier League or Champions League – with his career in tatters at Old Trafford.

A loan move to West Ham beckoned under David Moyes, where he found a new lease of life with nine goals and five assists in just 15 games for the Hammers.

His form helped them into the Europa League, where they remain at the moment, learning their fate at the end of February.

Maxwel Cornet to Burnley: A-

Cornet came to Burnley as the Clarets’ first major foreign import since Steven Defour in 2016.

He burst onto the scene in Lancashire and has registered five goals in just nine Premier League games as the Clarets accrued four games in hand on their relegation rivals.

Had it not been for his goals, Sean Dyche’s men would sit on just eight points – bottom of the league.

Conor Gallagher to Crystal Palace: A

What more could Gallagher have done to endear himself to the Palace faithful?

The winner and an assist at Manchester City, a double away at London rivals West Ham, and a spectacular double against Everton has seen him earn an England call-up.

They will surely be sad when he leaves to rejoin Chelsea at the end of his loan spell.

Joe Willock to Newcastle: A+

Willock was loaned to Newcastle at a time when they were in the pits of the Premier League.

The Magpies sat 16th and would have been in the relegation zone in recent years had the bottom three not been so poor.

Seven consecutive games with a goal from the London-born talent – in which Newcastle lost just once when he scored – propelled them to 12th, before a £25m move followed in the summer.

Tino Livramento to Southampton: B+

Livramento was a relative unknown when he joined Southampton for £5.5m from Chelsea in the summer.

He hadn’t played a single minute for the Blues and hadn’t had a single loan spell…