From Stars to Struggles: The Best and Worst Premier League Debuts From Opening Weekend

The opening Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the 2025/26 Premier League season have come and gone.

Over the course of the 9 matches, many players made their highly anticipated debuts at their new clubs.

Victor Gyokores, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, Milos Kerkez, Dan Ndoye and Benjamin Sesko are just a few names who played for the first time competitively.

So, which of the debutants already look the real deal, and who failed to live up to their price tag?

The Best

Tijani Reijnders

Manchester City blew Wolverhampton Wanderers away with a 4-1 triumph, and new boy Reijnders was a crucial part of that success.

The £46.5m paid to AC Milan seems like an absolute bargain already, as the Dutch midfielder played a huge role in the first three of the goals.

A Premier League debut to remember for Tijjani Reijnders ✨ pic.twitter.com/5cE2T9NkUJ

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 16, 2025

A goal, assist, a 91% pass success rate and 11.6km covered, Reijnders' debut will go down as one of the greatest for a midfielder in league history.

Hugo Ekitike

For Liverpool's struggles at the back during the 4-2 win at home to Bournemouth, Ekitike was instrumental in the Reds' electric front line clinching the points.

The Frenchman's goal in the first half set Liverpool on their way and was made completely from his own endeavour - and a slice of luck which goes your way with such perseverance.

Hugo Ekitike became the first @LFC debutant to score and assist since Darwin Nunez in 2022 💫 pic.twitter.com/z1g3mThWIE

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 16, 2025

He later set up Cody Gakpo with some nice hold-up play in the box, whilst his overall mix of pace to run in behind whilst also using his 6ft 3in frame to dominate physically, winning four of his six aerial duels.

After also scoring in the Community Shield the weekend before, Ekitike looks like a real diamond for both the present and future.

Dan Ndoye

Ndoye made the switch to Nottingham Forest for €40m from Bologna.

The 24-year-old scored Forest's second of a 3-1 win and was a constant threat down the right wing all afternoon.

🇨🇭💥 Dan Ndoye (24) with a goal on his Premier League debut for Nottingham Forest! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/sUA7S9nTka

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 17, 2025

The Swiss made the most sprints out of any player across both Forest and Brentford's teams, despite having only 23 touches of the ball - effective when required.

Mohammed Kudus

Sure, it may have been against newly-promoted Burnley who are favourites to go straight down, but that doesn't take away from the Ghanian's display.

92% accurate passes from 24 attempts, 16 sprints and a rapid top speed of 34 km/h, Kudus was electric out wide.

No player created more chances in the Premier League this weekend than Mohammed Kudus (5), while he was the only player to provide multiple assists (2).

The perfect start to life in North London. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/XBUIZ45ofZ

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 18, 2025

His two assists for Richarlison were in part due to his brilliance, such as the second where he beat the defender with a quick feint, even if the finish was worthy of winning Goal of the Season.

The heat map above shows his positional discipline to keep Tottenham's width.

The Worst

Mads Hermansen

West Ham United were on the whole terrible, and deserved to lose 3-0 to Sunderland.

However, the difference would have been only two had the Danish 'keeper not let Wilson Isidor's rather tame shot through his grasp.

Having just left Leicester following the Foxes' relegation, Hermansen will be praying that the Hammers don't fall to the same fate this season.

The £18m spent on him to replace the departed Lukasz Fabianski looks to be a poor deal if the opening game is to be a sign of things to come.

David Wolfe

Wolves' Wolfe certainly had an outing to forget.

Aside from the 4-0 battering, his personal performance included losing possession 16 times, zero accurate crosses from three attempts and just a 55% pass accuracy.

He was eventually replaced in the 72nd minute by Hugo Bueno.

At least his surname fits well at the club....

Benjamin Sesko

Ok, maybe I'm being a bit harsh here given he only played 26 minutes.

However, his cameo wasn't great, was it?

Sure, he may have added a physical presence up top that caused havoc, however his touch with his back away from goal in one example was so poor that it allowed Arsenal's defenders to charge back towards their net and block the later shot.

A hopeless header that looped straight out for a goal kick rather than to a teammate in the dying minutes when chasing an equaliser summed it all up.

I'm sure things will improve, but it certainly wasn't the start fans had in mind.

Viktor Gyokores

After a big money move to Arsenal following a race for his signature against Manchester United, much was expected of the ex-Sporting Lisbon striker that notched 54 goals in 52 matches.

Slow, lethargic and poor dribbling though let the Swede down as Matthijs De Ligt had a relatively comfortable day dealing with him.

Gyokores v Man United #AFC #MUFC #PremierLeague

pic.twitter.com/uXoqkbZaPk

— Football Park (@thefootballpark) August 17, 2025

No shots, losing five of six aerial duels and only a 44% accurate pass rate marked a more-than-underwhelming debut, leading to him being hooked for Kai Havertz on the hour mark.

Gunners fans will be hoping that Gyokores is only adapting to the pace of the league, rather than adding his name to the long list of expensive strikers who have flopped in the Premier League.