Sky Sports presenter names his Premier League signing of the summer

Sky Sports presenter Pete Graves took the time to have a quick chat with us about all things football and his beloved Newcastle United...

With deadline day having just passed, is the mania really worth it? And is a club making a big signing that late on an admission of failure earlier in the window?

Deadline day is really exciting. It always throws up incredible stories and drama. This summer it became more about the players that didn't leave, but the situation surrounding players like David De Gea, Saido Berahino and Charlie Austin was fascinating. Club's on the whole I think are getting better at doing their business early in the window, but it doesn't stop lots of teams making last gasp attempts to add to their ranks.

We've seen some huge moves of late on in windows, but which was your most memorable or the most surprising?

The Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres deals in 2011 were pretty spectacular! Dimitar Berbatov's move to Manchester United in 2008 was a really exciting as they battled to beat the clock at Old Trafford.

What do you think of WBA and Everton's decisions to keep hold of their players? Could the money not have been used to rejuvenate their squad?

It's a club's prerogative to keep hold of their players. But an unhappy player can sometimes be a difficult thing to deal with. It's down to the powers that be to manage the situations carefully I guess.

Of all the pundits you have on Sky, which is the most entertaining/insightful?

I couldn't possibly pick one out. All the guys are great. They all have strengths in different area's. Some are more tactically astute, some have magnificent knowledge - overall we have a great blend of guests across the network.

Who, considering value and importance to their side, has been the signing of the season thus far?

It looks like Andre Ayew at Swansea is a fantastic acquisition on a free. West Ham's capture of Dimitri Payet also looks like a good piece of business.

Even Newcastle ended up investing this year, what did you make of the window? Was all the investment a sign from Ashley that he finally has a manager he can trust to spend wisely? And, where can McClaren lead the side to this year, is Europe possible?

Newcastle signed some good young players. It will all come down to how quickly they can adapt to the English game. If they settle quickly, then Newcastle could have a good season.

If you were a player right now, which manager would you must relish the chance to work with?

There are a lot of managers I rate for different reasons. Roy Hodgson is a wise man with a great knowledge of world football. Ronald Koeman seems like a down to earth kind of guy. And I've got a lot of time for Arsene Wenger. I've seen Arsenal train a few times and he has a great humour about him.

After the comedic end to the De Gea transfer saga, do you think clubs will change their ways when it comes to last minute transfer dealings?

I think certain deals will always go to the the wire. It's the nature of the business. Big deals can often turn into a game of brinkmanship between two clubs.

Pardew or Pulis?

Wow. I'll go with Pulis so I'm not destroyed by my fellow Newcastle United comrades.

Gerrard or Lampard?

Probably Gerrard, but it's close.

Mourinho or Ferguson?

Both have an incredible track record. But I'll go with Sir Alex.