Premier League clubs smashed the summer spending record for a second successive season, with a total of around £3.46 billion ($4.67 billion).
Manchester City signed Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for a joint-British record £125 million, while there were a host of other deals over £100 million mark with Tottenham spending around £400 million on their own, and the promoted trio of Ipswich, Coventry City and Hull City also managing a combined £400 million in their bid to stay up.
As usual, the top clubs in Europe spent less, but there were still some major deals.
Here are grades for all the major confirmed transfers in the men's game, with each listed by date and then by highest fee.
All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.
Sept. 3
Gabriel Martinelli
€70M (£60M; $81M)
Arsenal: A
Al Hilal: B
It has taken all summer, but Martinelli's departure from Arsenal has finally been secured. The 25-year-old winger declined a move to Galatasaray before accepting Al Hilal's offer, where he'll join Crysencio Summerville and Ollie Watkins in a front-three makeover that cost around £165 million in total.
For Arsenal it's a record departure, beating the £35 million mark set by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's move to Liverpool back in 2017, and is a huge fee for a squad player who has stagnated a little over the last few years.
Sept. 1
Enzo Fernández
£125M ($169M)
Chelsea: A+
Manchester City: C
After a long summer of "will they, won't they," Man City finally stumped up an astronomical joint-British record fee to sign Fernández, reuniting him with Enzo Maresca, who managed him at Chelsea. While the Argentina international is a quality player, this is still something of an odd signing, as he thrives most as an attacking midfielder ... and City already have huge talents in Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki.
It's an incredible deal from the perspective of Chelsea perspective, who have somehow ended up with £5 million more than the asking price they set in that mid-August deadline for a player who was outwardly desperate to leave and for whom there was only one club interested.
Iliman Ndiaye
£60M ($81M)
Everton: A
Manchester City: B-
Ndiaye seemed ripe for a big Premier League move this summer; the only surprise is that it took so long for a suitor to come knocking. The 26-year-old is an electric dribbler and exciting player in the final third who is proven in England's top tier, so £60 million looks about right for this deal.
City will have felt they were light in the wing department following Sávio's departure and Jack Grealish's expected exit. Signing Ndiaye adds quality, bolsters the numbers and ensures there isn't too much pressure placed on fellow new face Allan Elias as he adapts following his move from Brazil.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo
€60M (£51M; $70M)
Lille: A
Newcastle United: B-
Fernandez-Pardo exploded onto the scene last season, scoring eight goals and registering five goals in Ligue 1 initially as a winger, then as a striker later in the campaign. He is lightning fast -- Gradient Sports clocked him at 35.51 km/h last season, making him one of the quickest players in the world -- and while there are areas of his game that need developing, he's 21, so that's to be expected.
A fee of €60 million plus add-ons is about right for a Premier League team signing a talented young forward, but for Lille this is genuinely life-changing money given the sorry state of France's broadcast rights deal.
Ibrahim Mbaye
€55M (£47M; $64M)
Paris Saint-Germain: B
Aston Villa: B
Villa tried and failed to sign Mbaye in January, but they kept him on their list and, after a long summer wait, have finally sealed a deal for him. At just 18 years of age, he has clocked over 1,500 minutes for Paris Saint-Germain and made 15 appearances for Senegal, marking him out as a potential star of the future.
PSG may one day regret letting the winger go, but the reality is it's very difficult to break into Luis Enrique's side -- even a player of Bradley Barcola's caliber struggled, after all. At the very least, they've landed a good fee for a young player who is still more potential than proven ability.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
£25M ($34M)
Southampton: B
Aston Villa: B+
Following Ezri Konsa's move to Arsenal, Aston Villa had a hole to plug in central defense. Harwood-Bellis won't emulate his defensive heroics but is a brilliant progressive passer, a presence on set pieces and, at 24, still has a lot of growing to do.
A fee of £25 million, potentially rising to £30 million with add-ons, is a smart bet on homegrown potential. Southampton will be gutted to lose a key player and leader, but the fee is reasonable, allowing them to reinvest in multiple positions ahead of an expected promotion charge.
Gabriel Jesus
€15M (£12.8M; $17.4M)
Arsenal: B-
Barcelona: B
This is not the deal for a central striker that Barcelona dreamed of all summer, but with Atletico Madrid's Julián Alvarez out of reach and options dwindling, Jesus is a logical and cheap end-of-window fix. Hansi Flick will love his energy, pressing ability and versatility to play across the forward line, while his technical skills mean he won't look out of place at Camp Nou.
A fee of €15 million is less than Arsenal had hoped to receive, but the main thing for them is that Jesus' wages -- reported to be around £250,000 per week -- are off the books and can be reallocated to key players or future signings.
Tosin Adarabioyo
£7M ($9.5M)
Chelsea: C+
Tottenham Hotspur: B
Once center back Kevin Danso made it clear he wished to leave Tottenham, the club was forced to find a quick replacement to maintain its defensive depth. Adarabioyo's transfer for £7 million is cheap, logical work; he's homegrown, Premier League-proven and comfortable in a possession system.
Chelsea have at least six senior options at center back not including him, so his departure doesn't really affect their squad. The only downside is that they probably thought his move would fetch a slightly higher return.
Mykhailo Mudryk
Loan
Chelsea: A
Tottenham Hotspur: B
Mudryk is one of the stories of the summer. His doping ban ended prematurely in July, allowing him to play for the first time in a year and a half during preseason. In those brief appearances, the Ukraine winger looked understandably rusty, so loaning him out makes sense.
Spurs is a good destination for him, as he's teaming up with a familiar manager in Roberto De Zerbi, who coached him at Shakhtar Donetsk before his blockbuster €70 million move to Stamford Bridge in 2023. Can the pair bring the best out of one another again?
Jonathan David
Loan
Juventus: C+
Atlético Madrid: A-
David was one of the prime free agents on the market last summer and Juventus battled hard to sign him, but the Canada forward's first season in Turin yielded just eight goals. Turnover in the front office and the managerial dugout then left him out in the cold.
Juve will be hoping this is a loan move that leads to a getting big fee for their player in the future, as right now the deal clearly favors Atlético: They get to borrow him, with no obligation, and they're not even paying his entire salary.
Nick Woltemade
Loan
Newcastle United: C+
Juventus: A-
Newcastle panicked and spent a club-record £64.9 million to sign Woltemade at the end of last summer in response to Alexander Isak's £125 million move to Liverpool. The 6-foot-6 striker looked a poor tactical fit for the club's style and despite a hot start, that ultimately proved true.
The Magpies are clearly treating this as a loan that will give Woltemade a chance to raise his transfer value, because they're losing money on the deal. The German's wages are fully covered, but the £3.5 million loan fee doesn't even begin to cover the amortized cost for the year. Juventus, naturally, will be delighted to land a quality player in a bargain deal.
Honest Ahanor
Loan
Atalanta: B
Crystal Palace: B
Ahanor is one of Europe's most promising young center backs. Despite being just 18 years of age, he has already clocked up over 2,000 minutes at the top level and earned two Italy caps in a position that typically prefers experience. But he's also still rough around the edges (which is to be expected), so making the leap to the Premier League this early is bold.
Yet this is a curious deal. Palace are loaning him from Atalanta for the season before he joins Chelsea permanently for €40 million in 2027. It has likely been done like this because Palace can't take a second player on loan from Chelsea, having already signed Axel Disasi this summer.
Aug. 31
Bradley Barcola
€123M (£106M; $143M)
PSG: A
Liverpool: C+
Heading into this summer, Barcola always felt like one of the main draws of the window. A two-time Champions League winner, he's lightning fast and technically brilliant but couldn't quite keep hold of a starting berth in PSG's XI as he fell short of the standard required when it came to producing goals and assists in big moments.
Liverpool will hope those issues clear up quickly, because when you spend €123 million (plus another €19 million in add-ons) to bring in a new forward, lofty expectations are automatically set. It's worth remembering that Barcola is still only 23, so there's plenty of room for him to grow and improve in a new environment.
PSG, meanwhile, received one of the 15 highest fees in history for a player who wasn't even integral to their setup, and it paid for three of their summer additions (see below), so they naturally get an A grade.
Allan Elias
€37.5M (£32M; $43.7M)
Palmeiras: B
Manchester City: A-
Allan Elias is one of Brazil's most exciting talents, and at just 22 years of age, had already become the leading light in a strong Palmeiras team. They'll miss him badly, but a deal potentially worth €40 million makes him their third-most-expensive departure in history, behind only Endrick (Real Madrid) and Estêvão (Chelsea). It was too good to refuse.
He joins Man City as part of a sizable refresh, nominally taking Savio's spot in the squad as a depth winger, but he's capable of playing across the forward line and even as a central midfielder or wingback too.
Santiago Giménez
Loan
AC Milan: C+
Porto: A
Milan splashed out €32 million to sign Giménez in January 2025 in a bid to fix their forward line, but the goals dried up quickly and he scored just seven over the course of 18 months -- although a major ankle injury had a part to play in that. Milan signing Gonçalo Ramos from PSG for €74 million this summer opened up the path for Giménez to depart.
FC Porto should be delighted to land the Mexico international on loan in a deal that could become permanent for €18 million. He bolsters the striking department ahead of a Champions League season and defense of the Portuguese title.
Aug. 30
Ollie Watkins
£51M ($69M)
Aston Villa: A-
Al Hilal: B
Last season, Watkins became the 12th player in history to score 100 goals for Aston Villa and led the attacking line as they won the Europa League. He should be a hero, but instead left under a cloud, as he reportedly refused to play on the opening day of the Premier League while pushing for an exit -- despite Villa not having another fit striker.
It's an emotional departure for Villa, but in the cold light of day, £51 million-plus add-ons for a player who turns 31 in December is excellent business. Al Hilal, meanwhile, get the proven goal scorer they've been after all summer.
Rafael Leão
€45M ($52M)
AC Milan: B
Galatasaray: B
Gala fought hard to secure the signature of Leão, outbidding Aston Villa en route to landing the 27-year-old. It's yet another marquee transfer following last summer's additions of Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sané, though while sources told ESPN the total fee was €45 million, the Turkish club claimed publicly it was €38 million.
It's not the ending AC Milan would have envisioned, as the Portugal international was once regarded as one of the best wingers on the planet and his transfer valued at €175 million -- but at 27, having lost his way a little, it's the one they must accept. The fee is reasonable and it's a big salary off the books, which is crucial following the Rossoneri's own spending of over €120 million to bring in Gonçalo Ramos and Diego Moreira.
Emiliano Martínez
£7.5M ($10M)
Aston Villa: C+
Chelsea: A
Martínez might go down as Villa's greatest goalkeeper, but his time at the club had come to a natural end. He expressed a desire to leave, his massive weekly wages were difficult to justify given the financial pressures on the club, and his replacement, Zion Suzuki, is already in place.
Chelsea have picked up one of the best goalkeepers in the world for a small fee. He'll turn 34 in September so it's not a long-term solution, but it will make them a lot better immediately, which is what's required after last season's 10th-place finish.
Aug. 28
Nicolas Jackson
£47.5M ($65M)
Chelsea: B
Aston Villa: A-
Jackson and Unai Emery finally reunite. The two worked together brilliantly at Villarreal in 2022, so when the time came for Villa to find a striker to replace Ollie Watkins, this was the obvious place to turn. At 25, and after a failed loan at Bayern Munich last season, the Senegal international is ready to be the main man in a Premier League forward line.
Villa will be delighted with the initial £47.5 million fee, which is cheap for a player of Jackson's quality. But a further £17.5 million worth of potential add-ons will mean Chelsea are happy enough too, as there's scope for this deal to reach the £65 million point they always wanted.
Aug. 27
Liam Delap
£45M ($61M)
Chelsea: A+
Nottingham Forest: B-
Delap joined Chelsea for £30 million last summer, failed to impress, and now moves on in a deal that could rise to £50 million with add-ons. It's a financial masterclass from the Blues, who correctly bet that even if things didn't work out for him at Stamford Bridge, there would be plenty of suitors for him a year on.
Forest's direct style of play will suit Delap, who likes to receive longer passes, run the channels and jockey with defenders in space. In short, he'll probably look like he did for Ipswich Town in 2024-25, for whom he scored 12 league goals despite the campaign ending in relegation.
Omar Marmoush
Loan
Manchester City: A-
Tottenham: B
Marmoush was brought to City from Frankfurt for around £60 million during a panicked January 2025 transfer window. There were occasions where he flashed brilliance, but ultimately he was never able to fully settle into the team. Presented with the opportunity to make their money back on the deal, with the Egyptian now 27, it's no wonder City said yes.
It could prove a savvy deal for Spurs, though. Marmoush is technically strong and comes alive in the box, so should feel comfortable playing in Roberto De Zerbi's forward line. This is certainly one of the better value deals the club have struck this summer, as the loan has a £50 million obligation to sign him next year.
Leon Goretzka
Free
Bayern Munich: B
Aston Villa: B
Goretzka's eight-year spell at Bayern Munich was hugely successful and laden with trophies. Now 31, he is not the elite, box-to-box midfielder he was back in 2020, but he can still play to a high level, score goals and provide an experienced head in the dressing room.
After a summer of incredible upheaval, the German is exactly the kind of presence Aston Villa could use. He should provide cover in central midfield for Amadou Onana, who tore his ACL with Belgium at the World Cup, as well as impact higher up the pitch if needed.
Aug. 26
Ayyoub Bouaddi
€95M ($110M)
Lille: A
Manchester City: B
Over the last two years, Bouaddi has marked himself out as one of -- if not the -- most impressive young midfield talents in the game. He's just 18 years old, yet has already played 96 games for Lille in all competitions, excelling against the likes of Real Madrid and PSG, and he waltzed into the World Cup completely unphased to dominate for Morocco.
Both Lille and City will rightly feel like they've struck good deals here. For the former, €95 million (plus another €5 million in add-ons) is a transformative amount of money, especially with the state of France's broadcast revenues; for the latter, they've nipped in early to sign a player that could go on to become one of the best in the world.
Nico González
£48M ($65M)
Manchester City: A
Newcastle United: B
Nico's time at Man City felt downright bizarre. After signing on deadline day for £50 million in February 2025, he fluctuated from a key central midfielder under Pep Guardiola to being completely left out in the cold. Clearly, new boss Enzo Maresca isn't convinced either, so he's allowed him to move on for £48 million with £4 million in add-ons -- which means they got their money back, essentially.
For Newcastle, this is a really smart pickup in a market that has seen some central midfielders move for wild transfer fees. The Spaniard did enough in his 59 appearances for City to prove he's a very good player who can immediately upgrade the Magpies' setup.
Aug. 25
Savio
£75M ($102M)
Manchester City: A+
Tottenham: D
This is a jaw-dropping deal ... and not in a good way for Spurs. Spending a fee of £75 million, which could rise to £85 million with bonuses, to sign a player who has scored two Premier League goals in two seasons, is astonishing. There's no doubt Savio [formerly known as Savinho] is a good player, and at 22 has youth on his side, but this feels beyond excessive even in this market.
City, naturally, will be delighted to receive such a huge amount for a player whose transfer cost them just £30 million two summers ago, who did not perform to the expected level, and who was not part of the plan moving forward under Enzo Maresca.
Carlos Baleba
£65M ($88.7M)
Brighton & Hove Albion: B-
Manchester United: B+
United finally have their man. They've been tracking Baleba for well over a year and tried to sign him last summer only to be quoted a fee of £100 million. But after a tough year for the midfielder, where his stock fell, the Red Devils have agreed a substantially cheaper deal of £65 million, plus another £5 million in add-ons.
Based on last season's performances, Brighton won't really miss him. But based on the season before, when the Cameroon international dominated Premier League midfields, they will. If United can restore him to those levels, they've bagged a bargain.
Aug. 21
Curtis Jones
€35M (£30M; $41M)
Liverpool: C+
Inter Milan: A
Inter's supermarket sweep of talented, yet somehow undervalued English talent continues as Jones follows Djed Spence and John Stones through the door. The 25-year-old is a superb midfielder who is extremely comfortable dictating possession and can play in a variety of roles.
For Liverpool it's a minor disaster to lose such a player -- an academy product good enough to play a major role for the club -- and for such a modest fee.
Ezri Konsa
£51M (€59M; $70M)
Aston Villa: C+
Arsenal: B
Arsenal clearly sense an opportunity to register back-to-back Premier League title wins and won't let William Saliba's back injury jeopardize that. In Konsa, they've signed a plug-and-play, top-tier center back who can also cover the right side -- which is seemingly Mikel Arteta's favourite type of player.
But this really stings for Villa, who have lost a defensive stalwart and a model of consistency for seven years in their back line. They offered him a new contract to try to tempt him to stay, but he'll turn 29 in October and felt this was his chance at a big move. A fee of £51 million plus £4 million in add-ons is an OK fee on paper, but it's probably not enough to replace his quality like for like.
Aug. 20
João Cancelo
Free
Al Hilal: D
Barcelona: A
Al Hilal spent €25 million to land Cancelo from Manchester City in 2024, but it feels like they got very little value out of the deal. A total of 22 league appearances in his first season was OK, but he made just two the following year before being loaned to Barcelona; now the Portugal international has terminated his contract in Saudi Arabia in order to join the Blaugrana permanently.
This is obviously ideal for Barça, who are working to a budget but have several holes in the squad to fill. Even at 32, Cancelo is a quality player who can execute Hansi Flick's system and cover both full back positions.
Aug. 19
Alessandro Circati
€20M ($23M)
Benfica: B+
Parma: B+
While his move from Serie A to the Portuguese Primeira Liga might appear lateral one, Circati is definitely walking into a bigger club at Benfica. After he previously helped Parma return to the Italian top-flight, joining a side that has expectations to genuinely challenge for silverware will be a new challenge for the Socceroos center back.
Nonetheless, after selling Giovanni Leoni to Liverpool last year in a deal reportedly worth £26m, securing another €20m (plus add-ons) for the Australia international represents more tidy business by Parma. Benfica, meanwhile, get a physically minded defender that fits what coach Rui Costa wants to do, who has captained his country and played at a World Cup, and, at 22, should be able to be flipped for a sizable profit should he continue his upwards trajectory.
Tijjani Reijnders
€61M (£52M; $71M)
Manchester City: A
Al Qadsiah: B
A €55 million signing from AC Milan last summer, Reijnders made a bright start for the club, bringing real excitement around his arrival. But he quickly tailed off, and now the new manager Enzo Maresca has clearly deemed him surplus to requirements as he rebuilds City's midfield.
Given that this is a transfer that effectively failed from City's point of view, they've done brilliantly to make a profit on his departure. He should quickly become a key figure at Al Qadsiah given his talent.
Diego Moreira
€50M ($58M)
Strasbourg: A
AC Milan: C+
Moreira joined Strasbourg in 2024 after a year with sister-club Chelsea and really blossomed. He's a tricky, quick winger who is always pirouetting and backheeling away from tackles, but has also taken in some experience as a wing back. That positional versatility will serve him extremely well under manager Rúben Amorim.
But it should be noted that Moreira is still developing; at 22, he has some rough edges that need to be cleaned up, and this is no small fee (plus €16 million or so in add-ons) to operate under. Strasbourg, meanwhile, will be delighted with the quick flip.
Zion Suzuki
€30M (£26M; $35M)
Parma: B
Aston Villa: B+
Suzuki caught the eye at the 2026 World Cup as he put in a series of impressive performances in goal for Japan. It originally looked as though that would earn the 23-year-old a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but that deal broke down and Aston Villa secured his signature instead.
For Villa, Suzuki is an exciting addition and a long-term answer between the sticks amid speculation that Emiliano Martínez could leave the club. For Parma, it's a decent enough return -- although perhaps, given the World Cup hype, they might have been expecting a bit more.
Rodrigo Mora
€25M ($29M)
FC Porto: B
Roma: B
In what is surely one of the most curious deals struck this summer, Porto wonderkid Mora has joined Roma for €25 million -- but only 50% of his economic rights have been transferred to the Italian club. Should the Giallorossi want to make that 100%, they'll need to shell out a further €25 million.
That makes it difficult to assess the deal, but keeping it as simple as possible: Roma have signed a superb young No. 10 for an excellent initial fee; while this deal works well for Porto too, as Mora did not have a natural place in their preferred tactical system, and this money will allow them to further strengthen the squad.
Aug. 18
Rodri
€60M (£51M; $69M)
Manchester City: D
Barcelona: A
There's no sugarcoating this: Man City have lost the best holding midfielder in the world. The 30-year-old didn't necessarily play to that level in his final season at the Etihad as he needed time to recover from his ACL tear in 2024, but did find his old self for Spain at the 2026 World Cup, where he helped his side win the trophy and also picked up the Golden Ball.
City's loss is Barcelona's gain, and to make this deal even sweeter, the Catalan club stole in and beat archrivals Real Madrid to his signature. Central midfield is hardly a weak point on paper for Barça, but you can't pass on this sort of deal as Frenkie de Jong has a knee problem, and perhaps it will enhance the club's ability to rest Pedri too.
The €60 million fee could eventually rise to €76.5m with add-ons. The only way this fee will end up looking good for City is if Rodri declines very sharply in the next 18 months.
Aug. 15
Ferran Torres
€50M ($58M)
Barcelona: B
PSG: B+
Spain's World Cup final hero moved to Barcelona from Manchester City for an initial €55 million in 2022 and departs four years later for a similar fee. Starting off as a winger, he has become more of a central striker and netted 21 goals from 49 games last season, but over the summer made it clear that he wanted to play under Luis Enrique at PSG, so Barca have done well to raise a decent fee.
PSG have an incredible array of attacking talent but have little depth at striker after letting Gonçalo Ramos leave for AC Milan. Torres' arrival fixes that with some quality, though he will likely have to get used to a bench role behind Ousmane Dembélé.
Mika Godts
€45M ($52M)
Ajax: A
Paris Saint-Germain: B
Godts is the most exciting player to emerge at Ajax in several years. He's a technically brilliant winger and an adventurous dribbler who regularly wriggles his way out of the tightest of spots. His tendency to drift across the pitch and double up with the opposite winger will delight Luis Enrique, who encourages his PSG widemen to do the same.
A €45 million fee -- plus a further €10m in potential add-ons -- makes him the fifth-most expensive departure in Ajax's history. That is fair compensation for an excellent young player whose 29 league goals and assists carried them in attack last season.
Cristian Romero
€40M (£34M; $46M)
Tottenham Hotspur: B-
Atlético Madrid: A
Romero's disciplinary and off-field antics had begun to overshadow his playing impact at Tottenham and he made for a really poor captain of the club, so the writing was on the wall here. Spurs probably should have cut ties with him last summer when Atleti's interest first surfaced (which would have resulted in a bigger fee too), hence the B-minus grade.
Atleti feels like a great fit for him. He joins a sizable Argentine cohort led by Diego Simeone, a manager who will fully lean into Romero's wild side while also appreciating that he is a fantastic center back whose ability on the ball seemingly remains underrated.
Djed Spence
€30M (£25.6M; $34.7M)
Tottenham Hotspur: C+
Inter Milan: A-
Spence leaving Spurs this summer isn't a huge surprise. After all, playing opportunities have shrunk with no European football, Andy Robertson signed to bolster left back and Pedro Porro's new deal making him No. 1 choice at right back. But what is surprising is the fee: In a Premier League context, it's notably low.
Whatever the reasons for that, Inter will no doubt be delighted to have taken advantage of the situation. Spence replaces Denzel Dumfries, who the Nerazzurri lost to Real Madrid early in the summer. He's a different type of wing back, but he should excel in this team and in Serie A nonetheless.
Nestory Irankunda
£13.6M (€16M; $18M)
Sporting CP: B
Watford: A
Watford will have to forgo some of Irankunda's fee, as well as potential future fees, thanks to Bayern Munich's sell-on clauses but were still able to net a tidy profit on a player who landed at Vicarage Road for around €4m and wasn't a consistent starter during his one season in the Championship.
Nonetheless, given the immense potential that the 20-year-old possesses, as well as the steady progression he's made since first landing in Europe, there's still a very good chance that Sporting has bought low on Australia's youngest-ever men's World Cup goalscorer. And with Geny Catamo, sticking around after Os Leões resisted Sunderland's efforts to sign the Mozambique international, they don't need to rush Irankunda's transition into the starting XI.
Aug. 13
Lucas Herrington
£12.6M ($17M)
Hull City: A-
Colorado Rapids: A+
At this point last year, Lucas Herrington was still waiting for Brisbane Roar's new A-League Men season to start, where he played in their opening 11 games before completing a move to MLS and Colorado. Now, he's coming off the bench in Hull's unbeaten start to a new Premier League season fresh off multiple appearances at a FIFA World Cup. And he's still just 18-years-old.
Regardless of what happens throughout the rest of the season, the Tigers would appear to have found themselves an incredible prospect in Herrington, one whose ability and value should only improve as he gains more experience. The Rapids, too, have produced a great piece of business in flipping the teenager for a profit -- only made larger by the Roar's inexplicable decision to forgo their 20% sell-on clause for an up-front payment of AU$560,000.
Dusan Vlahovic
Free
Juventus: D
Besiktas: B
Every transfer window for the last two years, Juventus tried to shift Vlahovic. His mega wages -- reported to be upwards of €350,000 per week -- became a financial millstone for the club and his form in front of goal did not match the salary. There'll be relief in Turin that he's gone, but the failure to get a transfer fee will sting.
Besiktas will reunite the striker with his old coach, Vincenzo Italiano, and hope they can get him firing again. The Turkish Süper Lig has a reputation for rehabbing down-on-their-luck strikers, and at just 26 years of age, Vlahovic stands a strong chance of rebounding.
Aug. 12
Pep Chavarría
€21M (£16.2M, $22M)
Rayo Vallecano: A
Chelsea: B
Chelsea needed to sign a natural left back following the departure of Marc Cucurella. Chavarría is an odd choice -- he has had a nondescript career to date and, at 28 years old, is not the typical young prospect Chelsea target. He is, however, a quick defender who earned the nickname "King of the Duels" in Spain due to his incredible one-on-one defending prowess and was previously coached by now-Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola.
The initial £16.2 million Rayo received for this deal is by some distance a club-record departure, almost doubling Adri Embarba's €10 million move to Espanyol in 2019. It should allow Rayo to reinvest well in multiple positions.
Aug. 10
Ronald Araújo
Loan
Barcelona: B-
Liverpool: C+
Araújo has fallen down the pecking order recently at Barcelona. Manager Hansi Flick has preferred others at center back -- likely because they're more comfortable on the ball -- and he took a mental health break last year after criticism following his poor performance in the Champions League defeat against Chelsea in November.
His combative style and physicality should suit the Premier League, and his ability to play centrally or at right back will ease Liverpool's injury crisis at the back -- although covering his wages in full means this is no cheap solution. There's a €55 million option attached to the loan, yet that seems fanciful from Barça's perspective.
Aug. 9
Trevoh Chalobah
£25M (€29M; $34M)
Chelsea: C-
Como: A
Chalobah enjoyed his strongest season yet for Chelsea, at least in terms of minutes played, totalling 3,719 and being consistently picked by all three managers the Blues employed in that span. It's a bit odd, then -- at least on paper -- that he should be promptly jettisoned to Como (and for what feels like a below-market rate in a deal that potentially rises to £30 million with add-ons).
The elephant in the room here is that Chelsea are under pressure to generate revenue as part of their UEFA settlement agreement, and because Chalobah is an academy product, his departure counts as pure profit on the balance sheet. Como are simply the lucky recipients of a very good, versatile defender.
Lucas Digne
€11.6M (£10M, $13.3M)
Aston Villa: C
Paris Saint-Germain: A
Another Aston Villa departure, another cheap release clause. Digne leaving for a relatively nominal fee in this day and age hurts, as the left back was extremely dependable for the club and recently starred at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for France. Though it does at least represent an opportunity for Villa to get a younger replacement.
PSG couldn't ask for a better backup option to Nuno Mendes, and they probably couldn't find a cheaper deal for a player of this quality if they tried. At 33, though, he has only a few years left at the top.
Aug. 8
Bruno Guimarães
£75M ($101M)
Newcastle United: B
Arsenal: A-
Arsenal are in "win-now" mode. They want to go one further than last season by adding cups to their Premier League title, and signing established, top-level players is the way to do that. Bruno Guimarães is one of the best central midfielders in the world, suits Mikel Arteta's style of play brilliantly, is in his prime at age 28, and provides much-needed support to a midfield corps that has real concerns over Declan Rice's fitness.
This is a bitter pill for Newcastle fans to swallow, as they adore the Brazilian and have long labelled him one of their own. But in the cold light of day, this is the last chance to get a big fee for a player who wants out, and £75 million is a big chunk of change. That said, replacing his quality and sheer presence in the center like-for-like seems impossible.
Aug. 6
James Trafford
£40M ($54M)
Manchester City: B-
Leeds United: B+
Trafford becomes the fourth-most expensive goalkeeper of all time and joins Leeds just one season after making a £31 million move back to his boyhood club Man City from Burnley. Unfortunately, just a couple of games into his senior career at City, they signed Italy superstar Gianluigi Donnarumma and demoted the Englishman to a reserve role.
It was a bizarre decision that left Trafford out in the cold, but Leeds is a great escape for him. He has the potential to become one of the best in the game, so his transfer is worth the high price. City will be pleased with the immediate windfall, but may look back on allowing him to leave with regret in a few years.
Yan Diomande
€125M ($144M)
RB Leipzig: A+
Real Madrid: B
Undoubtedly the prize young winger of the window, Diomande heads to Madrid in a slightly surprising move as, for much of the summer, the club he supported as a boy, Paris Saint-Germain, had looked favorites to secure his signature. The 19-year-old is lightning-fast and has notched a season with 20 goals and assists in the Bundesliga. It really does feel like the sky is the limit for the Ivory Coast international.
RB Leipzig, meanwhile, have played this perfectly. They signed him one year ago from Leganés for €20 million, taking the plunge early on what correctly proved to be unmissable potential, then spent June and July insisting he was going nowhere while simultaneously stoking a bidding war between Europe's elite. They eventually got €125 million, plus €15 million in potential add-ons.
Maghnes Akliouche
€50M ($57M)
Monaco: B
Paris Saint-Germain: A-
Akliouche should probably be seen as more of a replacement for Lee Kang-In than a potential replacement for Bradley Barcola. He may lack the top-end speed to play on the flank for an elite side, but his ability to pick out a pass from more central zones is phenomenal.
The 24-year-old was part of France's 2026 World Cup squad, so should boast inbuilt familiarity with many of his new colleagues. Manager Luis Enrique could even opt to play him as a false No. 9 up front in order to maximize his vision and ability to thread through-balls to his teammates.
Mohamed Salah
Free
Liverpool: C
Trabzonspor: A
Trabzonspor beat off stiff competition -- from MLS to Saudi Arabia, including fierce Istanbul-based rivals Besiktas -- to sign Salah. The 34-year-old forward may have dipped in form during his final year at Liverpool, but this is still an incredible signing for the Turkish Super Lig.
For the Reds it remains a fairly sour ending to Salah's glittering time at Anfield. His tenure has been so wildly successful, the need to receive a big fee for his departure has long expired -- still, it's a minor point of annoyance among some fans that even a small fee couldn't be fetched as he was allowed to leave for nothing a year before his contract officially expired.
Aug. 4
Giovanni Reyna
€4M ($5M)
Borussia Monchengladbach: B
Strasbourg: B-
It is last-chance saloon for the third year running for USMNT forward Reyna, who has struggled with injury and poor form since bursting onto the scene at Borussia Dortmund in 2019. One goal and one assist in 20 games for Gladbach suggests that he didn't settle and they've done well to move him on for a fee, albeit a loss on their €7 million investment.
Seven years in the Bundesliga means Reyna was keen to experience a new style and Strasbourg will surely give him the chance to prove he can replicate his international form for a club. He shone at the 2026 World Cup and if he can repeat that, a pathway to a possible move to Strasbourg's parent-club Chelsea could be in the offing. Offering an injury-prone player a five-year contract does seem straight out of their playbook.
Aug. 3
Jordan Henderson
Free
Brentford: B
Chelsea: C+
Chelsea made it clear they wanted to sign an experienced midfielder this summer, first targeting 32-year-old Granit Xhaka at Sunderland, before successfully landing Jordan Henderson, 36, from Brentford. It's one that took the whole footballing world by surprise.
Clearly, the Blues want a few positive, experienced presences in the dressing room to counterbalance the young makeup of their squad. Henderson will certainly help maintain standards and encourage those who need it, while probably enjoying some late cameos to see out games.
Aug. 2
Randal Kolo Muani
€38M ($44M)
PSG: A
Juventus C+
Kolo Muani spent a successful six months on loan at Juventus in 2025, scoring eight goals and making a huge impact. He has much been trying to find his way back there ever since ... so, mission accomplished. He does so in what is clearly the worst form of his career, though, having scored just one league goal all of last season while on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.
Juve must be very confident they can spark him back into life, because a fee of €38 million, plus another €12 million in potential add-ons, is a lot to stake on a striker who has not played well for quite a while.
Aug. 1
Danny Welbeck
Undisclosed
Brighton & Hove Albion: C
Chelsea: A
Welbeck's move to Chelsea for a small fee is a big shock at first glance -- he's 35 years old and seemed likely to see out his Premier League career with Brighton -- but dig a little deeper and you can grasp the thinking at play here.
The Englishman remains a handy goal scorer (23 league goals in his past two seasons) and is a clever forward, capable of linking with the midfield and creating chances. He's the sort of veteran presence the Blues have been crying out for and an ideal third man in the striking corps.
July 30
Maxence Lacroix
£52M ($69M)
Crystal Palace: B
Chelsea: B
Lacroix's two seasons at Crystal Palace were incredible. He helped them to three trophies in that span -- their first silverware for decades -- and rose to the fore as a commanding voice in defense and a leader in the dressing room.
This is exactly the type of presence Chelsea -- a team with a low average age and a terrible disciplinary record -- have been crying out for. The France international has played in a back four for Wolfsburg and his country, and a back three for Palace. He'll fit whatever new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso decides to do.
Carlos Espí
€25M ($28.8M)
Levante: B+
Real Madrid: B
Espí burst onto the LaLiga scene last season with 11 goals in just 1,340 league minutes. He is just 21, but he has a bulldozing frame and playing style that causes chaos among defenses and in the penalty box. He will replace Gonzalo García, who moved to Fulham for €40 million, as the "Joselu" option for manager José Mourinho, meaning something a bit different for late in games.
Levante will sorely miss him, naturally, as he is the perfect striker for what is likely to be another relegation scrap in 2026-27. Still, he has the second-most expensive departure in the club's history and will go a long way to servicing some hefty debts.
John Stones
Free
Manchester City: B
Inter: A
Stones' Man City exit was long in the making, so the club have had plenty of time to refresh the center back corps and prepare for his departure. Thanks to Marc Guéhi and Abdukodir Khusanov, they're very well set.
Italy -- and specifically Inter -- is a great next destination for the 32-year-old, where the league's less intense nature will be easier on his body. He should really enjoy playing as part of the Nerazzurri's back three.
July 25
Lee Kang-In
€35M ($40M)
Paris Saint-Germain: C+
Atlético Madrid: B
Lee Kang-In is a measure of how hard it is to break into PSG's first-choice XI. Despite being an excellent player, he never really got anywhere near it, often settling for the less important games on the schedule. Now he returns to LaLiga where he starred for Mallorca (2021-23).
The €35 million fee -- which could rise to €40m with bonuses -- looks on the cheap side for a player of his talent, age (25) and international marketing pull, but there is one thing holding it back from an A grade: Longtime Atlético manager Diego Simeone has a history of struggling to get the best out of playmakers like Lee, so there are no guarantees the deal will work out.
July 24
Crysencio Summerville
£55M ($73M)
West Ham United: A+
Al Hilal: B
Al Hilal have made the first big Saudi Pro League splash in the market this summer, outbidding AS Roma for Summerville in a deal that could reach £65 million if add-ons are met. Evidently, the club are keen to upgrade their forward line given Karim Benzema is 38 and Darwin Núñez's transfer hasn't worked out.
For West Ham, this is a phenomenal fee: Much more than Roma could offer, and probably more than any Premier League side would have paid. This, combined with the £85 million received for Mateus Fernandes, has not only balanced the books after relegation but also allowed them to sign star forward Jarrod Bowen to a new deal.
July 23
Elliot Anderson
£116M ($153M)
Nottingham Forest: A+
Manchester City: B-
Anderson's blockbuster move to Man City would've made him the most expensive British player of all time, if not for Chelsea's £117 million signing of Morgan Rogers on Tuesday. Nevertheless, it's a club-record signing for City.
The 23-year-old is an exceptional midfielder who can do it all: He won the most duels (297) in the league last season by a distance, yet also clocked up the most touches (3,308) and took Forest's set pieces too. He was at the heart of everything they did.
But to live up to this pricetag, he'll need to up the ante even further and sustain it for years. This kind of fee places immense pressure on a player, so there's no shortage of risk for City here.
Christos Tzolis
€40M (£35M, $45.7M)
Club Brugge: B+
Arsenal: B
Tzolis enjoyed two prolific seasons with Club Brugge in the Belgian league while holding his own in the Champions League. He is a nippy presence on the left flank and will likely assume Leandro Trossard's minutes, who moved to Bestikas for £15.3 million.
The €40 million fee is a Belgian Pro League record departure, yet it's only a modest gamble for a top Premier League club. The questions that will define if Tzolis is a success in north London are: Can his production translate to a higher level, and can he provide Mikel Arteta with the reliable tactical pliability Trossard did?
Karim Adeyemi
€22M ($25M)
Borussia Dortmund: B
Barcelona: C+
First Anthony Gordon, now Adeyemi: It's very clear that Barcelona targeted raw speed from the flanks this summer. There's no doubt the German has it, but the question is whether there's enough to his wider game to be good enough for the Catalan giants.
He's a very inconsistent performer and an unreliable presser, the latter of which feels like a big focus of manager Hansi Flick's. At least the fee -- €22 million, potentially rising to €29 million -- is modest, so Adeyemi has a chance to impress without battling too much pressure.
Alejandro Garnacho
Loan
Chelsea: B-
Aston Villa: B
Garnacho is a player Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has wanted for over a year now. The 22-year-old is the type of winger -- fast, runs in behind and keeps the touchline wide to stretch the pitch -- that Villa do not have, so his addition makes sense.
Chelsea would have much preferred this to be a permanent deal but, due to a very complex situation involving UEFA financial settlement agreements and rules on swap deals, Villa could not agree to one. This transfer could become permanent if Garnacho makes a certain number of appearances -- but as the Harvey Elliott debacle last season showed, nothing is guaranteed.
July 22
Casemiro
Free
Manchester United: B-
Inter Miami: B
Casemiro's time at Man United was a true rollercoaster. When he announced his exit in January it may have felt like a relief for the fans, but then by the end of the season, they were left wondering how they would replace the nine (!) league goals he chipped in with in 2025-26.
Now 34, he is visibly slow across the pitch and struggles to play in big spaces. Presumably that is less of an issue in MLS, which is several steps down from the Premier League, but it is something to watch with keen interest.
July 21
Morgan Rogers
£117M ($158M)
Aston Villa: A+
Chelsea: C+
Three weeks after Manchester City broke the record for a British player in Elliot Anderson, Chelsea broke it again -- by £1 million -- to sign Rogers. The 23-year-old enjoyed a brilliant season, contributing 25 goals and assists to Aston Villa's cause as they finished inside the top four and won the Europa League, and featured for England at the 2026 World Cup.
Still, this is a gargantuan move that carries immense risk, regardless of how good the player is, as far more often than not, forwards tend to fall short of the expectation this sort of fee creates.
For Villa, it's a literal jackpot. They're under pressure to generate revenue under the terms of their UEFA settlement agreement, and £117 million is an absolute game-changer. A fee of this size opens up a world of transfer possibilities for them.
July 20
João Gomes
£34M ($46M)
Wolves: C
Aston Villa: A
For roughly the same fee as Youri Tielemans left for (£35 million), Villa have signed Gomes as his replacement. The Brazil midfielder should prove a snug fit in Unai Emery's system, as he progresses the ball well and has the athleticism to track and tackle runners.
The fee, which could rise to £38 million with add-ons, looks cheap for a talented 25-year-old with 10 caps for Brazil and three seasons of Premier League football under his belt. Wolves fans are understandably unhappy with the return.
July 17
Johan Manzambi
£50M ($67M)
Freiburg: A+
Aston Villa: B+
Newcastle agreed a fee for Switzerland's World Cup star Manzambi, but Aston Villa stole in to match the terms and convince the player to join them instead. The 20-year-old had an excellent season with Freiburg -- which culminated in losing the Europa League final to Villa, coincidentally -- and looks a fine young attacking talent.
Just over £50 million is simultaneously good value for Villa, who have shopped outside the Premier League to avoid absurd markups on prices, and an amazing deal for Freiburg, who have more than doubled their record departure, which was previously €25 million for Kevin Schade.
July 16
Mason Greenwood
€39M ($45M)
Marseille: C
Fenerbahce: B
Greenwood's production at Marseille -- 37 goals and 12 assists across two Ligue 1 campaigns -- was phenomenal. For a while, he achieved star status at a club that is notoriously dysfunctional and difficult to remain consistent at.
But heavy praise turned to heavy criticism earlier this year, and for the second time in two years, he has departed a club under a cloud of off-field issues. Marseille have lost a very good striker in negative circumstances, made all the worse by the fact Manchester United took €12.5 million of the fee due to a clause in his 2024 exit from the club.
July 14
Luka Vuskovic
£46M ($61M)
Tottenham Hotspur: B
Brighton: B
Vuskovic is an extremely promising young center back, who was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Month four times last season while on loan at Hamburg, before forcing his way into Croatia's 2026 World Cup squad. He's a titan in the air and a confident ball carrier out from the back.
There is a distinct chance that Spurs have let a superb player go too soon here, and when a savvy club like Brighton want your top prospect, it's usually a signal. But they're in win-now mode and have effectively chosen to roll with experience over potential, so it's Vuskovic out and Jan Paul van Hecke in.
Youri Tielemans
£35M ($47M)
Aston Villa: C+
Manchester United: A-
After Éderson's £35 million transfer from Atalanta collapsed, United moved fast to secure Tielemans for the same fee via a release clause. For a player of this established quality and consistency it is a relative bargain -- although at 29, it's no long-term solution.
The Belgium international midfielder was generally superb for Aston Villa over his three years there and the team visibly missed him when injuries forced him to miss games. If there's a silver lining here, it's that he was reportedly a high earner and the club are under pressure to cut costs under a UEFA settlement agreement.
July 13
Andrey Santos
£48M ($64M)
Chelsea: C+
Manchester United: B+
Understandably put off by the fees paid to sign Mateus Fernandes (£85 million), Sandro Tonali (£92.5 million) and Elliot Anderson (£116 million), Man United have found a significantly cheaper way to bolster their midfield with proven Premier League quality.
Andrey Santos, 22, stepped into the Chelsea XI regularly last season and, over the course of nearly 2,500 minutes, showcased good passing and excellent tackling. He's hardly the kind of player the Blues should be looking to lose, but perhaps there's just not enough football to go around next season as the team isn't in Europe.
July 11
Morten Hjulmand
€40M ($46M)
Sporting CP: B
Atlético Madrid: A-
Long linked to Manchester United while Rúben Amorim was in charge, Hjulmand has finally made the move to one of Europe's top leagues with Atlético. Diego Simeone will love his combativeness, fire, leadership qualities and strength in the air.
A fee of €40 million, plus some modest bonuses, looks a little on the lean side as fees go for Sporting, but the reality is this was probably the maximum you'd get for the 27-year-old once interest from the big-spending Premier League clubs' dropped.
Jeremy Monga
£10M ($13M)
Leicester City: B
Manchester City: B
City outbid Arsenal to secure Monga, who has made the breakthrough to men's football incredibly early. He became the second-youngest Premier League player ever in 2025, aged 15 years and 271 days, and played just shy of 1,000 Championship minutes last season aged 16.
Anyone who makes this kind of leap is worth a look for an elite club, as they could become a homegrown superstar. Whether or not the first-team pathway ever opens up for Monga to impress at City is another question, though.
July 6
Sandro Tonali
£92.5M ($125M)
Newcastle United: A+
Tottenham Hotspur: C-
Tottenham have signed Tonali in a deal that could rise to £100 million with achievable add-ons. It's an astonishing deal and, quite frankly, an astonishing use of £100 million, making him one of the 15 most expensive footballers of all time.
Clearly, Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi is convinced he can work miracles with his Italian compatriot, but Newcastle likely can't believe their luck. They got just one consistently strong season out of three from Tonali, before offloading him for twice what they spent to acquire him.
July 5
Denzel Dumfries
€20M ($22.8M)
Inter Milan: C
Real Madrid: A
Dumfries is one of the most prolific goalscoring defenders in world football -- although labeling him a defender may be a stretch. A direct, attacking wing back, who spends more time in the opposition box than his own, he can be a real difference-maker from the flank. Losing him for just €20 million via a release clause in his contract is tough for Inter, although the Dutchman's injury issues last season did force the Nerazzurri to learn how to cope without him.
July 3
Nathaniel Brown
€55M ($64M)
Eintracht Frankfurt: A
Bayern Munich: B
Brown's career is moving fast. He used a sensational 2025-26 season with Frankfurt to not only gatecrash Germany's 2026 World Cup squad, but oust David Raum as first-choice left back.
The 23-year-old defender is athletic, very fast, defends one-on-ones well and combines traditional overlapping runs with modern, inverted runs into the box. Born in Bavaria, his signing for Bayern is both a headline move and a homecoming.
Frankfurt won't be able to replace his quality like-for-like, but they have at least secured a fee that makes Brown one of the three most expensive left backs of all time.
July 2
Mateus Fernandes
£85M ($112M)
West Ham United: A+
Tottenham Hotspur: C+
Despite consecutive relegations from the Premier League with Southampton and then West Ham, it is clear Fernandes is an excellent player. An all-round midfielder who can pretty much do it all by the age of 21, there is no doubt Tottenham are looking in the right area here as they seek to improve their midfield.
The price, however, is eye-popping. Even Manchester United, who spent last summer shelling out roughly £65 million per attacker, had to dip out of this race for Fernandes because the quoted transfer price was so high. The Portugal midfielder will have to do incredibly well, for a long time, to prove worth this outlay.
July 1
Anthony Gordon
€70M (£60M, $80M)
With legendary goal scorer Robert Lewandowski gone on a free transfer and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford far from certain to stay permanently, Barcelona needed a big addition to their forward line this summer. Gordon plays both left wing and striker, presses hard and was the fastest player in the Premier League last season, topping 36 km/h, per Gradient Sports. He's a good fit for Hansi Flick's tactical style.
This is about the right price range for any player of this established quality. Newcastle could earn an extra €10 million if add-ons are met, making this potentially even more lucrative for them.
Marco Palestra
€60M (£48M, $68M)
If Chelsea intend to play with fully fledged wing backs under new manager Xabi Alonso, signing Palestra makes a lot of sense. The 21-year-old is tall, fast and loves to knock the ball past an opponent -- but he also has neat footwork in tight spaces. The Blues are once again trusting their talent ID, staking a big transfer fee on a player with just one full season under his belt, which came on loan at Cagliari.
Naturally, Atalanta are the big winners here: They watched a player blossom out on loan, become the subject of a bidding war between Inter Milan and Chelsea, and then accepted the highest bid.
Marc Cucurella
€55M (£47M, $64M)
Chelsea: C-
Real Madrid: A-
When Chelsea's ownership group drew up their transfer strategy, this is surely not what it was supposed to look like. Cucurella is one of the few signings that has unequivocally succeeded, yet here they are losing him for a fairly modest fee, potentially rising to €60M with add-ons.
The Blues' loss is Madrid's gain: Barcelona academy graduate Cucurella returns to Spain as a fully fledged international and trophy winner, shoring up the left-back area in Madrid nicely. José Mourinho will love his blood-and-thunder style.
Ismael Saibari
€55M ($64M)
PSV Eindhoven: A
Bayern Munich: B
Saibari has blossomed over the last two years, contributing 52 goals and assists for PSV in the Champions League and Eredivisie play and securing his place as Morocco's first-choice striker. He scored at the 2026 World Cup to further enhance his reputation.
Bayern will appreciate those scoring numbers, but they will also love his ability to drop deep, receive the ball and create. It's what Harry Kane already does for them to a world class level, and now Bayern have found a very capable backup. It's a good stylistic fit for the German giants, while for PSV, it's a club record departure.
Piero Hincapié
€40M (£34.5M; $46M)
Bayer Leverkusen: C
Arsenal: A
Hincapié's loan to Arsenal has become a permanent move after certain conditions were met. He proved an excellent pickup last summer, ably sharing the left-back role with Riccardo Calafiori and covering at center back too.
Factoring in the initial loan fee of €6 million, this looks to have cost the Gunners just shy of €50 million all in. For a player of this established quality and age (24), it goes down as an absolute bargain.
Emmanuel Emegha
€25M (£22M; $29M)
Strasbourg: B
Chelsea: B
Chelsea struck a deal to sign Emegha in the summer of 2025, but opted to let him stay at sister club Strasbourg and continue developing for another year. It was a good idea, but things didn't go to plan as the Dutchman missed most of last season due to injury.
For a player who stands at 6-foot-5, he is extremely fast, with great movement, but he is unreliable in front of goal and underperformed his xG by three in 2024-25. Emegha has huge potential and is still only 23, but he probably isn't ready to start for Chelsea just yet.
Robert Lewandowski
Free transfer
Barcelona: B
Chicago Fire FC: B+
The Chicago Fire won the race to sign legendary striker Lewandowski, who may be into his late 30s but still scored 14 goals from 17 starts in LaLiga last season. He'll join MLS top scorer Hugo Cuypers (13 goals this term) in what is now a fearsome front two on paper.
It was certainly time for him to depart Barcelona, where he excelled since joining in 2022, but also accounted for a huge portion of the wage bill at a club that's been right up against it financially for some time.
Bernardo Silva
Free
Manchester City: D
Real Madrid: A
Silva, who is one of the most tactically versatile and intelligent players the sport has ever seen, was linked strongly to each of Spain's big three clubs. But Los Blancos will benefit hugely from his presence in a variety of ways.
After nine incredible years at City, there was little need for the club to recoup any sort of fee for him, but this one still really hurts. The Portugal midfielder was a crucial component of the team and the dressing room and a symbol of the Pep Guardiola era.
Ibrahima Konaté
Free
Liverpool: D
Real Madrid: B-
Konaté's athleticism is off the charts, and when he's in good form, he's close to unbeatable at the back. But inconsistency has long troubled his game, and reports in Spain suggest not only has he earned a huge signing bonus of €20 million, but he's more than tripled his weekly wage with this move.
From Madrid's perspective, this is no free transfer. But from Liverpool's perspective it is. They get absolutely nothing in return for a very good player, but have at least covered themselves for this eventuality with new €70 million arrival Jérémy Jacquet (agreed in January).
Antoine Griezmann
Free
Atletico Madrid: B
Orlando City: A
Griezmann's long farewell to Atlético was a tearjerker, and it feels right that the 35-year-old forward opted for a new challenge, on a different continent, rather than moved to another European club. He was a great servant to the club for a long time, negating the need to receive any kind of fee for him.
Orlando have had a poor campaign to date and could use all the help they can get; Griezmann's quality and personality is a great start to turning things around.
June 30
Gonçalo Ramos
€74M ($84M)
PSG: A
AC Milan: C+
First, Milan appointed former Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim as coach. Then they handed him his first new weapon: Ramos, a Champions League winner and a potent goal scorer -- albeit via a bit-part role with PSG these past three years.
This is a gargantuan outlay from the Italian giants, who have smashed their transfer record by more than €20 million for a player who has too often found himself kicking his heels for club and country of late. PSG, meanwhile, have banked €74 million, potentially rising to around €80 million, for a squad player; they'll rightly be delighted with that.
Alejandro Grimaldo
€20M ($22.7M)
Bayer Leverkusen: C
Atlético Madrid: A
Grimaldo will finally play in Spain's top tier, having left Barcelona's academy in 2016 without a first-team appearance to his name. He's blossomed abroad, at both Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen, developing into one of the best attacking fullbacks in the game. At €20 million, this is a steal for Atleti -- even if he is 30 years old.
Leverkusen don't stand a chance of replacing his quality like-for-like with a humble fee, and they've reluctantly said goodbye to one of their best players during that famous unbeaten title run in 2023-24.
June 18
Jan Paul van Hecke
£52M ($70M)
Brighton & Hove Albion: B+
Tottenham: B
Van Hecke has slowly developed into one of the Premier League's best center backs. The Netherlands international has long been one of the best passers and dribblers from the back, and now he's become a sturdier, meaner defender, too.
At 25, he's ready for the next step, and reuniting with manager Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham feels like a brilliant match. Brighton were resigned to losing him given he had just one year left on his contract and did well to hold out for a fee above £50 million.
Víctor Muñoz
€40M (£35M; $46M)
Muñoz is an incredibly busy, buzzing winger who tears around the pitch, tries to beat defenders one-on-one and shoots willingly. Stylistically that makes him a good fit for Andoni Iraola, but Liverpool are gambling slightly on the 23-year-old stepping up to the elite level quickly.
For Osasuna, this is a record departure -- but not quite the huge payday it looks like. They only hold 50% of the player's rights, with Real Madrid holding the other half; that means half €40M fee will go to Los Blancos.
June 15
Marcos Senesi
Free
Bournemouth: D
Tottenham: A
Senesi was one of the outstanding center backs in the Premier League last season. A committed defender, a physical presence and a brilliant passer from the back, he stood out as one of the best free agents heading into the summer, and Spurs have won the race for his signature.
His signing does raise some questions for the club to answer. Will captain Cristian Romero be departing? Is the plan to play with two left-footers (Senesi and Micky van de Ven), or will it be a back three? Though none of that detracts from the fact this deal is a coup.
Andy Robertson
Free
Liverpool: B
Tottenham: B
Tottenham came close to signing Robertson in January and have now finally sealed the deal. The 32-year-old defender's time at Liverpool had come to a natural end as he passed his peak and Milos Kerkez replaced him in the XI.
Roberto De Zerbi will value the Scotland international's passing ability and the Spurs squad badly need his leadership qualities -- although they have reportedly paid a premium in wages for a player who won't necessarily be first choice.
June 29
Rasmus Højlund
€44M (£38M; $51M)
Manchester United: B+
Napoli: B+
Højlund's loan to Napoli was made permanent the moment the Italian giants qualified for the Champions League. The Denmark striker led the attacking line all season long, contributing 16 goals in total, and rebounded well from his disappointing spell at Man United.
It's a good deal for both clubs, as €44 million (plus a €6 million loan fee last season) for a reliable goal scorer represents strong value for Napoli, while United will be pleased to make a fair chunk of their money back on a signing that cost them an initial €75 million and simply did not work out.
