With a summer of transfer madness over, the time has come to reflect on a window to remember for Premier League clubs.
Over £3bn was spent by the 20 clubs between June and the start of September 2025, marking a new record as the division’s financial dominance in the global game was laid bare.
But which arrivals stood out as the best? From big-money strikers to trophy-winning goalkeepers, this window had it all.
Ranking factors
In order to rank the top transfers accordingly, we have considered the following factors:
- Money spent – how much of a statement was made through the transfer fee
- Impact on the league – whether the transfer could help determine a team’s destiny this season
- Necessity – How much a team needed the player in question
- Price tag – whether the transfer fee made good business sense for the buying club
8: Bryan Mbeumo to Man Utd
Signed from Brentford for £71m
Manchester United have had a tumultuous few years, to put it lightly, and their 15th-placed finish in 2024/25, which left the Red Devils trophyless and out of Europe, was arguably their biggest setback since their last league title.
So for Ruben Amorim to splash the cash on one of the league’s best wingers in Bryan Mbeumo, that can be considered a significant coup, even for a club of United’s size.
And given the desperation for the club’s attack to be transformed after a dismal campaign, beating fellow Premier League rivals to the Cameroonian’s signature was also a telling sign of their pulling power.
7: Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool
Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5m
Liverpool bagged one of the bargains of the summer by bringing in Jeremie Frimpong to replace the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
One of Bayer Leverkusen’s Invincibles heroes, the Reds have added a winner to their ranks for an impressively low fee given his age and experience, with Frimpong securing five major honours during his time in Germany and Scotland.
Still only 24 at the time of his arrival, Frimpong has the opportunity to become a Liverpool great by continuing his ascent in world football.
6: Xavi Simons to Tottenham Hotspur
Signed from RB Leipzig for £51.8m
After missing out on Ebere Eze, the pressure will have been on Thomas Frank to replenish his Spurs midfield before the close of the window, particularly in light of James Maddison’s long-term injury.
Dutchman Simons may not have been his primary target, but the attacker will look to hand Tottenham a huge helping hand in the final third, with the former Leipzig star recording 44 goal involvements in the last two seasons combined.
With Son Heung-min also out of the picture in N17, Simons can step in to become something of a main man at Spurs.
5: Florian Wirtz to Liverpool
Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m
With Liverpool free to splurge on the best talent around as a result of their more frugal summer in 2024, Arne Slot wasted little time in bringing one of the German Bundesliga’s most creative talents to Merseyside.
Florian Wirtz still cost him a pretty penny at a then-British record of £116m, but it was perhaps the kind of transfer activity to be expected of the newly crowned champions, insistent on retaining their crown.
Time will tell if it turns out to be worth it, but Wirtz’s rise to stardom at Leverkusen makes the decision to bring him to Anfield a pretty safe, yet expensive, bet.
4: Joao Pedro to Chelsea
Signed from Brighton for £60m
Not all players have an instant impact, but Chelsea were lucky enough to get a preview of what Joao Pedro could add to their Premier League aspirations after sealing his arrival during the Club World Cup.
Hitting the ground running with goals in the semi-final and final in the United States – his first two starts in Chelsea colours – the Brazilian already looks like £60m well spent, and won’t have trouble adapting to life in the English top flight thanks to earning his stripes at Watford and Brighton.
Enzo Maresca identified centre-forward as a problem position (bringing in Liam Delap for good measure) and looks to have stolen a march on Chelsea’s rivals with their acquisition of Joao Pedro.
3: Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal
Signed from Sporting CP for £64m
Another side desperate for a new striker was Arsenal, who were reliant on Kai Havertz and the injury-prone Gabriel Jesus for the last two seasons.
When injuries caught up with both players in 2024/25, the necessity for a goalscorer was evident, with midfielder Mikel Merino performing admirably in a makeshift role, even if it still left the Gunners lacking in a key area.
But bringing in Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP looks to be a no-brainer, with the Swede’s 54 goals in all competitions during 2024/25 surely a sign that there are now far more goals in the Arsenal squad.
And at £64m (only the eighth-highest deal of the summer), Mikel Arteta is surely on to a winner.
2: Gianluigi Donnarumma to Man City
Signed from PSG for £26m
Despite signing James Trafford just weeks before, Manchester City pulled off one of the signings of the summer by luring Champions League winner Gianluigi Donnarumma to the Etihad Stadium.
What makes this transfer so daunting for City’s rivals is that in replacing long-time No 1 Ederson, Donnarumma arrives as a champion for club and country, with a knack for keeping English teams at bay.
For just £26m, Donnarumma instantly hands City a gargantuan presence between the sticks, with his 6’5″ frame sure to make conceding goals more of a rarity this season.
The truth behind his PSG departure seems a little murky, but there is no doubting the Italian’s quality, and if he can replicate his previous form for City, this could yet transform their fortunes on multiple fronts.
1: Alexander Isak to Liverpool
Signed from Newcastle for £130m
It was the saga that kept us all waiting, but Liverpool finally got their man, as Alexander Isak’s acrimonious exit from Newcastle United was sealed in the final throes of deadline day.
The Reds broke the British transfer record for a second time in order to bring him in, making a huge statement in the process. It was an even bolder move given they had already spent big on a centre-forward, with Hugo Ekitike (ironically a former Newcastle target) also joining.
Isak’s arrival makes Liverpool’s attack much more imperious, with a Premier League rival now substantially weakened, while there are now two top-class talents at centre-forward at Anfield – something pretty non-existent during a year they romped to the title.
There’s no question that while Isak has some pressure on his shoulders, his arrival could be the start of Liverpool kickstarting a new dynasty.
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