Chelsea are not familiar with quiet summer transfer windows and as it stands, there’s no sign of bucking the trend in 2025.
Since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital takeover three years ago, the Blues have welcomed 39 permanent signings through the doors.
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Maresca is unlikely to have a shortage of midfielders at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Fernandez and Caicedo have been impressive for the Blues this seasonCredit: Getty
Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have been their two biggest arrivals with respective £106.8million and £100million transfers.
The South American duo are Chelsea’s go-to pairing in midfield, but that hasn’t limited their purchases in that position on the pitch.
Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remain options for manager Enzo Maresca, with Mathis Amougou their only winter signing.
Chelsea also have stars out on loan this season, and talkSPORT understands they have agreed to sign Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Dario Essugo as part of a deal which will see teammate Geovany Quenda join the Blues.
They could have as many as ten midfielders on the books once the summer arrives, and talkSPORT.com has looked at the potential plans for each.
Current stars
Fernandez and Caicedo, barring an incredible turn of events, look set to remain as their key assets in the midfield.
Both of their contracts run until at least 2031 and with a combined 52 Premier League starts this season, it’s clear Maresca trusts them.
Ankle and hamstring injuries limited Lavia to just one appearance for Chelsea last season but his fitness has improved since.
Although he has just returned from another hamstring issue, the 21-year-old is a fellow talent hopeful of a long-term future at the club.
Dewsbury-Hall thrived under Maresca at Leicester City and followed him to Chelsea last summer in a £30million transfer.
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Injuries have affected Lavia’s progress but he’s still shone when playingCredit: Getty
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Dewsbury-Hall doesn’t appear to be a key midfield option at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Amougou has played just once since signing for the BluesCredit: Getty
However, it hasn’t worked out for him as he has made just one start in the Premier League since completing his move to Stamford Bridge.
West Ham were interested in signing him in January and an exit could be a possibility again this summer, whether on loan or permanently.
French youngster Amougou signed from Saint-Etienne last month in a move reportedly worth around £12.6million.
He made his debut in their 4-0 win over Southampton but as per the BBC, a loan move to sister club Strasbourg next season looks likely.
Out on loan
Chelsea have seen the benefit of sending young talent out on loan to Strasbourg, with Andrey Santos having an excellent campaign there.
The 20-year-old has scored eight goals in 24 Ligue 1 appearances and looks set for a first-team squad role at his parent club next season.
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Santos has been one of the most impressive players in Ligue 1 this seasonCredit: AFP
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Chukwuemeka could swap Chelsea for Dortmund on a permanent basis this summerCredit: Getty
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Ugochukwu could be given another loan spell away from the clubCredit: Getty
Carney Chukwuemeka was a bright spark for the Blues last year but has found himself out of favour under Maresca.
He featured only five times before a February loan move to Borussia Dortmund, who have the option to make his switch permanent.
Southampton have Lesley Ugochukwu until the end of the season, a player who has already played 12 times for Chelsea.
The Frenchman has made ten league starts for the Saints and may move on loan elsewhere for more experience in the summer.
Future prospects
Essugo looks set to become the latest starlet to join the Chelsea project with a move from Sporting.
Martin Keown reacts to Cole Palmer’s poor form and believes it is down to key Chelsea star being out injured
The 20-year-old is currently on loan at LaLiga side Las Palmas but is on course for a switch to London ahead of next season.
As reported by The Athletic, Chelsea plan to have Portugal U21 star Essugo as cover for Caicedo.
Kendry Paez will join the Blues this summer from Independiente del Valle after a stunning rise in Ecuadorian football.
He has already made 17 senior appearances for his country at the age of 17, scoring two goals.
Paez will also arrive as a deputy option as per The Athletic, this time deeper in midfield for Fernandez despite being more attacking.
Chelsea have more midfielders in their ranks such as Omari Kellyman, who has only played for the U21s and announced on Tuesday he’s out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.
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Essugo looks set to be the next wonderkid arrival at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Paez is eyed as one of the most exciting talents in South AmericaCredit: Getty
Cobham academy product Leo Castledine is on loan at Shrewsbury Town, with Alex Matos spending the season at Oxford United.
Joao Felix joined AC Milan but plays more as a forward, whilst Renato Veiga is at Juventus and primarily plays in defence.
The summer could therefore see another window with plenty of outgoings at Chelsea, with incomings surely set for other positions.
Maresca will have many options at his disposal in midfield for pre-season before the number whittles down for the new campaign.
Chelsea fans couldn’t help but laugh at Romeo Lavia’s message to Cole Palmer after his stunning four-goal performance.
Palmer scored all of the Blues’ goals in their 4-2 home win against Brighton on Saturday to make Premier League history.
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Palmer scored his third ever hat-trick for Chelsea in an excellent performanceCredit: Getty
He became the first player in the competition to ever net four in the first half of a match in what was an outstanding display.
Chelsea fans also saw Palmer collect his third hat-trick for the club and he was handed the match ball at full time as per tradition.
The 22-year-old’s teammates therefore had another opportunity to write congratulatory messages on his prize from the win.
Lavia in particular had a cheeky word to say when, as revealed in an image on his Instagram story, he jokingly wrote: “You’re a mid player regardless.”
Chelsea fans will agree that this couldn’t be further from reality but were still able to laugh at the midfielder’s sense of humour.
Taking to X, one supporter with a laughing emoji said: “Romeo Lavia is unreal.”
“Lavia has killed me,” added a second with other laughter symbols.
A third said: “Lol.. you are so funny LAVIA. Cole Palmer is HIM Regardless.”
“Lavia to Palmer, I just love the vibes from Chelsea players,” said a fourth following a huge victory for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Brighton scored the first goal through Georginio Rutter with seven minutes played before Palmer stole the show at Stamford Bridge.
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Lavia wasn’t shy to write a cheeky, humorous message on his match ballCredit: @romeolavia Instagram
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Palmer four first-half goals were enough for Chelsea to claim all three pointsCredit: Getty
His first came from just inside the area from Nicolas Jackson’s unselfish pass, with his second a penalty after Jadon Sancho was fouled.
Palmer then scored an excellent free-kick to complete what was a ten-minute hat-trick that left Brighton stunned.
The visitors responded with a goal from Carlos Baleba moments later but couldn’t stop Chelsea from putting the match out of sight.
Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy disagree on Chelsea’s title chances after 4-2 thumping over Brighton
Sancho fed a ball into the box for Palmer, who then fired in at the goalkeeper’s near-post to score a historic fourth.
There was no danger of Maresca making a sarcastic comment at Palmer, whom he labelled as the Premier League’s best player.
“He scored four but he also could have scored two or three more,” Blues boss Maresca said. “It’s important he stays hungry, ambitious and I know him from many years ago with the under-23s at Manchester City and with the first team.
“What he was as a boy is exactly what he was three or four years ago. Goals, assists, best player of the Premier League – this doesn’t change the way he is. He’s a humble guy and for me it’s the most important thing.
“He’s a top player and today in football young players can change quick. Cole scores goals and never changes and this is the most important thing.
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Palmer has six goals in as many Premier League games this season, as well as four assistsCredit: Getty
“He’s special player, he’s a simple and humble guy. He doesn’t need to tell people how good he is because you can see it clearly.”
And even Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler took his hat off to Palmer’s brilliance.
“There aren’t many players like Cole Palmer in the Premier League. He’s special. He punished every single mistake we made. You can’t stop him.”
Maresca’s star man now has a combined total of 50 goal contributions for Chelsea in 53 appearances, 31 of which are goals.
The Blues’ fourth Premier League win of the season has taken them into the top four and a point behind leaders Manchester City.
Fans are pointing to one stat that proves Chelsea will be more than happy to see the back of the year 2023.
The Blues have spent a whopping £600million across two transfer windows this year, but splashing the cash has done little to improve their exploits on the pitch.
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Chelsea have certainly had a year to forgetCredit: Getty
Mauricio Pochettino‘s side lost 2-0 to Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Lewis Dobbin firing the hosts to victory.
As a result of picking up zero points on Merseyside, Chelsea have slumped into the bottom half of the table and into 12th place – the very same position they finished last season in.
It’s no wonder the 2021 Champions League winners have ended up sitting in mid-table, though – Chelsea have won just 39 points in 39 games this calendar year.
No ever-present Premier League team from this season and last season has recorded fewer in this period (excluding Everton’s 10-point deduction).
Last season saw the Blues record their lowest points tally (44) since the 1987/88 season (42).
They ended up trophy-less for only the second time since 2016 and also missed out on playing European football this campaign for the first time since 2016.
This season hasn’t seen the change Blues fans would’ve been hoping for, either. That’s despite owner Todd Boehly bringing in former Tottenham manager Pochettino, who led Spurs to a Champions League final in 2019.
But while one fan base struggles, another over 200 miles up north is enjoying pointing out what they deem to be huge errors made by two of Chelsea’s summer signings.
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Pochettino hasn’t been able to turn Chelsea’s fortunes around yetCredit: Getty
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Neither has Boehly’s spendingCredit: Getty
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And Boehly hasn’t been afraid to put his hand in his pocket
Former Brighton man Moises Caicedo and ex-Southampton star Romeo Lavia were both wanted by Liverpool in the last transfer window as Jurgen Klopp rebuilt his midfield.
However, both opted to sign for Chelsea in the end. The Blues hijacked the Caicedo move despite Liverpool offering a British record of £111m.
Chelsea signed him for £115m in the end.
Liverpool also had numerous bids for Lavia rejected, only for the Blues to come in with a £58m offer and snap him up.
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Lavia is yet to make an appearance for Chelsea having injured his ankle in September. He also suffered another recent setback in his rehab, whilst Caicedo has played 17 games in all competitions, making 13 starts.
But despite losing both transfer battles, Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table – and their fans think they’re having the last laugh despite losing the transfer tug of wars to the west Londoners.
“Hope Caicedo and Lavia are having a lovely time over there,” one Red wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A second said: “Liverpool are 18 points ahead of Chelsea. A point for every week since Chelsea fans were laughing at Liverpool for missing out on Lavia and Caicedo.”
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Liverpool are flying whilst Chelsea sit mid-table
“Should be the last time any player rejects Liverpool for Chelsea,” a third added.
After the loss at Everton, Pochettino admitted his side needed to dive into the market and spend more, too, despite the club’s mammoth £434.5m spend in the summer.
“We need to talk and to try to improve in the next transfer market,” he said.
Chelsea next face bottom side Sheffield United next Saturday in what will be a must-win game for Pochettino’s side.
Chelsea star Ben Chilwell is ruled out until December due to a hamstring injury.
The 26-year-old picked up the problem during the Blues’ 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Brighton last Wednesday.
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Chilwell is ruled out of action until Christmas with a hamstring injuryCredit: getty
According to the Daily Telegraph, Chilwell’s recuperation process could leave him out for as long as eight weeks, and thus until December.
Chilwell was ruled out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup in Qatar last November, also with a hamstring injury.
He later returned to the squad in February, before managing to regain his place in the side.
The Chelsea defender has been a mainstay in the side, missing just one of their Premier League matches so far this campaign, which was their 2-0 win at Fulham on Monday night.
Chilwell said on his Instagram story: “Can’t catch a break. Believe me, I am more frustrated than you guys.
“All I can do now is help the team as best as I can from the sidelines, until I can get back to giving everything for the club on the pitch again. Ups and downs but that’s just life.
“Just focused on getting this club back to where it deserves to be. Thank you as always for the love, Chels fans [blue heart emoji].”
Mauricio Pochettino provided an update on his current situation prior to the Blues’ victory at Craven Cottage.
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Chelsea boss Pochettino has a long list of injuriesCredit: getty
“I think it’s bad news,” the Argentinian boss said.
“From what the doctor told me it’s not a good thing, it looks like a bad injury.
“But we need to assess in the next few days and we’ll see the period that he’s going to be absent from the squad and the team. But it doesn’t look good.”
Chilwell joins a long list of players currently sidelined, with fellow defenders Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana and captain Reece James all out.
Midfielder Romeo Lavia, who joined the club in the summer from Southampton, Carney Chukwuemeka, and forward Christopher Nkunku, are also sidelined.
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The Premier League transfer window closed on Saturday morning after 28 signings on deadline day, bringing to a close a record-breaking window with a total spending over £2 billion ($AUD3.8 billion) for the first time.
Chelsea went on a spending spree once again, and they weren’t the only team to make big moves in the market. But other clubs lost some of their biggest stars and struggled to replace them – and others made barely any transfers at all.
Foxsports.com.au rates every Premier League team’s summer dealings in our Transfer Report Card!
Biggest signing: Declan Rice ($195m from West Ham United)
Biggest exit: Folarin Balogun ($50m to Monaco)
Total spent: $395m
Having come agonisingly close to winning the Premier League last season, Arsenal have loosened the pursestrings and then some this summer.
The biggest of the four arrivals at the Emirates is undoubtedly former West Ham United captain Declan Rice, who joined for a staggering $195 million.
Rice has played in each of Arsenal’s three Premier League games as their holding midfielder in a unit of three alongside fellow summer signing Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard.
The arrival of Rice addressed the glaring issue of depth in the defensive midfield given the over-reliance on Thomas Partey last season.
Havertz’s signing was a curious one given he has often flattered to deceive throughout his time at Chelsea, as was goalkeeper David Raya who moved on loan from Brentford.
Jurrien Timber’s move from Ajax was seen as a smart piece of business but he suffered a serious injury in the Gunners’ season opener against Nottingham Forest and faces a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Arsenal have also done well to move on a number of players, recouping reasonable fees for Folarin Balogun and Granit Xhaka while American duo Matt Turner and Auston Trusty also departed.
Whether these additions will prove to be the tonic Arsenal needs to go one better in the title race remains to be seen, but they’ve certainly given themselves a significant chance.
Grade: A
Rice was the big signing Arsenal wanted. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Aston Villa
Biggest signing: Moussa Diaby ($92.5m from Bayer Leverkusen)
Biggest exit: Cameron Archer ($35m to Sheffield United)
Total spent: $156m
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was clear in his instructions to his recruitment team: bring him players with European pedigree.
After all, the Midlands outfit have brought European nights back to Villa Park for the first time since the 2010/11 season after an impressive 7th-place finish last season.
Villa have certainly delivered on Emery’s request, bringing in Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres as well as Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet on season-long loan deals.
But the most impressive piece of business has been the signing of winger Moussa Diaby, with his $92.5m fee breaking the club’s transfer record.
The tricky Frenchman has already dazzled in Villa’s opening games and has linked up well with Ollie Watkins up front.
Villa have also eased the burden of FFP by selling academy products Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer to Burnley and Sheffield United respectively.
The only fear among Villa fans is the worrying lack of depth in the squad, with Emery naming two goalkeepers on the bench for his side’s Premier League fixtures.
Grade: B+
Bournemouth
Biggest signing: Tyler Adams ($45m from Leeds United)
Biggest exit: Ben Pearson ($2.5m to Stoke City)
Total spent: $213m
Talk about flexing a newfound financial muscle.
Bournemouth were taken over by American businessman Bill Foley last December and held off significant spending until they had Premier League safety secured.
With that objective achieved and a new manager at the helm in Andoni Iraola, the Cherries have been incredibly active this summer and have brought in eight players all 26 or younger.
Alex Scott, nicknamed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ and had plenty of admirers among the Premier League, is one of those eight but is yet to feature due to injury.
Bournemouth have also done well not to lose many players of value, although Jefferson Lerma’s switch to Crystal Palace on a free deal is a blow.
If there was to be any criticism of Bournemouth’s dealings it would be not adding competition for star striker Dominic Solanke, with Kieffer Moore not exactly the best backup option.
Whether their youth-heavy approach pays off or blows up in their face remains to be seen, but there can be no question Bournemouth have a better team than they did last season.
Grade: A-
West Ham continue impressive start | 01:20
Brentford
Biggest signing: Nathan Collins ($45m from Wolves)
Biggest exit: David Raya (loan to Arsenal)
Total spent: $107m
Brentford’s summer window has been dominated by the will-he-won’t-he saga of goalkeeper David Raya.
He was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham but it failed to materialise as Brentford refused to budge on their £40m valuation.
In the end, the Spaniard moved to Arsenal where he will battle it out with Aaron Ramsdale for the starting role.
Brentford prepared for Raya’s departure with the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Freiburg and he has looked the goods so far.
Thomas Frank’s side also addressed the club’s glaring need for a new centre-back, signing Nathan Collins from Wolves, and added a talented winger in Kevin Schade before a deadline-day loan move for Everton forward Neal Maupay.
A solid yet unspectacular transfer window from Brentford.
Grade: B
Brighton
Biggest signing: Joao Pedro ($57m from Watford)
Biggest exit: Moises Caicedo ($195m to Chelsea)
Total spent: $169m
Once billed as Barcelona’s replacement for Lionel Messi, Brighton made one of the more intriguing deals before the deadline by signing 20-year-old Spain international Ansu Fati on a loan move.
A string of injuries have played a role in Fati not being able to live up to his sky-high potential, but at just 20 years old the best is still ahead of him and now the versatile youngster will have a chance to revitalise his career at Brighton.
Tottenham was said to also have shown interest in Fati but the fact he opted to sign with Brighton says a lot about the club’s rising standing in the football world, having secured their first campaign in European football next season.
“This is a great deal for all of us,” Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said.
“I am sure Ansu will help us to reach a new target and we can help him get back to the level he deserves to be.”
The signing of Ansu was not the only coup this transfer window for Brighton though, who have undergone quite the roster upheaval with Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez all departing.
What Brighton got in return for the trio though is quite staggering, receiving £175 million ($A341m) for the trio after paying just £11 million ($A21m) to sign them in the first place.
Just another shrewd piece of business from a team that clearly has a plan as it builds towards the future.
Fati headlines a long list of signings for Brighton, with Joao Pedro, Mahmoud Dahoud, Bart Verbruggen, Igor Julio, Carlos Baleba, Jacob Slater and James Milner all joining the Seagulls.
And they did all that while making a $144m profit.
Grade: A
Joao Pedro was snapped up by Brighton early in the window. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Burnley
Biggest signing: Zeki Amdouni ($30m from Basel)
Biggest exit: Wout Weghorst (loan to Hoffenheim)
Total spent: $186m
The Premier League newcomers didn’t waste any time splashing the cash in their bid to survive. They brought in Sheffield’s impressive midfielder Sander Berge and poached former Southampton player Nathan Redmond on a free transfer from Besiktas. Of the ten players they spent fees signing, the oldest was 25-year-old Berge, showing their focus on the long-term development of the squad. 22-year-old striker Zeki Amdouni was their biggest outlay, while 21-year-old playmaker Aaron Ramsey is a hugely talented midfielder from Aston Villa. Crucially, they held onto all of their key players from the promotion campaign, making just a couple of sales. They might not have gone for big names or superstars, but they recruited exceptionally and didn’t hold back in the transfer market, spending plenty of money on a balanced variety of players.
Grade: A-
Chelsea
Biggest signing: Moises Caicedo ($195m from Brighton)
Biggest exit: Kai Havertz ($126m to Arsenal)
Total spent: $775m
In three transfer windows, Chelsea have splurged one billion pounds. It’s a staggering amount of money, but this window was a little different to the last. Sure, they bought eight players who each cost over £20m, with their total outlay around £419m – more than coach Mauricio Pochettino spent in five whole years at Spurs. That included breaking the British transfer record for the second time in seven months to sign Moises Caicedo for a fee up to £115 million.
But equally crucial was offloading a number of stars – racking up £295m or $575m AUD in sales and loan fees. Besides Havertz, the long list of outgoing names included Mason Mount, Kepa, Mendy, Lukaku, Kante, Azpilicueta, Kovacic and Pulisic, helping them to balance their books and make room for a sweeping overhaul.
In Pochettino they have a coach with a very strong record of developing young players, and their focus on signing next-generation stars has seen the squad’s average age drop drastically in the last year (the oldest of their 11 signings is just 25). They beat Liverpool to the signings of Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, two extremely talented young guns, and there’s no doubt that their raft of signings have immense potential.
But for a club desperate to right the wrongs of last season, their focus on youth comes with significant risk. Inexperience at the top level and a fresh-faced side will mean it takes time to gel. Injuries to their attacking signings forced them back into the market late on, but in Manchester City’s Cole Palmer they landed another dangerous forward. They also kept a hold of Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Ian Maatsen despite plenty of interest.
It capped off a very good window for Chelsea in both directions – but one that might take a season or two to truly pay off.
Grade: A
Moises Caicedo arrived in a big money deal from Brighton. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crystal Palace
Biggest signing: Matheus Franca ($33m from Flamengo)
Biggest exit: Wilfried Zaha (free to Galatasaray)
Total spent: $65m
The exit of talismanic Wilfried Zaha was a major blow, especially since he departed for free. You get the feeling Palace didn’t quite manage to replace him in what was a quiet window for the club. Teen playmaker Matheus Franca is a promising signing, while Jefferson Lerma adds value on a free deal from Bournemouth. Dean Henderson (from Man Utd) is a major upgrade between the sticks and was in hot demand, while Rob Holding from Arsenal was a deadline-day deal to bolster their defensive stocks. After Zaha’s exit, keeping a hold of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise was vital, and they managed to see off the interest from around the league for both players. But coach Roy Hodgson said the squad was about three players lighter than he wanted – and he didn’t get the clinical striker or the fullback he wanted.
Grade: C
Everton
Biggest signing: Beto ($42m from Udinese)
Biggest exit: Moise Kean ($50m to Juventus)
Total spent: $68m
It’s hard to think of this window as anything other than a disaster. After scraping survival last season – again – it was clear that Everton needed reinforcements. That’s especially true after losing Anthony Gordon and Richarlison in back-to-back windows.
They got the striker they desperately needed, landing Beto from Udinese. But elsewhere? Crickets. Their only other permanent signing was a 19-year-old striker Chermiti for $21m, while they added Ashley Young on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison on loans.
The list of players they were linked to but couldn’t buy was damning. Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds, Harrison Reed, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Maxwell Cornet – all players that had reported Everton bids rejected on deadline day.
Meanwhile, they sold Alex Iwobi (Fulham) and Tom Cannon (Leicester) for a combined total nearing £30m on the final day, but didn’t spend a cent as the hours ticked by and the window slammed shut. Neal Maupay also went back to Brentford on a loan with an option to buy, while Everton couldn’t find a buyer for midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin for even £5m, so ended up terminating his contract on deadline day. Meanwhile, Demarai Gray could still leave to Saudi Arabia this week.
They needed depth in defence and midfield. They got none of it. With a squad that’s weaker than last season, avoiding relegation will be extremely difficult. At least they’re spending money on their new stadium, since it’s clearly not going towards transfers.
Grade: E
Everton boss Sean Dyche didn’t’ get the signings he would have wanted. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fulham
Biggest signing: Alex Iwobi ($43m from Everton)
Biggest exit: Aleksandar Mitrovic ($87m to Al Hilal)
Total spent: $115m
It was a big overhaul for Fulham this window, though they made just one confirmed sale – star striker Mitrovic opting for a payday in Saudi Arabia. But they also made six free transfers, clearing plenty of space for arrivals. They opted to sign players with plenty of top-flight experience: Alex Iwobi from Everton on deadline day, Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore from Wolves, Timothy Castagne from Leicester. A gifted left-back in Fodé Ballo-Touré arrived extremely late on deadline day on loan from AC Milan with no option to buy. Effectively, Fulham upgraded the quality of their starting line-up, though they didn’t manage to add much depth. But their inability to sign a striker outside of Jimenez, who hasn’t got back to his best after a serious head injury, is a major concern. They’ll hope he can find his shooting boots again, and that their other forwards can pitch in with goals to help them stay up. Defender Tosin Adarabioyo had a move to Monaco fall through, while Joao Palhina had a deal with Bayern Munich collapse after he had travelled to Germany for a medical and even took photos with his new jersey!
Grade: C
Liverpool
Biggest signing: Dominik Szoboszlai ($117m from RB Leipzig)
Biggest exit: Fabinho ($79m to Al Ittihad)
Total spent: $287m
Liverpool was always expected to target midfield reinforcements this summer, although ahead of the transfer deadline it quickly became clear just how big a priority it would be.
That is what losing Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain does to you.
There were a few missed targets along the way, headlined by the failed pursuit for Caicedo as Chelsea broke the British transfer record to sign the 21-year-old from Brighton.
In the end though, Liverpool did end up addressing its glaring need in the midfield after signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, who Andy Robertson described as seamless fits at the club.
While Liverpool may have lost Fabinho after struggling to match the spending powers of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, the Reds may have picked up a bargain in Wataru Endo.
“He is a late bloomer,” Klopp said of the 30-year-old, who Liverpool signed from Stuttgart for around 19 million euros.
He is a late bloomer in his career and he was definitely underestimated for a long time,” Klopp said.
“It is clear he has improved every year since he was on the proper football screen. On the pitch, he turns into a real monster.”
Klopp tipped Endo to have a “similar impact” to Milner, who joined Brighton as a free agent.
Liverpool was not finished there either, later signing Netherlands midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich before the deadline.
Speaking ahead of the deadline, Klopp said the team’s midfield is “completely new” after the summer signings which totalled £150 million.
“I think we have much more goal threat in midfield now but the workrate these guys put in, the stability they gave us was second-to-none and that is what we have to create as well,” Klopp added.
The Reds rejected a monster £150 million offer for Mohamed Salah to move to Saudi Arabia, but that country’s transfer window is still open for another few days. Al-Ittihad will reportedly return with a £200m bid – a staggering amount of money for anyone, let alone a 31-year-old – which will test Liverpool’s mettle. If they want to achieve a top four finish, they’ll need to keep the Egyptian superstar, especially with no chance to replace him with new signings now the Premier League window has slammed shut. Losing him could prove disastrous.
But with four new midfielders, Liverpool got the overhaul they badly needed – though it was 12 months too late.
Grade: A-
Szoboszlai is the big midfield signing Liverpool needed to make. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Luton Town
Biggest signing: Ryan Giles ($10m from Wolves)
Biggest exit: Luke Freeman (released)
Total spent: $38m
Luton’s remarkable rise throughout he divisions in recent years has been founded on a sustainable transfer policy founded on young and affordable players who can develop at the club (and potentially earn large fees if sold on). They didn’t throw that strategy out despite having more cash to play with after their promotion to the top flight. The six signings with disclosed transfer fees each cost less than six million euros. Ryan Giles from Wolves is one of the steals of the season at just €5.85m, while they brought back Marvelous Nakamba after a season on loan from Aston Villa – his permanent deal a very smart piece of business at just €2.9m. They added experience in the form of veteran keeper Tim Krul, and former Everton and Chelsea player Ross Barkley on a free transfer. There’s plenty of potential in their young signings, particularly former Manchester United academy product Tahith Chong. But their midfield stocks at times haven’t looked up to Premier League standard, and Luton were keen to add another, only for a loan move for Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden to collapse. The newcomers spent pennies compared to plenty of their rivals, and quite simply might not have the quality to stay up. You have to respect their dedication to the squad-building approach that has served them well for so long – but they might come to regret not splashing just a little more cash.
Grade: C
Manchester City
Biggest signing: Josko Gvardiol ($151m from RB Leipzig)
Biggest exit: Riyad Mahrez ($59m to Al Ahli)
Total spent: $403m
The champions have done it again. Pep Guardiola was sad to lose Mahrez to Saudi Arabia, the winger having been a key member of his multiple title-winning team. But they replaced him well with 21-year-old Jeremy Doku from Stade Rennais in France – a sensational dribbler with a particular ability to get to the byline and cut the ball back, which seems a perfect fit for Erling Haaland. They added Josko Gvardiol in a bid-money deal to boost their centre defence, allowing them to offload Aymeric Laporte to Saudi Arabia. Mateo Kovacic came from Chelsea to boost their midfield after Ilkay Gundogan’s exit, but when superstar Kevin de Bruyne went down with a serious injury they responded swiftly to poach 25-year-old Matheus Nunes from Wolves. Their elite squad didn’t need too much, but City opted for quality over quantity and were happy to let players go as well – with Cole Palmer off to Chelsea for a more than handy €47m, and Joao Cancelo (Barcelona, loan) and Benjamin Mendy (Lorient) also out the door.
Grade: A+
Manchester United
Biggest signing: Rasmus Hojlund ($126m from Atalanta)
Biggest exit: Anthony Elanga ($29m to Nottingham Forest)
Total spent: $345m
It was a solid window for United after a rocky start. There was chaos as veteran keeper David de Gea was not handed a new contract – despite all indications pointing to a new deal for the Spaniard. He departed and Andre Onana was brought in, before United made a big statement by bringing in Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and striker Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund for big money. Then they finally got the ball-playing midfielder they desperately needed by landing Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat on deadline day – one of FOUR signings before the window closed. Amrabat starred for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and should stop the Red Devils from being cut apart by opposition teams through the midfield channels. They added goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from Fenerbache, Tottenham left-back Sergio Reguilon on loan and free agent Jonny Evans on the final day, making it seven transfers in total and adding depth across the park.
Grade: B
Will Rasmus Hojlund be the Red Devils’ saviour up front? (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
Newcastle United
Biggest signing: Sandro Tonali ($107m from AC Milan)
Biggest exit: Allan Saint-Maximin ($45m to Al Ahli)
Total spent: $257m
Midfielder Sandro Tonali arrived early in the window from AC Milan for a club-record £55m, and Newcastle didn’t slow down there. They picked up winger Harvey Barnes (£39m from Leicester), and a pair of fullbacks in Tino Livramento (£36m from Southampton) and Lewis Hall (loan from Chelsea). There’s plenty of depth in the squad now, which will be needed as they return to the Champions League for the first time in two decades. A brutal group draw in that competition will sorely test them. There are big questions, however, over their lack of a clinical striker – it burned them badly against Liverpool and could prove costly this campaign. Callum Wilson has plenty of experience in the top flight and Alexander Isak lots of promise, but Eddie Howe will need one or both to show more cutting edge in the box if Newcastle is to push on this season. Teen winger Yakuba Minteh is one for the future, but Newcastle could have done with some more depth in their back line. And they also saw a deal collapse for exiled player Isaac Hayden to leave on loan to Luton Town.
Grade: B
Nottingham Forest
Biggest signing: Ibrahim Sangare ($59m from PSV)
Biggest exit: Brennan Johnson ($93m to Tottenham)
Total spent: $203m
Forest went wild on deadline day, signing a whopping seven players – including plenty that were announced after the 11pm closing of the transfer window. The highlight was Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi for an absolute bargain fee under £5m – especially when you consider the Blues once rejected a £70m offer for the 22-year-old.
Selling Brennan Johnson was never what Forest wanted, but they held out for a sizeable fee nearing £50m and used that cash very wisely to overhaul the squad and provide plenty of depth and balance around the park.
Former Liverpool striker Divock Origi returns to the Premier League on loan with an option to buy from AC Milan, while their deadline day moves included a fullback, a midfielder, and a strong keeper, in addition to their earlier signings. Anthony Elanga at 21 years old is another gifted attacker that could easily rise in re-sell value, like Hudson-Odoi, while they picked up a veteran attacker in Chris Wood who has already delivered in the scoring department. With a balance of youth and experience in their signings, they made the most of the money they received and traded one extremely good player for a host of valuable signings.
One to watch will definitely be Ibrahim Sangare, a defensive midfielder who always looks for a long ball – which could be perfect to feed their quick new wingers on the counter-attack. He was linked to Bayern Munich earlier in the window and is a massive deadline-day coup for Forest.
Grade: A+
Steve Cooper has overseen yet another big transfer window at Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
Sheffield United
Biggest signing: Cameron Archer ($35m from Aston Villa)
Biggest exit: Iliman Ndiaye ($28m to Marseille)
Total spent: $107m
The Blades always deliver solid signings for reasonable prices – and this time they went fishing across Europe for bargains. They picked up players from Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium, before bagging a big name in Villa’s gifted striker Cameron Archer. Losing Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge was a blow, especially the latter’s grit in the midfield, but Sheffield United did well to add Gustavo Hamer from Coventry City in the Championship. The 26-year-old is a defensive-minded midfield warrior but has already delivered a Premier League goal and has started the new season well. They’ll need 21-year-old Archer to find his feet, as well as their other young signings (average age 22.6). But there’s plenty of room for optimism, and the Blades did it all on a shoestring budget.
Grade: B
Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest signing: Brennan Johnson ($92m from Nottingham Forest)
Biggest exit: Harry Kane ($168m to Bayern Munich)
Total spent: $415m.
James Maddison might have seemed expensive at $77m, but his creativity in midfield has revolutionised Spurs and he might just end up being one of the signings of the season. Spurs have undergone a rebuild under Ange Postecoglou, but by far the biggest move was the departure of England captain Harry Kane – the will-he-won’t-he drama finally coming to an end this year. It pocketed Spurs a heap of cash, which they spread around on a number of players, with nine arrivals in all. Brennan Johnson came in late, the Nottingham Forest attacker perfectly fitting the mould of a versatile Postecoglou forward that can play anywhere across the front line. There are some areas where Spurs are lacking, though. Postecoglou wanted another centre-back or two after the arrival of Micky van de Ven but didn’t get them, especially with the club unable to offload a couple of defenders. And there’s a lack of creative depth if Maddison cops an injury – besides Giovani Lo Celso, there’s not much playmaking or creative incision. And there was also a failure to ship out Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who rejected a move to Fulham. It looked like a move could happen on deadline day, but Spanish side Atletico Madrid was only looking for a loan deal while Spurs wanted a permanent buyer. Their failure to sell may have stopped them from sealing a move for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher. Spurs reportedly tabled an offer of £40m for the midfielder, but couldn’t convince the Blues to sell. Nevertheless, a new back-line, more depth in midfield, and an attacker is a solid return – though it doesn’t quite mask the hole in attack left by Kane’s exit.
Grade: B+
James Maddison has adapted quickly to life at Tottenham. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
West Ham United
Biggest signing: Mohammed Kudus ($72m from Ajax)
Biggest exit: Declan Rice ($195m to Arsenal)
Total spent: $230m
Manager David Moyes called it a ‘difficult’ transfer window, which sums things up nicely. They were always going to lose Declan Rice, but got plenty of money for their star man. The problem was signing the players that they wanted!
It started well as they brought in Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse as well as the exceptional Kudus, but were frustrated in their attempts to sign a striker after selling Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta.
Negotiations failed over a deal for Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto, as well as Sevilla over Youssef En-Nesyri and Paris Saint-Germain over Hugo Ekitike. They also saw Juventus reject a move for wing-back Filip Kostic, who chose the Italian club over West Ham a year ago but fell down the pecking order.
With hopes high that they would land a striker and Kostic on deadline day, it ended in frustration. But they ended up with a profit, and they’re top of the table with a nice European trophy in their cabinet already this season. It could be worse!
Grade: C+
Wolves
Biggest signing: Matheus Cunha ($84m from Atletico Madrid, loan made permanent)
Biggest exit: Matheus Nunes ($101m to Manchester City)
Total spent: $157m
Wolves were a club in crisis when the window opened, stricken by huge losses (and transfer spending) over the last two seasons that left them desperately needing to sell players to balance their books.
So bad was the situation that manager Julen Lopetegui left the club just days before the start of the season, frustrated that he was blocked from signing any players to add to a squad that he believed was not capable of survival.
It was all about the departures this window – midfield star Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia, defender Nathan Collins to Brentford, and then midfielder Matheus Nunes to the champions on deadline day for £52m. They also offloaded Conor Coady, Raúl Jiménez and Ryan Giles to name a few.
In one sense, Wolves will be very happy at the money they raked in. But the players they signed as replacements – all for cheap – are clearly a class below the stars they let go.
They made January’s loan arrival Matheus Cunha into a permanent move for €50m, but that deal had already been effectively locked in last window.
Luckily, they managed to pick up a midfielder in Jean-Ricner Bellegarde from Strasbourg on the final day, their second midfield arrival from the French league this window after bagging Boubacar Traoré earlier. Santiago Bueno, a centre-back, arrived from Girona on yet another cut-price deal.
Financially, this window was much-needed for Wolves. But they must feel like they’ve been absolutely gutted of their top talent.
Wolves have allowed Portugal international Goncalo Guedes to return to Benfica on loan in a move which could allow Gary O’Neil to strengthen his squad in the final days of the transfer window.
The 26-year-old Guedes has never managed to settle in the Black Country since a £27million move from Valencia last summer, and joined Benfica on loan last January before a knee injury ended his season prematurely in March.
With Wolves braced for the possible loss of Matheus Nunes to Manchester City before Friday’s transfer deadline, sporting director Matt Hobbs said Guedes’ loan, which will run for the full season, will clear up space on the Molineux wage bill that could be used in other deals.
“After the tough period Goncalo had with the injury last year, it’s important for him to go out and get as many minutes as possible, in an environment he knows well, at a club which knows him well – they’ve been a big part of his rehab, so it’s a move which makes sense,” Hobbs said.
“We had to make sure he was going to play enough and with all the competitions Benfica are in, he’s going to play a lot of games. He’s just become a father for the first time and now has a son there, so he’ll be happy off the pitch, which will hopefully allow him to perform on it.
“Also, the fact we can use his wages to hopefully supplement other deals this last week (of the window) can only be a positive for us. It frees up money to be spent elsewhere and gives him an opportunity to play games.”
It’s been a busy couple of days for Premier League transfers, with Liverpool responding to sign a much-needed midfielder following Chelsea pipping them to yet another star signing, while Aston Villa have secured a major coup.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said on Friday he was happy to sign “late bloomer” Wataru Endo, with the Japan midfielder arriving at Anfield after Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia opted to join Chelsea instead.
No fee has been disclosed for the 30-year-old Endo’s “long-term contract” but reports valued his move from Bundesliga club Stuttgart at £19 million ($24 million, 22 million euros).
Liverpool have been on the hunt for a defensive midfielder since both captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho made the move to Saudi Arabia during the ongoing transfer window.
The Reds’ attempts to sign Brighton’s Caicedo and Southampton’s Lavia failed, with both players heading to big-spending Chelsea.
Liverpool have finally got a new number six.Source: AFP
But Klopp, speaking ahead of Saturday’s match against Bournemouth — the Reds’ first home game this season following last week’s draw at Chelsea — told a press conference he had long been an admirer of Endo.
“First of all, I’m really happy that we can have an agreement with a club and a player which is really cool,” Klopp said.
“I am from Germany, I watch a lot of Bundesliga, I’ve known him since he is at Stuttgart, I liked him pretty much from the start when he started playing there.
“He’s a little bit of a late bloomer and usually for us for the way our owners see it, he was already too old when he joined Stuttgart but I obviously have a different view on that and I always liked him.”
On Liverpool’s transfer market issues, Klopp added: “The last week was obviously a tricky one, no doubt about that. But when you have a problem you can stick to the problem or find a solution, I’m more than happy to have the solution.
“The transfer business is like that — you talk to people, the players and clubs and sometimes it works out and sometimes not.
“There’s nothing else to say about that. All things that were said in these conversations, they stay between me and the specific other party, nothing to say about that, really.”
BLUES SIGN ANOTHER MIDFIELD SUPERSTAR
Chelsea have signed Romeo Lavia on a seven-year contract from Southampton it was announced Friday in the latest addition to their squad after the teenage midfielder rejected a move to Premier League rivals Liverpool.
No fee has been disclosed but British media reports stated the deal was £53 million rising to £58 million ($A115m).
Lavia, 19, is the eighth player to join Chelsea in the current transfer window, with the London club, now owned by a consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly, having spent more than £350 million — although they have sold several high-value footballers as well.
Belgium international Lavia has made 29 Premier League appearances and has arrived at Stamford Bridge following south coast side Southampton’s relegation from English football’s top-flight last season.
Lavia scored against Chelsea last season.Source: Getty Images
“I can’t wait to meet all my new teammates and build a chemistry together to achieve great things together,” Lavia told Chelsea’s website.
He is now set to compete for a place in Chelsea’s midfield with Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo — the two most expensive players in English football transfer history.
Caicedo arrived from Brighton earlier this month for a reported fee of up to £115 million, surpassing the £107 million the Blues paid Portuguese giants Benfica for Fernandez back in January
Aston Villa have signed former Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo.Source: AFP
VILLA LAND ITALIAN GUN
Aston Villa signed Italy midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo on loan from Galatasaray on Friday.
Zaniolo, 24, is the Premier League club’s fourth signing since the end of last season.
The deal reportedly involves an option for Villa to make the move permanent. “Aston Villa is delighted to announce the loan signing of Italian international Nicolo Zaniolo,” a statement on the club’s website said.
Zaniolo spent five years with Roma and scored the winning goal in their Europa Conference League final success in 2022.
He left for Galatasaray in February and helped the club win the Turkish league title.
Zaniolo, who has 13 caps for Italy, joins Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby as new faces in Unai Emery’s squad.
Villa were thrashed 5-1 at Newcastle in their Premier League opener last weekend and host Everton in their second game on Sunday.
Chelsea will confirm the signing of Romeo Lavia later this morning.
The midfielder has already confirmed his departure from Southampton on social media having finalised terms with the Blues.
Chelsea are paying £58million for the 19-year-old, having fought off interest from Liverpool to secure his signature.
It has been a whirlwind few days for Mauricio Pochettino’s team, with the £115m British record capture of Moises Caicedo from Brighton completed on Monday.
Lavia will sign for an initial £53m with Southampton able to receive a further £5m in add-ons.
It takes the spending under owner Todd Boehly over the past 12 months close to £1billion.
Liverpool are set to sign Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo, talkSPORT understands.
The Japanese international has been given permission to undergo a medical with the Merseysiders.
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Endo looks set to join Liverpool in the coming daysCredit: Getty
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The Stuttgart skipper will add vital steel to Jurgen Klopp’s midfieldCredit: Getty
The 30-year-old joined German side Stuttgart in 2019 on an initial loan deal before signing on a permanent basis in 2020.
In that time, Endo has made 133 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals and being named as captain.
Renowned for his tackling ability and work rate, the midfielder was a key part in helping Stuttgart to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga in each of the last two seasons.
With a contract that expires next summer, Endo has previously been a transfer target of Crystal Palace, who considered a move to sign him in January.
Liverpool are desperate to sign a defensive midfield player after the arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister from RB Leipzig and Brighton respectively.
The Reds had been eagerly pursuing deals for both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, however Klopp’s side have suffered torrid luck having seen Chelsea hijack both deals, leaving the Merseysiders with a lack of steel in their midfield.
Liverpool have also been linked with Sofyan Amrabat and Ryan Gravenberch, with the club still holding two non-homegrown spots in their Premier League squad for the season ahead.
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