Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scored five times as the FA Cup holders ran riot in a 6-2 rout of Luton in the fifth round on Tuesday.
Aided by Kevin De Bruyne’s trio of assists, Haaland completed his treble inside the first 40 minutes at Kenilworth Road.
Jordan Clark struck twice to briefly reduce Luton’s deficit to just 3-2. But any Luton hopes of an incredible comeback were ruthlessly erased by Haaland as the Norway striker scored twice more after the interval to send City into the quarter-finals.
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
Mateo Kovacic netted to cap City’s second six-goal haul this season after their 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth in the Premier League in November.
Haaland now has 27 goals in all competitions this season, making a mockery of the critics who took a swipe at him after a misfiring display in a recent draw against Chelsea.
It was the second time Haaland had hit five goals in a single game for City after his heroics in the Champions League last 16 second leg win against RB Leipzig in March 2023.
Saluting De Bruyne’s role in his demolition of Luton, Haaland said: “Kevin is massive. It’s a pleasure playing with him. We know what we both want from each other.”
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scored five times as the FA Cup holders ran riot in a 6-2 rout of Luton.Source: Getty Images
On his own form since returning from a foot injury that sidelined him for two months, Haaland added: “I’m getting back to my best. Finally I’m feeling good.
“It’s an amazing feeling. It’s coming, we’re coming. Exciting times ahead. We are ready to attack.”
Guardiola added: “What can I say? Erling is on fire, and Kevin. The connection was perfect. Kevin needs players like Erling and Erling needs players like Kevin.”
City have won 14 of their last 15 games in all competitions as they try to emulate last season’s Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.
Haaland and De Bruyne are rounding into form in time for Sunday’s crucial Premier League showdown against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.
– Predatory Haaland –
City needed just three minutes to take the lead this time as Haaland finished off a flowing move.
Matheus Nunes clipped a clever pass to De Bruyne and he picked out Haaland inside the Luton area, where the City striker fired past Tim Krul with ease.
De Bruyne was the provider again in the 18th minute when Haaland bagged his second goal.
Taking Haaland’s lay-off on the halfway line, De Bruyne unfurled a sumptuous pass that sent the Norway star clean through on goal for a typically predatory finish.
Haaland completed his treble in the 40th minute, accelerating onto yet another sublime De Bruyne assist before dinking a deft finish over Krul from 12 yards.
Liverpool charging on despite injuries | 00:52
It was Haaland’s eighth hat-trick for City and his first away from the Etihad since signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Clark reduced the deficit five minutes later with a superb long-range curler and scored again in the 52nd minute.
But De Bruyne and Haaland proved impossible for Luton to stop. Kyle Walker’s eye-catching pass with the outside of his foot set De Bruyne free in the area and he unselfishly teed up Haaland for a 55th minute tap in.
Haaland got his fifth three minutes later, taking Bernardo Silva’s pass and shooting low under Krul’s weak attempted save.
Kovacic smashed a 20-yard drive past Krul in the 72nd minute to put a bow on City’s evening to remember.
Abdul Fatawu’s stunning strike gave Championship leaders Leicester a surprise 1-0 win at Premier League side Bournemouth.
Leicester struck in the 105th minute when Fatawu collected Kelechi Iheanacho’s pass on the edge of the area and curled into the top corner.
Newcastle survived a scare to beat second tier Blackburn 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.
Anthony Gordon’s 71st minute opener was cancelled by Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics eight minutes later, before Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka emerged as the shoot-out hero with two saves.
Maidstone manager George Elokobi said the “magic of the FA Cup is very much alive” after the sixth-tier side stunned Championship high-flyers Ipswich 2-1.
Ipswich are 98 places and four divisions above Maidstone in the English football pyramid, but manager Kieran McKenna was left to rue making 10 changes.
The visitors’ two goals were worthy of winning any cup tie as Lamar Reynolds produced a cool chip over Christian Walton as Maidstone surged upfield from an Ipswich corner just before half-time.
Liam Sole celebrates victory with teammates. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesMaidstone players celebrate after winning. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)Source: AFP
Jeremy Sarmiento looked to have restored order when the Ecuador international drilled low into the bottom corner on 56 minutes.
However, there was another twist in a fairytale story as Reynolds this time played provider for Sam Corne to fire in the winner 24 minutes from time.
“Our boys have run themselves into the ground and that is what we said, ‘leave nothing in the changing room’,” said former Wolves defender Elokobi.
“This binds us for life, what our boys are achieving right now. What our boys are achieving now has not been done in over 100 years. The magic of the FA Cup is very much alive.”
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
Maidstone won the match 2-1. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)Source: AFP
There was a shocking moment amid the wild celebrations from Maidstone fans when one supporter fell from the second tier, rolling down and then landing in a section of Ipswich fans.
Reports from the UK suggest there were no serious injuries.
LUTON STRIKE LATE TO ELIMINATE EVERTON
Elsewhere, Luton struck at the death to dump Everton out in the fourth round.
Everton and Luton’s priority is survival in the Premier League and the Hatters’ 96th-minute winner at least ensured they both avoided a replay.
Vitaliy Mykolenko’s own goal gave Luton a half-time lead that was cancelled out when stand-in goalkeeper Tim Krul allowed Jack Harrison’s shot through his grasp early in the second period.
A bad-tempered affair appeared to be meandering towards a stalemate until Cauley Woodrow bundled home from a corner right at the death.
Joao Pedro scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, as Brighton beat Sheffield United 5-2 at Bramall Lane.
Facundo Buonanotte’s fine strike and Pedro’s first spot-kick put the visitors 2-0 up.
But last season’s semi-finalists were pegged back before half-time as Gustavo Hamer and William Osula struck for the Blades.
Another Pedro penalty restored Brighton’s advantage before he completed his hat-trick and Danny Welbeck rounded off the scoring deep into stoppage time.
Cauley Woodrow celebrates scoring. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFPNathan Patterson of Everton looks dejected. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Championship leaders Leicester made light work of Birmingham as Jamie Vardy was on target in a 3-0 victory.
Leeds and Plymouth is one of at least four ties set for a replay after they drew 1-1 at Elland Road.
Newcastle face Fulham in Saturday’s late kick-off as the Magpies aim to move one step closer to a first FA Cup success for 69 years.
Holders Manchester City booked their place in the last 16 with a 1-0 win over Tottenham on Friday night thanks to Nathan Ake’s late winner.
Liverpool are in action on Sunday when they host Norwich at what is sure to be an emotional Anfield for the Reds’ first match since manager Jurgen Klopp announced he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Newport County of League Two are also seeking a huge upset when they host Manchester United.
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: $157m
Wolves were a club in crisis when the window opened, stricken by huge losses (and transfer spending) over the last two seasons that left them desperately needing to sell players to balance their books.
So bad was the situation that manager Julen Lopetegui left the club just days before the start of the season, frustrated that he was blocked from signing any players to add to a squad that he believed was not capable of survival.
It was all about the departures this window – midfield star Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia, defender Nathan Collins to Brentford, and then midfielder Matheus Nunes to the champions on deadline day for £52m. They also offloaded Conor Coady, Raúl Jiménez and Ryan Giles to name a few.
In one sense, Wolves will be very happy at the money they raked in. But the players they signed as replacements – all for cheap – are clearly a class below the stars they let go.
They made January’s loan arrival Matheus Cunha into a permanent move for €50m, but that deal had already been effectively locked in last window.
Luckily, they managed to pick up a midfielder in Jean-Ricner Bellegarde from Strasbourg on the final day, their second midfield arrival from the French league this window after bagging Boubacar Traoré earlier. Santiago Bueno, a centre-back, arrived from Girona on yet another cut-price deal.
Financially, this window was much-needed for Wolves. But they must feel like they’ve been absolutely gutted of their top talent.
Al Hilal are reported to have negotiated a £50 million ($AUD99 million deal for the 28-year-old.
“The club can confirm that Aleksandar Mitrovic has this evening left to join Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League for a club record transfer fee,” Fulham said in a statement.
“The club had reluctantly accepted a revised offer as the player had consistently made his desire to leave known.”
Mitrovic pushed for a move in order to join the growing list of players swapping Europe for a lucrative switch to the Gulf state.
He will be Al Hilal’s latest high-profile signing after their swoops for Neymar, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves and Malcom.
Mitrovic has gone to Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
