After a summer of record spending Premier League clubs shelled out a combined £3.48 billion and a genuinely chaotic Deadline Day, Sky Sports reporters have rated how every top-flight club fared in the transfer market. Here’s the full round-up.
Arsenal 8/10
Arsenal trimmed eight senior players from the squad, including Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Christian Norgaard, recouping over £100 million and cutting a significant wage bill. The one disappointment was failing to land a genuine left-wing upgrade after long pursuits of Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez both fell through though fans largely understand both were long shots. Christos Tzolis, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka all offer credible left-sided cover, while Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa Mikel Arteta’s genuine top targets were both secured.
Aston Villa 7/10
Villa lost six starters from their Europa League-winning side, including Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, forcing a rebuild within tight financial constraints. The response has centred on younger talent like Ibrahim Mbaye and Johan Manzambi alongside experienced additions Leon Goretzka and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Early signs from Nicolas Jackson and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki have been encouraging, though the full verdict depends on sustained performances.
Bournemouth 9/10
A window defined by retention rather than sales Bournemouth kept hold of Alex Scott, Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan despite strong interest, honouring a promise to new boss Marco Rose. Smart additions including goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, defender Antonio Silva and full-back Juanlu Sanchez were completed early, meaning Bournemouth avoided Deadline Day business entirely for the first time in years.
Brentford 9/10
Mamadou Sangare’s £39 million arrival already looks excellent value as the centrepiece of Brentford’s midfield. Crucially, the club retained key figures Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade and rising star Yehor Yarmoliuk, while tying down Michael Kayode and Vitaly Janelt to new deals a summer built on continuity as much as smart additions.
Brighton 7.5/10
An uncharacteristically busy window saw nine new first-team players arrive for close to £170 million, headlined by a club-record £50 million deal for Luka Vuskovic. A dramatic late addition of Chema Andres helps offset Carlos Baleba’s departure to Manchester United, though replacing Danny Welbeck’s goal threat remains a question mark. Keeping hold of Liverpool target Yankuba Minteh was a significant win.
Chelsea 9/10
A clear strategic shift saw Chelsea add Premier League-ready experience in Jordan Henderson, Emiliano Martinez and Danny Welbeck, while continuing to recruit elite young talent like Geovany Quenda. Securing Joao Pedro on an improved contract was a smart pre-emptive move. The one contentious issue was the prolonged Enzo Fernandez saga, which ultimately ended in his sale to Manchester City though an unbeaten start to the season suggests the squad hasn’t been unsettled by it.
Coventry 8/10
An ambitious window for a newly-promoted side, blending Premier League experience (Frank Onyeka, Taiwo Awoniyi) with exciting younger additions (Caleb Yirenkyi, Sidiki Cherif). Question marks remain over whether the new-look attack will find enough goals after a scoreless start, but the squad is unquestionably deeper and stronger than the one that won promotion.
Crystal Palace 7/10
Losing Maxence Lacroix and Daniel Munoz stung, but retaining Adam Wharton, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr counts as a real win. Sensible rather than spectacular signings Axel Disasi, Dwight McNeil, Ben Chilwell bolster depth, while Dario Osorio looks like a potential gem. Palace have become experts at absorbing star departures without derailing their momentum.
Everton 2/10
A genuinely chaotic window that ended with the collapsed Folarin Balogun deal leaving David Moyes with just Thierno Barry as a recognised senior striker until January. Selling Iliman Ndiaye for £65 million after an earlier £60 million Tottenham swap deal fell through drew criticism despite representing a healthy return. Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Jack Grealish and Brennan Johnson offer some positives, but the squad still lacks the attacking reinforcement Moyes has repeatedly requested.
Fulham 7/10
Gonzalo Garcia’s early scoring form looks promising for Alvaro Arbeloa’s new attacking approach, while midfield additions Cesar Palacios, Shea Charles and Hugo Larsson add real depth. The high-pressing system has already exposed some defensive vulnerability, making Deadline Day signing David Affengruber a potentially important addition. Notably, Fulham didn’t sign a specialist winger despite losing Harry Wilson and Samuel Chukwueze.
Hull 8/10
Eighteen new arrivals, including six on Deadline Day, reflect owner Acun Ilicali’s ambitious recruitment push. A patient approach helped Hull land primary targets on favourable terms, while retaining the core of their promotion-winning squad preserves the spirit that got them up in the first place.
Ipswich 9/10
A striking turnaround from the failed £110 million spend of 2024 this time Ipswich invested around £200 million across 14 signings, adding genuine Premier League experience through Julio Enciso, Sasa Lukic, Issa Diop and Florentino Luis. The squad has been strengthened across almost every position rather than simply replacing departures.
Leeds 8/10
The most important business was completed early, with Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemovic and James Trafford all upgrading key positions in Daniel Farke’s starting XI. Nico Elvedi, Michael Zetterer and Melvin Bard address squad depth concerns from last season, while late Deadline Day addition Jean-Matteo Bahoya offers genuine X-factor if he delivers on his early promise.
Liverpool 7/10
Pace out wide was addressed through Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz, giving Andoni Iraola four credible wide options alongside Cody Gakpo and emerging talent Rio Ngumoha. Ronald Araujo adds valuable defensive cover across two positions. The lingering gap is a genuine right-sided winger to directly replace Mohamed Salah’s output, and additional full-back and holding midfield depth would have strengthened the squad further.
Manchester City 8/10
Losing Rodri to Barcelona was a significant blow, but City responded with back-to-back record-breaking deals, headlined by Enzo Fernandez’s dramatic Deadline Day arrival. Fernandez could partner Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi in a £300 million midfield that ranks among Europe’s most talented. Money recouped from Savio, Omar Marmoush and others funded further additions including Iliman Ndiaye, leaving the squad better equipped than at the start of last season.
Manchester United 7/10
United’s clear priority was rebuilding their midfield, achieved through the signings of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba for a combined £155 million, giving Michael Carrick genuine options alongside Kobbie Mainoo. A lack of dedicated left-back depth is a concern, though Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot offer cover. Fewer departures than expected including Marcus Rashford staying limited flexibility elsewhere, though Rashford’s promising early form could prove a bonus in itself.
Newcastle 8/10
Eight signings for £262 million, funded partly by £245 million recouped from Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon. Nico Gonzalez and Matias Fernandez-Pardo, signed for a combined £101 million, look like the most significant and ambitious additions, helping Newcastle recover from a window that briefly threatened to unravel after early setbacks.
Nottingham Forest 7.5/10
A solid opening window for new boss Oliver Glasner, who secured a physical focal point in Liam Delap and reunited with familiar faces Daniel Munoz and Xaver Schlager from previous jobs. The one shortfall was failing to directly replace Elliot Anderson with a similarly dynamic young midfielder, though the fee received from Manchester City was substantial.
Sunderland 7/10
A dramatic late scramble saw Sunderland beat Crystal Palace to Malick Fofana in a tug-of-war that required direct intervention from owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to complete. Fofana and fellow big-money signing Dayann Methalie now carry real pressure to deliver, but retaining Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey and Noah Sadiki was just as important to Sunderland’s summer.
Tottenham 7/10
Full marks for ambition Spurs backed up their promise to spend big, landing Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali early before adding Savio and Omar Marmoush to finally address a lack of forward quality. A dramatic swap-deal collapse for Iliman Ndiaye (with Richarlison heading to Everton) proved a rare misstep, with Ndiaye ultimately joining Manchester City instead. A high-risk, high-reward move for Mykhailo Mudryk his first football in almost two years rounded out a genuinely eventful window, whether or not every individual fee proves good value.
Quick Facts: Transfer Window Ratings
- Highest rated: Bournemouth, Brentford, Chelsea, Ipswich (9/10)
- Lowest rated: Everton (2/10)
- Total Premier League spend: £3.48bn (new record)
- Most dramatic Deadline Day story: Everton’s collapsed Balogun deal
- Biggest late twist: Man City’s Deadline Day deal for Enzo Fernandez
