Premier League clubs spent a record £3 billion ($4 billion) in a 2025 summer transfer window that finished with a bang thanks to Liverpool’s £125 million ($169 million) signing of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. But with a FIFA World Cup in the middle of the window in 2026, will things stay the same?
The window opens on June 15 for the Premier League and July 1 for most of the other major European leagues.
Here are grades for all the major confirmed transfers in the men’s game, with each listed by date and then by highest fee.
All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.
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June 15
Marcos Senesi
Free
Senesi was one of the outstanding center backs in the Premier League last season. A committed defender, a physical presence and a brilliant passer from the back, he stood out as one of the best free agents heading into the summer, and Spurs have won the race for his signature.
His signing does raise some questions for the club to answer. Will captain Cristian Romero be departing? Is the plan to play with two left-footers (Senesi and Micky van de Ven), or will it be a back three? Though none of that detracts from the fact this deal is a coup.
Andy Robertson
Free
Tottenham came close to signing Robertson in January and have now finally sealed the deal. The 32-year-old defender’s time at Liverpool had come to a natural end as he passed his peak and Milos Kerkez replaced him in the XI.
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Roberto De Zerbi will value the Scotland international’s passing ability and the Spurs squad badly need his leadership qualities — although they have reportedly paid a premium in wages for a player who won’t necessarily be first choice.
June 29
Rasmus Højlund
€44m (£38m; $51m)
Højlund’s loan to Napoli was made permanent the moment the Italian giants qualified for the Champions League. The Denmark striker led the attacking line all season long, contributing 16 goals in total, and rebounded well from his disappointing spell at Man United.
It’s a good deal for both clubs, as €44 million (plus a €6 million loan fee last season) for a reliable goal scorer represents strong value for Napoli, while United will be pleased to make a fair chunk of their money back on a signing that cost them an initial €75 million and simply did not work out.
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July 1
Anthony Gordon
€70m (£60m, $80m)
With legendary goal scorer Robert Lewandowski gone on a free transfer and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford far from certain to stay permanently, Barcelona needed a big addition to their forward line this summer. Gordon plays both left wing and striker, presses hard and was the fastest player in the Premier League last season, topping 36 km/h, per Gradient Sports. He’s a good fit for Hansi Flick’s tactical style.
This is about the right price range for any player of this established quality. Newcastle could earn an extra €10 million if add-ons are met, making this potentially even more lucrative for them.
Emmanuel Emegha
€25m (£22m; $29m)
Chelsea struck a deal to sign Emegha in the summer of 2025, but opted to let him stay at sister club Strasbourg and continue developing for another year. It was a good idea, but things didn’t go to plan as the Dutchman missed most of last season due to injury.
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For a player who stands 6-foot-5 tall he is extremely fast, with great movement, but he is unreliable in front of goal and underperformed his xG by three in 2024-25. Emegha has huge potential and he is still only 23, but probably isn’t ready to start for Chelsea just yet.
Antoine Griezmann
Free
Atletico Madrid: B
Orlando City: A
Griezmann’s long farewell to Atlético was a tearjerker, and it feels right that the 35-year-old forward opted for a new challenge, on a different continent, rather than moved to another European club. He was a great servant to the club for a long time, negating the need to receive any kind of fee for him.
Orlando have had a poor campaign to date and could use all the help they can get; Griezmann’s quality and personality is a great start to turning things around.
