The 2025 European summer window has been short of nothing but drama and blockbuster moves from the top clubs. Some teams have bolstered positions where they needed help in while others focused on depth, and the rest looked to be indecisive.
Premier League clubs have broken records with over £3bn spent in this summer’s transfer window.
By 31 August, spending had reached £2.73bn, but major deadline day moves — including Alexander Isak’s £125m switch from Newcastle to Liverpool — pushed the total to £3.087bn.
This figure far exceeds last summer’s £1.96bn and tops the combined spending of clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A.
Big money moves:
Manchester City started off quickly, acquiring the signatures of Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, Ryan Cherki from Lyon, and Ryan Ait Nouri from Wolverhampton, for a combined total of €125.2m.
Manchester United, signed Benjamin Sesko from Rb Leipzig, Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, and Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton for a whooping total of €214m.
Chelsea were also big spenders as they brought in Joao Pedro (Brighton), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester united), Jamie Gittens (Borussia Dortmund), and Ajax sensation Jorrel Hato, all for a combined €216.1m- this was indeed a busy window for the West Londoners.
Arsenal got what the fans have always been crying for, and that came in the 6’2 form of Viktor Gyokeres (€63.5m), a signing expected to be the focal point of their attack. The Gunners also added Martin Zubimendi (€60m), Eberechi Eze(€69m) and Noni Madueke (€55m) making it €247.5m in total.
Liverpool showed they weren’t in this transfer market to play as they splashed an excess of €424m, breaking the British transfer record twice with the signings of Florian Wirtz(€125m), and Alexander Isak(€144m) on deadline day.
Other European giants might not be able to compete with the spending prowess of their English counterparts but did make some bold moves too.
Real Madrid signed Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander Arnold, and Alvaro Carreras. That’s one of the best right backs in the world, one of the best emerging center backs and a highly rated left back, reinforcing their troubled defense.
The Shockers
Deadline day delivered a few twists, as it always does, and this summer deadline did not disappoint.
As they seek to repair their ailing attack, Bayern finally found an answer to the Nikolas Jackson puzzle barely 48 hours after Chelsea requested he returned from Munich.
Newcastle United got Yoane Wissa over the line after losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool, pairing him with NIck Woltemade.
Manchester City, who are known to make haste with their signings, left Gianluigi Donnarumma till late as they had to find a club willing to secure the services of Ederson.
In a last-minute swoop, Juventus secured Lois Openda from Rb Leipzig on loan.
Across the continent, the major leagues and teams breathed a collective sigh of relief as the window ended. How are they expected to compete with a league that broke the transfer record again flexing its unmatched financial muscle?
Even though it is always to tell which clubs won or lost this early, there’s no doubt that:
Winners
1. Liverpool-reignited an aging core and build on their premier league success.
2. Real Madrid – finally fixed their main problems with a promising set of new defenders.
3. Arsenal – got their striker, boosted their creativity with top tier additions.
4. Chelsea- increased their depth.
5. Manchester United – brought in two marquee signings who are not new to getting goals.
Losers:
Manchester City’s signings haven’t been the ones you expect Pep to make, in the form of a Goalkeeper who doesn’t play from the back and an attacking midfielder who holds on to the ball a bit too long.
The Obvious losers are the teams who could not secure their targets before deadline and are headed to the new season with the same old problems.
Final thoughts
This window reminded us of how entertaining football can get.
Where the biggest clubs enter the season with a buzz of excitement and fresh energy, while clubs who couldn’t get their deals through would spend the international break ruing missed opportunities.
But until the next window in January, we are about to be witnesses to one of the best campaigns in recent times.
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Story by Selorm Ahiamadi|univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Pius Asack
