Liverpool are losing their most effective dribbler, but Bayern Munich-bound Luis Diaz is no longer required at Anfield: BALLGM grades the biggest deals of the 2025 summer transfer window

For some football fans, the off-season is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most, as that can only mean one thing: It’s time for transfers! The 2025 summer window is proving to be one of the busiest in recent times, with some huge names already making big-money moves.

We all know that some transfers turn out well for all parties involved, but there are plenty where at least one of the clubs, or even the player, are left wondering what might have been had they made a different decision while at the negotiating table.

بالجم is here, then, to ensure you know who did the best out of every massive deal before the players have even been officially unveiled. Throughout the summer window, we will be grading every done deal as it happens, letting you track the big winners – and losers – of transfer season.

Check out all of our grades below, and let us know what you think in the comments section…

For Liverpool: A consequence of a stunning summer spending spree. The Reds are so well-run by Fenway Sports Group (FSG) that they don’t have any Profit u0026amp; Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns, meaning their £265m outlay on the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz hasn’t put the Reds in any financial peril whatsoever. However, it’s clear that they’re not done yet. Liverpool clearly want to add Alexander Isak to their attack, too – and for a British-record fee. Selling Diaz, then, makes perfect economic and sporting sense. Diaz was one of Arne Slot’s best players last season, and is a popular member of the dressing room, but it’s been clear for some time that he was open to leaving Liverpool, who have managed to make a massive profit on their €45m signing from Porto. Admittedly, the Reds are losing their most effective dribbler over the past three-and-a-half years and Diaz’s versatility proved invaluable last season, but, truth be told, he was no longer really required. Cody Gakpo proved a more potent option on the left wing last year, while Liverpool are likely to be ridiculously well-stocked at No.9 by the time the new season kicks off. As high-profile departures go, this is one of the most agreeable you’ll ever see. Grade: B+

For Bayern: A left winger at last! Bayern fans were starting to get a little nervous, after the club’s interest in Nico Williams and Bradley Barcola came to nothing. For a long time, it also seemed as if Liverpool had zero intention of letting Diaz leave. However, the Reds were merely standing their ground on the asking price, acutely aware of Bayern’s pressing need to strengthen the left-hand side of their attack. Consequently, the Bavarians were left with no choice but to bow to Liverpool’s demands. It has to be said, €75m is quite a lot of money for a 28-year-old winger whose end product often let him down at Anfield, and let’s not forget either that the last time Bayern bought a forward off Liverpool, it didn’t go well at all… However, Diaz is a couple of years younger than Sadio Mane when the latter arrived at the Allianz Arena and is coming off the back of the most prolific season of his professional career. Consequently, the Colombian should click very well indeed with Harry Kane u0026amp; Co. and help cushion the enormous blow of losing the dribbling skills of Jamal Musiala for a significant chunk of the 2025-26 season. Grade: B

For Diaz: The new challenge he wanted. Diaz enjoyed his time at Anfield, but he was clear about being open to a transfer – though he didn’t publicly push for one whatsoever. He even admitted that if he weren’t to secure a move this summer, it would be no problem at all. However, this is undoubtedly the outcome that Diaz and his family were hoping for, as they’ve managed to leave Liverpool on the best of terms. He contributed 13 goals and five assists to last season’s Premier League title triumph – which played a pivotal part in him earning the Reds such a fantastic fee for his services. Consequently, he departs with the best wishes of the club and can now look forward to another exciting chapter in his career. The big surprise, of course, is that Diaz hasn’t ended up at Barcelona, as that was clearly the dream move as far as both he and his father were concerned. But the Blaugrana’s financial issues obviously made that transfer impossible. Diaz is nonetheless joining one of Europe’s elite and should walk straight into a team more than capable of challenging for next season’s Champions League. Grade: B+

For Chelsea: Another great escape! Chelsea waste a lot of money on a lot of players – but it’s not proving a problem for them because they keep finding clubs willing to take expensive flops off their hands. In England, for example, Arsenal are always happy to pay over the odds for Stamford Bridge outcasts. Finding a new home for Felix looked like it was going to be a serious challenge, though, given the forward’s high salary and track record of terrible transfers. The mere fact that Chelsea agreed to buy him for £42m in the first place was astounding – but the Blues have sensationally managed to make their money back by selling him to Al-Nassr, who are backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment, which has close ties to the Clearlake Capital Group that owns Chelsea. Essentially, this is a deal of striking convenience that very much suits everyone involved… Grade: A+

For Al-Nassr: Another high-profile Portuguese attacker! It was Cristiano Ronaldo that put the Saudi Pro League on the footballing map, and his presence at Al-Nassr unquestionably played a pivotal part in Felix moving to Al-Awwal Park. The pair know each other very well indeed from the Portugal national team, and Ronaldo will be encouraged by the arrival of his young compatriot, given the veteran is still waiting to win his first major trophy with Al-Nassr and needs all of the help he can get right now. For all his flaws, Felix remains a technically gifted footballer capable of shining in the right circumstances and the significant drop down in level should help him deliver on a more consistent basis. Grade: B

For Felix: The move he was destined to make. It remains unusual for young players to move to the Middle East, but while Felix is still only 25, it’s actually that it’s taken him this long to join a Saudi Arabian side that is striking. Despite making a bright start to last season’s loan spell at AC Milan, his six-month stay at San Siro simply hammered home the fact that there is simply no room for Felix at a big European club. His talent is obvious – and has been since he first broke through at Benfica – but he’s a rather puzzling, position-less player that doesn’t work anywhere near hard enough to cut it at the very highest level. In that sense, it was inevitable that he’d end up in the Pro League. Basically, Felix is a footballing conundrum that no coach at a top team ever really managed to work out – and now they’ve just stopped trying. On the plus side, though, he’ll make a lot of money while playing regularly in Riyadh and, more importantly, if he impresses at Al-Nassr, there’s every chance of Ronaldo including him in the Portugal squad for next year’s World Cup! Grade: C-

For Sporting: A handsome reward for taking a big risk on Gyokeres two years ago. Lest anyone forget, Sporting paid a club-record €20 million for Gyokeres when he was still only a Championship player. They’ve now moved him on for more than three times that figure – and after he’d helped them win back-to-back league titles. Obviously, former club Coventry City took a small slice of the fee, which is why Sporting stood firm over their asking price and the achievable add-ons, but even accounting for the rather acrimonious nature of Gyokeres’ departure, looking at his time in Lisbon as a whole, he cannot be portrayed as anything but a great bit of business. Grade: A

For Arsenal: Potentially a belated solution to their striking problem. It’s been clear for at least two years now that Arsenal needed a prolific No.9 and their refusal to sign one arguably cost them two titles. In that context, there was simply no way that they could have let another transfer window pass without bringing in a lethal finisher – the fans simply wouldn’t have allowed it! But is Gyokeres really the answer to their prayers? His stats would certainly suggest so. The 27-year-old has scored more league goals (68) than any other player across Europe’s 10 strongest championships over the past two seasons. Sceptics will obviously point to the fact that Liverpool flop Darwin Nunez also scored freely in the Liga Portugal – and at a younger age, too – but Gyokeres being more mature and more experienced than the Uruguayan is undoubtedly a positive. Indeed, the former Brighton man is more than familiar with the language and the league, meaning he should have little trouble settling in north London. What is curious, though, is that after giving up on signing the 22-year-old Benjamin Sesko, Arsenal turned to Gyokeres, who is six months older than Viktor Osimhen, a far more accomplished centre-forward. In that sense, one cannot help but feel that Arsenal’s money would have been better spent on the Nigerian. But that doesn’t necessarily mean Gyokeres won’t flourish at the Emirates. The Gunners have been crying out for a penalty-box predator – now they’ve finally got one. Grade: B+

For Gyokeres: Mission accomplished. Gyokeres pushed hard to make this move happen. Indeed, one could argue that he went above and beyond what could be considered acceptable behaviour from a wantaway footballer. Of course, the player’s camp would argue that Sporting broke a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ over the size of his fee, while Arsenal fans will simply be encouraged by reports that Gyokeres was so desperate to join that he was willing to give up millions of euros to speed up the process – and reject all advances from elsewhere. Of course, the only thing that really matters now is Gyokeres bringing his Sporting form with him to Arsenal – and that won’t be easy. His shot conversion rate over the past two years is 26.9 percent – which is higher than the likes of Harry Kane (23.9%) and Kylian Mbappe (20.1%), while it’s also worth noting that 19 of the 54 goals he racked up in all competitions last season came from the penalty spot. Still, Gyokeres proved that he can be a problem for Premier League defences by hitting a hat-trick against Manchester City in last season’s Champions League and, given the lack of competition for the No.9 role at Arsenal, coupled with the amount of chances likely to come his way, he’s a potential Golden Boot contender. And we definitely wouldn’t be saying that if he’d instead ended up at Manchester United! Grade: A

For Atletico: A significant departure. De Paul had his ups and downs at the Metropolitano after joining from Udinese in 2021, but he was always a key component of Diego Simeone’s side – which was hardly surprising, of course, given his all-action style of play was very similar to that of his coach. Nonetheless, Atletico had begun overhauling their squad and clearly felt that the time was right to cash in on De Paul, who turned 31 in May and had less than 12 months left on his contract. So, while De Paul’s dynamism will undoubtedly be missed in Madrid, his sale did make monetary sense. Grade: C+

For Miami: Another body guard for Lionel Messi! De Paul is famously and amusingly protective of his fellow Argentine. Wherever Messi goes, his friend is always likely to follow, so it’s not in the least bit surprising to see De Paul rock up in Miami. This is nonetheless quite the coup for David Beckham u0026amp; Co. Other, more high-profile players than De Paul may have been persuaded to move to Chase Stadium by Messi – but one could argue that not one arrived in as good a shape as the Buenos Aires native, who played 50 times for Atletico last season. De Paul clearly remains capable of providing the kind of energy and aggression that Miami have lacked at certain times this season. Grade: A

For De Paul: A move with very few downsides. De Paul definitely could have continued playing at the highest level in Europe. He was easily one of the best No.8s in La Liga last season, and his fantastic technical ability has always been overlooked because of the aggression with which he plays the game. In that sense, he’s a little like his new coach, too, as Javier Mascherano was a much better footballer than a lot of people gave him credit for, so it’s not hard to envisage two such kindred spirits working well together. For De Paul, though, the main motivation for moving to Miami was clearly Messi, and he should thoroughly enjoy what’s likely to be the last major move of his career. Grade: A

For Burnley: A bitter blow. Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League was founded upon their outstanding defensive record, with the Claret and Blues keeping a record-equalling 30 clean sheets. Trafford was involved in all but one of those shut-outs, having started 45 of Burnley’s 46 Championship outings overall, and also recorded an outstanding 85 percent save success rate. Manager Scott Parker will, thus, be devastated by the loss of one of the best young shot-stoppers in Europe going into what is likely to be a trying top-flight campaign. Grade: Dn

For City: An error corrected. City have obviously been made to look a little ridiculous for selling Trafford in the first place. After all, this is not the first instance of the club cashing in on an academy graduate that then went on to excel elsewhere (the name Cole Palmer immediately comes to mind!). However, City do deserve some credit here: firstly, for realising their mistake; and, secondly, for being able to rectify it thanks to their clever insertion of a clause in Trafford’s Burnley deal that enabled them to buy him back by matching a rival bid for his services, which, in this instance, came from Newcastle. It should also be pointed out that City needed a top young goalkeeper as Ederson is clearly past his best, and can now be sold if needs be, while Stefan Ortega has never quite looked good enough. Grade: Bn

For Trafford: A surprise return to Etihad. Trafford no doubt felt that his time at City was over after being allowed to join Burnley two years ago but now he’s back in Manchester and much better equipped to challenge for the No.1 jersey. We knew that Trafford was a player of real potential – he proved that by going through England’s entire 2023 Under-21 Euros campaign without conceding a single goal – but he’s now picked up some invaluable experience in the Championship. People will obviously point to the fact that the Premier League is of a much higher level but Trafford was truly outstanding last season, at one point keeping 12 clean sheets in a row. If there’s one concern, it’s that he isn’t as good with the ball at his feet as Ederson – but that could come in time. But he’s definitely a more reliable presence in between the sticks than the Brazilian and has ever chance of becoming Pep’s first-choice goalkeeper – whether Ederson stays at City or not. Grade: A

For Valencia: Some much-needed capital. Valencia were once one of Europe’s strongest clubs. They even made back-to-back Champions League finals at the turn of the century. Los Che have since fallen on some seriously tough times, though, and president Peter Lim is an immensely unpopular figure in Spain‘s third-biggest city. At this stage, the fans are well used to seeing their side toiling in the wrong half of the Primera Division table, while at the same time seeing their most promising players sold to a highest bidder on an annual basis. So, it’s come as no surprise to see Valencia cash in on Mosquera, an academy product with just one year left on his contract whose sale generates some precious pure profit for a cash-strapped club. Grade: B-

For Arsenal: A very useful addition. At 21, Mosquera is by no means the finished article, but he is undoubtedly one of Spain’s most promising young defenders. The centre-back was integral to Valencia’s mini-revival under Carlos Corberan last season and also impressed for his national team’s Under-21s at this summer’s European Championship in Slovakia. With his physicality and comfort on the ball, Mosquera should prove a very able understudy for Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, while his ability to also play at right-back could also come in handy. When one also factors the knockdown fee into the equation, this looks like a pretty clever acquisition from Arsenal. Grade: B

For Mosquera: A brave move. Mosquera may be young but he’s not used to sitting on the bench. He played every minute of 37 of Valencia’s 38 games last season. In that sense, it’s slightly strange that he’s decided to move to Arsenal, who boast one of the strongest centre-back pairings in world football. Consequently, it’s hard to see Mosquera starting regularly in either the Premier League – particularly as there are some concerns over his aerial ability. However, Mosquera clearly views this an unmissable opportunity to learn from two of the best in the business and eventually emerge as a worthy successor to either Gabriel or, more probably, Saliba, who is continually linked with a move away from Emirates. Grade: B-

For Eintracht: Further evidence that when it comes to flipping forwards, the Germans are the best in the business. After making massive money on Luka Jovic, Randal Kolo Muani and Omar Marmoush, Frankfurt hit the jackpot again with Ekitike, who was signed for just €16.5 million a little over a year ago. Of course, losing the France Under-21 international is a major problem for Dino Toppmoller. As the coach has already admitted, Ekitike was the main reason why Eintracht qualified for next season’s Champions League, with the striker effectively carrying the attack following Marmoush’s mid-season departure for Manchester City. However, this is an absolutely sensational deal for Eintracht, who have been here before – and yet always seem to unearth another potential superstar striker. Grade: A

For Liverpool: Potentially the missing piece of the puzzle. Liverpool were sensational last season, sweeping all before them in the Premier League, which they wrapped up with four rounds remaining. If there was one criticism, though, it was that they were overly reliant on Mohamed Salah for goals and assists, which really shouldn’t be the case any longer – not with Florian Wirtz providing passes for Ekitike. Both were scintillating in last season’s Bundesliga and should work wonderfully well together at Anfield. The one concern would be Ekitike’s finishing, as his shot conversion rate last season was 14.3 percent. However, that can be partly attributed to the fact that he took so many shots (117 in the Bundesliga alone – which was more than anyone else). It’s unlikely he’ll be so trigger-happy at Liverpool, who will obviously have noted that when it comes to taking ‘Big chances’, Ekitike is quite clinical, putting away 43.2% of the clear openings that came his way. The 23-year-old’s tally of 12 assists in all competitions also suggests that he could create nearly as many opportunities as he converts. Granted, the fee is utterly insane for such an inexperienced and unproven striker – and Ekitike clearly wasn’t Liverpool’s first choice. But while they haven’t signed Alexander Isak, the Reds have arguably got their hands on the next best thing – and a serious upgrade on Darwin Nunez no matter what. Grade: B

For Ekitike: Another crack at the big time. Ekitike failed to make the grade at Paris Saint-Germain, for whom he made just 33 appearances and scored only four goals before being allowed to join Eintracht – initially on loan – in February of last year. However, it now looks as if it was simply a case of the wrong move at the wrong time for the Reims academy product, who had offers from elsewhere (including Newcastle) but felt that, as a Frenchman, he simply couldn’t pass up the chance to join PSG. Giving up on Ekitike is looking like a very costly mistake by the Parisians, as he now looks perfectly primed to establish himself as one of the most electrifying forwards in European football. Given the ridiculous fee involved, the pressure on Ekitike will be immense, but based on what we’ve seen from him in the Bundesliga, he has the talent, temperament and intelligence to thrive alongside Salah u0026amp; Co. at Anfield. Grade: A

For United: A significant step towards finally ridding themselves of Rashford – and his enormous salary. United clearly would have preferred to have found a buyer for the forward, who hasn’t played for the club since December 12, after being frozen out of the first team by Ruben Amorim and then sent out on loan to Aston Villa for the second half of last season. The hope was that the somewhat encouraging nature of his spell in Birmingham might lead to a permanent move elsewhere but, due to the widespread feeling that Rashford’s best days are already behind him at 27 years of age, United were left with no choice but to accept Barca’s offer of a one-year loan with an option to buy. INEOS will now be praying that Rashford does enough at Camp Nou to convince the cash-strapped Catalans to sign him on a permanent basis next year because it’s clear that he’ll never be welcomed back at Old Trafford – not while Amorim remains in charge at least. It’s a regrettable situation, of course. Rashford was once considered the lovable local lad capable of putting United back on their perch; now, he’s a sad symbol of their dramatic decline. Grade: D

For Barcelona: A free hit. Barcelona had high hopes of signing Nico Williams this summer, which would have rectified the bizarre error they made last year in prioritising the signing of Dani Olmo over the Athletic Club winger. However, Williams decided to stay at San Mames, with the Blaugrana’s registration issues undoubtedly playing a part in that dramatic U-turn. Deco’s attention then switched to Luis Diaz but, in truth, Barca never really had any hope of signing the Colombian, who would have cost even more money than Williams. So, in their desperation to finally land a left winger, the Spanish champions have turned to Plan C, the one that made most sense all along given the Catalans’ financial restraints. This really is a decent deal for Barca; they’re under no obligation to buy Rashford, who has also reportedly agreed to take a wage cut, and aren’t exactly lacking in quality up front. Hansi Flick simply wanted some cover on the left-hand side – and through the middle – and Rashford provides that. Would Williams or Diaz have been a better option? Absolutely, but beggars can’t be choosers and a reinvigorated Rashford could well prove a useful addition to an already strong squad. Grade: B

For Rashford: Truly a dream move. Rashford has had his heart set on a transfer to Barcelona from the moment it became clear that his time at United was over. However, it just didn’t look like a realistic goal – even as recently as last month. As already mentioned, Barca had other priorities and, perhaps more importantly, Rashford hadn’t done anywhere near enough during his stint with Villa (four goals in 17 appearances) to convince anyone that he was capable of recapturing his 2022-23 form. This, then, is a most welcome and unexpected turn of events for the England international, who made no secret of his desire to play alongside Lamine Yamal. Of course, it remains to be seen how many starts he’ll get at Barca. However, it’s been clear for some time that Flick would like to deploy Raphinha as an attacking midfielder, meaning the odd man out at Camp Nou this season might not be Rashford – but Olmo. It’s also worth bearing in mind that Robert Lewandowski turns 37 next month, and while Ferran Torres did a decent job standing in for the Pole last season, Rashford is also capable of playing through the middle whenever Flick needs to rotate his attackers. The bottom line is that Rashford has got a most surprising shot at resurrecting his once-promising career at one of the world’s top teams – and nobody would have predicted that amid the ongoing and legitimate concerns over his form and focus when the transfer window reopened. Grade: A

For Brentford: Just reward for standing their ground. United offered £45m ($61m) for Mbeumo earlier in the window but Brentford were having none of it – and rightly so. They were under no pressure to sell and knew that United had no option but to meet their asking price. As a result, Brentford have now pocketed a truly incredible fee for a potential one-season wonder with just one season left on his contract. Replacing Mbeumo’s goals won’t be easy, but at least the Bees aren’t short on cash as they look for a replacement! Grade: A+

For United: A shocking sign of their desperation. Ruben Amorim’s United were atrocious in every area of the field last season, but they were particularly poor in attack, scoring just 44 goals in the Premier League. One major move had already been made to rectify that problem by signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves and now even more money has been spent on Mbeumo, which is a little strange. Granted, the 25-year-old looks well suited to the right-hand side of Amorim’s preferred three-pronged attack, but Amad Diallo plays in the same position and he was one of United’s few shining lights last season. Then, there’s the fact that Mbeumo – just like Cunha – seriously outperformed his expected goals tally last season, casting considerable doubt over whether he’ll be able to get anything close to his career-high haul (20) at Old Trafford, where so many expensive signings have struggled in recent seasons. Grade: D

For Mbeumo: A curious decision on the one hand, and yet utterly unsurprising on the other. In purely footballing terms, moving to Manchester makes little sense for Mbeumo. He’d have been far better off reuniting with former Brentford boss Thomas Frank at Tottenham, where he would have got to play Champions League football next season. Instead, he’s opted to join a club that most players seem to benefit from leaving. Prestige has obviously played a part. United, for all their woes, remain one of the most famous clubs in world football. But it’s clear that money was the main motivating factor in Mbeumo’s decision, and while this transfer will undoubtedly pay off for him in one sense, it could prove a costly mistake from a sporting perspective. Grade: C

For Napoli: The long-awaited end to one of the most protracted and puzzling transfer sagas in football history. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis once claimed that he’d rejected a bid of €200m for Osimhen. Last year, he thought he’d easily get €120m for the Nigerian. Now, he’s counting his blessings that someone was willing to meet the reduced buy-out clause. Still, while De Laurentiis and Osimhen’s camp have made a complete mess of his exit strategy, his belated departure at this early stage of the current transfer window does at least mean that there will be no repeat of last year’s chaos, which held up Napoli’s summer recruitment drive and frustrated the life out of coach Antonio Conte, who has already signed a young and inexpensive replacement in Lorenzo Lucca, and will doubtless be looking to bring in more reinforcements with the Osimhen cash in the coming weeks. Grade: B

For Galatasaray: A truly remarkable coup. Gala fans welcomed Osimhen with open arms last September and went out of their way to make him feel at home in Istanbul, but they never really believed that his loan stay could be turned into a permanent transfer. If anything, the 37 goals the striker scored in just 41 appearances last season only made it even more likely that he would be snapped up by a far wealthier club this summer. However, Gala never gave up and have managed to convince one of the best No.9s in world football to be the face of an impressively ambitious new project that could see the Turkish title-holders make a big splash in next season’s Champions League. Grade: A+

For Osimhen: Not what the Nigeria international had in mind at all when he first announced his intention to leave Napoli. Osimhen fully expected to join Paris Saint-Germain or one of the Premier League’s top teams. Instead, he’s ended up in Turkey, which was only ever meant to be a stop-gap solution. Granted, these are exciting times for Gala, who have already signed Leroy Sane and are closing in on Hakan Calhanoglu, while Osimhen is treated like a god at the Ali Sami Yen stadium. But it’s just so hard to shake the feeling that the 26-year-old has sabotaged his own hopes of a dream move to one of Europe’s elite clubs with his avaricious wage demands. Grade: C

For Chelsea: Another illustration of their ‘buy high, sell even higher’ recruitment strategy. As they so often do, Chelsea paid over the odds for Madueke when they signed him from PSV in 2023 for €35m. However, their risky approach to stockpiling young players has again reaped dividends here. Madueke is a decent and versatile winger but he’s not elite, which is why he’d lost his place in the Chelsea starting line-up to Pedro Neto. There was also no need to keep him as a squad player – not with the far more talented Estevao Willian on his way to west London. So, accepting Arsenal’s crazy offer for an unwanted player made perfect sense. Grade: A+

For Arsenal: Another Chelsea reject. Arsenal have developed quite the fondness for picking up players deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge – and to wildly contrasting degrees of success. Madueke’s arrival has proven particularly divisive, with some of the club’s more reactionary supporters even starting up a petition aimed at convincing their club to pull out of the deal. In Arsenal’s defence, though, they’ve been trying to find a decent understudy for Bukayo Saka for some time now and Madueke, who is an England international in case anyone has forgotten, certainly fits the bill. He’s also capable of providing cover on the left flank. This is, though, an excessive sum of money for a winger with desperately underwhelming stats. He didn’t score or assist a Premier League goal from February onwards, while West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka both created more chances and completed more dribbles than Madueke last season. In that context, Arteta has taken an even bigger gamble on Madueke than he did on Kai Havertz. In this make-or-break season for the Spaniard’s Arsenal tenure, it needs to pay off. Grade: C-

For Madueke: A wholly surprising but undeniably welcome turn of events. Madueke’s prospects of playing for a top Premier League team were looking pretty bleak during the Club World Cup, with both Neto and Estevao impressing Stateside. Now, though, he’s secured a shock move to the second-best team in the Premier League. How much game time he’s actually going to get is unclear, though. He’ll obviously get to play in his preferred position on the right whenever Bukayo Saka is rested but he’s no chance of actually taking his compatriot’s starting spot. However, Madueke probably feels that the left wing-berth is up for grabs in light of Gabriel Martinelli’s patchy performances last season. Still, if Eberechi Eze were also to arrive at the Emirates before the start of the season, the battle for places in the Arsenal attack would become incredibly competitive, which would spell serious trouble for Madueke. Grade: B-

For Rosenborg: A disappointing departure but one they’d been anticipating for some time now. Nypan is still only 18 but he’s been attracting attention from Europe’s top clubs since he broke into the Rosenborg first team as a 15-year-old all the way back in 2022. It was even thought that he’d depart during the January transfer window, after being courted by the likes of Arsenal and Aston Villa. So, it’s fair to say that this deal had been coming. On the face of it, £12.5m is not a huge amount of money for such a promising player but it is a club-record fee for Rosenborg and a sizable sum for a player who would have been out of contract in 2026. Grade: B n

For City: Further evidence of City’s desire to rejuvenate their squad. Nypan obviously isn’t going to go straight into Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up. The likelihood is that he’ll be immediately sent out on loan to sister club Girona, where he’ll have a much better chance of earning the game time he needs to continue honing his skills at a higher level. But everyone at the Etihad is very excited about the teenager’s potential – and with good cause. Based on what we’ve seen so far from Nypan, who is already representing Norway at Under-21 level, he has everything required to become a top midfielder, meaning this transfer could end up looking like an absolute steal in a few years’ time. Grade: B+n

For Nypan: The move he was always destined to make. Nypan has long been touted as the new Martin Odegaard, and not just because he’s Norwegian – or made his senior bow at the same age. There are undoubted similarities in their respective games, even if Nypan is more of a classic No.8, the kind of box-to-box midfielder who is just as good at using the ball as winning it back. Of course, breaking into the City side is not going to be easy. Pep Guardiola has already been given two new creative midfielders this summer in Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki. However, Nypan’s wide range of skills and valuable versatility give him every chance of making it in Manchester – especially if that aforementioned loan spell in Spain goes well – and the presence of Erling Haaland and Oscar Bobb should help him enormously when it comes to eventually settling into his new surroundings. Grade: A

For Benfica: Rui Costa’s resoluteness pays off. The Benfica president refused to be pressured into allowing his team’s first-choice left-back to move to Madrid before the Club World Cup for a knockdown fee, so sure was he that Los Blancos would return for Carreras sooner rather than later. And so it proved. Consequently, Benfica have made a €44m profit on a €6m investment in the former Manchester United defender – underlining precisely why Benfica are renowned as one of the best transfer market operators in the game today. The Eagles have a keen eye for talent and also drive a seriously hard bargain. Grade: A

For Madrid: Quite a lot of money for a player who plays in a position where Los Blancos are seemingly well-stocked. Madrid, remember, already have two orthodox left-backs on their books in Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia, while the versatile David Alaba is also capable of playing the role. Of course, Mendy has been plagued by injury issues over the past year, but the Frenchman is expected to be fit for the start of the new season. As for Garcia, he was very good for Madrid at the Club World Cup, making the need to splash €50m on a new left-back look a little strange right now. However, there’s every chance that Mendy will be moved on this summer, leaving Garcia to fight for a starting spot with Carreras, who, just like his rival, is capable of excelling in a back four or on the left-hand side of the 3-4-3 formation Xabi Alonso utilised to sensational effect at Bayer Leverkusen. Grade: B-

For Carreras: A fairy-tale return to Real. Carreras first joined Madrid as a teenager but spent just three years on Los Blancos’ books before joining Manchester United in 2020. The Galician never made a senior appearance at Old Trafford and also failed to impress during a loan spell at Granada but his career took off in Benfica, who signed him on a permanent basis in May 2024 after impressing in just his first five months at the Estadio da Luz. However, as soon as Madrid expressed an interest in bringing him back to the Santiago Bernabeu, Carreras was only ever interested in rejoining Real despite interest from elsewhere. Nailing down a starting spot won’t be easy, though. As already mentioned, Garcia has come on leaps and bounds over the past six months, while Carreras’ propensity for picking up bookings is a genuine cause for concern – he was suspended on five separate occasions last season. He can ill-afford such ill-discipline if he’s to become a first-team regular under Alonso. Grade: A

For Madrid: Akin to the end of an era. Modric won a record-equalling six European Cups during his 13-year stay at the Santiago Bernabeu. He departs as the oldest player ever to feature in a competitive fixture for Madrid – testament to his remarkable professionalism and enduring quality. Many supporters are obviously sad to see him go. After all, Modric was hoping to sign another one-year extension with the club. But Madrid’s refusal to offer him one makes sense. The dressing room does not lack leaders, while Modric’s 39-year-old body would have struggled with the demands new coach Xabi Alonso is placing upon his players – and particularly the midfielders. So, while it’s a sad day for the club, there shouldn’t be any regrets or recriminations. It was time for Madrid to move on from Modric and, as the Croat admitted himself, not even he could have imagined how well his time at the club would go, meaning the focus should be on celebrating his record-breaking spell at the club, rather than lamenting his exit. Grade: B

For Milan: Not a good look for the club – or Serie A, which has long been accused of being a retirement home for ageing footballers. For all the talk of a Rossoneri revolution this summer after an embarrassing 2024-25 campaign, Milan have essentially replaced key midfielder Tijjani Reijnders with a player that turns 40 in September. There’s undoubtedly a certain romance about Modric moving to Milan, given he supported the seven-time champions of Europe as a child, and the club will point to the fact that only Federico Valverde featured in more games for Madrid last season. However, 30 of Modric’s 57 appearances came as a substitute, while he actually racked up fewer minutes than Fran Garcia. Of course, Milan may well benefit from the presence of such an inspirational character, who, lest we forget, has arrived on a free transfer, but, from a purely sporting perspective, this is not a deal that does much for the Rossoneri’s long-term prospects. Grade: C

For Modric: Arguably the next best thing to finishing his career at Madrid. Modric clearly could have moved to MLS or Saudi Arabia but he’s instead decided to make a long-mooted switch to Serie A, where he’ll get to sport the same strip he once wore as a kid growing up in Zadar. Crucially, Milan were also offering him a one-year deal with the option of a second, meaning his stay at San Siro might not be as brief as we think. Indeed, the undeniably slower pace of Serie should suit Modric. He may not be as dynamic as he once was but he remains capable of pulling off passes that the average player can’t even see – let alone execute – and the former maestro of Madrid should relish performing at La Scala of football. Grade: A

For Forest: A very upsetting sale for the supporters. Forest are losing one of their most creative players, a versatile attacker and fan favourite who played a pivotal role in last season’s surprise seventh-placed finish in the Premier League. However, Elanga clearly wanted to leave, so Forest’s task was to ensure they got a good fee for the wantaway Swede. To say that they’ve achieved that objective would be putting it mildly: Forest have made a £40m profit on the Manchester United outcast! Nonetheless, the very real fear is that this deal signals the beginning of the end of Forest’s hopes of becoming regular participants in continental competition. Indeed, with Morgan Gibbs-White also looking to follow Elanga out of the exit door at the City Ground, some supporters are already worried about being dragged back into a relegation battle next season. Grade: Cn

For Newcastle: A curious signing – mainly because of the size of the fee. But a mounting sense of desperation clearly played a part, with Newcastle having already failed to land a number of top transfer targets, including Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Bryan Mbeumo. Elanga is undeniably talented, of course. After failing to make the grade at Old Trafford (like so many other promising players), he has proven himself in the Premier League over the past two seasons. Indeed, only Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins have racked up more assists in England’s top-flight since the Malmo native joined Forest in the summer of 2023. However, did Newcastle really need another right winger? After all, Jacob Murphy was directly involved in more goals than Elanga last season. So, while the latter is capable of playing all across the forward line, and Eddie Howe wanted more attacking options for next season’s Champions League campaign, it still seems strange that Newcastle felt compelled to spend quite so much money on Elanga – unless their main motivation really was just finally getting a deal over the line. Grade: Bn

For Elanga: The step up in class he so desperately wanted. Had Forest managed to hold onto a place in the top five of last season’s Premier League, perhaps Elanga would have been willing to stay. Unfortunately, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side ended up finishing seventh, which rather inevitably led to the 23-year-old pushing for a move to Newcastle, who were offering not only Champions League football but also a chance to play in the same forward line as his fellow Sweden international Alexander Isak (which definitely didn’t hurt the Magpies’ hopes of hanging onto the latter). So, while Elanga will have competition for a starting spot at St. James’ Park, both he and his new employers evidently feel that his best is yet to come. Grade: A

For West Ham: A damaging deal – on a couple of levels. A significant amount of West Ham fans have been left enraged by this sale. For starters, Kudus was one of their most talented players, a forward that often made a boring team worth watching. Secondly, he’s been sold to one of their London rivals – and for what some supporters feel is a poor price, given the Ghanaian still had three years left on his contract that included an £85m buy-out clause. The club would obviously argue that Kudus underwhelmed for the majority of his second season at the London Stadium, and that the money raised can now be invested in players more suited to Graham Potter’s preferred formation and footballing philosophy. However, Kudus’ exit doesn’t just weaken West Ham’s squad; it also strengthens the suspicion that this is a club moving rapidly in the wrong direction. Basically, the influx of cash is good but the optics are very, very bad. Grade: C-

For Spurs: A potential masterstroke. Kudus suffered a dip in form during the 2024-25 campaign but that is more of a reflection on the failings of Potter and his predecessor, Julen Lopetegui, than any kind of indication of the 24-year-old’s shortcomings. When properly motivated and played in his preferred position, Kudus is one of the most dynamic and dangerous attackers in the Premier League. He’s a devastating dribbler with a wonderful work-rate – which is why he has been repeatedly linked with Liverpool over the past couple of years. Granted, £55m is quite a lot of money for an attacker directly involved in just eight league goals last season – but he should flourish under Thomas Frank, who worked wonders at Brentford with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa. Grade: A-

For Kudus: The change of scenery he needed. Kudus was sensational during his first year in England, fully vindicating West Ham’s decision to pay £38m for his services. Somewhat ironically, though, he didn’t carry anything like the same attacking threat following the departure of David Moyes, a coach much-maligned for his dour, defensive football. However, it’s difficult to shine in a struggling side – particularly when you’re being constantly moved about the forward line. So, it’s hardly surprising that Kudus jumped at the opportunity to swap a likely relegation battle for Champions League football. Maybe we’re wrong about Kudus, maybe he doesn’t quite have what it takes to become a star, but ever since seeing him in the flesh for the first time at the 2022 World Cup, we’ve always believed that the Ghana international has what it takes to become a world-class player. Spurs are providing him with the platform to fulfil his potential – it’s now up to him to make the most of it. Grade: B+

For Brentford: An unexpected blow. Brentford knew there was every chance of them losing Bryan Mbeumo this summer, while there was always the risk of a bigger club coming in for Thomas Frank. However, few fans feared losing their captain too. After all, Norgaard had only recently extended his contract until 2027. Brentford are obviously adept at finding solutions to such problems – just look at how easily they moved on after Ivan Toney’s move to Al-Ahli – but Norgaard will be far more difficult to replace. He’ll be missed both as a midfielder, and a leader. Grade: D

For Arsenal: Not exactly a sexy signing for the supporters, but a smart one all the same. Norgaard’s arrival coincides with Thomas Partey’s departure after talks with the Ghanaian over a new contract broke down, but those two developments aren’t exactly tied to one another. Yes, Arsenal obviously need to strengthen their midfield with Partey having departed, but Norgaard is more of a belated replacement for Jorginho – and a good one at that. The Dane may be 31, but we saw little evidence last season to suggest that he’s in decline. On the contrary, 2024-25 was arguably Norgaard’s most impressive Premier League campaign to date, and he should provide top-quality cover for an Arsenal side that has long lacked sufficient strength in depth to sustain a title challenge. Grade: B+

For Norgaard: The kind of transfer he wouldn’t have even dreamed of at this stage of his career. Norgaard’s hopes of playing for one of Europe’s elite appeared to be over after he was released by Fiorentina in 2018, but he “fell in love with football again” at Brentford and his fine form not only helped the Bees secure promotion to the Premier League, it also earned him a regular spot in the Denmark squad. The question now, of course, is how much of an impact he can make at the Emirates, where competition for places will be intense next season. However, Norgaard has long since proven his worth in the Premier League. Indeed, he regained possession as many times as Ryan Gravenberch last season (193), while he was also involved in a career-high nine goals, five of which he scored himself. He’ll, thus, be confident of playing a small but significant role in helping Arsenal end their trophy drought. Grade: A+

For Real Sociedad: An inevitable exit. La Real managed to convince Zubimendi to stay in San Sebastian last summer by appealing to his Basque roots and strong ties to the club. However, Zubimendi clearly realised he’d erred in allowing his heart to rule his head and this move has been widely expected since January. His exit is hardly good news for a team that finished 11th in La Liga, but comfort will be taken in the fact that La Real have made nothing but pure profit on a player that came through their youth academy. Grade: B+

For Arsenal: A timely addition given Thomas Partey’s departure, and the fee is also pretty palatable, given Zubimendi, as he proved at Euro 2024, is one of the best ball-playing No.6s in the game today who has also been courted by Real Madrid. So, while defensive midfield was hardly a problem position for Arsenal, it’s a key area that has now been significantly strengthened. Grade: A-

For Zubimendi: Another U-turn. Less than a year ago, Zubimendi stunned Liverpool by pulling out of an agreed move to Anfield at the 11th hour in order to remain at the Anoeta. It didn’t take him long, though, to realise that was a huge mistake. While Liverpool were making a blistering start to the season with Ryan Gravenberch excelling in the role that Zubimendi was meant to fill, La Real were toiling in La Liga. The Spain international has, thus, decided to belatedly move to England in order to push himself as a player. Of course, he’s literally having to settle for second-best, with Arsenal having finished as runners-up (again) to Liverpool, but he could play a big part in helping the Gunners finally get over the line, given he should fit right in at the Emirates alongside former Real Sociedad players Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Moreno. Grade: A

For Dortmund: Further reward for investing in promising young English players. Having already made massive profits on Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham, Dortmund have hit the jackpot again with Gittens, whom they signed on a free transfer from Manchester City back in 2022. One could also argue that this is their most impressive deal to date, given the 20-year-old is nowhere near as impressive as his compatriots at the same age. Gittens was also in and out of the Dortmund side during the closing stages of the season and played just 13 minutes of their Club World Cup campaign so far. Basically, BVB have already moved on without Gittens, who didn’t really fit into Niko Kovac’s side anyway, and yet they still refused to lower their asking price despite him pushing so hard to leave. In short, Dortmund have played this beautifully. Grade: A+

For Chelsea: An utterly unsurprising signing. Chelsea love nothing more than signing wingers, so there was never any doubt that they’d look to bring in another one after they decided against taking up their option to make Sancho’s loan move from Manchester United permanent. Gittens isn’t exactly an upgrade on his compatriot – he racked up just three assists in 48 appearances in all competitions last season, while Sancho contributed eight in six fewer outings – but Chelsea would argue that he will be eventually. Gittens is, after all, five years younger and there’s no denying his potential. He’s got a real eye for goal – he even scored at Santiago Bernabeu in a Champions League game last season – and is a nightmare for full-backs with his pace and fancy footwork. Indeed, Gittens completed more dribbles last season than the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise and Desire Doue, and, judging by their desperation to get this transfer over the line, Chelsea clearly believe that his best is yet to come. Grade: B

For Gittens: A welcome return to England. Just like Sancho, leaving Manchester City for Dortmund worked out incredibly well for Gittens but it had been clear for some time that he was keen to go back home – and where better than Chelsea for the Reading native, given he had a short stint with the Blues as a kid? Gittens should, therefore, have no trouble at all settling into west London. The concern would be that Chelsea as a club appear to be in a constant state of flux. Patience wears thin rather quickly at Stamford Bridge, meaning players are constantly coming and going, so Gittens won’t be given that long to justify his inflated transfer fee. Still, with Sancho gone, Mykhailo Mudryk suspended and Noni Madueke’s future uncertain, the left-wing berth is definitely there for the taking – and Gittens undoubtedly has the talent to make the position his own. Grade: B+

For Brighton: More money from Chelsea! Brighton have made a fortune from selling players to the Blues in recent seasons, while the Londoners also paid more than £20m in compensation for former boss Graham Potter and the rest of his coaching staff. In that sense, it’s hardly a shock to see Pedro take the well-trodden path from the Amex to Stamford Bridge. As a versatile attacker who can both create and score goals, Pedro will obviously be missed – but probably not as much as you think. The Brazilian scored half as many goals last season (10) as he did in 2023-24 (20), while the disciplinary issues that resulted in him missing the final five games of last season (none of which Brighton lost, by the way) had long been a cause for concern for Fabian Hurzeler. The German coach might not say it in public, but he’ll probably feel that Brighton are better off without the temperamental forward, whose sale raises precious funds to strengthen the squad. Grade: A

For Chelsea: A real risk. Pedro is unquestionably a talented footballer. His progress over the last couple of years has been closely followed by a number of top Premier League clubs – not just Chelsea – and he’s already been capped at international level by Brazil. The Blues were also on the look-out for a multi-purpose forward, with Christopher Nkunku set to leave in the coming weeks. Nonetheless, this feels like an awful lot of money for a combustible character with an underwhelming goal-scoring record. With Liam Delap having just joined from Ipswich to challenge for the No.9 berth, it also doesn’t make too much sense from a squad perspective, unless of course last season’s first-choice striker, Nicolas Jackson, is on his way out of Stamford Bridge… Grade: B-

For Pedro: A fascinating move. This really does feel like a transfer that could go either way, with Pedro either becoming the focal point of Chelsea’s attacks for years to come – or another victim of the club’s scattergun approach to transfers that leaves after a solitary season at Stamford Bridge. Much will depend on Pedro himself as the competition for places will be intense and he can’t allow his frustration at being in and out of the starting line-up – at least initially – to get the better of him. And that is a legitimate risk. Nkunku, remember, arrived at Chelsea from RB Leipzig in 2023 with an even bigger reputation than Pedro and ended up being reduced to the role of B team striker in the Conference League. It’s hard to envisage a loose cannon like Pedro accepting such a situation without kicking up a massive fuss. No matter what happens, then, Pedro is a player to keep an eye on this season. Grade: C+

For Monaco: A free hit. Monaco have one of the most exciting young teams in Europe, as they proved in last season’s Champions League, but as both CEO Thiago Scuro and coach Adi Hutter admitted, their lack of experience was sometimes an issue. So, why not take a punt on Pogba, a player who has pretty much seen and done it all in the game? Indeed, few footballers have been through as much as the 32-year-old midfielder, whose once-glittering career appeared to be over after being hit with a doping ban. There is, of course, every chance that Pogba will never again be the same player that excelled in France’s 2018 World Cup win – but he appears to have got himself in excellent physical condition and looks determined to prove that he’s far from finished at the highest level. For Monaco, then, this is a low-risk signing that could reap high dividends. Grade: B+

For Pogba: The best possible move from a sporting perspective. Pogba could have earned far more money by moving to the Middle East or MLS – but he’s instead chosen to remain in Europe to try to silence his many critics by re-establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in the game, and he should be commended for that very reason. Obviously, he’d have preferred to join one of Europe’s elite, but it was hardly surprising that no top club was willing to pick up a player who has long struggled with injuries and ill-discipline. However, the Stade Louis II looks like the ideal place for Pogba to kickstart his career. Monaco play adventurous, attacking football and Hutter is willing to give creative players the freedom to express themselves, which should suit Pogba down to the ground given his defensive deficiencies. When his ban was first announced, we thought we’d seen the last of Pogba on the game’s grandest stages, but he’ll be back in the Champions League next season – and that gives him every chance of forcing his way back into the France squad in time for the 2026 World Cup. Grade: A

For Bournemouth: Another big transfer fee for a bargain buy. Having just sold Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Bournemouth have now cashed in on Kerkez, who joined from AZ in 2023 for just £15m. There will, of course, be some frustration among the fans that such an exciting youngster is leaving so soon, but they also know that this is Bournemouth’s business model in action – and that it’s working pretty damn well for them. Indeed, the Dean Court faithful will be supremely confident that Kerkez’s successor, Adrien Truffert, will prove another shrewd signing. Grade: B+n

For Liverpool: An ideal Andy Robertson replacement. The Scot’s status as a Liverpool legend is already secure. But it was painfully clear during the 2024-25 season that Robertson was no longer the force of old. He was offering little offensively, and a liability defensively (particularly whenever he faced Fulham!). A succession plan was required and that’s what sporting director Richard Hughes has done by returning to Bournemouth to snap up one of the most dynamic full-backs in the Premier League, a quick, offensively-minded defender that excels at both whipping over crosses and winning the ball back high up the field. Consequently, he should slot smoothly into Arne Slot’s starting line-up. Grade: An

For Kerkez: A second chance to become a star at a big European club. Paolo Maldini, the finest left-back of all time, was made aware of Kerkez’s potential as a teenager and played a big role in convincing the teenager to move to AC Milan in 2021. The Hungarian failed to break through at San Siro – it was arguably a case of too much, too soon – but he’s now perfectly primed to become a real fan favourite at Anfield, where he should have little trouble settling thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai. Kerkez was a joy to watch last season (most notably during a scintillating display against Manchester City, who also wanted to sign him) and he appears to have the talent and temperament to take his game to a whole other level at Liverpool. Grade: A+

For Leverkusen: The best possible outcome in the circumstances. In an ideal world, they would have held onto Wirtz for at least another season, but it quickly became clear as the summer transfer window approached that he was ready to move on. Once that happened, Leverkusen’s objective became keeping him out of the clutches of Bayern Munich, who thought they were going to get the most talented young player in Germany for around €100m – particularly after Manchester City baulked at the asking price. However, then Liverpool entered the race, and so desperate were the Reds to sign Wirtz, that Leverkusen were able to secure a record fee for a Bundesliga player. The money raised will go a long way towards Bayer rebuilding their team after not only the loss of Wirtz but also Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah. Grade: A+

For Liverpool: A stunning statement of intent. Liverpool fans have long accused Fenway Sports Group (FSG) of failing to spend enough money on players, but the American owners have just blown both Bayern and City out of the water to land Wirtz. It says a lot of things, obviously. Firstly, they have no intention of resting on their laurels after winning last season’s Premier League. Secondly, they have the utmost faith in Arne Slot. And, thirdly, they believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Wirtz is worth the potential British-record fee. In truth, no player is really worth such a colossal sum of money, but there is no denying that he is a potential game-changer for a team that was lacking a more creative and productive No.10 than Dominik Szoboszlai. So, have Liverpool overpaid for Wirtz (particularly when one considers what Rayan Cherki has just gone for)? Yes. But have they also just signed a potential Ballon d’Or winner? Absolutely. Grade: B+

For Wirtz: The step up in class he was always going to make. There was never any doubt that Wirtz would leave Leverkusen – and sooner rather than later. The only uncertainty lay over where he would end up. It’s hard not to feel he’s chosen very, very wisely. Wirtz would no doubt have been brilliant at Bayern, but his particular set of skills are definitely more needed at Liverpool, while playing in the Premier League should bring the absolute best out of a player that has a frankly scary amount of potential. It’s certainly not hard to imagine him forming a terrific understanding with Mohamed Salah, while he should absolutely adore playing at Anfield in front of fans that are already giddy with excitement at seeing him in the club’s famous all-red strip for the first time. Wirtz is undoubtedly good enough to have excelled at the Etihad, the Allianz Arena or even the Bernabeu, but it sounds as if he had his heart set on becoming a Kop icon – and there’s no reason why he can’t realise that dream. Grade: A

For River Plate: A crushing reminder of their place in the pecking order of world football. River may still be one of the most famous clubs in the game but, just like everyone else in South America, the Argentinians are no longer in a position to compete with the financial might of Europe’s top clubs, meaning their most exciting academy products are leaving earlier than ever before. Mastantuono only became River’s youngest-ever goal-scorer last February; now, he’s on his way to Spain after fewer than 50 Primera Division appearances. Of course, this is good money for an unproven 17-year-old, but that’s scant consolation to fans that would have loved to have seen Mastantuono stay at least a few more seasons at the Monumental to give them a better shot at winning a first Copa Libertadores since 2018. Grade: D+

For Real Madrid: Further evidence of their determination to hoover up as much teenage talent from South America as possible. It’s a recruitment policy that’s paid off for Madrid in recent years, with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo both becoming big stars at Santiago Bernabeu, and Florentino Perez will feel as if he’s got one over on Paris Saint-Germain, who were leading the race for Mastantuono until Madrid entered the running. Of course, whether Los Blancos really need Mastantuono right now is open to debate, but if they hadn’t made their move this summer, he clearly would have ended up alongside PSG’s plethora of exciting young attackers at Parc des Princes. Madrid will, thus, believe that they had no option but to sign Mastantuono while they still could – especially as his value is only going to increase after breaking into the Argentina senior side. Grade: B+

For Mastantuono: The proverbial dream come true. Indeed, if nothing else, this move proves that Madrid remain the dream move for South American starlets, with the latest reports claiming that Mastantuono always had his heart set on joining the 15-time champions of Europe. It’s obviously an incredibly exciting switch for the teenager, but it’s not without its potential perils. Vinicius and Rodrygo both took a while to become regulars at Madrid, while Endrick has struggled for game time since joining from Palmeiras last summer. However, the mere fact that Xabi Alonso has apparently already spoken to Mastantuono suggests that he will have a significant role to play in the coach’s plan to revamp Real this season. Grade: B+

For Manchester City:u0026nbsp;A sad end for arguably the best player ever to represent the club.u0026nbsp;De Bruyne clearly wanted to stay for at least another season,u0026nbsp;but the powers that be at the Etihad felt that it wouldn’t have been financially prudent to extend the contract of an attacking midfielder who turns 34 next month. In fairness, one can definitely understand the thinking. De Bruyne may have been involved in 14 goals during the 2024-25 campaign, but that’s actually a pretty low number by his incredibly high standards and there’s no denying that the injury-prone Belgian is not the formidable force he once was.u0026nbsp;The likes of Micah Richards have argued that De Bruyne still had plenty to offer City,u0026nbsp;but Pep Guardiola has admitted himself that he erred badly by sticking with the old guard last summer when he should have been reinvigorating the squad, and clearly the Catalan doesn’t want to make the same mistake again. As a result, a true Premier League icon has been sent packing. So, while it may seem harsh, it’s probably the correct call.u0026nbsp;Grade: B

For Napoli:u0026nbsp;An exciting signing for a set of supporters still celebrating a surprise Scudetto success. De Bruyne is definitely in decline and there are doubts over his fitness, but we’re still talking about one of the finest playmakers of his generation and Napoli have got him on a free, which is pretty much the key point here. Italian football should also suit his particular set of skills, as Serie A is less frenetic than the Premier League. It’s more about intelligence than intensity and De Bruyne remains one of the smartest players in the game, an attacking midfielder capable of picking out passes that others can’t even see. Antonio Conte will doubtless be happy to be able to call upon the best passer the Premier League has ever seen to break down Serie A’s notoriously well-drilled defences.u0026nbsp;Grade: B+

For De Bruyne:u0026nbsp;A wonderful move. At De Bruyne’s age, most living legends decide to move into a lucrative retirement home in Riyadh or Miami. De Bruyne, though, insisted all along that he could still cut it at the very highest level of the game and now he intends to prove it in Naples, one of the most passionate and pressurised environments in world football. Having spent the last decade playing at the soulless Etihad Stadium, he should love it, as he’ll get to experience what it feels like to perform in front of a truly raucous crowd at the Diego Armando Maradona every second week – while at the same time living in one of the most beautiful and chaotic cities on the planet. If De Bruyne can stay fit (and it is a big ‘if’), he should have an absolute blast at Napoli. After all,u0026nbsp;the fans already deified Scott McTominay.u0026nbsp;Just think at what De Bruyne could achieve in Naples!u0026nbsp;Grade: A+

For Milan: Another sad sign of the decline of a once great footballing institution. The seven-time champions of Europe have become a selling club over the past few years. Indeed, Milan were only able to buy Reijnders from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023 after allowing Sandro Tonali to join Newcastle. Now, they’re going to be on the look-out for another bargain buy capable of replacing the Netherlands international – and that will not be easy at all. Reijnders was one of the few shining lights in a depressingly dark season at San Siro, somehow managing to win Serie A’s Best Midfielder award in a terrible team that finished eighth in the table. So, while Milan have made decent money on Reijnders, who was acquired for just €20m (£17m/$23m), the 26-year-old is going to be sorely missed. Grade: B

For City: A very shrewd signing. We’re obviously not talking about an insignificant sum of money here – but it’s pittance for City’s Abu Dhabi-based paymasters, and Reijnders’ arrival undeniably has the potential to reinvigorate a midfield that looked a little lifeless last season. The Dutchman can both score and create goals (he netted 15 times in total last season), while his work-rate and passing are both top drawer. City have essentially signed a new Ilkay Gundogan. Grade: A

For Reijnders: A timely and exciting step up in class. Reijnders deserves to be playing for an elite European team rather than a mediocre Milan side, so it’s no surprise to see him jump at the chance to move to the Etihad as he approaches what should be his peak years. Obviously, he’ll face more competition for a starting spot at City and Pep Guardiola is one of the most demanding coaches in the history of the game. However, the feeling has long been that Reijnders has it in him to become one of the best No.8s in world football – and he has every chance of realising that potential with the help of the Catalan coach. Grade: A+

For Lyon: An exit as inevitable as it was essential. Lyon’s financial problems are well-documented at this stage, so there was absolutely no chance of them rejecting anything resembling a reasonable offer for a player who had just a year left on his contract with the French club. Indeed, Lyon did well just to get Cherki to sign a one-year extension last September to remove the risk of them losing the attacker for nothing this summer. The only issue now: how to replace such a wonderfully creative player who provided 20 assists last season?! Grade: B-

For Man City: A calculated risk. Cherki has been considered a potential superstar since he was 16, but it’s taken five years for one of Europe’s elite to snap him up – and he’s only just been capped by France for the first time. Why? Because of major concerns over both his attitude and his consistency. However, Cherki has been sensational for Lyon since being welcomed back into the squad after the resolution of his contractual situation. Only two players across Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, Bruno Fernandes and Raphinha, created more chances in all competitions this season than Cherki – and the 21-year-old played 13 games fewer than the pair. City’s top target to fill the void left by Kevin De Bruyne was undoubtedly Florian Wirtz but, in Cherki, they’ve managed to sign a player arguably just as talented – and for roughly a third of the price. Grade: A

For Cherki: The perfect place to realise his full potential. Obviously, there will be intense competition for places at the Etihad (even after the departure of De Bruyne), but this feels like to be the perfect time to be joining City, with Pep Guardiola intent on rejuvenating his team. Cherki’s still only young, of course, he still has much to learn, but the instant impact he made after coming off the bench for France in last week’s Nations League clash with Spain only reinforced the impression that this is a player determined to make it for lost time. Cherki won’t walk into Guardiola’s starting line-up, but the likes of Phil Foden should be very, very worried about their starting spots. City have just signed a player of rare talent with the ball at his feet who seems to have really got his head together over the past year. Expect him to become a big hit with the Etihad faithful. Grade: A

For Sunderland: Not what they would have wanted just a few weeks after winning the Championship play-off final. Sunderland owner Kyril Louis Dreyfus was determined to hold onto one of the key factors in their promotion to the Premier League. Unfortunately, the lure of following in his brother Jude’s footsteps proved too difficult for Bellingham to resist. Sunderland, though, can console themselves with the fact that they’ll end up securing a club-record fee for the 19-year-old if he meets certain, achievable targets at Signal Iduna Park. It’s also worth noting that Sunderland will be entitled to a 15 percent cut of his next transfer fee, which could be quite lucrative if Bellingham proves even half as successful as his brother in Dortmund. Grade: B

For Dortmund: An expensive experiment to see if lightning really does strike twice. Dortmund’s decision to make Jude the most expensive 17-year-old in history paid off spectacularly, with the England international eventually moving on to Real Madrid in 2023 for a base fee of €103m (£87m/$117m). They’re now clearly hoping Jobe will prove just as sound an investment, and there are some grounds for optimism. Jobe doesn’t look like a pre-ordained superstar like his older brother, but his potential is obvious. It wasn’t just Dortmund who were courting him; Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig were interested in the box-to-box midfielder too, and as a result, Dortmund were willing to commit to a deal that could end up making Bellingham the costliest signing in the club’s history. Grade: B-

For Bellingham: A bold move. Bellingham clearly wants to establish himself as a top player in his own right, but comparisons with his brother are even more inevitable now that he’s joining Dortmund after being named the best young player in the Championship. Of course, the flip side is that we’re talking about a club that not only treated his brother very well but is also renowned for honing young talent. Jude isn’t even the only Englishman to become a star at Signal Iduna Park; there was also Jadon Sancho before that, while Jamie Gittens is presently poised to return to England with Chelsea after making a name for himself at Dortmund. Jobe is clearly confident of doing likewise in the coming years. Grade: B+

For Wolves: A second significant departure in as many weeks. After losing star forward Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Wolves are now selling their first-choice left-back to Manchester City. Of course, neither exit is particularly surprising. Both men were always going to jump at the chance to join a bigger club, particularly in the case of Ait-Nouri, who looks a very good fit for City. The Algeria international has also served Wolves well since joining on a permanent transfer from Angers in 2021 for just £9.8m. So, while this definitely feels like a good deal for City, Wolves have still made a healthy profit on a player that had just one year left on his contract, with a potential £5m in add-ons still to come. Grade: B

For Man City: A solution to their left-back problem. Josko Gvardiol’s versatility was obviously one of the main reasons why City were willing to pay so much money to sign the former RB Leipzig defender in 2023 but, at the end of the day, his best position is centre-back and Ait-Nouri’s arrival means that’s where the Croatian will now get to play on a permanent basis. Indeed, the 24-year-old Ait-Nouri looks made for Man City, as he’s excellent in possession (no defender was directly involved in more Premier League goals last season) and also highly adept at winning the ball back high up the field. The fee is hardly exorbitant either, making this look like a fine bit of business by City. Grade: A

For Ait-Nouri: An incredible opportunity. It’s rare that a new signing goes straight into Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up, as the Catalan is notoriously demanding, meaning a period of adaptation is usually required. Ait-Nouri, though, is the kind of multi-talented full-back City have been crying out for since Joao Cancelo fell out of favour at the Etihad. Obviously, he’ll be under more pressure to perform than ever before, and his defensive work will come under intense scrutiny, as he is somewhat prone to little lapses in concentration. But, at the same time, Ait-Nouri should benefit enormously from not only playing under Guardiola, but playing alongside a gifted group of players. For the player, this just looks like the right move, at the right time. Grade: A+

For Ipswich: An inevitable consequence of their relegation from the Premier League. Truth be told, though, Ipswich probably would have lost Delap this summer even if they’d stayed up, given the way in which he caught the eye in a struggling side, as well as his desperately low buy-out clause. The Tractor Boys have obviously made a tidy profit on last summer’s £20m ($27m) signing from Manchester City, but there will be some understandable frustration that the asking price was set so low for such a valuable player. Grade: C

For Chelsea: A perfect illustration of their recruitment strategy. Delap is young, talented and has a very high ceiling. The fact that he was available for a knockdown fee made him an incredibly attractive option for a team crying out for an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson, who scored just 10 goals last season. Delap, who hit 12 for a relegated team, is a better finisher than the Senegalese striker and also a much greater threat in the air. The 22-year-old should really enjoy playing with Cole Palmer – and vice versa. Delap is the kind of aggressive, physical and effective forward Chelsea have been lacking. Grade: B+

For Delap: Definitely a far better choice than joining Manchester United! Delap was unsurprisingly courted by several clubs and, at one point, appeared to be edging towards moving to Old Trafford. However, Chelsea could offer him several things that United could not, chief among them, Champions League football. Striker is also the one area where the Blues are not well-stocked with attractive options (for now, at least!). Delap clearly believes he can take Jackson’s spot in attack – and rightly so. Granted, he’ll be under a lot more pressure to score goals at Stamford Bridge than he was at Portman Road, but Delap, who proved a real nuisance for some of the Premier League’s best defenders, undoubtedly has the ability to thrive at a higher level. The one minor concern is his disciplinary record (he picked up 12 yellow cards last season) but that can be partially attributed to the frustration that comes up ploughing a lone furrow up front for a poor side. Fair to say, he should feel far more at ease at Chelsea. Grade: A

For Wolves: Undoubtedly a disappointing departure. Cunha has been the key element in Wolves’ attack since arriving at Molineux in December 2022 with 33 goals in 92 games across all competitions. However, given the quality of his performances, he was always likely to leave at some point and, thanks to the pretty hefty buy-out clause, a tidy profit has been made on a player acquired for £35m ($47m). It should also be noted that Wolves stood their ground when it came to the structure of the payments. Replacing Cunha is obviously going to be a tough task, but Wolves coped well without him during last season’s four-game suspension and there might even be a little relief at board level that they’ve managed to find someone willing to pay such a significant sum of money for such a combustible character. Grade: B+

For United: A risk – but one that simply had to be taken. Let’s face it, Old Trafford is no longer the most attractive destination for top players. The ground is crumbling, the owners are odious, the fans are revolting and the team is terrible, which culminated in an embarrassing defeat to serial losers Tottenham that means United don’t even have European football to look forward to next season. In that context, they’ve done well to sign one of the most exciting attackers in the Premier League. So, while there are undeniably concerns over Cunha’s short fuse, and the fact that he flopped at Atletico Madrid before moving to Wolves, he’ll be welcomed with open arms at Old Trafford – not least because his skillset appears to be well-suited to the left-sided No.10 role within Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation. One worry, though, would be the fact that few players spend more time walking through Premier League games than Cunha! Grade: B

For Cunha: A strange decision on the face of it. Cunha said he wanted to leave Wolves to win titles and has previously been linked with far stronger sides than United, including Arsenal and Liverpool. However, the word is that a lot of top teams went cool on Cunha because of his hot head, which makes sense given he was banned for six games in total last season. Consequently, it’s been reported that Cunha was effectively left with a simple choice: Manchester or Saudi Arabia? If that was really the case, he should be commended for taking the tougher but potentially more rewarding option (at least from a sporting perspective!). United, for all of their problems, remain a massive club, and if the Brazilian can replicate his Wolves form at Old Trafford, he’ll become a firm favourite with long-suffering supporters crying out for a new idol. On the flip side, players more talented than Cunha have drowned in the cesspit that ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ has become over the past decade… Grade: B-

For Bayer Leverkusen: Another sad sign that this is the end of a short but successful era. Xabi Alonso has headed for the Bernabeu, where he has replaced Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid coach, while now one of the key components in the Spaniard’s undefeated double-winning team is on his way to Anfield. Such departures were always inevitable, of course; Leverkusen’s historic exploits were never going to go unnoticed by Europe’s elite. The one frustrating aspect of the Frimpong exit is that his buy-out clause was so low – particularly as Celtic are entitled to a £5m ($6.7m) cut of the fee. Frimpong has served Leverkusen well, but the club could have easily got double the money for such a talented 24-year-old on the open market. Grade: D

For Liverpool: The perfect tonic for losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid. Indeed, it’s actually hard to think of a more exciting replacement. Frimpong doesn’t have the same passing range as Alexander-Arnold, but he’s a better dribbler and carries a far greater attacking threat. Not only has he racked up more assists than the Englishman over the past two years, Frimpong has been involved in more goals (38) in all competitions than any other right-back in Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues during the same period. In that context, the fee has to be considered an absolute steal and evokes memories of the rapid move made to meet Alexis Mac Allister’s buy-out clause at Brighton a couple of years ago. The one concern lies over the fact that Frimpong is very clearly better suited to playing as a wing-back than a full-back (he often looks like a winger!), which makes one wonder if Arne Slot is considering a change of formation, while some have suggested that he could even end up succeeding Mohamed Salah on the right-hand side of the attack. However he’s deployed, though, Frimpong has the skills required to become an instant fan favourite at Anfield. Grade: A

For Frimpong: A long-awaited move to Liverpool. Frimpong revealed earlier this season that he came close to joining the Reds as a teenager, only to instead sign for Manchester City. He never made an appearance for the senior side at the Etihad, but he is now perfectly placed to belatedly become a Premier League star with Liverpool. Frimpong will face stiff competition for the right-back berth from Conor Bradley, but the main thing is that he’s unlikely to have any issues settling into his new surroundings, given he’ll have a Dutch coach and three Netherlands team-mates for company on Merseyside. Oh, and he already does a pretty impressive Liverpool accent! Grade: A

For Liverpool: A devastating departure – as underlined by the acrimonious atmosphere at Anfield in Alexander-Arnold’s first appearance in front of the Kop after his imminent exit had been finally confirmed. The right-back’s decision has provoked a wide range of reactions, but one thing everyone could agree on is that Liverpool potentially losing arguably their most valuable asset to one of their great European rivals for free would have been a disaster from both an economic and sporting perspective. The owners and board directors should, then, take their fair shame of the blame for allowing this to happen, even if they did manage to recoup €10 million (£8.4m/$11.3m) so that he could join up with Madrid before the Club World Cup. After all, it’s not as if Alexander-Arnold was the only star player on an expiring contract this season! Grade: D

For Real Madrid: Madrid have become masters of convincing world-class players to run down their contracts so that they can avoid paying hefty fees in order to sign them. David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe have all arrived at Santiago Bernabeu for nothing in recent seasons, and Alexander-Arnold, then, is just the latest top talent to have had his head turned by an approach from the kings of European football – as well as the chance to play alongside his good friend Jude Bellingham. Alexander-Arnold is obviously a very different kind of right-back to Dani Carvajal and there are ongoing concerns over his defensive work, but the Englishman should excel as a wing-back in the 3-4-2-1 formation favoured by new coach Xabi Alonso. Furthermore, with his incredible range of passing, Alexander-Arnold could also move infield during games to serve as the kind of deep-lying playmaker Madrid have been missing since Toni Kroos’ retirement last summer. Basically, there are no real downsides to this deal for Los Blancos – even if paying €3m-per-game to have him play in the Club World Cup group stages is crazy! However, it also illustrates just how desperate Madrid are to have him. Grade: A

For Alexander-Arnold: A bold move. Alexander-Arnold looked destined to become Liverpool’s next captain. Instead, he’s tarnished his legacy by leaving the club on a free transfer – and to join Madrid, a club that have heaped an awful lot of misery on the Reds over the last few years. Consequently, a local lad who wanted to go down as a Liverpool legend like Steven Gerrard is more likely to be viewed with the same disdain by the fans as Michael Owen. Alexander-Arnold knew all of this course. He was acutely aware of how the manner of his exit would be perceived – and he went ahead with it anyway, which means he was probably braced for the bitter boos and scathing criticism he’s received. The lure of Madrid was too strong for him, not least because he believes that they can help him realise his dream of winning the Ballon d’Or. He’s no chance of doing so, of course, but the mere fact that it’s his primary objective now tells you everything you need to know about Alexander-Arnold’s new mindset. He wants to push himself to new heights and he is in no doubt that playing in the most high-pressure environment in world football will help him do that. Grade: B

For Leverkusen: A tough transfer to take. Leverkusen look to have avoided losing Florian Wirtz to Bayern by pricing their bitter rivals out of the running to sign the attacking midfielder, who appears set to arrive at Anfield in the coming days. However, there was nothing they could do to prevent Tah moving to Munich, given his contract was expiring. Still, while there may be some regret at the BayArena that they didn’t try harder to cash in on Tah last summer, their desire to hold onto one of the pillars of their historic undefeated double triumph for a proper crack at the Champions League was understandable. And besides, Leverkusen more than got their money’s worth out of Tah, who joined from Hamburg 10 years ago for a bargain €7.5 million (£6.3m/$8.5m) – a fact which should go some way taking the edge off the centre-back joining Bayern for nothing. Grade: D

For Bayern: A fantastic free transfer. For a long time this season, it appeared as if Tah was certain to end up at Barcelona, but the Catalans’ cash-flow problems scuppered the deal, thus allowing Bayern to pounce. Tah should prove a terrific addition to Vincent Kompany’s squad. Indeed, he’s essentially taken the place of Monaco-bound Eric Dier – which is, with all due respect to the former Spurs man, one hell of an upgrade. Of course, Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae performed well at the centre of the Bayern defence last season, but they will now be competing for the right to play alongside Tah, who remains one of the classiest and most imposing centre-backs in Germany. Tah may be 29, but the Germany international has plenty of years left in him at the highest level. Grade: A

For Tah: An unsurprising move. After a decade at Leverkusen, Tah obviously felt that the time was right to move on and, in fairness, one can understand why. There was never going to be any topping the undefeated 2023-24 campaign – particularly with inspirational coach Xabi Alonso having taken over at Real Madrid, which had been on the cards since last summer. The suspicion remains that Tah favoured a move to Barcelona, but Bayern are also one of Europe’s elite clubs and Tah will no doubt believe that the Bavarians are offering him just as good a chance to win his first Champions League title as the Blaugrana. The one disappointment from his perspective is that Wirtz won’t be joining him at the Allianz Arena! Grade: A-

For Bournemouth: Mixed emotions. Huijsen only arrived at the Vitality Stadium last summer and has had a fine debut campaign – during which he became Bournemouth’s youngest-ever Premier League goal-scorer with a winner against Spurs in December. It is, therefore, sad to see him leave so soon. Still, the Cherries have managed to make a massive profit on a player shrewdly signed from Juventus for just £12.8m ($17.1m) less than 12 months ago – which pretty much sums up Bournemouth’s brilliant business model. Grade: B

For Real Madrid: Some overdue reinforcement in defence. Madrid paid a heavy price for foolishly failing to sign a centre-half last summer, as it was already clear by that point that their back four needed rejuvenating. Consequently, Carlo Ancelotti’s squad was hit hard by the unavailability of David Alaba and Eder Militao for significant chunks of the season. Huijsen, then, is an ideal addition. He’s young, gifted and, despite being born in the Netherlands, spent his formative years in Spain, meaning he won’t need any time to acclimatise. In that context, Huijsen, who was also courted by a host of top Premier League clubs, could prove a bargain buy. Grade: A

For Huijsen: A rapid rise to prominence. From Bournemouth to the Bernabeu in less than a year is some career trajectory! However, it was clear during his loan spell at Roma for the second half of the 2023-24 Serie A season that Huijsen was a special talent. It’s rare to see such an aerially dominant centre-back look so comfortable on the ball and it’s hardly surprising that Liverpool wanted him too, as there really is an air of Virgil van Dijk about him. However, the newly-capped Spain international was always going to end up at Madrid. Although Huijsen rejected Los Blancos during his time in Malaga’s youth academy because he felt his defensive game would benefit more from a spell in Italy, this is a kid that grew up idolising Sergio Ramos and he really could follow in his hero’s footsteps by becoming a Real regular for more than a decade. Grade: A+