It’s crazy that in the current climate in England, with cost of living crises and energy bills, football clubs have yet again taken spending to another level.
This summer English clubs have broken the record for spending, with a monumental £1.9 billion spent on players.
Breaking the record set in 2017 which was £1.4 billion.
Below is my team by team review of the summer window…..
ARSENAL
Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City, £45m)
Fabio Vieira (Porto, £34m)
Oleksandr Zinchenko (Manchester City, £32m)
Matt Turner (New England Revolution, £5.73)
Marquinhos (Sao Paulo, £3.15)
You cannot deny that this is a very good window from Arsenal. The manager has been backed by the board, for several windows, and now Arsenal & Arteta have a team to be proud of that will hopefully challenge for honours.
Jesus has given everybody at the club a boost, and has already shown what he is capable of, and what is to come this season.
The experienced Zinchenko has also stated well and could get better as time goes on. Viera has not been seen yet due to injury but has the footballing ability and vision to fit right in and add another dimension to a good, exciting-looking team.
Estimated Net Spend – £97.44m
ASTON VILLA
Diego Carlos (Sevilla, £27m)
Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona, £18m)
Robin Olsen (Roma, undisclosed)
Boubacar Kamara (Marseille, free)
Rory Wilson (Rangers, free)
Ludwig Augustinsson (Sevilla, loan)
Jan Bednarek (Southampton, loan)
Leander Denoncker (Wolves, £13m)
This is a mixed bag for Villa. Right off the bat, they are extremely unfortunate that Carlos is out with a long-term injury after playing just two games.
This prompted the further deadline day signing of Bednarek on loan and Dendoncker, who can play midfield or defence, obviously, both come with league experience.
We know all about Coutinho, and what he brings, regardless of the circumstances, he is a very good signing.
Augustinsson is a quick, attacking Swedish full-back with experience in Germany and Spain and has been capped for Sweden at all levels. Kamara is a young, defensive midfielder who has been capped at all levels for France and left his boyhood team to join Villa.
Estimated Net Spend – £25.20m
BOURNEMOUTH
Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough, £12.5m)
Joe Rothwell (Blackburn, free)
Ryan Fredericks (West Ham, free)
Neto (Barcelona, undisclosed)
Marcos Senesi (Feyenoord, £13m)
Jack Stephens (Southampton, loan)
Back in the Premier League and already lost their manager, Bournemouth will need players to hit the ground running. However, Goalkeeper Neto is unbeaten in his three games so far, so will hope that record continues.
Tavernier has had a rude awakening to start his career, but they have high hopes for his development.
Importantly, defenders Fredricks and Stephens come ready-made with valuable Premier League experience.
Rothwell is a combative midfielder and a former Man Utd youth player, who has plenty of experience in the championship, and Senesi is a no-nonsense Argentinian defender.
Estimated Net Spend – £24.21m
BRENTFORD
Keane Lewis-Potter (Hull, £20m)
Aaron Hickey (Bologna, £18m)
Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria, £16.7m)
Max Dickov (Stockport Town, free)
Max Wilcox (Bolton, undisclosed)
Kyreece Lisbie (Watford, free)
Thomas Strakosha (Lazio, free)
Ben Mee (Burnley, free)
Mathias Jorgensen (unattached, free)
Brentford has made some interesting signings in their attempt to fight that second-season syndrome. Ben Mee is a very good move at the back with his experience.
I will be very interested to see what Damsgaard brings to the table, he has that element of the unexpected, with his ability and skill. Young Scottish full-back Hickey comes in after a very impressive spell in Italy.
Strakosha is a Greek-born goalkeeper, who is capped for Albania, due to growing up there, as his dad was also a keeper and played much of his career in Albania.
Young striker Lewis-Potter has already featured for Brentford, and they have high hopes for him. Jorgensen is a very experienced defender who has been capped at all levels for Denmark.
Estimated Net Spend – £42.21m
BRIGHTON
Julio Enciso (Libertad Asuncion, £9.5m)
Simon Adingra (Nordsjaelland, £6m)
Benicio Baker-Boaitey (Porto, undisclosed)
Levi Colwill (Chelsea, loan)
Pervis Estupinan (Villarreal, £15m)
Billy Gilmour (Chelsea, £9m)
I would say this is an interesting mix of signings for Brighton, and will be interested to see how they bed in with the team.
Gilmour needed a fresh move and could work well at Brighton with the type of football they play. Estupinan is a strong Ecuadoran who won the Europa League with Villarreal in 2021. Encisco is a teenage striker already capped for Paraguay.
Adingra is a young, pacey left winger from Ivory Coast. Colwill is a teenage defender capped at all youth levels for England.
I don’t know anything about Baker-Boaitey apart from him being a teenage winger from England with Ghanaian roots.
Estimated Net Spend – +£59.49m
CHELSEA
Marc Cucurella (Brighton, £60m)
Raheem Sterling (Man City, £47.5m)
Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli, £33m)
Carney Chukwuemeka (Aston Villa, £20m)
Gabriel Slolina (Chicago Fire, £12m)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Chelsea, £7m)
Eddie Beach (Southampton, undisclosed)
Omari Hutchinson (Arsenal, free)
Cesare Casadei (Inter Milan, £12m)
Wesley Fofana (Leicester City, £70m)
Dennis Zakaria (Juventus, Loan)
Chelsea and their new owners spent a staggering over £200m on players this summer. There was no doubt Sterling will do well, and he has already embedded into the team and scored.
Fofana’s deadline day purchase raised eyebrows, and he will certainly feel the pressure to perform, but is a good young defender.
Cucurella is another who raised eyebrows with the price tag, and although very good, will have to convince the masses.
Koulibaly looks a good signing with all his abilities and experience. They will be excited about the development of Chukwuemeka, but will he get games?
Casadei is a teenage midfielder capped at all youth levels for Italy. Zakaria is a strong, no-nonsense, defensive midfielder.
However, the Aubameyang signing looks like an interesting one. Chelsea needed a striker, and it looks like a good move for a stop-gap, but will it be a short-term success or disaster?
Estimated Net Spend – £201.32m
CRYSTAL PALACE
Cheick Doucoure (Lens, £21m)
Chris Richards (Bayern Munich, £8.5m)
Malcolm Ebiowei (Derby, undisclosed)
Sam Johnstone (West Brom, free)
Kofi Balmer (Larne, undisclosed)
Palace and Vieira seem to be plodding along very well, and these signings will help with much-needed squad depth.
Doucoure will add more steel and legs to the midfield. American Richards is an American international who was on the books of Bayern.
I remember the young skilful Ebiowei from a South London documentary about young footballers, and it’s good to see him make it to the Premier League.
Goalkeeper Johnston will bring extra experience into the squad and push Guaita. Balmer is a young centre-back.
Estimated Net Spend – £26.23m
EVERTON
Amadou Onana (Lille, £33.5m)
Dwight McNeil (Burnley, £15m)
Conor Coady (Wolves, loan)
James Tarkowski (Burnley, free)
Ruben Vinagre (Sporting, loan)
Neal Maupay (Brighton, £10.6)
Idrissa Gana Gueye ( PSG, £2m)
James Garner (Manchester United, £9m plus add-ons)
Traditionally Everton always buys a lot in the window, but it has often not worked out. So Lampard is hoping for better fortunes.
Liverpool boy Coady is already looking like a good signing and has forged a good partnership with Tarkowski at the back.
I’m sure all at Everton were happy to see Gueye come home, and he will hope to roll back the years. I like McNeil, who is a shrewd signing and one for the present and future.
Onana could be a huge signing, coming in for a decent price tag, he has already made a difference, and at just 20, could become a real star. Maupay is another shrewd signing as they were crying out for another striker.
Vinagre is a young Portuguese left-back capped at all youth levels for Portugal and Garner is a young midfielder capped at all youth levels for England.
Estimated Net Spend – £24.48m
FULHAM
Joao Palhinha (Sporting Lisbon, £20m)
Issa Diop (West Ham, £15m)
Andreas Pereira (Manchester United, £10m)
Bernd Leno (Arsenal, £8m)
Kevin Mbabu (Wolfsburg, £6.5m)
Kristian Sekularac (Juventus, free)
Willian (Corinthians, free)
Callum McFarlane (Bradfield College, free)
Manor Solomon (Shakhtar Donetsk, loan)
Shane Duffy (Brighton, loan)
Lavyin Kurzawa (PSG, loan)
Carlos Vinicius (Benfica, £4.25m)
Daniel James (Leeds Utd, loan)
I fully understand a newly promoted team needing to bring in more quality, as you move from the Championship to the Premier League, and Fulham will hope this will be enough.
Paulhinha and Pereira have both already made a difference and look good buys.
That also goes for Leno in goal. Duffy will bring some valuable experience at the back, as will Diop in midfield. Also, James in attack, which I thought was a surprise move for him.
Another surprise is Willian back to England, his experience will be valuable, but does he still have the quality?
Mbabu is a very experienced Swiss defender capped at all levels, and Vinicius is an experienced forward who played in the Premier League before with Spurs and scored one goal.
Estimated Net Spend – £36.45m
LEEDS
Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord, £25.4m)
Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, £24.7m)
Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig, £20m)
Rasmus Kristensen (Red Bull Salzburg, £10m)
Marc Roca (Bayern Munich, £10m)
Darko Gyabi (Manchester City, £5m)
Joel Robles (Real Betis, free)
Sonny Perkins (West Ham, free)
In what I feel will be a big season for Leeds, their signings have big shoes to fit and will be needed. That said, Sinisterra has already made his mark and seemed to have already settled.
That also goes for Aaronson, who looks a good signing in midfield. American international midfielder Adams also looks like a useful signing, but will need more time.
Kristensen is a right-back who has been capped at all levels for Denmark. Robles is an experienced Spanish goalkeeper. Roca is a tough tackling defensive midfielder who caught the eye of Bayern.
Gyabi is a teenage midfield capped at youth level for England, and Perkins is a teenage forward also capped at youth level for England.
Estimated Net Spend – £1.75m
LEICESTER
Wout Faes (Reims, £15m)
Alex Smithies (Cardiff, free)
It’s been a turbulent start to the season for Brendan Rodgers, and their business in the summer window certainly didn’t help.
It’s bad enough the only signings they made came late with a much-needed defender Faes , who does look a useful signing and has been capped at all levels for Belgium. But he is still yet to play due to work permit issues.
They have also brought in experienced goalkeeper Smithies to challenge Ward, which is understandable as Ward has not started the season well.
However, I fear for Leicester and losing Fofana, and especially Schmeichel, could really come back to haunt them.
Estimated Net Spend – +£57.96m
LIVERPOOL
Darwin Núñez (Benfica, £85m)
Calvin Ramsay (Aberdeen, £6.5m)
Fabio Carvalho (Fulham, £5m)
Arthur Melo (Juventus, loan)
All things considered it’s not a bad summer window for Liverpool. However, you can’t help but think they could have done more.
That said, Nunez coming in for big money will add a much-needed, different dimension to their play, but the early signs look as though he will need time to settle.
Young Carvalho looks like a really good acquisition for the present and future, if he continues to develop and they get him playing to his strengths.
Ramsey is a young full-back from Scotland, yet to feature due to injury. The deadline-day loan signing of Brazilian Melo was a much-needed move with their injury issues, but they will hope he can stay fit and contribute as he has had his own injury issues in the past few years.
Estimated Net Spend – £8.64m
MANCHESTER CITY
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund, £51m)
Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United, £50m)
Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund, £15m)
Sergio Gomez (Anderlecht, £11m)
Stefan Ortega (Arminia Bielefeld, free)
To be fair, after back-to-back league titles, just getting Haaland in would have been a very good window.
He has already shown why he was one of the most sought-after forwards in football.
But in addition, they also acquired Phillips, who is one of England’s most promising midfielders, providing he stays fit. Gomez is a Spanish left-sided player capped at all youth levels for Spain.
Not that they needed it, but the deadline day signing of experienced Swiss international centre-back Akanji, felt like them flexing their muscles, seeing as they have unexpectedly recouped more than they have bought. Ortega is a very experienced German goalkeeper.
Estimated Net Spend – +£18.36m
MANCHESTER UNITED
Antony (Ajax, £85.5m)
Casemiro (Real Madrid, £70m)
Lisandro Martínez (Ajax, £57m)
Tyrell Malacia (Feyenoord, £13m)
Christian Eriksen (Brentford, free)
Martin Dubravka (Newcastle, loan)
As per usual, Man Utd have spared no expense as they spent over £200m in their quest to get back into the big time, and they may have cracked it.
The most expensive signing of the window came on deadline day as Ten Hag acquired his old pal Antony who made an instant impact.
Martinez, another Ajax player who has also made an instant impact at the back for a very good double swoop.
Another who has also made an impact is Eriksen, pulling the strings from midfield. Add that to Casemiro, who will bring experience, composure and quality to the midfield.
Left-back Malacia looked good on his debut, and looks a really solid signing. The experienced Dubravka will come in as a very capable understudy to De Gea in an impressive window.
Estimated Net Spend – £205.95m
NEWCASTLE
Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad, £54m)
Sven Botman (Lille, £35m)
Matt Targett (Aston Villa, £15m)
Nick Pope (Burnley, £10m)
It was a somewhat surprising window by Newcastle as everyone has been expecting them to really splash out, but to be fair, they did spend over £100m.
The bulk of that was spent on striker Isak, a forward who many clubs were looking at, and after just one week, you can see why.
Botman is a young defender who is highly talked about and capped at all youth levels for the Netherlands.
Getting Pope was a really good signing, and he has already demonstrated why, that could be key to their season.
It was a surprise that they choose Targett, and Villa let him go, but his experience will be a good asset for the season and beyond.
Estimated Net Spend – £120.32m
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest, £42.5m)
Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, £17.5m)
Moussa Niakhate (Mainz, £17m)
Neco Williams (Liverpool, £17m)
Emmanuel Dennis (Watford, £15m)
Orel Mangala (Stuttgart, £12.7m)
Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolves, £42m)
Jesse Lingard (Manchester United, free)
Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace, free)
Remo Freuler (Atalanta, undisclosed)
Brandon Aguilera (Alajuelense, undisclosed)
Giulian Biancone (Troyes, undisclosed)
Omar Richards (Bayern Munich, undisclosed)
Dean Henderson (Manchester United, loan)
Wayne Hennessey (Burnley, free)
Lewis O’Brien (Huddersfield, undisclosed)
Harry Toffolo (Huddersfield, undisclosed)
Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid, loan)
Willy Boly (Wolves, undisclosed)
Josh Bowler (Blackpool, undisclosed)
Loïc Badé (Rennes, loan)
I really don’t know where to start with this. It’s unprecedented a club buying so many players in one window, let a long a newly promoted one.
Henderson has already made a massive impact in goal. As well as record signing Gibbs-White, who is a very talented young footballer and has already shown it.
Former Liverpool forward Awoniyi, started well and looks like a decent acquisition but may need more time to settle.
Boly will bring experience to the defence, as will Kouyate in midfield and Lingard, who surprised by choosing Forest.
Another who has already made an impact is former Liverpool full-back Williams, who looks made for the way Forest play. Lodi is a Brazilian attacking left back.
They will hope Dennis’ experience and goals can be a factor this season. It will be interesting to see what young full-back Richards offers, after going from Reading to Bayern, now to the top flight.
Defender Toffolos, has made a good start to his Forest career. Young French defender Bade will also hope to make an impact, as will industrious midfielder Mangala, who has been capped at all levels for Belgium. Niakhate is a strong, experienced French centre-back.
Estimated Net Spend – £139.46m
SOUTHAMPTON
Gavin Bazunu (Manchester City, £15m)
Romeo Lavia (Manchester City, £12m)
Joe Aribo (Rangers, £10m)
Armel Bella-Kotchap (VfL Bochum, £9m)
Sekou Mara (Bordeaux, undisclosed)
Duje Caleta-Car (Marseille, undisclosed)
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal, loan)
Juan Larios (Man City, £6m)
Samuel Edozie (Man City, undisclosed)
I was really impressed with Southampton’s business this summer. I really like the look of Aribo, who was excellent in Scotland, and looks to have transferred that into the Premier League.
Goalkeeper Bazunu has also started well. As well as young midfielder Lavia, who opened his account with a wonderful goal.
The deadline-day signing of Maitland-Niles looks like a good move with all his experience and versatility.
Bela-Katchap looks a real gem. He has already made a huge impact and started his Southampton career well. Mara is a young forward, capped at all levels for England and another who looks a really good signing.
Caleta-Car is a tall centre-back capped at all levels for Croatia. Larios is a teenage full-back, and Edozie is a teenage winger.
Estimated Net Spend – £66.06m
TOTTENHAM
Richarlison (Everton, £60m)
Yves Bissouma (Brighton, £35m)
Djed Spence (Middlesbrough, £20m)
Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan, free)
Fraser Forster (Southampton, free)
Clement Lenglet (Barcelona, loan)
Destiny Udogie (Napoli, £15m)
Christian Romero (Atalanta, undisclosed)
Spurs were another team who impressed me with their summer window, and Conte has made a real statement.
Bissouma was sought after by several clubs, and would be an asset to any team.
As will the experience, skill and of Perisic, who looks like a shrewd buy. Richarlison has already made an impact, and will need to repay his big price tag.
Getting Romero in on a permanent deal was also a key move, as he was excellent for them last season.
The experience of Lenglet at the back, looks like a good move, as will the youth and exuberance of Spence, who looks an exciting player off the bench.
Forster will also bring experience in goal, as a backup for Lloris, and Udogie is a young full-back capped at all youth levels for Italy.
Estimated Net Spend – £118.04m
WEST HAM
Gianluca Scamacca (Sassuolo, £30.5m)
Nayef Aguerd (Rennes, £30m)
Maxwel Cornet (Burnley, £17.5m)
Flynn Downes (Swansea City, £12m)
Thilo Kehrer (PSG, £10m)
Alphonse Areola (PSG, £8m)
Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea, £15m)
Lucas Paqueta (Lyon, £51m)
Last season West Ham had a taste of Premier League football with a deep run in Europe, and I feel that experience has influenced them to spend well over £100m this window.
Scammacca has already shown a glimpse of what he is about, but the jury might still be out.
However, everyone must be excited at the prospect of seeing Brazilian attacking midfielder Paqueta, who has the skills and ability to light up the London stadium.
If Moyes can get the best out of Carnet, they will be in for a treat, as I feel he is a very promising forward.
Areola has already shown what he is capable off and will give Fabianski healthy competition for that no1 spot.
Kehrer has had a turbulent start to his Premier League career but has quality. Aguerd is a Moroccan centre-back, hoping to make an impact.
Brazilian left-back Emerson, who won three European trophies with Chelsea, will bring bags of experience. Downes is a young midfielder capped at youth level for England.
Estimated Net Spend – £147.78m
WOLVES
Nathan Collins (Burnley, £20.5m)
Hwang Hee-chan (RB Leipzig, £10m)
Leon Chiwome (AFC Wimbledon, undisclosed)
Matheus Nunes (Sporting, £38m)
Boubacar Traore (Metz)
There is no surprise to see a few Portuguese players signed by Wolves. Nunes, was looked at by a few top clubs, and I can see why.
He is good technically, and will add quality to the midfield.
As will Guedes who has skill and dribbling ability, which will cause lots of trouble.
With all their flair players, bringing Collins in at the back will be ke,y and he has started his Wolves career very well plugging the gap left by Coady.
They will be happy with the permanent signing of Hwang and will now hope he can kick on with league experience under his belt. Traore is an all-action midfielder, well suited to play in English football.
