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Premier League contenders emerge as big winners of 2025 summer transfer window

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Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea brought in some big-time players over the summer.

Published Sep 04, 2025 • 5 minute read

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal from the penalty spot during a match against Leeds United.

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal from the penalty spot during a match against Leeds United. AP Photo

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A record amount of money was spent in the transfer window that just closed before players scattered across the globe for international duty as World Cup qualifiers and friendlies take the stage this weekend.

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Let’s look at the winners and losers of the window and how that fits into context for the rest of the season:

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Winners

Arsenal: Spent the most money (Liverpool spent more, but recouped far more in sales) but added top quality in key positions including Viktor Gyokeres as their much-needed striker and Martin Zubimendi to add girth to their midfield. Also added Noni Madueke, who brings speed and trickery as an option on the wing. Will keep them in the title conversation all season.

Liverpool: The only EPL team with a perfect nine points after three games beat Arsenal last week. And that was without striker Alexander Isak, whom the Reds signed from Newcastle on Monday in a deal that broke the British transfer record. They’ve added Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and, to balance the books, cleared out some useful young players who just couldn’t hit the highest levels. The Premier League leaders have yet to gell and, if they do, should be leading the pack all season.

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Chelsea: Similar to Liverpool, spent a fortune, added youth and quality but funded it by selling a bunch of players who would be fighting for crumbs when it came to playing time. Loaded up on attackers with Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho. Could be left a little light if their centre backs suffer injuries, but all over the rest of the pitch they have quality in abundance. They’ll be in the title fight.

Everton: While their finances have held them back, bringing in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea and getting Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City significantly upgrade their talent. Grealish has had an immediate impact in their two wins and, while they won’t compete for European places, they should easily be safe from the relegation fight they’ve engaged in the past few seasons. A solid step forward.

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Manchester United: Let’s put aside their disastrous Carabao Cup loss to fourth-division Grimsby and needing a last-second soft penalty to eke past Burnley. They added a load of talent in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and striker Benjamin Sesko. Adding goalie Senne Lammens on deadline day was much-needed as they’re a mess between the sticks. He’s not proven yet, but nothing can be worse that what they already had. Sesko will be the key to their season, but it’s hard to tell so far as the bizarre behaviour of under-fire manager Ruben Amorim has kept him on the bench, only bringing him on as a late sub. They need him to hit the ground running, no more baby steps, but the talent they added and the tossing out of high-priced failures (Jadon Sancho, Antony, Rasmus Hjolund) has to make them better. Right?

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Manchester City: While they’ve lost two in a row, buying Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Gianluigi Donnarumma brings in fresh, high-priced talent. They didn’t address the hole at right back, but the rest of the squad is loaded. Once they acclimatize to Pep Guardiola’s system, I’ll expect City to be challenging for all honours all season.

Tottenham: After last season’s debacle, winning the Europa League to get Champions League qualification was absolutely massive because of the money it gave them to revamp a horrendously under-achieving squad. They brought in a stable, smart manager with a vision in Thomas Frank and did their transfer business with that vision in mind. Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Joao Palhinha create balance in the squad. They’ve had early injuries and this team isn’t ready to challenge for top honours yet, but they’ve taken strides away from last season’s embarrassment.

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Losers

Crystal Palace: Coming off the best season in their history, they’ve failed massively to build on it. Yes, they hung on to captain Marc Guehi at the last second (the team agreed a deal with Liverpool, Guehi had a six-year contract signed and had completed a medical, then Palace refused to sign the transfer when the manager threatened to quit as they hadn’t signed a replacement), but what’s left in the wreckage? The team now has a supposedly upset Guehi and it’s all but guaranteed they’ll lose him for nothing next summer when his contract runs out. A club like Crystal Palace just can’t let assets walk out the door for free, business should have been lined up well in advance of the last hour before the window closed. They also lost forward Eberechi Eze. They’re not in any trouble of going down, but don’t look like they’ll build on last season’s success and have squandered a chance to get resources to keep moving forward.

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[Liverpool's Cody Gakpo heads in the opening goal during the English Premier League football match against Arsenal last season.

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Bournemouth: While they’ve been one of the best stories of the start of the season, pushing Liverpool to the very end and then winning the next two, including giving Spurs their first loss, they lost three of their back four and their first-choice goalkeeper. They signed some potential in Ben Doak and Amine Adli and have money to spend, but the squad looks dangerously thin. Manager Andoni Iraola is vastly underrated, so they should be fine, but this is a team that could really climb the table with more investment.

Aston Villa: For a team on the cusp of the Champions League, a competition they acquitted themselves very well in last year, they have clearly gone backwards. They’re yet to score a goal in their first three games. Adding young star Harvey Elliott from Liverpool, who has played a part in a league winning-campaign and getting to the Champions League final at just 22 years of age, brings stunning experience for a player of his youth. But they made a mess of the goalkeeper situation, trying to sell Emi Martinez only to be stuck with him. Also bringing in a high-risk, high-reward forward in Sancho. They lost depth and didn’t bring enough quality in to get back into the Champions League spots.

Wolves: They already sit at rock bottom, but lost their most talented players and brought in players who are either unproved or just journeymen. Hard to see them escaping a season-long relegation fight with their squad.

Next weekend’s games

Saturday, Sept. 13: Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest; Bournemouth vs Brighton; Crystal Palace vs Sunderland; Everton vs Aston Villa; Fulham vs Leeds; Newcastle vs Wolves; West Ham vs Tottenham; Brentford vs Chelsea.