Premier League clubs spent a record £3 billion ($4 billion) in a 2025 summer transfer window that finished with a bang thanks to Liverpool’s £125 million ($169 million) signing of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. But with a FIFA World Cup in the middle of the window in 2026, will things stay the same?
World Cup 2026
The window opened on June 15 for the Premier League and July 1 for most of the other major European leagues.
Here are grades for all the major confirmed transfers in the men’s game, with each listed by date and then by highest fee.
All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.
Match Details
Three weeks after Manchester City broke the record for a British player in Elliot Anderson, Chelsea broke it again — by £1 million — to sign Rogers. The 23-year-old enjoyed a brilliant season, contributing 25 goals and assists to Aston Villa’s cause as they finished inside the top four and won the Europa League, and featured for England at the 2026 World Cup.
Still, this is a gargantuan move that carries immense risk, regardless of how good the player is, as far more often than not, forwards tend to fall short of the expectation this sort of fee creates.
For Villa, it’s a literal jackpot. They’re under pressure to generate revenue under the terms of their UEFA settlement agreement, and £117 million is an absolute game-changer. A fee of this size opens up a world of transfer possibilities for them.
Tournament Impact
For roughly the same fee as Youri Tielemans left for (£35 million), Villa have signed Gomes as his replacement. The Brazil midfielder should prove a snug fit in Unai Emery’s system, as he progresses the ball well and has the athleticism to track and tackle runners.
The fee, which could rise to £38 million with add-ons, looks cheap for a talented 25-year-old with 10 caps for Brazil and three seasons of Premier League football under his belt. Wolves fans are understandably unhappy with the return.
Newcastle agreed a fee for Switzerland’s World Cup star Manzambi, but Aston Villa stole in to match the terms and convince the player to join them instead. The 20-year-old had an excellent season with Freiburg — which culminated in losing the Europa League final to Villa, coincidentally — and looks a fine young attacking talent.
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