With the January transfer window fast approaching, Premier League clubs are already turning their attention to potential January reinforcements as the season reaches its halfway point.
But before we look ahead, it’s worth reflecting on a record-breaking summer in which Premier League sides spent an astonishing £3.19 billion.
Transfer News Blitz writer Joseph Ould breaks down five of the best summer signings so far this season.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma – Manchester City (£26m)
PSG were widely considered Europe’s top side last season, completing a historic treble and finally lifting the Champions League trophy.
A key figure in that success was Gianluigi Donnarumma, so it came as a major shock when the French champions allowed the 2025 Yashin Trophy winner to leave following a contract dispute.
Manchester City, meanwhile, were navigating uncertainty in the goalkeeping department. Ederson had departed, and Pep Guardiola appeared unconvinced that new signing James Trafford was ready to take the number one shirt.
Donnarumma’s arrival for just £26 million has already proven a masterstroke. Calm, commanding and consistently decisive, he has firmly established himself as City’s first-choice goalkeeper.
His early performances have restored stability at the back and reminded everyone why he is considered one of the world’s finest keepers.
Estevao – Chelsea (£29m)
Chelsea agreed a deal with Palmeiras back in May 2024 for Brazilian prodigy Estevao, though the winger didn’t arrive at Stamford Bridge until this summer.
In the meantime, he stole the show at the Club World Cup, scoring against his soon-to-be employers and sending excitement levels among Chelsea fans soaring. Since touching down in London, the 18-year-old has been electric.
His dazzling footwork and fearless dribbling evoke memories of classic Brazilian wingers, and with 11 caps for Brazil already, he’s quickly proving he belongs at the top level.
Chelsea supporters will feel they’ve acquired a star for the next decade – one capable of defining the club’s attacking identity for years to come.
Bryan Mbeumo – Manchester United (£71m)
After a brilliant 2024/25 campaign in which he scored 20 Premier League goals for Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo earned a big-money move to Manchester United.
The club desperately needed an attacker capable of lifting a misfiring forward line, and Mbeumo has delivered immediately.
Old Trafford has not been a forgiving environment for new signings in recent years, but the Cameroonian winger has taken to the challenge with ease.
The United shirt, heavy for so many before him, seems to sit lightly on his shoulders.
With five league goals already, Mbeumo has injected pace, purpose and cutting edge into United’s attack- exactly what the club had been missing.
Martin Zubimendi – Arsenal (£60m)
After years of orchestrating Real Sociedad’s midfield, Martin Zubimendi swapped San Sebastián for north London – and he has been nothing short of transformative for Arsenal.
Calm in possession and intelligent without the ball, the Spaniard offers the defensive security Arsenal have long lacked while keeping the midfield ticking with effortless rhythm.
His presence has also freed Declan Rice to play higher up the pitch, where his ball-carrying and attacking instincts can shine.
With Arsenal sitting top of the Premier League and looking like the favourites to finally end their 20-year title drought, Zubimendi’s impact has been immense.
Should they lift the trophy, this signing may be remembered as one of the shrewdest in the club’s modern history.
Granit Xhaka – Sunderland (£17m)
Perhaps the most astonishing transfer of the entire window came courtesy of newly promoted Sunderland.
Fresh from a playoff victory and entering their first Premier League campaign in years, few could have predicted the arrival of Granit Xhaka – a midfielder who only months earlier had finished 16th in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
But for just £17 million, Sunderland pulled off a remarkable coup.
Xhaka’s signing instantly changed external perceptions of the club and opened the door for further high-profile additions.
Appointed captain on arrival, he has raised standards across the squad both on and off the pitch.
Anchoring the midfield with his trademark authority and game intelligence, Xhaka has been the heartbeat of a Sunderland side currently sitting in an incredible sixth place. His influence has been nothing short of transformational.
Quite simply, Granit Xhaka has been inspirational for the Black Cats.
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