Sky Sports' analysts have taken a deep dive into the summer transfer dealings of each Premier League side, assigning scores and offering detailed commentary on how each club navigated a market that saw record‑breaking fees, last‑minute drama and a flurry of loan moves. Below is a comprehensive rewrite of their observations, expanded with extra context and analysis to give a fuller picture of the strategies, successes and shortcomings across the league. **Arsenal – 8/10** Gary Cotterill awarded the Gunners an eight out of ten, mainly because they cleared out eight senior players they deemed surplus, including Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Christian Norgaard, Fabio Vieira and the loan‑returning Ethan Nwaneri. The club recouped over £100 million in cash and shed significant wage commitments, especially in Jesus' case.
Cotterill noted that a left‑wing signing such as Vinícius Júnior or Julián Álvarez would have pushed the rating to a nine or even a perfect ten, but the market simply did not produce a suitable candidate. Still, Arsenal have a range of internal options: newcomer Christos Tzolis, the versatile Eberechi Eze, and the adaptable Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka can all operate on the left. Even Maxé Dowman could be shifted to the right flank if needed.
Arteta also has the luxury of depth in defence and midfield, meaning the team can rotate personnel without a drastic loss of quality. The only high‑profile targets Arsenal missed were a new left winger and a striker, but the squad now boasts more balance than it did last season.
**Aston Villa – Optimistic Outlook** Kirsty Edwards highlighted the paradox of Villa’s Europa League triumph followed by the departure of six regular starters, including Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martínez, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa. Unai Emery’s solution has been to inject youth and potential—players like Ibrahim Mbaye and Johan Manzambi—while also adding experience through Leon Goretzka and Aaron Wan‑Bissaka. Newcomer Nicolas Jackson impressed on debut, and Zion Suzuki gave a solid first performance in goal. Edwards stressed that the true test will be how these recruits adapt to Villa’s style and whether they can deliver consistent performances throughout the season.
**Bournemouth – A Model of Retention** Mark McAdam praised Bournemouth for a summer focused on retaining key assets rather than selling them, a stark contrast to their 2025 window. The club kept Rayan, Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott, signalling a commitment to continuity under Marco Rose. They also bolstered the squad with Juventus’s former No. 1 goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, centre‑back Antonio Silva (a value buy after interest from larger clubs), full‑back Juanlu Sanchez and attacking option Álvaro Rodríguez.
By acting early and avoiding deadline‑day panic, Bournemouth secured depth without compromising financial stability, an approach that should serve them well in both domestic competition and European fixtures. **Brentford – Near‑Perfect Business** Uma Gurav gave Brentford top marks for their summer, citing the acquisition of midfielder Mamadou Sangare for £39 million as a standout bargain. While the club also added left‑back El Hadji Malick Diouf, forward Jaidon Anthony and retained key attackers like Thiago, Kevin Schade and Yehor Yarmoliuk, Gurav stopped short of a perfect ten, noting that even a well‑executed window always leaves room for improvement. The only deadline‑day movement was the loan of youngster Jayden Meghoma to Portsmouth, a strategic move to ensure game time for emerging talent.
**Brighton – Busy and Expensive** Elliot Cook rated Brighton’s window at 7.5/10. The Seagulls spent nearly £170 million on nine first‑team players, including a club‑record £50 million for Luka Vuskovic and the late‑day signing of defensive midfielder Chema Andrés from Stuttgart.
Brighton lost veteran striker Danny Welbeck and will rely on loan signing Promise David to fill the goal‑scoring void. The club also retained Yankuba Minteh, a promising youngster who chose to stay, and will hope that the new signings gel quickly enough to compete in both the Premier League and the Conference League. **Chelsea – A Revolution in Progress** James Savundra described Chelsea’s summer as a clear shift in recruitment philosophy.
The Blues have blended Premier League‑ready signings (Emiliano Martínez, Danny Welbeck, Jordan Henderson) with emerging talents like Geovany Quenda. They also secured João Pedro on an improved contract and added midfield reinforcement in Enzo Fernández, despite the later controversy surrounding his potential departure.
While losing Marc Cucurella was a blow, the club recouped value from surplus players such as Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson. Savundra concluded that Chelsea have become masterful traders, but the ultimate test will be translating this activity into top‑flight results.
**Coventry City – Bold Yet Calculated** Amber Sandhu noted Coventry’s ambitious spending, blending Premier League experience (Zion Suzuki, Frank Onyeka) with youthful prospects (Caleb Yirenkyi, Aurele Amenda). The club secured striker Taiwo Awoniyi as a proven Premier League goal scorer, while adding pace through Loum Tchaouna and Sidiki Cherif.
Sandhu cautioned that early season defeats without scoring raise questions about the new attack’s potency, but overall the window demonstrated a serious statement of intent for the newly promoted side. **Crystal Palace – Smart Retention** Chris Reidy highlighted Palace’s loss of Maxence Lacroix and Daniel Muñoz but praised the retention of Adam Wharton, Jean‑Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr. The club added solid Premier League players such as Axel Disasi, Dwight McNeil, Ben Chilwell and Takehiro Tomiyasu, while also scouting potential gems like Dario Osorio and Anan Khalaili.
Reidy emphasized that Palace’s depth has improved, an essential factor given their involvement in European competition. **Everton – Turbulent and Under‑Resourced** Vinny O'Connor criticised Everton’s chaotic end‑to‑window, pointing out the mishandled sale of Iliman Ndiaye for £65 million and the failure to replace key attackers adequately. The club did bring in several players—Ainsley Maitland‑Niles, Jack Grealish, Hayden Hackney, among others—but the lack of a proven striker and a reliable right‑back left the squad looking thin. O'Connor warned that without significant January reinforcements, Everton’s chances of challenging for European spots are slim.
**Fulham – Ambitious Yet Defensive Concerns** James Cole praised Fulham’s acquisition of striker Gonzalo García from Real Madrid, noting his early goal return. The midfield was bolstered by Real Madrid academy graduates Cesar Palacios and Manuel Ángel, plus Shea Charles and Hugo Larsson. However, Cole warned that the defensive system under manager Alvaro Arbeloa, which pushes centre‑backs high and encourages full‑backs to attack, has already exposed vulnerabilities.
The signing of Austrian defender David Affengruber could help, but the lack of a dedicated winger remains a point of concern. **Hull City – Massive Overhaul** Tim Thornton reported that Hull added eighteen new players, six on deadline day, under the guidance of owner Acun Ilicali. The recruitment focused on youthful talent with long‑term potential, balancing risk with the reward of developing future stars. While the core that secured promotion remains intact, the influx of new faces should give Hull a stronger platform to survive in the Premier League.
**Ipswich Town – Massive Investment** James Green detailed Ipswich’s £200 million summer spend, which included record signing Julio Enciso and a host of experienced Premier League players such as Sasa Lukic, Issa Diop and Daizen Maeda. The club added depth across the board, aiming to avoid the relegation battle that saw them fall out two years earlier.
Green believes manager Gary O'Neil now has the tools to forge a competitive squad. **Leeds United – Deadline‑Day Success** Zinny Boswell highlighted Leeds’ strategic deadline‑day acquisitions of Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemović and James Trafford, which strengthened three key positions.
Earlier signings of Nico Elvedi, Michael Zetterer and Melvin Bard addressed depth issues, while the wild‑card winger Jean‑Matteo Bahoya could provide the X‑factor the team needs. Boswell concluded that Leeds have built a squad capable of consolidating their Premier League status.
**Liverpool – Balanced but Incomplete** Vinny O'Connor gave Liverpool credit for addressing pace on the wings with Bradley Barcola and Victor Muñoz, and for reinforcing the defence with Ronald Araújo, who can cover centre‑back and right‑back. However, the club still lacks a natural right‑winger to replace Mohamed Salah, and a dedicated holding midfielder would have added balance. O'Connor noted the club’s focus on youth, with 22‑year‑old signings and promising 18‑year‑olds Lucca Brughmans and Djylian N'Guessan joining the ranks.
**Manchester City – Record‑Breaking Midfield** Ben Ransom explained that despite the surprise loss of Rodri to Barcelona, City turned the window around with a £100 million fee for Enzo Fernández on deadline day, creating a potential £300 million midfield alongside Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi. The club also reinvested money from outgoing players to bring in Iliman Ndiaye and Allan, strengthening their attacking options.
Ransom believes the squad is now better equipped for a title challenge. **Manchester United – Strong Midfield Rebuild** Danyal Khan argued that United deserved a high rating after spending roughly £155 million to overhaul their midfield with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.
While the club missed out on a dedicated left‑back, existing players like Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot can fill that role. The retention of Marcus Rashford also adds quality, and his early season form could make him feel like a new signing. **Newcastle United – Youthful Investment** Keith Downie described Newcastle’s £262 million spend as a transformation, with a focus on youthful talent such as Matias Fernandez‑Pardo, Lukas Hornicek and Amar Dedic.
The club sold Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães and Anthony Gordon for £245 million, then reinvested heavily. Downie highlighted the promise shown by Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa, suggesting the new signings have already begun to integrate. **Brighton & Hove Albion – Solid First Window** Anton Toloui gave Brighton a 7.5/10 rating, noting Oliver Glasner’s successful acquisition of a physical striker in Liam Delap, a wing‑back in Daniel Muñoz and a midfield presence in Ousmane Diomande.
The club missed an opportunity to replace Elliot Anderson with a dynamic young midfielder but compensated by securing good funds from Manchester City. **Sunderland – Deadline‑Day Drama** Keith Downie recounted Sunderland’s frantic final‑hour chase for Malick Fofana, a Lyon winger who eventually signed after owner Kyril Louis‑Dreyfus intervened financially. The club also secured Dayann Methalie and retained key players like Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey and Noah Sadiki, aiming to solidify their Premier League stay. **Tottenham Hotspur – High Spending, Mixed Returns** Michael Bridge awarded Tottenham a 7/10, acknowledging their commitment to a £50 million spend on Jan Paul van Hecke and other notable signings such as Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.
While the club addressed defensive and midfield needs, the forward line still lacks a consistent goal scorer after the departures of Savio and the failed pursuit of Cody Gakpo. Bridge warned that the high fees paid may not translate into immediate success, but the youth‑focused approach could pay dividends in the longer term.
Overall, the summer window showcased a spectrum of strategies—from Arsenal’s wage‑cutting purge to Manchester United’s midfield overhaul and Tottenham’s big‑ticket splurges. As the new season unfolds, the true impact of these deals will be measured on the pitch, where performance, squad cohesion and injury management will determine whether clubs’ transfer philosophies were justified.