A record-equalling move for Enzo Fernandez capped a summer in which several clubs smashed the £100m barrier.
Europe’s elite clubs wrapped up one of the most expensive summers in recent memory on September 1, with Manchester City once again setting the pace on the final day.
The headline deal arrived late: Enzo Fernandez swapped Chelsea for the Etihad in a £125m transfer that matched the British record. City were not finished there, adding Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye for around £65m, underlining the scale of the club’s rebuild.
Newcastle strengthened their attack with Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille for roughly £51.4m, while Aston Villa landed PSG youngster Ibrahim Mbaye for about £47m. Liverpool used the final hours to bring in Genk’s Lucca Brughmans for close to £30m.
A summer of nine-figure fees
Deadline day was only the finale. Earlier in the window, Liverpool completed a blockbuster move for Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain on a five-year contract, in a package reported at around $162m. Real Madrid paid RB Leipzig €140m for Yan Diomande, Chelsea spent £117m to prise Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, and Manchester City invested £116m in Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.
Tottenham were among the busiest buyers, signing Sandro Tonali from Newcastle in a deal worth about £92.5m.
What comes next
With most top-flight windows now closed until January, attention turns to how quickly the new arrivals settle. For City in particular, the pressure is on to turn such heavy investment into silverware.
Key facts
- Window closed: September 1, 2026 (Premier League and La Liga)
- Deadline-day headline: Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea → Man City, £125m
- Summer’s biggest moves: Barcola (Liverpool), Diomande (Real Madrid), Rogers (Chelsea), Anderson (Man City)