Running analysis and grades for every major summer transfer

Clubs everywhere are splashing plenty of cash in the transfer window, and we're here to evaluate every major signing. Deals are listed chronologically, and we'll continue to grade the biggest moves as they happen throughout the summer. For all the latest transfer news and rumors, tap here.

💰 Details: £52M transfer

Madueke, an explosive dribbler who keeps defenders off balance, steadily improved at Chelsea, and his underlying numbers suggest the best is yet to come. But Arsenal may not be the ideal place to make that leap. Yes, the 23-year-old can play either flank, but he's more dangerous on the right wing. He's not displacing Bukayo Saka, though, so that creates a battle for minutes with Gabriel Martinelli on the left side. Depth and internal competition is great, but for £52 million, the Gunners should've signed a natural left-winger who can flip to the other side, not the inverse. Chelsea, meanwhile, swap Madueke for an unproven commodity in Jamie Gittens. An odd transfer across the board.

Arsenal: B-
Chelsea: C

💰 Details: €50M transfer

Real Madrid completed their defensive rebuild with Carreras, who should immediately slot in at left-back. The tall, powerful Spaniard will bring balance to Xabi Alonso's defense, playing opposite the more attack-minded Trent Alexander-Arnold. Carreras, 22, actually spent three years with Madrid's academy, so their grade gets docked for having to spend €50 million on a player they once owned. Benfica, always masterful at signing promising young talents from around the globe and then selling them for enormous profits, repeated the feat after landing Carreras for under €10 million in 2024.

Real Madrid: B-
Benfica: A+

💰 Details: Free transfer

Adding Modric was a much-needed coup for AC Milan, who are looking to bounce back from a dismal eighth-place finish in Serie A last season. The midfield icon, now 39, obviously isn't the unstoppable force he once was, but the most decorated player in Real Madrid history brings winning pedigree and experience to a fallen giant that needs to rediscover its sense of self and find some stability after cycling through managers and losing key players. New bench boss Max Allegri will heavily rely on Modric to get the Rossoneri pointed in the right direction once more.

AC Milan: A

💰 Details: £55M transfer

Newcastle were seeking an upgrade on the right wing ahead of their Champions League return. They found precisely that in Elanga, who will bring breathtaking speed to St. James' Park. The Swede has registered 20 assists over the last two Premier League seasons; only Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins have more in that time. He made big strides in the defensive phase at Nottingham Forest, which will serve him well in Eddie Howe's high-pressing system. Losing Elanga hurts, but Forest make a huge profit after signing him for £15 million, and are already using the windfall to bolster their squad.

Newcastle: B+
Nottingham Forest: B+

💰 Details: £55M transfer

Considering Kudus had an £85-million release clause in his contract that was valid earlier in the summer, Tottenham are immediate winners for being patient and paying significantly less to acquire one of the Premier League's most electrifying dribblers. This isn't a slam dunk, though. Kudus' inconsistent end product makes him one of the most frustrating players in the league, and his arrival will force one of Brennan Johnson or Dejan Kulusevski to either shift positions or forfeit minutes. West Ham, meanwhile, caved to Spurs here.

Tottenham: B-
West Ham: C+

💰 Details: £51M transfer

Zubimendi, the smooth-passing Spaniard who recycles possession and sets the tempo at the base of midfield, is a significant upgrade from the options that Mikel Arteta had in that area last season. Arsenal think the tactically astute 26-year-old can be their answer to Rodri and help lift them over the hump. Liverpool thought the same when they tried to land him last summer, and Real Madrid were sniffing around, too. As for Sociedad, they cash in large on an academy product who made 236 appearances for them. For any club not at the top of the food chain, that's exactly how you draw it up.

Arsenal: A-
Real Sociedad: A

💰 Details: £52M transfer

Gittens, a right-footed left-winger, is an elite dribbler who thrives in one-on-one situations, and he showed real promise in the first half of the 2024-25 season before tailing off. How much playing time he'll actually get at Chelsea is unclear, as the Club World Cup winners have a glut of options in attack. Yes, they'll need to rotate while competing on several fronts, but Chelsea doled out a Champions League-level sum on a largely unproven commodity who doesn't obviously make the team better right away. Not that it'll matter financially if he doesn't pan out, of course.

Chelsea: C-
Borussia Dortmund: A-

💰 Details: Free transfer

As always in the modern game, "free" is a misnomer; Juventus said they paid €12.5 million in agent and signing fees to seal the deal for the Canadian international. But that still represents excellent value for an all-around forward who's entering his prime and coming off a season in which he registered 37 goal involvements across all competitions for Lille. David, 25, has several years of strong Ligue 1 production on his resume and should immediately improve a squad that hasn't had a 20-goal scorer in Serie A since Cristiano Ronaldo left. Lille made a costly mistake by letting his contract run down.

Juventus: A
Lille: F

💰 Details: £60M transfer

We've had to recalibrate a bit here. Before his arrival, it was fair to ask whether Chelsea even needed a shape-shifting No. 9 like Pedro. The Brazilian forward, not unlike Roberto Firmino, has a subtle game and does many things well, but he's never delivered more than 10 goals in a single Premier League season. Then he joined the Blues and instantly became a fan favorite by scoring in the CWC semifinals and final as Chelsea lifted the trophy. Will he continue to be that prolific? Probably not. But if Pedro makes the leap and becomes a consistent double-digit scoring threat, this deal will age beautifully.

Chelsea: B+
Brighton & Hove Albion: B+

💰 Details: €50M transfer

Adding Baena is a no-brainer for a team that has ample bite but lacks midfield creativity. The 23-year-old is one of the best playmakers in Spain. Operating either on the left or through the middle, he crafts opportunities from open play and set pieces with equal efficiency. Baena created the most chances in La Liga last season and finished second behind only Lamine Yamal in both assists and shot-creating actions. Now surrounded by better finishers, his raw stats should, in theory, improve. Can Diego Simeone get the best out of him? That question is the only thing stopping this deal from getting a higher grade.

Atletico Madrid: A-
Villarreal: B+

💰 Details: £40M transfer

Kerkez profiles as the ideal successor to Andy Robertson at left-back for Liverpool. The Scottish veteran grew into a beloved figure for his tireless engine and lung-busting work down the left flank, but clearly started to decline physically last season. Kerkez, a 21-year-old ball of pure energy, will bring all those qualities back to Anfield. Together with Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool might have the most physically explosive full-back duo in the league. Bournemouth probably could've held out for a little more, but they still made a very healthy profit on the Hungarian international.

Liverpool: A-
Bournemouth: B+

💰 Details: €150M transfer

Wirtz is, quite simply, a phenom. There's a reason Real Madrid and Bayern Munich both made huge efforts to sign him before he ultimately picked Liverpool. The dynamic playmaker, 22, had 44 goal involvements over the last two Bundesliga seasons, wowing Leverkusen fans with his array of attacking skills. He'll be a smash hit at Anfield. But we can't ignore the fee. After bonuses, the German will go down as the third-most expensive player in history behind Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Living up to that number - and that expectation - is nearly impossible for anyone.

Liverpool: B+
Bayer Leverkusen: A+

💰 Details: €45M transfer

Paris Saint-Germain were seemingly on the verge of adding Mastantuono to their already obscene collection of young stars. Then Real Madrid swooped in, flexed their muscle, and landed one of the most exciting prospects to come out of Argentina since, well, you know. The 17-year-old left-footer is a human highlight reel, always looking to make something happen when he gets the ball. Patience will be required before this deal really bears fruit - Madrid have many mouths to feed in attacking positions - but it will. As for River Plate, they received a club-record fee for the teen sensation.

Real Madrid: A-
River Plate: A

💰 Details: Free transfer

At the peak of his powers, De Bruyne was the best midfielder in the Premier League, and arguably the world. Though his body started to break down at the end of his trophy-laden Manchester City spell, the 34-year-old should benefit from the slower, more methodical style of play in Serie A. Antonio Conte is a notoriously demanding coach, but he'll have to rotate his squad as the Scudetto holders return to the Champions League this season, and that should benefit the Belgian veteran. Moving to Italy did wonders for Scott McTominay. It could do the same for De Bruyne, too.

Napoli: A-

💰 Details: €55M transfer

Reijnders is a joy to watch. The Dutch midfielder floats effortlessly across the pitch, carries the ball through midfield with ease, and can create chances for teammates or score goals himself. He should thrive under Pep Guardiola, especially since the presence of Rodri will allow him freedom to roam. Losing Reijnders is a tough pill to swallow for Milan, but it's indicative of how far they fell last season. At the very least, the deal could balloon to €70 million with add-ons, and Milan have already started reinvesting.

Manchester City: A
AC Milan: B-

💰 Details: €36M transfer

How Cherki will acclimate to Pep Guardiola's team is still an open question, but, at such a reasonable price, especially in today's distorted market, taking this swing is more than worthwhile for Manchester City. Cherki, 21, has elite skill and playmaking ability, and he could thrive as the chief creator for Erling Haaland. Lyon needed an influx of cash and were operating from a position of weakness after a gentlemen's agreement to allow Cherki to leave, but they surely could have squeezed a bit more out of the uber-wealthy English club.

Manchester City: A+
Lyon: D

💰 Details: €38M transfer

Borussia Dortmund flipped Jude Bellingham for a gargantuan profit, and, eventually, will surely aim to do the same with his younger brother. Whether fellow midfielder Jobe can reach quite the same heights remains to be seen, but the early signs have been positive. Losing a rising star who was instrumental in their promotion back to the Premier League leaves Sunderland with a big hole to fill, but the Black Cats received a club-record fee for the teenager, and they negotiated a sell-on clause to ensure they're compensated even further whenever Bellingham makes his next big move. Shrewd business.

Borussia Dortmund: A
Sunderland: A-

💰 Details: £30M transfer

Delap scored 10 non-penalty goals playing for one of the Premier League's worst teams last season, and he was always going to get an opportunity to show that he could take his game to another level at a bigger club. Was the relative lack of talent at Ipswich Town holding him back, or was it making him stand out? Chelsea paid £30 million to find out the answer. It's a low-risk play for the Blues. Delap is only 22, plays a premium position, and has elite physical traits. If he blossoms, this is a steal. If he stagnates, Chelsea can likely recoup most, maybe even all, of that fee by selling him at some point down the line.

Chelsea: B+
Ipswich Town: C-

💰 Details: £62.5M transfer

Despite playing on objectively bad teams, Cunha racked up 40 Premier League goal involvements over the past two seasons, including a 15-goal campaign last year that would've made him the top scorer for Manchester United by far. He should fit in very nicely playing off a primary striker, whoever that is, in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 scheme. Wolves did well to keep hold of the Brazilian through the January window, and readied themselves for the inevitable transfer by extending his contract to ensure they could squeeze every last dollar out of the Red Devils.

Manchester United: B
Wolves: A

💰 Details: €35M transfer

Liverpool reacted quickly to Alexander-Arnold's departure, replacing the academy graduate with his polar opposite on the pitch. Frimpong is more of an attack-minded wing-back, bordering on an outright winger, than a traditional full-back, and there will surely be an adjustment period for the Dutchman as he acclimates. His output - 41 goal involvements over the last three Bundesliga seasons - makes this a worthwhile swing for Arne Slot. Leverkusen lose a hugely influential player for a modest fee, and will be kicking themselves for setting his release clause so low.

Liverpool: B+
Bayer Leverkusen: C+

💰 Details: €10M transfer

Real Madrid are making a habit of this. Sure, they ended up paying a small fee to expedite the deal, but acquiring Alexander-Arnold for just €10 million is spectacular business, and gives Xabi Alonso a playmaking cheat code at right-back. It seems clear that Alexander-Arnold had his heart set on Madrid, and nothing Liverpool tried or offered would change that. In that context, such a low grade may seem too harsh on the Reds, but they still allowed the situation to reach that point, and are only spared an F because they managed to recoup something thanks to the Club World Cup.

Real Madrid: A+
Liverpool: D

💰 Details: £50M transfer

Real Madrid moved quickly to beat the competition for one of the world's most exceptional young center-backs. Huijsen, 20, is a prototypical modern defender who excels with the ball at his feet. He dribbles out of trouble with ease and can break the opposition's press with distribution worthy of a deep-lying playmaker. The Spanish international should anchor the backline at the Bernabeu for the next decade. Bournemouth, meanwhile, made out like gangbusters, more than doubling their investment just one year after signing Huijsen from Juventus.

Real Madrid: A+
Bournemouth: A+