English football's summer transfer window closed on Tuesday night with clubs across the Premier League finalising their squads ahead of the new campaign, capping off a record-breaking period of spending that saw top-flight clubs collectively surpass £3.49 billion.
Arsenal endured a quieter finish to proceedings than many had anticipated. A move for Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez failed to materialise, and Deadline Day itself brought departures rather than arrivals for the Gunners. Gabriel Martinelli's prospective switch to Saudi Arabia remained unconfirmed as the window closed.
Speculation had also linked Arsenal with Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, but journalist Ryan Taylor poured cold water on those claims, stating the north London club never actually reached agreement with the Brazilian over personal terms. According to Taylor, while Vinicius had reportedly given a move to the Emirates Stadium genuine consideration, Arsenal were informed as early as August 6 by his representatives at Roc Nation that he intended to sign a new contract at the Bernabeu.
Tottenham Hotspur were among the busiest clubs on the final day, raiding fellow London side Chelsea for two players. Mykhailo Mudryk joined on a season-long loan with an option to make the move permanent for £75 million, while defender Tosin Adarabioyo arrived in a separate permanent deal worth up to £12 million. Spurs later confirmed squad numbers for both, with Tosin taking the number four shirt following Kevin Danso's loan exit to Sunderland, and Mudryk given the number 27. The winger is reunited with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, under whom he previously played at Shakhtar Donetsk. Tottenham also saw midfielder Iliman Ndiaye depart for Manchester City during the window.
Liverpool had wrapped up their major business a day earlier, completing a £123 million deal for Bradley Barcola, with the club declaring their squad-building work for the window complete. On Tuesday, the Merseyside club officially unveiled Barcola alongside fellow new arrival Jeremy Jacquet.
Elsewhere, Chelsea's pursuit of Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott ended in disappointment. The Blues had already seen an earlier £64 million offer rejected during the summer and made a last-ditch attempt to sign him as a replacement for Enzo Fernandez, but Bournemouth stood firm and refused to sanction the sale of one of their most prized assets.
At Aston Villa, winger Leon Bailey became the latest player to leave the club this summer, sealing a permanent transfer to Greek side Olympiacos. In a statement, Villa praised the departing forward, saying Bailey "was a popular figure among his teammates and around the training ground with his exuberant personality," as they wished him well for the future.
Loan activity also featured heavily on Deadline Day. Manchester City sent young playmaker Claudio Echeverri to Portuguese giants Benfica for the season, while Manchester United completed a temporary switch for striker Chido Obi to Dutch club Willem II. United described the 18-year-old, who scored 15 goals in 31 appearances for the Under-21s last season and became the club's youngest-ever Premier League starter, as heading to the Eredivisie to "gain further senior experience."
With the window now shut, attention turns to the free agent market, where several experienced names remain available, and to reports linking former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial with a Premier League return. Martial's representatives have reportedly approached several clubs including Brighton, Leeds, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Sunderland, though Everton have already ruled out pursuing the Frenchman despite having only one recognised senior striker in Thierno Barry.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.