The Wrap: What happened on Transfer Deadline Day?

Ben Bloom looks at the deals made on a dramatic final day of the summer transfer window

With the 2025 summer transfer window closing in thrilling fashion, football writer Ben Bloom evaluates the major incomings and outgoings.

Some Transfer Deadline Days flatter to deceive, with the reality never coming close to matching the weight of expectation that precedes it. This was not one of them. Following an already extraordinary summer of incomings and outgoings across the Premier League, the final day of the 2025 summer window was a classic.

A new British record fee – reported to be £125million – finally brought an end to the prolonged transfer saga of Alexander Isak’s move from Newcastle United to Liverpool, prompting the Swede’s former club to spend big on Yoane Wissa, who was successful in securing a move away from Brentford.

There was also late drama when reports suggested that a deal sheet was submitted by Liverpool to the Premier League to complete Marc Guehi’s signing from Crystal Palace, only for the central defender not to go north at the final hour.

Manchester United opted for goalkeeper Senne Lammens after reportedly ending their interest in Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.

Tottenham Hotspur bagged Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan, Aston Villa picked up Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott, Arsenal brought in Piero Hincapie, and Nicolas Jackson eventually secured a move to Bayern Munich a couple of days later than originally intended. It was truly a Transfer Deadline Day to remember.

See: What happened on Transfer Deadline Day

British transfer record

There was no doubting the top story of the day, with Isak finally joining Liverpool after days, weeks and months of statements, denials and behind-the-scenes wrangling in one of the most protracted transfer sagas of recent years.

The reported fee of £125m came after Liverpool’s initial offer of £110m had been rejected earlier in the summer. It smashes the previous British transfer record of £107m, which Chelsea paid Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in February 2023.

The deal took Liverpool’s summer spending well above what media suggests is £400m – a similar outlay to Chelsea’s in 2023, which remains the only other time a Premier League club has exceeded £300m in one transfer window.

Isak, who has reportedly signed a six-year contract at Anfield, had not been involved for Newcastle this season after making it clear that he wanted to leave the club.

“I feel amazing,” said Isak in his first Liverpool interview. “It’s been a long journey to get here. But I’m super-happy to be a part of this team, this club and everything it stands for. It’s something I’m proud of and I’m really looking forward to it.

“I’m just happy it’s done and that I can get back to work. I’m looking forward to seeing my team-mates and the fans, and getting back out there. I want to win everything.”

The Premier League champions thought they were going to secure both of their primary Deadline Day targets, but their efforts to bring Guehi to Anfield proved to be in vain.

A deal was reportedly agreed by both parties, but the move fell through after reports said that Palace failed to sign the two defensive replacements they wanted. They did bring in Toulouse centre-back Jaydee Canvot, but with Brighton & Hove Albion defender Igor Julio opting to join West Ham United, the Palace captain did not leave.

Nonetheless, Isak’s arrival capped a truly extraordinary summer of spending for Liverpool, who had already broken their club transfer record for Florian Wirtz earlier in the window, as well as bringing in Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Giovanni Leoni.

Isak’s departure meant Newcastle resumed efforts to sign Wissa from Brentford, eventually agreeing a reported fee of around £55m, having already seen two offers rejected this window for the DR Congo striker.

Wissa had issued a public statement on Sunday confirming that he wanted to leave the London club.

“I’m very, very excited to put on the black and white shirt,” said Wissa in his interview with Newcastle. “I’ve got dreams, I’ve got faith and now I will do my best to make it all happen.”

Eddie Howe’s side had already spent a club-record fee to sign fellow striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart last week.

Man Utd's new goalkeeper

Ruben Amorim decided Lammens was a better option in goal to Martinez, who was absent from Villa’s match on Sunday evening amid talk of a potential move to Old Trafford.

Lammens had been Antwerp’s first-choice goalkeeper since the start of last season, but has moved to United for a reported £18m fee and is expected to challenge Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir for the No 1 spot immediately.

“It is a real dream come true,” said Lammens. “The past few years have been an amazing journey; it’s now ended in an incredible destination and hopefully the beginning of something special.

“You can feel the positive atmosphere that is being created here, and I know that I can make a real impact at the club in the coming years.”

Last-minute loans

There was no shortage of last-minute loan deals struck, the most notable of which was Kolo Muani’s switch to Spurs.

The Frenchman won two Ligue 1 titles with PSG, but fell out of favour with the European champions and spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus, where he scored eight goals in 16 Serie A games.

Spurs, meanwhile, have been looking to boost numbers in the wake of injuries to a number of key players including Dominic Solanke, who has been struggling with an ankle issue.

“Randal is a quality player who has proven himself over a number of years, playing for big teams in the Champions League and also with good experience for the France national team,” said Spurs head coach Thomas Frank.

“He’s a good age, in the prime of his career, has good qualities that will suit both us and the Premier League, and gives us a different option in the final third being able to play out wide and through the middle.”

Villa are yet to score a single goal in three Premier League games this season, and have looked to Elliott and Sancho in an effort to find some creative spark.

Elliott moved to Liverpool in 2019 and was named Player of the Tournament after scoring five goals to help England win the UEFA European Under-21 Championship this summer.

Sancho had been told he could leave Man Utd earlier this summer, and will be looking to reinvigorate his career after last season’s mixed time on loan at Chelsea, who decided against signing him on a permanent basis.

Arsenal completed their incomings with the addition of Ecuador defender Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen on a season-long loan. Hincapie will be seen as a direct replacement for Jakub Kiwior, who headed to Porto.

“Piero has a real physical presence, with his versatility and tactical flexibility giving us strong added defensive options,” said Mikel Arteta. “He is a big character, with a very good combination of both youth and maturity.”

Elsewhere, there were loan moves for Facundo Buonanotte, who joined Chelsea from Brighton, Reiss Nelson, who moved to Brentford from Arsenal, and midfielder Florentino Luis, who has gone to Burnley from Benfica.

Sunderland continued their plentiful transfer business by bringing in defender Lutsharel Geertruida on loan from RB Leipzig and forwards Brian Brobbey and Bertrand Traore from Ajax, while Fulham bringing in two wingers, AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Kevin..

Forest’s Brazilian quartet

Nottingham Forest took their summer spending to reportedly around £200m after bringing in Strasbourg winger Dilane Bakwa and Botafogo full-back Cuiabano.

Cuiabano’s signing was Forest’s fourth from the Brazilian club this summer following in the path of John Victor, Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus. Nuno Espirito Sano’s side have brought in 11 new faces in total, including a late move for Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko on loan.

Meanwhile, Sweden captain Victor Lindelof joined Aston Villa. The centre-back left Man Utd at the end of last season following the expiry of his contract.

Having managed to keep hold of Jorgen Strand Larsen, Wolverhampton Wanderers further boosted their attacking ranks with the signing of striker Tolu Arokodare from Genk. The Nigerian topped the Belgian Pro League scoring charts last season with 21 goals.

AFC Bournemouth made two defensive signings, with the capture of Serbian centre-back Veljko Milosavljevic from Red Star Belgrade on a permanent deal, and Spanish full-back Alex Jimenez on loan from AC Milan. Everton brought in German midfielder Merlin Rohl from Freiburg.

Premier League farewells

Among various Premier League outgoings, Jackson finally secured his Chelsea exit to join Bayern Munich.

The Senegal striker had travelled to Germany on Saturday, only for Chelsea to halt the proposed move when Liam Delap picked up an injury during their 2-0 league win over Fulham.

Jackson reportedly did not want to return, and on Monday signed on an initial loan for Bayern with a reported mandatory obligation to buy. Reports suggest the deal could be worth a total in excess of £70m.

Jackson’s departure was only given the green light by Chelsea once they had decided to recall Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland.

Elsewhere among big-name departures, Man Utd saw striker Rasmus Hojlund go on an initial loan to Napoli, young midfielder Harry Amass head to Sheffield Wednesday on loan, and winger Antony join Real Betis on a permanent basis.

Julio Enciso left Brighton for Strasbourg on a permanent basis. He will be joined at the French club by Ben Chilwell, who departed Chelsea.

Former West Ham full-back Emerson joined Marseille, striker Odsonne Edouard left Crystal Palace to join Lens, and Arsenal duo Albert Sambi Lokonga and Fabio Vieira headed for Hamburg. Youssef Chermiti left Everton for Rangers.

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