Premier League Transfer Window: Final Week Insights

The final week of the 2026 summer transfer window is here, and half the Premier League still looks like it’s only halfway through its to‑do list. Squads are bloated, key gaps remain, and there’s just enough time left for panic, genius or both.

Here’s what each club still has to sort before the window slams shut.

Arsenal – Clear the fringe and land a genuinely elite forward

Arsenal’s squad isn’t a Chelsea-style scrapyard, but there’s still work to do. Mikel Arteta has four first‑teamers he’d happily move on tomorrow.

Gabriel Jesus is the headline name. A £250,000‑a‑week wage for a player no longer central to Arteta’s plans is a luxury Arsenal don’t need. He should be sold. Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson are also surplus, while Ethan Nwaneri needs a loan, not a season on the fringes.

That’s a lot of outgoing business to cram into a few days, before you even get to the real question: who comes in?

Arsenal have hovered around Liverpool’s chase for Bradley Barcola, but the Frenchman now looks bound for Anfield. Julian Alvarez only wants Barcelona, yet his Atletico Madrid situation is strained and Barca and Atleti don’t want to deal with each other. That leaves a small window for Arsenal if the player reconsiders his stance.

This is the level they should be shopping at. Christos Tzolis has started brightly, but if Arsenal want to win the Champions League, they need someone above his bracket on the left or through the middle.

They might win it anyway. But with Gabriel Martinelli heading to Saudi Arabia, a forward will arrive – and it has to be special. Not a last‑minute Raheem Sterling loan to tick a box.

Aston Villa – A full rebuild in five days

Where do you even start with Aston Villa?

Zion Suzuki is in, which almost certainly means Emiliano Martinez is out. Ollie Watkins is expected to join Martinelli at Al‑Hilal. Those two, plus the exits of Youri Tielemans, Ezri Konsa and Morgan Rogers, rip the heart out of a dressing room that just delivered a top‑four finish and a Europa League title.

The constant? Unai Emery. Keeping him content is now the club’s single biggest job. And that means giving him players.

Villa are trying to cram an entire window’s work into a week. Suzuki replaces Martinez. Johan Manzambi is a smart pick‑up to help cover Rogers’ departure. A £65m deal for Nicolas Jackson is close, but that’s a steep price for a player Chelsea have shunted into their “bomb squad”.

Konsa needs replacing. Moves for Taylor Harwood‑Bellis and Joel Ordonez are stalling. Midfield is a bigger alarm. Tielemans has gone to Manchester United, Amadou Onana has done his ACL with Belgium, and what’s left is flimsy.

Boubacar Kamara, brilliant but fragile, started alongside Joao Gomes in the Brighton hammering. Gomes’ debut was a horror show and he’s now suspended. Behind them? Ross Barkley and Lamare Bogarde. That’s it.

So the list is brutal and simple: sell Martinez. Sell Watkins. Close Jackson. Sign at least one midfielder, a winger, a centre‑back. Probably another centre‑back. Maybe another midfielder. Another winger. Another striker. Villa’s margin for error is microscopic.

They rescued a dreadful 2025/26 start to finish fourth and lift the Europa League. Right now, they look miles off that level. No Premier League club is in a more precarious position. PSR has bitten hard.

Bournemouth – Keep Alex Scott and find a right‑back

Bournemouth’s job is cleaner. Priority one: keep Alex Scott.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been linked. Chelsea feel the likeliest to test Bournemouth’s resolve late on, especially if Enzo Fernandez moves to City. Holding firm on Scott is essential for a squad heading into Europe.

But there’s another long‑standing issue. Right‑back.

Adam Smith is a club legend and still a capable defender. He is also 35. Bournemouth have needed an upgrade for years. It’s not disrespect, it’s reality. If they want to grow, they can’t keep putting this off.

Brentford – Close Diouf and enjoy the calm

Nine goals in two games. Brentford look sharp, balanced and dangerous.

Do they need much? Not really.

Keane Lewis‑Potter has impressed at left‑back, with Aaron Hickey as strong cover, and the Bees are closing in on West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf to lock down that flank even further.

At centre‑back, Sepp van den Berg, Kristoffer Ajer and Nathan Collins give decent depth. In attack, Mikkel Damsgaard couldn’t even get in the XI against Spurs and they still created chances at will. Igor Thiago and Callum Wilson form a tidy striker rotation.

This could be the rare Premier League week where a club just finishes one deal and sits tight. Almost too sensible.

Brighton – Minteh or the money

Brighton’s plans hinge on one man: Yankuba Minteh.

Liverpool know the price: £70‑80m. If they don’t pay it, Brighton keep him and move on with what should be another strong campaign.

If they do, Brighton will go shopping. And history says it’ll be for a name most fans have never heard of, who will probably be sold to a Champions League club for a fortune in three years’ time.

Chelsea – Clear the clutter and buy a real No.1

Plenty of people see Chelsea as Arsenal’s main challengers. Almost nobody expects them to finish above the champions.

One move could at least narrow the gap: upgrade the goalkeeper. Robert Sanchez has to go. Emi Martinez is available. The solution is obvious.

A top‑class keeper transforms this side, but Chelsea’s annual clean‑up job is just as important. This year’s bomb squad is sizeable.

Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson could bring in packages worth around £110m between them. That’s elite asset management.

Around them, Mykhailo Mudryk is available and could end up at Strasbourg. Gabriel Slonina, Tosin Adarabioyo, Aaron Anselmino and Marc Guiu sit in limbo. Emmanuel Emegha, Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo and Wesley Fofana are also waiting to see where they fit.

Chelsea do this every year: stockpile, then somehow extract big fees for players they’ve clearly moved on from, or park them at Strasbourg. They’ll need to repeat the trick again – and then finally sort the goalkeeping position.

Coventry – Inject genuine Premier League quality

Losing to the best team in the country on opening day doesn’t define a season. It does, however, expose a gap.

Coventry’s XI – Rushworth; Van Ewijk, Thomas, Amenda, Dasilva; Onyeka, Yirenkyi, Grimes; Thomas‑Asante, Simms, Tchaouna – does not scream safety.

The arrivals of Taiwo Awoniyi and Ethan Pinnock are exactly the right type: proven Premier League operators who raise the floor. Coventry probably need two or three more of that calibre.

Time is running out.

Crystal Palace – Take the Sarr money, if the plan is ready

Ismaila Sarr has suddenly become central to Liverpool’s late scramble for attacking reinforcements. He’s their alternative to Minteh after Brighton turned down two bids, and Palace have already rejected offers from Galatasaray and a £50m bid from Liverpool.

Turning down £50m for a 28‑year‑old is a bold call. If Liverpool return with £60m, Palace should accept – but only if they’ve mapped out the next steps.

Supporters will want to keep the core of Adam Wharton, Dean Henderson, Daniel Munoz and Sarr, and they’d happily wave off Jean‑Philippe Mateta. But a huge offer for Sarr changes the landscape.

Cash in, and Palace can spread that money across the squad, bringing in younger players and adding depth for a gruelling Europa League and Premier League schedule. Pierre Sage probably needs two, three, maybe four more signings. If he doesn’t get them, the season could stretch this squad to breaking point.

Everton – Fix the full‑backs

Everton suddenly look like a side with upward mobility. A European push doesn’t feel outlandish.

Brennan Johnson, Hayden Hackney, Christian Norgaard, Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl are all smart pick‑ups. But there’s a clear blind spot: full‑back.

Nathan Patterson has struggled and is often injured. Jake O’Brien isn’t a natural right‑back and may leave. On the left, Vitalii Mykolenko is steady but far from untouchable.

Upgrade both sides and David Moyes’ best XI looks far more convincing. Right‑back is the urgent job. Links to Daniel Munoz have cooled, but that type of profile is exactly what they need.

They’re also still in the race to bring Jack Grealish back. That’s a luxury move. The full‑backs are not.

Fulham – One centre‑back, minimum

Fulham could use a new goalkeeper, but with days left, that feels unlikely. A centre‑back is more realistic and arguably just as important.

Against Chelsea, Calvin Bassey partnered Jorge Cuenca with Joachim Andersen suspended. Andersen and Bassey are competent, ball‑playing defenders, but both – like Bernd Leno behind them – could be upgraded.

The truth is Fulham’s squad looks thin across the board. A centre‑back won’t solve everything, but it’s a logical place to start.

Ipswich – A proper No.10 to complete the spine

Two wins from two – in the league and the Carabao Cup – have given Ipswich an early bounce. Look a bit closer at the XI against Sunderland, though, and a gap appears.

They need an attacking midfielder.

Julio Enciso was their standout performer and can operate as a No.10, but he’s more naturally a winger given license to roam. His outrageous assist for Emersonn underlined his creativity, but Ipswich still lack a dedicated playmaker between the lines.

Exequiel Palacios is a superb signing, the kind that can anchor a midfield in the way Granit Xhaka did for Sunderland. Put a high‑class No.10 in front of him and Ipswich give themselves a real chance of staying up.

Hull – Find their own Xhaka

Beating Manchester United on opening day was a statement from Hull. They outworked and outplayed a far more expensive side.

Oli McBurnie missing the World Cup with Scotland suddenly looks like a blessing. Nobel Mendy and Konstantinos Tzolakis shone on debut. After 90 minutes, the mood around Hull’s survival prospects has shifted.

On paper, though, that XI still needs a central midfielder. Hidemasa Morita is an excellent free transfer, but they could use a figure in the Palacios/Xhaka mould – an experienced, high‑quality leader in the middle who drags a promoted side up a level.

That one signing could define their season.

Leeds – A left‑back and a young striker away from Europe talk

Leeds have quietly put together an outstanding window.

James Trafford, Harry Wilson and Tarik Muharemovic walk straight into the XI. Nico Elvedi is strong depth. Crucially, no major player has left, beyond Karl Darlow and Pascal Struijk, neither of whom were irreplaceable.

To turn a solid summer into an ambitious one, they need two more pieces: a left‑back and a striker.

James Justin has coped admirably on the left but that’s not his natural side. More worrying is the situation up front. If Dominic Calvert‑Lewin breaks down – and everyone knows that risk – Lukas Nmecha becomes the starter. That’s a frightening prospect for Leeds fans.

Give Daniel Farke a younger, more dynamic forward to complement Calvert‑Lewin and Nmecha, and suddenly a European push feels very real.

Liverpool – Finish Barcola, then face the midfield truth

Liverpool’s immediate task is obvious: complete the deal for Bradley Barcola. An agreement with PSG is in place. They need to get it over the line.

But the squad needs more than one winger.

Another wide option would help. More pressing is the middle of the pitch. Jamie Carragher summed it up on Monday Night Football: Liverpool don’t currently have a midfield that can “function” at the required level.

Questions persist over how Dominik Szoboszlai is being used, over Florian Wirtz’s adaptation to the Premier League, and over Alexis Mac Allister’s form since the 2024/25 title win. He looks drained.

A commanding, athletic central midfielder is crying out to be signed. Whether Liverpool actually do it is another matter entirely.

Manchester City – Replace the exodus or pay the price

Pep Guardiola’s departure has triggered something close to a clear‑out at Manchester City.

Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Rodri – the serial winners have gone. And they’re not alone. James Trafford, Manuel Akanji, Jahmai Simpson‑Pusey, Stones, Nathan Ake, Rodri, Nico Gonzalez, Savinho, Tijjani Reijnders, Silva and Omar Marmoush make up an entire XI sold for around £352m.

Enzo Maresca has cash, but not bodies. The defence still looks deep and strong, yet Marc Guehi starting in central midfield on opening day told its own story.

Ayyoub Bouaddi has since arrived. Enzo Fernandez remains a major target, and signing him would push City’s spend on central midfielders north of £300m.

Up front, it’s even starker. With Marmoush gone to Tottenham, the club’s official centre‑forward list is Erling Haaland and Ryan McAidoo. That’s it. Fifteen players are classed as midfielders or wingers, including two loanees, Floyd Samba, Jeremy Monga, the outgoing Nico Gonzalez and starting left‑back Nico O’Reilly.

City need at least one more central midfielder and at least one more forward. Without that, they are effectively gambling on Haaland staying fit for 50‑plus games. As it stands, this squad is too thin to overhaul Arsenal.

Manchester United – Sort the left‑back and find a leader at the back

Manchester United’s midfield rebuild is done. Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have arrived for around £150m.

Now Michael Carrick has to look behind them.

Right-back is an ongoing riddle. Diogo Dalot is into his eighth season at Old Trafford without ever nailing down the role. He’s seen off Aaron Wan‑Bissaka, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Matteo Darmian as rivals, but never fully convinced. Noussair Mazraoui is the latest to share the position.

At centre‑back, the depth is fine rather than fearsome: Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven and the injured Matthijs de Ligt. Decent options, but no dominant presence who makes everyone relax.

Carrick’s main focus is reportedly left‑back, and that feels right. Lewis Hall would have been perfect, but Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle has shut that down completely.

That leaves United with a choice: trust Luke Shaw again, with Dalot and Mazraoui as emergency cover, or go and buy. Shaw’s injury record, plus the return of European football, makes that a huge risk.

David Raum would tick a lot of boxes. If United land a starting‑calibre left‑back, belief in a top‑five finish goes up several notches.

Newcastle – Numbers, especially at the back

Newcastle are flirting with danger if they don’t add more depth.

Dan Burn’s injury has exposed how light they are at centre‑back. Behind Malick Thiaw and the injury‑prone Sven Botman, only Fabian Schar is available – 34 years old and just back from a broken ankle.

Full‑back is another concern. Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento are first choice, with Amar Dedic able to cover both sides. After that, it’s Leo Shahar, who won’t be trusted to start regularly in the Premier League. Given Hall and Livramento’s own fitness records, that’s a glaring issue.

Midfield depth looks healthier, boosted by Nico Gonzalez’s arrival, and Joe Willock’s display against Liverpool has probably cooled talk of a sale. Back‑ups like Willock and Jacob Murphy are exactly the types Jaissle needs to keep.

Nick Pope could yet depart for Celtic, but the priority is clear: reinforce the defence before anything else.

Nottingham Forest – Spend the Anderson windfall wisely

Forest have a strange problem: too many strikers, and another one on the way.

Liam Delap is set to join for a club‑record £50m. Arnaud Kalimuendo, Igor Jesus and Chris Wood all started in the Carabao Cup defeat to Leeds. Of that trio, Kalimuendo looks the most likely to leave.

The bigger issue is what they’ve done – or not done – with the Elliot Anderson money. So far, they’ve spent on centre‑back Ousmane Diomande (£34m) and Gustavo Sa (£17m), who has gone straight out on loan to Olympiakos. Xaver Schlager is a smart free signing, but Forest still lack a true midfield general.

Two defeats from two underline the urgency. If Oliver Glasner doesn’t get a controlling presence in the middle, Evangelos Marinakis will not stay patient for long.

Sunderland – A right winger or a long, hard year

Sunderland were already in the “could be in trouble” bracket before their opening‑day loss at Ipswich. That defeat only sharpened the picture.

Second‑season syndrome is real. Add the demands of European football, earned off the back of a superb 2025 window led by Granit Xhaka, and the workload becomes brutal.

This summer has not matched that ambition. Thomas Meunier arrived first, bringing experience and versatility at full‑back. Dayann Methalie has just followed from Toulouse. Two signings in total.

For a second‑season Premier League side with Europe to juggle, that is nowhere near enough.

The biggest hole is on the right wing. Igor Paixao and Jack Grealish have been linked, but both prefer the left and would compete with Simon Adingra, Nilson Angulo and Chemsdine Talbi. The right side would still be light.

They don’t need to be picky now. They just need a genuine right‑sided attacker.

Tottenham – Time to sell

Tottenham have thrown money at their problems all summer. When Omar Marmoush signs, their spend will be close to £400m. For a club coming off back‑to‑back 17th‑place finishes, it’s an extraordinary gamble.

The 3‑0 defeat at Brentford on opening weekend looked depressingly familiar. But Savio and Marmoush should inject much‑needed spark, especially the latter, who finally offers a specialist option at centre‑forward.

On the incoming front, Spurs are almost done. Now they have to trim.

Lucas Bergvall asked to leave months ago yet still started at Brentford, only to be hooked at half‑time for £85m signing Mateus Fernandes, who lined up alongside £92.5m man Sandro Tonali. Bergvall will likely get his wish before deadline day, with Nottingham Forest previously keen.

Pape Matar Sarr has admirers at Galatasaray and Monaco. Mikey Moore, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Kevin Danso could all feasibly depart in the final days.

Spurs have spent their way into a new squad. Whether they can sell smartly enough to balance it – and finally climb away from the bottom six – is the next test.