The transfer window is fully open, and the biggest saga of the summer is almost over. Late on Sunday, Liverpool reached a deal with Newcastle to sign want-away striker Alexander Isak, according to reports. It's for £130 million in the end he gets his wish with the Reds' massive summer of spending continuing.
The biggest move of the entire summer was Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen heading to Liverpool, where he is joined by striker Hugo Ekitike as the Reds continue to reload with a widely impressive transfer window. But for now, Isak takes the cake with the striker adding another impressive piece to Arne Slot's strike force.
Elsewhere, Arsenal were also involved in chasing a star striker of their own with the long-negotiated deal of Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres to the Gunners being announced officially last month. The deal was reportedly for $75.5 million with $10 million in add-ons.
Elsewhere, Barcelona have sealed an interesting move of their own for Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford, joining on a loan deal.
The transfer window will close on Sept. 1.
With transfer season in full swing, follow along for updates on the biggest moves this summer.
Well, it appears to finally be happening. Alexander Isak to Liverpool has been agreed upon between the Reds and Newcastle, according to multiple reports. It's for £130 million in the end and it is set to be complete on deadline day. The biggest transfer saga of the summer appears to be over.
Manchester United seem set to get Alejandro Garnacho off their books before the deadline, Chelsea reportedly on the cusp of signing the Argentina international in a deal worth around $54 million. True to form for the Blues under their new owners, Garnacho is expected to sign a seven year deal with his new team and will undergo a medical on Friday to complete the move.
The Red Devils essentially called time on the 21-year-old's spell with the club by the time last season was over, with manager Ruben Amorim deciding Garnacho was not a part of his plans. Garnacho was reportedly only interested in staying at United or joining Chelsea this summer, according to The Athletic, going with the latter in the end.
Garnacho is undoubtedly a talented player -- his 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season indicate as much -- and he will likely benefit from being on a team that will be much more competitive than this version of United. As BlueCo-owned Chelsea sign their umpteenth attacking player, though, it raises real questions about playing time for Garnacho in a World Cup year. There is a reasonable argument to make that he will rise above the other attackers to earn a starting spot on the wing, which is why this move may pay off for all parties involved with the deal. It may make it harder to parse out Chelsea's vision for the team but that's not a reflection on Garnacho.
Grade: B+
AC Milan are set to sign French striker Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea for around €42 million add-ons included, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The Rossoneri were looking to sign another striker as talks over the transfer of Victor Boniface collapsed after the Nigerian striker failed to pass the medical tests last week. AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri needed another attacking option as both Luka Jovic and Tammy Abraham left the roster earlier this summer and despite playing with both Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao as strikers in the 3-5-2 deployed in the opening matches of the season, Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez is still the only central striker available in the roster.
The Rossoneri showed some confusion in the last days of the summer transfer window as they agreed deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Boniface and then with Sporting CP for Conrad Harder, but then decided to leave the negotiations and signed Nkunku from Chelsea while there are still talks for another striker who might join ahead of the 2025 summer deadline day. Despite signing an experienced striker like Nkunku, AC Milan still haven't solved their main attacking issue with four days left before of the summer transfer session.
Grade: B-
AC Milan agreed a deal to sign Nigerian striker Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen but then refused to sign the player after failing the medical tests, according to multiple sources. The Rossoneri won't sign Boniface despite agreeing on a loan deal with a buy option. The club now coached by Massimiliano Allegri will now look for another player in that position, and according to reports, it will be one between Sporting CP's Conrad Harder, Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund and current Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.
The Rossoneri need a striker after both Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic left this summer. Allegri played with a 3-5-2 in the opening matches of the preseason and also in the first match of the Coppa Italia season against Bari, won 2-0 at San Siro but then lost 2-1 to Cremonese in the opening Serie A match of the season. With both Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic playing as strikers in this new tactical system, Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez is currently the only option available as a central striker.
Liverpool are finalizing a deal for Italian defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma for around $30 million as the English team were looking for a talented young defender who could potentially improve their defensive depth. Leoni, who will turn 19 in December, is considered one of the best talents of Italian soccer, but only played 17 matches with Parma in the Italian first division in his career before this move to the Premier League. Leoni became a key player at Parma especially in the last part of the 2024-25 season when the current Inter coach, Cristian Chivu, took charge of the Crociati, leading Parma to an exciting end of the season.
For Leoni, this is a dream move, as the player wanted to join Liverpool despite interest coming from all the top Italian clubs. But they were not able or willing to pay over $30 million to sign the 18-year old. Liverpool, on the other hand, are securing one of the top talents for the future, showing the struggle of how the Italian clubs can't afford these kind of players right now and at the same time are not willing to take risks, preferring to sign more experienced players. This is definitely a pity and a missed opportunity for all the Italian clubs, starting with Juventus, Inter and AC Milan that were not willing to pay a big fee this summer to sign one of the most interesting talents of Italian soccer.
Grade: A
Al-Nassr are close to agreeing a $35 million deal with Bayern Munich for Kingsley Coman, according to CBS Sports sources. The France international winger is expected to earn over $25 million a year with the Saudi Arabian side, who have long been looking for a winger to add to their ranks this summer.
Coman will more than double his salary in the Saudi Arabian Pro League and departs Munich after 10 seasons in which he won nine domestic titles and the Champions League, memorably scoring against his former club Paris Saint-Germain to win the title for Bayern in 2020. For Bayern this deal affords them the opportunity to cash in on an ageing veteran on big money who has slipped down the depth chart following the acquisition of Luis Diaz. The funds could now go towards the pursuit of Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade but they may also need to deepen their options on the flank if they are to compete into the latter stages of the Champions League.
For Al-Nassr, meanwhile, this is a big name forward who averaged 0.63 goals and assists per 90 Bundesliga minutes last season. With Joao Felix alongside him, the supply line to Cristiano Ronaldo should be strong enough to make a deep run in the Asian Champions League while rivalling Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli for the Pro League title.
Grade: B
Jack Grealish is set to join Everton on loan from Manchester City for the 2025-26 season. The Toffees are expected to have a purchase option should the England international prove to be a success at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and are believed to be covering the majority of a $400,000 a week pay packet.
That is a significant investment for Everton, the sort that needs to produce a talismanic creator who can electrify their new stadium. In short, Everton will be hoping they're getting pre-City Grealish. That was a player freed up to cause the maximum damage wherever he felt best suited him in an Aston Villa shirt, the Solihull lad becoming the favorite of football fans across the nation before his $134 million switch to the Etihad in 2021.
Grealish subsequently adapted to Pep Guardiola's demands and did so rather successfully in his first two years with City, becoming a key figure in the Treble-winning side by holding his width, driving to the byline and creating space for others to thrive. Since that season, however, Grealish has faded in importance, playing only 715 minutes of Premier League football last season. When he has played he has lacked a bit of spark or an incisive pass. He still dribbles brilliantly but without that burst of his mid 20s he struggles to get separation.
The fear for Everton ought to be that they're about to pay big wages for a soon to be 30 year old who has lost his burst and who doesn't make many telling scoreboard contributions anymore, averaging just six Premier League goal contributions a season in City colors. Then again Everton have recruited shrewdly across the rest of the pitch with acquisitions such as Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall primed to develop under David Moyes. Why shouldn't the gaffer be afforded a little indulgence to go alongside them?
Grade: C+
Newcastle are set to sign German defender Malick Thiaw from AC Milan for around €40 million, add-ons included. This is a surprising signing, especially because the Rossoneri were not looking to let him go after selling already Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup this summer and French left back Theo Hernandez to Al-Hilal. AC Milan will now look for another center back and Genoa's Koni Winter and Parma's Giovanni Leoni emerged as the priority targets as of now, but the Rossoneri were also able to make a good profit out of Thiaw, who arrived in Italy in the summer of 2022 for just €5 million from Schalke 04.
Newcastle get an experienced player despite his young age, as he just turned 24 years old and played 84 matches in all competitions in the three years at AC Milan after winning the 2025 edition of the Supercoppa Italiana. Newcastle needed a player like Thiaw, a young dynamic center back who can play in multiple positions of the defense. With Sven Botman's injuries, and the other defenders all in their 30s, Thiaw will be signing for the long term as well, with less pressure in his first season at the club.
Grade: B
RB Leipzig star striker Benjamin Sesko is off to Manchester United for €76.5 million plus €8.5 million in add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The striker's deal will be until 2030 as Ruben Amorim gets a star striker for his attempt to lead United back to the top four in the Premier League.
Sesko, 22, has 39 goals in 87 games for RB Leipzig over the last two seasons. He's scored double digit goals in five straight seasons, and last season he surpassed 20 goals for the first time since 2021 when he was playing in the Austrian second division. He's tall at 6-foot-5, he makes great runs off the ball and can be a prolific finisher in front of goal. United will need him to be the man in attack if they are to have any shot at returning to domestic relevance this season.
Grade: B
Son Heung-min has officially completed his move to LAFC, with the club paying an MLS record transfer fee of $26.5 million to Tottenham Hotspur for his services. LAFC announced his arrival at 5 p.m. ET, but Spurs confirmed his exit with a statement and a series of videos paying tribute to the player earlier in the day.
"I'm incredibly proud to be joining LAFC, a club with big ambitions in one of the most iconic sports cities in the world," Son said, according to LAFC's statement. "Los Angeles has such a rich history of champions, and I am here to help write the next chapter. I'm excited for this new challenge in MLS. I have come to L.A. to lift trophies and give everything for this club, this city, and its fans. I cannot wait to get started."
Here's the club's statement announcing the move:
LAFC announced today that the club has acquired Son Heung-Min from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League on a permanent transfer. Son will be a Designated Player through 2027 with an option for 2028 and an additional option through June 2029. Son will occupy an international roster slot and be eligible to play upon receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC). LAFC will formally introduce Son at a press conference at BMO Stadium today, Wednesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. PT.
Son was with Spurs for a decade and leaves the club as their fifth-best all-time goalscorer and ranks 16th on the Premier League's all-time goalscorers' list. The South Korea international also captained the team as they ended their 17 year trophy drought with the UEFA Europa League title last season.
Well, it's happening. Heung-min Son is on his way to LAFC as a verbal agreement has been reached by all parties, according to Fabrizio Romano. Son's move to MLS will see Spurs receive over $17 million for the South Korean international.
Son didn't travel back to the United Kingdom with the team after their friendly against Newcastle on Sunday -- instead, he's waiting for documents to be signed to then take off for the city of angels.
This is a move that makes a ton of sense for Spurs. Los Angeles has the highest South Korean population in the U.S., boasting over 300,000 people, so this should be well received, similar to how the Los Angeles Galaxy embraced the arrival of Chicharito Hernandez or LAFC with Carlos Vela.
Son has plenty left in the tank, and against inferior defensive players in Major League Soccer, he'll be expected to surpass 20 goals a season easily. The fee is a bit hefty for MLS standards, but you only live once, so why not go all in? He's scored double-digit goals in nine straight seasons in England. Expect him to deliver big time this season and be an MLS MVP frontrunner next season alongside Lionel Messi.
Grade: A
Timothy Weah will join Olympique Marseille after the French club agreed terms with Juventus for the transfer of the American international who is now set to leave the Italian Serie A after joining Juventus in the summer 2023. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano OM will pay around €15 million for the transfer fee, including €1 million for the loan until the end of the season with an obligation to buy included in the deal. The two clubs have also agreed for €3 million of add-ons and a sell-on clause. He leaves Juventus after scoring seven goals in 78 matches over the two years with the Bianconeri.
This is a great move for the American international as he will be coached by De Zerbi, a manager who knows well how to improve the players he coaches, as he previously did over his career in Italy, Ukraine and in the Premier League at Brighton before joining OM in the summer of 2024. While at Juventus Weah was stuck in a position where it was difficult for him to find the continuity he needed. De Zerbi will help him to achieve his personal goals as well. This is a key move for his career, in a special year that will lead Weah to play the 2026 World Cup with the USMNT next summer.
Grade: A-
Six years after being named European football's Golden Boy, Joao Felix's career on the continent has reached an end, perhaps only temporarily, as he joins Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr on a two year contract. CBS Sports first revealed on Sunday that Chelsea stand to receive up to $63.5 million for the 25-year-old, though only $34.6 million of it will immediately go to the Premier League side.
For Al-Nassr the appeal is relatively obvious. They are getting one of the most expensive and widely heralded young players of the last decade at an eminently affordable price for them and bringing a compatriot in to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, a support striker who plugs the gap left after Jhon Duran went on loan to Fenerbahce. Felix could also play on the left flank, where Jorge Jesus' side had been on the lookout for new additions.
As for Chelsea, they've found a way out from under one of the worst signings they've made in the three years of Clearlake ownership (a not insignificant statement, that). After a disappointing loan spell in 2023 Felix had had the look of a throw-in to allow Conor Gallagher to be sold even before he played the first of his 20 games as a permanent Blue, departing midway through last season to pull up no trees in an AC Milan shirt. The extent of Chelsea's book keeping loss on Felix will depend on how many of the clauses in the deal are actually paid by Al-Nassr, if it is all then it will represent a slim profit in PSR terms.
So this deal makes sense for both clubs. As for Felix? Well, he is expected to be the fourth highest paid player in the Pro League at around $40 million a year. Not bad money if you can get it, I suppose, even if it is not the homecoming to Benfica that Felix had been hinting at.
Grading this then, it's a bit tricky. You can see why this suits every party even if it is not exactly the move anyone expected of a player who seemed to have the world at his feet in 2019.
Grade: B
Thomas Muller is just about to book his follow-up act to his spell at Bayern Munich. The World Cup winner is close to a total agreement on personal terms with MLS' Vancouver Whitecaps, according to GIVEMESPORT, with some final details still to work out before he can join the team. The Whitecaps need to strike a deal with FC Cincinnati, who currently have his discovery rights, the process currently underway. Muller is unlikely to be a designated player in 2025 but is expected to be one in time for the 2026 season.
The 35-year-old Muller has been public about wanting an MLS move this summer, becoming a free agent after Bayern opted not to offter him a new contract. Muller rose up through the Bayern academy and was a member of the first team from 2008 to 2025..
Cincinnati were in the mix to sign Muller, as were LAFC, according to German outlet Bild.
The Whitecaps do not exactly have a decorated history of designated players but landing Muller offers a signal of ambition, even if it is unusual that they would make such a splash while the club is up for sale. Muller may be in the final years of his career but he may have plenty to offer the Canadian side with his midfield skill, boasting a unique and versatile skillset -- there are goals in his game and at his best, his tactical acumen in the center of the park was easy to spot. The great unknown about DPs like Muller is that one never really knows how much they have left in the tank but Muller could be a fun new addition to the league, which is always an exciting development.
Grade: A-
Granit Xhaka is heading to Sunderland to finalise a move to the Premier League club worth up to $22.8 million, according to CBS Sports sources. The newly-promoted side are paying what could be the highest price an English side have ever spent on a player 32 or over, the sizeable fee they have offered convincing Bayer Leverkusen to reluctantly sell another key player. Both manager Erik ten Hag and sporting director Simon Rolfes had publicly committed to retaining Xhaka but a sizeable upswing in the fee offered saw Leverkusen agree to sell for a guaranteed $17.5 million with a further $5.3 million in potential add ons.
For that price Sunderland are getting a player who offers plenty of qualities that Regis Le Bris' side is missing. With over 200 Premier League games to his name over seven seasons at Arsenal, he knows the competition inside out. Indeed a quick glance would suggest he might have more games in England's top flight than the rest of his soon to be team mates combined.
It helps that Xhaka, who turned down a big money move to Saudi Arabia's NEOM SC for a return to England, is also extremely available, playing 66 of a possible 68 Bundesliga games during his time at the Bay Arena, and has not suffered a major injury since 2021. After most of his 20s were given over to coaches trying to puzzle out his best position, the 32 year old settled into a groove as the ball-playing heart of Leverkusen's double pivot, the man who Xabi Alonso trusted to translate his vision on the pitch.
As for Sunderland, well this is not exactly a signing you make if you don't intend to take a serious stab at survival. Xhaka is expected to sign a three year contract and it is hard to see him being on the books if the Mackems dropped down to the Championship, something which is also true of fellow new signing Reinildo. That's a pretty big zag from the youth heavy model that this club followed before promotion but it is a logical one to follow if you want to do more than just cash cheques for the next few months.
Grade: B+
Luis Diaz's transfer to Bayern Munich is officially back on. The German champions agreed a deal with Liverpool over the transfer, increasing their bid from $78.8 million to $88.1 million, according to The Athletic, the player now on his way back from Liverpool's preseason tour in Hong Kong to undergo a medical. Diaz was also left out of the Reds' squad for their preseason friendly on Saturday against AC Milan, with manager Arne Slot confirming after the match that his exclusion was because of the transfer talks.
"There are a lot of rumors around it lately and I cannot go into that," Slot said on Saturday. "He is training really well with us but we have decided, for now, not to play him yet."
Liverpool have spent around $400 million on transfer so far this summer but as they brought in the likes of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, it raised questions about how much playing time was left for players who were still around. While Mohamed Salah had already committed his future to the club, Diaz has become a likely candidate to leave and in large part because Bayern came calling. The Colombia international could find himself in a nice landing spot, too -- Vincent Kompany's side have been searching for a forward, so far missing out on Wirtz and Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams this summer.
Diaz also has a proven track record as a goalscorer, scoring 41 goals in four seasons at Liverpool and playing a crucial role as the Reds won their first Premier League title in five years during the last campaign. That is good news for Bayern, who cruised to the Bundesliga title last season but are perhaps overly reliant on forward Harry Kane and will definitely benefit from Diaz's flexibility across the front line. Diaz adds another layer of dynamism to Bayern's attack, appropriate for one of Europe's top clubs as they chase glory in the UEFA Champions League, even if he cannot answer all of the team's problems.
Grade: A
Arsenal get their number one target, and it's quite an addition for Mikel Arteta's attack that has already added Noni Madueke to the front line as well. Gyokeres has some English experience in the Championship with Swansea City and Coventry, but it's his breakout at Sporting CP that got the 27-year-old on notice as one of the best strikers in the world. Scoring 97 goals in 102 matches played in two years with the club is more output than Arsenal were able to get from their collection of forwards, and Mikel Arteta will need all of that in attack to win the Premier League this coming season.
The Gunners have finished as runners-up three times, but this is a move that can get them over the top. There's a slight concern about whether Gyokeres can bring all those goals from Portugal to the Premier League, but with Champions League success under his belt, he has the exact credentials that Arsenal needs.
Grade: A
Liverpool's spending spree continues, this time with the signing of forward Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported transfer fee that could be upwards of $100 million. Ekitike will fly out to Hong Kong to join his new teammates in time for the first game of their preseason tour, which will be against AC Milan on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Ekitike may be somewhat unproven at the highest levels of the game but the price tag is not only a sign that Liverpool mean business this summer. He had 26 goals and 14 assists in 64 matches for Frankfurt and ranked second in the Bundesliga last season for expected goals with 21.62. How quickly Ekitike settles into life with the Reds is a big question, though their embarrassment of riches up top will likely afford him some patience for a new-look team in Arne Slot's second season in charge. For Liverpool, though, Ekitike is just as much a pick for the future as he is the present, the team clearly in the process of figuring out what life without Mohamed Salah might look like when it is time for the 33-year-old to bid farewell to Anfield.
Barcelona have officially signed Marcus Rashford on a season-long loan from Manchester United, with an option to buy next summer for around $35 million. The 27-year-old Rashford is the first English player to sign for the team since Gary Linekar in 1986, joining a revitalized Barcelona side that he said he's very excited to join in an interview on the club's YouTube channel.
It is a fascinating landing spot for Rashford, whose star has faded in recent years and is in search of a career rest after becoming surplus to requirements at United, his boyhood club. Whether he finds what he's looking for at Barcelona is a real question, especially as it pertains to the player's fitness concerns. He is coming off a four goal, five assist showing in 17 games during his loan at Aston Villa in the second half of last season, signaling that there's still some end product Rashford can deliver.
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will be back at Galatasaray permanently after the Turkish club agreed on a deal with Napoli over a transfer for around €75 million (€45 million in the current transfer session and the rest next summer), while the Azzurri will also keep a 10% sell on clause and Galatasaray won't sell the striker to an Italian for at least two years. The agreement was finally sealed after weeks of talks, as Osimhen wanted to go back to Galatasaray where he played during the 2024-25 season, scoring 37 goals in all competitions. The player refused multiple times to join Al-Hilal, as the Saudi team was ready to pay the €75 million release clause but couldn't agree on a deal with the player, who opted to rejoin the Turkish champions.
This is the end of the saga between Napoli and the Nigerian striker, who won the 2022-23 Serie A title with the Azzurri but then wanted to leave the Italian club last summer. Both player and club couldn't find a solution in the summer 2024 and Osimhen joined Galatasaray on loan after the end of the Italian transfer session, but also agreed to lower the release clause to €75 million, hoping to find a new club this summer. After a positive season with Galatasaray, Osimhen pushed to go back in the Turkish SuperLig but Napoli wanted guarantees to be paid the same amount of money of the release clause and this is why the negotiations took so long. For Napoli this is a positive end of the story, as the team owned by Aurelio De Laurentiis will receive the money they were asking and Osimhen will play where he wanted to. For all the parties involved, this is a great deal.
Grade: A
Liverpool finalized a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt after the English side agreed to pay around €95 million, including add-ons, and the French striker will sign a six-year deal until 2031. Arne Slot's Liverpool wanted to sign a striker and have also approached Newcastle to sign Alexander Isak in the past days but the Magpies asked more than €120 million to let him go, and they were also interested in signing Ekitike before Liverpool advanced in the talks and closed the deal over the weekend.
Ekitike is a long-term signing for Liverpool as Arne Slot needed a striker who could fit in his pressing style and can fit well in both 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3. What Ekitike has to improve in the Premier League is his goal contribution and conversion rate as he scored 15 goals in the 33 matches played in the Bundesliga last season with Eintracht in which was by far the best season in terms of goals scored in his career so far. Liverpool signed a striker who can help the team in both defensive and attacking phases, but he has to prove he can be at the level of the Premier League champions. After signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for the record fee of €125 million, former Bayer Leverkusen winger Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth for $45 million, Liverpool are adding their latest signing in what is one of the most expensive summer windows in the history of the team.
Grade: B
What is a bit of a surprise, Barcelona have reached a deal to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United on loan, according to Fabrizio Romano. The player is set to undergo a medical in the coming days as he gets set to travel to Spain to complete the move, according to Romano.
The Spanish club made an offer to take him on loan next season with an option to buy, and talks were reportedly at the final stages to seal the deal as of Saturday morning, according to The Athletic.
Rashford, one of the faces of Manchester United in recent years, is just 27 years old. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, scoring four goals in 17 appearances.
He would likely offer the team depth on the wings and at striker with the ability to play across the entire frontline. Rashford is somebody who could flourish in a less physical league like Spain, and sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery to rediscover oneself, like Antony at Betis last season. Don't be surprised if Rashford gets double-digit goals for Hansi Flick ... if he stays healthy.
A loan without an obligation to buy brings little risk, so this is worth a shot for the Spanish giants as they pursue domestic and international glory.
Barca have stayed pretty quiet this transfer window before this, opening up even more minutes to their youthful, talented squad, led by the likes of Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Gavi. They did sign 24-year-old goalkeeper Joan Garcia from rivals Espanyol, with the highly-rated shot stopper penning a six-year contract.
Grade: B
Arsenal have officially announced the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea after the two clubs agreed on a fee worth around $55 million while the English player signed a five-year deal with the Gunners, making him the latest addition in the roster of Mikel Arteta's side. The same manager welcomed Madueke and said he "is one of the most talented wide forward players in the Premier League. At just 23, Noni brings experience of club and international football. Having seen the quality of Noni's performances up close, we're really excited".
The signing of Madueke was welcomed by Arsenal fans with different views after the former Chelsea player signed for the Gunners. Under Enzo Maresca'a management, Madueke delivered and scored ten goals in all competitions, winning one UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, where he played five games. At the Blues he mainly played as a right and left winger, which can make him the natural backup option of Bukayo Saka at Arsenal and also an option on the left wing. Thanks to his versatility and direct playing style he can be precious for Arteta on the wings of his attacking system as his potential is definitely why Arsenal believe he can improve under Arteta, making him an asset for Arsenal in the long term future.
Grade: B
Manchester United have finally agreed on a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford as the two clubs reached a £70 million deal, add-ons included, according to multiple reports. The 25-year-old will be the second signing of the team coached by Ruben Amorim after Matheus Cunha, as the Red Devils agreed on a contract with the player's camp weeks ago.
The attacking winger was one of the best players in the 2024-25 Premier League season, scoring 20 goals and also provided eight assists to his teammates. He can become a key player under Amorim who can definitely benefit from the 3-4-3 tactical system mainly used by the Portuguese manager. His proven goal scoring ability and his flexible position can only help Amorim, who was looking for a new offensive winger ahead of the new season which will be crucial to determining the status of the manager's cycle at the club. The question is not only on the player's side but also on the manager to prove they didn't overspend to sign him from Brentford, as has often happened in the recent past with Manchester United's signings.
It will be interesting to see how Amorim will fit him in the squad, as he can potentially create an exciting and dynamic duo with Cunha and Bruno Fernandes. United will look also for a new striker in the coming weeks, while other players such as Antony, Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho are all expected to leave this summer.
Grade: B+
MLS side Inter Miami are now set to sign Argentinian international Rodrigo de Paul from Atletico de Madrid after the two clubs have agreed on a deal for the transfer of the midfielder according to journalist Gaston Edul. De Paul will join his national teammate and friend Lionel Messi and this signing can also be seen as a positive news for the contract extension of the soccer legend, who has a contract running until December 2025.
Signing a player close to Messi is a big move for Inter Miami, but more than that, they are signing one of the best midfielders of European soccer, who is only 31 years old and at the peak of his career. De Paul can play in multiple positions of the midfield, as he has over his career, and he can boost the attacking potential of the team coached by Javier Mascherano. During the 2024-25 season at Atletico Madrid, he played a total of 53 matches, scoring three goals and also providing 10 assists to his teammates, playing mainly as a central midfielder in the tactical system of Simeone.
Inter Miami are not only signing a great friend of Messi but also a strong and powerful midfielder who can improve the talented roster of the MLS team ahead of the second half of the 2025 season. According to multiple sources, he is set to sign a four-year deal at the club.
Now, how the club make this work with three designated players remains to be seen.
Grade: A
USMNT international Johnny Cardoso finally joined Atletico Madrid from Real Betis after the two Spanish clubs agreed on a deal worth $35 million according to multiple sources while the US international signed a five-year deal valid until the summer 2030 with the team coached by Diego Simeone. For Cardoso this is a crucial year that will lead him to the 2026 World Cup played in the United States next summer. This is what our CBS Sports writer Pardeep Cattry wrote on this move:
"The move marks a meteoric rise for Cardoso at the club level, coming just a year and a half after he left Brazil's Internacional. He has impressed for Betis in his spell at the club, slotting in nicely as a defensive midfielder for the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League finalists, enough to earn an upward move to Atletico. He would fill a need for Diego Simeone's side, since they are years into plugging different people into the role with mixed results. Atletico have already cycled through Arthur Vermeeren and Simeone opted for Pablo Barrios and Koke in that role in the last season, both doing as well as they can in a position that is not necessarily natural to them.
It's a flashy move for Cardoso as he tries to make a name for himself with the USMNT ahead of the World Cup. He has put in the work at the club level to earn this type of move, even if it's always worth asking how quickly he will settle in at a club where the expectations are higher than he may have previously experienced. How that plays into his national team career, though, is still up in the air -- he has performed exceedingly well for Betis but has never really been able to turn that into a substantial role with the national team, so far not starting any games at the Gold Cup. It creates an unusual type of uncertainty around the move but not necessarily one that negates how much it makes sense for Atletico and Cardoso."
A move that has been in the works for a while, the U.S. international heads to Derby with Charlotte collecting a club record transfer fee for the American, and he now gets a chance to test himself in the English Championship. Drafted by Charlotte out of the University of Rhode Island in 2022, the 24-year-old forward will depart as the second leading scorer in club history with 22 goals in 72 matches behind only Karol Swiderski. Charlotte will also retain a sell-on percentage for Agyemang while collecting a fee of around eight million dollars, with two million more available in add-ons.
It has been a big year for Agyemang, breaking into the national team setup and scoring five goals under Mauicio Pochettino, but the challenges are only beginning as he looks to make the World Cup squad for 2026. He started every game of the Concacaf Gold Cup, and his movement helped create space for others, but Agyemang also missed easy chances in games. In a physical league like the Championship, defenders will close down in space quicker, and he'll have less time to make decisions, which is where accurate finishing is critical.
American forwards such as Josh Sargent and Haji Wright have seen success in the English second tier, and Agyemang has a profile that could also lead to success, but he joins a team that struggled to put the ball in the net. Only scoring 48 goals in 46 matches, Derby will need all the goals that they can get from him, but there's also room for him to be a hit there if he can hit the ground running. Joining now ahead of preseason while already being match fit from MLS will give Agyemang every opportunity to earn the starting role and run with it. Now it'll be up to him to ensure that this move is a success. With the uncertainty of who will lead the line for the USMNT at the World Cup, there will be plenty of opportunities in upcoming friendlies if Agyemang can continue his scoring in the Championship.
Charlotte will have a big hole to fill in their attack, but with a record fee coming their way and the MLS transfer window opening soon, they'll have plenty of ways to move forward without their striker.
Grade: A
Liverpool are one of the most active clubs around Europe this summer and after signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a record fee of €125 million, the side coached by Arne Slot have now approached Newcastle to sign Alexander Isak according to transfer expert David Ornstein. According to the same report Liverpool made contact with the English club but with no formal bid yet, while the same Magpies have reportedly asked around £120 million to sell the Swedish striker in the current transfer session. Newcastle are also working to sign French international Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer, as they sent an official bid worth €80 million but the German club didn't agree on the deal yet. According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool can also join the race to sign Ekitike if they will fail to get a deal done for Isak in the coming days.
Bayern Munich have seen a $78.6 million bid for Luis Diaz rejected by Liverpool, according to CBS Sports sources. The German champions are on the hunt for players who can strengthen their options out wide and have targeted Diaz as a leading option on a shortlist that also includes Gabriel Martinelli. However the Reds are insistent that they will not part ways with their Colombian international, who was a key figure in Arne Slot's frontline last season.
Diaz has just two years left to run on his contract with Liverpool and it has been suggested that he would like to leave the champions, though they seem intent on strengthening their attack rather than letting players go. Diaz has made 148 appearances in all competition since joining from Porto in January 2022, scoring 41 goals and providing 23 assists.
Antonio Conte's Napoli are making more moves ahead of the 2025-26 season. The Serie A title holders already signed former Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne as a free agent and are now ready to sign both Dutch winger Noa Lang from PSV and Dutch defender Sam Beukema from Bologna in the coming days. The Azzurri, according to multiple reports, will pay around €28 million for the winger and around €31 million for the defender, adding more quality to their roster ahead of the new season when Conte's team will defend the title and will also play Champions League soccer. Lang can be considered as the replacement of former Napoli Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, who joined PSG in the January transfer window. The Italian club decided to not immediately replace the Georgian winger in the winter transfer session and waited until the summer to make the deal happen, while Beukema can quickly become a key player and a starter in the tactical system of the Serie A champions.
