Re-Grading the 2025 Premier League Summer Transfer Window
Just because you win the transfer window doesn't mean it'll translate to results on the pitch.
Don't believe us? Ask Arne Slot and Liverpool.
The Reds were expected to waltz to another Premier League title, until injuries and inconsistencies plagued the defending champions.
With that in mind, we at B/R Football thought it might be intriguing to look back at our summer transfer grades given to every Premier League team after the window shut back in September, as our Leo Collis and Nick Akerman reassess all 20 teams.
Have your own opinion about the transfer window? Submit your thoughts now in the comments section of the B/R app.
Arsenal
1 of 20
August grade: A+
Arsenal are top of the Premier League, so that's already a good indication of how their summer transfer window went.
Martin Zubimendi has been quietly influential, Eberechi Eze has added a new dimension, and Piero Hincapie has offered much-needed defensive versatility amid an injury crisis in the back line.
However, Noni Madueke hasn't done much to justify a $70.4 million outlay, and Christian Norgaard might be regretting his move across London.
Then we have Viktor Gyokeres. After a couple of stunning seasons with Sporting CP, I fully expected the big Swede to take the Premier League by storm—especially with the Gunners in need of a proper goalscorer for so long.
Injury has hampered him slightly, but it's difficult to deny that he remains an awkward fit in this Arsenal side, with his lack of involvement in play a concern and his shooting boots apparently left in Lisbon.
Five Premier League goals in 16 appearances is not the kind of ratio the Gunners would have been expecting, and it will take some serious work on the training pitch to get him up to scratch, or for the squad to adapt to abilities that have surely not disappeared.
It was still a successful window for manager Mikel Arteta, but that A+ looks a smidge too high on reflection.
Grade: A-
- Leo Collis
Aston Villa
2 of 20
August grade: D
What a bizarre season for Aston Villa so far. Unai Emery's men were the only side in England not to score in their first four games. Now they sit third in the Premier League, after losing just one game in 13 across all competitions.
The summer signings have made very little impact. Evann Guessand didn't capitalise on his opportunities at the start of the campaign and is confined to the bench, having yet to score in the Premier League. Jadon Sancho hasn't repeated Marcus Rashford's magic of last season and is yet to contribute across limited minutes.
Central defensive issues have forced Victor Lindelof into the side in recent weeks. He looks weak and easy to catch out, a certain step down from the injured Pau Torres.
A special mention, too, for Harvey Elliott, who Villa is now refusing to play to avoid an obligation to buy from Liverpool. Such a talented player condemned to 97 minutes of football is a huge failure for everyone involved. But Villa's results suggest everything is going very well, so it's hard to argue.
Grade: F
- Nick Akerman
Bournemouth
3 of 20
August grade: C+
The expected regression for Bournemouth following the departure of several key players has materialized.
Antoine Semenyo staying at the club has been the one saving grace, with the Ghanaian scoring nine and assisting three in 19 appearances.
However, he looks set for a move to Manchester City in January.
Off the major incomings, Adrien Truffert has been an inspired addition, while 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi is cause for major optimism after bagging six goals in 15 appearances.
At the back, Bafode Diakite has softened the blow of three major defensive losses, but the Cherries have still conceded 38 goals, the fourth-worst record in the division.
Between the sticks, Djordje Petrovic hasn't been overly convincing, responsible for two errors leading to goals, according to StatMuse, the joint-most of any player so far this season.
Meanwhile, we're yet to see much from Ben Gannon-Doak, whose injury issues have prevented him from making much of an impact. Neither have we seen much of Amine Adli nor Veljko Milosavljevic.
In all, the summer incomings have done little to make up for the outgoings, so Bournemouth's grade takes a hit.
Grade: D
- Leo Collis
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Brentford
4 of 20
August grade: F
Brentford has quietly put together an excellent first half of the season. Keith Andrews' side was much-fancied for relegation before play began, but the Bees sit nicely in seventh and are charging towards a place in European competition.
All of this after losing Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Christian Norgaard, three vital players for the club.
The incomings are ticking along nicely, with goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher proving solid between the sticks and defender Michael Kayode's long throw becoming a potent weapon in attack. Jordan Henderson has added much-needed control in midfield, and it's a shame Antoni Milambo's season-ending injury halted his transition after just 46 minutes.
A risk was taken when signing Dango Ouattara for $50 million in the summer. He only has three goals in 15 Premier League appearances so far, with players signed in previous years actually stepping up the most. Igor Thiago, brought in to replace Ivan Toney in February 2024, is only behind Erling Haaland in the goalscoring charts.
Grade: C
- Nick Akerman
Brighton & Hove Albion
5 of 20
August grade: C-
Brighton & Hove Albion is holding steady as a comfortably midtable team, but not many of the summer signings have made a notable impact.
In fact, only Maxim De Cuyper is seeing regular game time. The Belgian has impressed in spurts, but a level of consistency is needed to really cement his name in the starting XI.
There is surely money burning a hole in the club's coffers, but the Seagulls might be happy with bringing their incomings in at a slower pace without upsetting the balance too much.
Manager Fabian Hürzeler will be satisfied with the team's status, and there is still room for improvement if the new arrivals can prove why they were signed in the first place.
Grade: D
- Leo Collis
Burnley
6 of 20
August grade: B-
Burnley is second from bottom in the Premier League and already staring at an immediate return to the Championship.
A decent summer outlay has not produced results. Quite often, with teams destined for relegation, a few individuals will show themselves to be likely to be snapped up by a top-division club once the drop is confirmed. Burnley has a few.
Jaidon Anthony started the campaign in red-hot form with four goals and an assist in five matches. Yet he is somehow in and out of the team, although he did find the back of the net in Wednesday's draw against Manchester United.
A few teams may also look at left-back Quilindschy Hartman, who has proved incisive with four assists in a team that doesn't score often.
More would have been expected of Kyle Walker, Armando Broja, and Marcus Edwards, who may well be sacrificed for funds in the summer.
Grade: D
- Nick Akerman
Chelsea
7 of 20
August grade: A-
Chelsea continues to astound and amaze, but not necessarily for good reasons.
Despite another busy summer, the club is in much the same position as last year, if not a couple of steps back. Enzo Maresca's difficulties in achieving consistent results, along with other behind-the-scenes issues, led to the Italian's departure.
João Pedro has been the most impactful incoming, with six goals and three assists in 20 games. However, Liam Delap is yet to get off the mark in domestic action, while Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho have just six goal involvements between them in league play.
Estevão is definitely exciting and looks destined for greatness in the coming years, but even he has contributed just one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far.
Chelsea continues to splash the cash, but aside from a couple of minor trophies last season, the Blues still have little to show for it.
The summer spending looked somewhat sensible, but the club continues to prove that money can't solve all of its problems.
Grade: B-
- Leo Collis
Crystal Palace
8 of 20
August grade: D-
Yeremy Pino is the sole Palace summer signing who has received significant game time.
While the winger only has one goal and one assist in 19 Premier League appearances, he's working hard for the team and should be considered a positive influence. Manager Oliver Glasner has a thinly-stretched squad, and Pino has done plenty of running to help.
Elsewhere, Christantus Uche, Jaydee Canvot, and Borna Sosa have one Premier League start between them. Goalkeeper Walter Benitez is currently the cup goalkeeper to give Dean Henderson a break.
Grade: D-
- Nick Akerman
Everton
9 of 20
August grade: B+
Everton's steady revival under David Moyes has been one of the best stories of the season so far, and a couple of late arrivals have played a major part in that.
Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have been transformative for the club, which sits 12th in the table, although just three points off sixth place. The former is directly responsible for eight league goals, and the latter has contributed to seven.
However, Thierno Barry ensures that the club's long wait for a reliable goalscorer goes on, with the Frenchman managing just three goals in 20 games.
Elsewhere, Tyler Dibling has been treated with caution, with the 19-year-old seeing just 320 minutes of league action so far, despite being a crucial component of Southampton last season. Charly Alcaraz, another former Saint, has also had minimal impact despite more game time.
Grealish and Dewsbury-Hall have proved inspired arrivals, though, and it's because of them that the Toffees' grade gets a bump.
Grade: A-
- Leo Collis
Fulham
10 of 20
August grade: D
Few players went through the door during a quiet summer for Fulham.
Samuel Chukwueze and Kevin were brought in to add some much-needed creativity on the wings. Chukwueze was just heating up before he was forced away on AFCON duty, scoring two and assisting three in five matches before the tournament began. Supporters should be excited to see his fearless play in the second half of a season that could yield European football.
Kevin is being eased into a main role by Silva. He looks decent on the ball, if a little tentative, as he continues to acclimate from Donetsk to London. There's certainly potential.
Grade: C-
- Nick Akerman
Leeds United
11 of 20
August grade: B+
Leeds' summer business can be described as all killer, no filler, with pretty much every one of the club's nine incomers having played a significant part in the first team this season.
The standouts, though, are Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
The former Everton striker has been in stunning form, with eight goals in 18 appearances, including a run of seven goals in six games from late November into mid-December.
Meanwhile, Iceland international Gudmundsson has proved to be a bargain at just over $13 million, starting all but one game so far and putting in committed, confident performances at left-wing back.
The West Yorkshire side went through the tough December to early-January fixture gauntlet unbeaten, picking up a victory against Chelsea, grabbing a point against Manchester United and holding Liverpool to two draws.
Those points will be vital to avoid the drop come the end of the season, which is looking more likely by the week. The arriving players (center-back Jaka Bijol deserves a shoutout here) played a huge part in those results.
Grade: A-
- Leo Collis
Liverpool
12 of 20
August grade: A+
This is such a difficult one. Liverpool put together the most impressive summer transfer window, investing hundreds of millions in top players to defend the title.
Months on, listing out the key names is a brutal exercise of marking out significant injuries, poor form, and both. Let's work through it:
Alexander Isak: Unfit all season, two Premier League goals before breaking his leg. Florian Wirtz: Under huge pressure after just two goals and one assist in 19 appearances. Is playing better than his numbers suggest, but social media doesn't care. Jeremie Frimpong: Constantly unfit. Milos Kerkez: Struggling under the weight of a major club. Giorgi Mamardashvili: Decent enough when needed in goal. Giovanni Leoni: Instantly picked up a season-ending injury.
The one name missing is Hugo Ekitike, who looks like an excellent acquisition. The former Frankfurt striker has eight goals in 13 starts and should be a key man even when Isak returns. His control of the ball and finishing ability are top-notch.
All of the above names could turn out to be excellent signings for the Reds. Yet, on current evidence, manager Arne Slot has been unable to get the best out of the extraordinary outlay.
Grade: D
- Nick Akerman
Manchester City
13 of 20
August grade: B-
City's summer grade was perhaps a little harsh, more informed by previous high standards and ruthless spending than by the true quality of their incomings.
Tijjani Reijnders has settled well, with seven goal involvements in 19 games. However, he has been withdrawn from action early more frequently by manager Pep Guardiola in recent weeks, which suggests the Spaniard doesn't quite trust him to see games out.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, likewise, has seemed comfortable in the Premier League, despite being a relative departure from Guardiola's preferred type of goalkeeper.
Among those who haven't made a huge impact, Rayan Ait-Nouri has struggled with injury and has seemingly been supplanted by Nico O'Reilly at left-back, while James Trafford was quickly consigned to the back-up 'keeper role following the arrival of Donnarumma.
However, Rayan Cherki has proved to be an absolute steal at around $41 million, with the 22-year-old dazzling his way to a goal and seven assists since November and terrifying the life out of defenders in the process.
That deal alone has turned City's B- into a B+.
Grade: B+
- Leo Collis
Manchester United
14 of 20
August grade: B-
Ruben Amorim is no longer in charge of Manchester United, a fate that has long been coming. He was significantly backed in the summer. Luckily for the Red Devils, the main slate of signings is looking like a decent success.
Bryan Mbeumo has six goals and an assist in 16 Premier League appearances. His absence due to AFCON is being felt quite significantly, with fellow summer acquisition Matheus Cunha having to pick up the slack. Cunha's work rate and dribbling drive the team forward, his sheer desire to be on the ball making him an important player even when he's not scoring as many as he can.
Benjamin Sesko has potential, despite just 4 goals in 11 starts. The young striker's hold-up play looks sharper than Rasmus Hojlund's did, and he's got a smart footballing brain on him. Some work on finishing is needed.
Although United rarely keeps clean sheets, goalkeeper Senne Lammens is a huge step up over the shoot-yourself-in-the-foot duo of Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir. Lammens has already earned multiple points with big saves, his calmness and ability to do the simple things well making a difference.
Grade: B-
Newcastle United
15 of 20
August grade: B-
Newcastle United's summer window was made difficult by the drama surrounding Alexander Isak's late departure, but there's no doubt the Magpies have enjoyed watching the Swede's early struggles at Liverpool.
In his place came Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa. While the latter is slowly getting back to full fitness and has made a quick impact, the former has proved to be a sensational addition.
The German scored on his debut and has banged in six more since, providing the squad with a central target man with good feet and a penchant for getting into dangerous areas. Alexander who?
However, the 23-year-old might not even be Newcastle's best signing. Center-back Malick Thiaw has been brilliant so far, with the 24-year-old becoming a reliable and assured option at the heart of defense and even bagging himself three goals, including a brace against Everton.
But while that trio has represented smart business, a couple of other newcomers have yet to impress.
Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga arrived at inflated fees, and neither has shown the requisite quality to justify them.
In all, it was a mixed bag for the Magpies. But Woltemade, Thiaw, and Wissa at least give their grade a slight boost.
Grade: B+
- Leo Collis
Nottingham Forest
16 of 20
August grade: B+
What a mess. Nottingham Forest is on its third manager of the season and currently sits one place outside the relegation zone.
Fourteen signings came in during the offseason. Striker Igor Jesus isn't without effort, but he has one Premier League goal in 20 appearances. Omari Hutchinson has secured a starting role under Sean Dyche and does look like a potential game-changer if he continues to work hard.
But then…there's the rest. Arnaud Kalimuendo has barely played and is on his way out. James McAtee arrived with expectation and could also leave already. Oleksandr Zinchenko looks past it. Dan Ndoye, Nicolo Savona, and Dilane Bakwa can't maintain consistent minutes.
Forest is a great example of why teams shouldn't buy for a manager and then immediately sack them.
Grade: D-
- Nick Akerman
Sunderland
17 of 20
August grade: B+
Sunderland is the surprise package of the Premier League season so far, sitting in eighth despite only coming up to the top flight via last season's Championship playoffs.
While Regis Le Bris deserves plenty of credit for his astute management, the players the club brought in during the summer have been instrumental in the club's early success.
Granit Xhaka still has it at 33, and he might even be better than the younger version who spent seven years at Arsenal.
Noah Sadiki already has bigger clubs keeping watch, while Reinildo Mandava has put in some massive performances to help the Black Cats pick up big points.
Chemsdine Talbi made a couple of inspired interventions against Chelsea and Liverpool, while Nordi Mukiele has been colossal at the back. The Frenchman and new goalkeeper Robin Roefs are partly responsible for Sunderland's third-best defensive record in the league.
Despite incorporating a raft of new talent, Le Bris and Sunderland have made it look easy—Arne Slot and Liverpool will be looking on perplexed.
Grade: A
- Leo Collis
Tottenham Hotspur
18 of 20
August grade: A-
Xavi Simons was meant to be the cherry on top of a fantastic summer for Spurs. Instead, he's the symbol of recruitment that hasn't worked.
Simons' red card in the loss to Liverpool underlined the struggles of a player who has the quality to be the most important player in Thomas Frank's team. One goal and two assists, plus a number of questionable displays, mean he needs a big second half to the campaign.
This feeling runs through most of Spurs' other additions. Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso are bit-part players, while Randal Kolo Muani isn't doing enough to justify turning his loan from Paris Saint-Germain permanent.
Mohammed Kudus does look like a quality purchase. It'll be interesting to see where he fits in when the likes of Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are back. Joao Palhinha, too, is a combative presence that adds real heft to Spurs' midfield.
Grade: C
- Nick Akerman
West Ham United
19 of 20
August grade: D
West Ham United have been wretched in 2025-26, and while that's not entirely down to the new arrivals, it's difficult to say any have helped much.
El Hadji Malick Diouf started the season with three assists in his first five games, but he hasn't provided any helpers since.
Callum Wilson has at least scored four goals, but he's definitely not enough to scratch the Hammers' striking itch.
Jean Clair-Todibo and Kyle Walker-Peters haven't been able to shore up a back-line that has conceded the most in the league this season, while goalkeeper Mads Hermansen let in 11 goals in just four games and has since been consigned to the bench.
Mateus Fernandes has shown his ability in patches, but his efforts have proved in vain, with the club unable to escape the relegation zone.
Incomings in January are essential, but if the caliber of players is anything like the summer's acquisitions, West Ham might be doomed.
Grade: D-
- Leo Collis
Wolverhampton Wanderers
20 of 20
August grade: D+
Wolves' deteriorating quality leaves the club almost certainly in the Championship next season. A bunch of proven quality was sold before the campaign, most notably Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri, as the free-falling club prepares to now sell others.
Jorgen Strand Larsen scored 14 goals during his loan spell last year. It looks like Wolves will need to cash in on him already after making the deal permanent. This season, he's put up a solitary goal and missed an important penalty to confirm a previously unthinkable place on the bench.
Tolu Arokodare, his replacement, who was also signed during the last window, has notched one goal in 16 appearances.
Jhon Arias has done his utmost to alleviate Wolves' awful run of results and it's likely another Premier League team will snap him up when the time comes for Rob Edwards' side to take up residence in the second division.
Ladislav Krejci, who is on loan from Girona, also looks to have the individual quality to do well in England.
Grade: D-
- Nick Akerman
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