Ideal 2026 Summer Transfer Windows for the Premier League's Biggest Spenders
We're closing in on the business end of the Premier League season, which means every fan is geared up for the one thing they're always concerned about: transfers.
Transfer rumors and speculation are our guilty pleasure, and we here at B/R love to weigh in on potential summer signings whenever we can.
We asked our three wise men—Calum Rogers, Leo Collis and Nick Akerman—to come up with the perfect moves for the traditional "Big Six" clubs in England: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and, yes, Tottenham Hotspur.
Got your thoughts on our picks? Submit them now in the comments section of the B/R app.
Arsenal: Julián Alvarez
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While it's fair to say Arsenal haven't struggled to score goals this season, it's also fair to suggest they've left some opportunities on the table.
The Gunners' search for a prolific striker saw them land on Viktor Gyokeres last summer. He's working hard to make an impact under Mikel Arteta's guidance, scoring 12 goals in 31 Premier League appearances so far this season.
The 27-year-old also scored four goals in 10 Champions League appearances—numbers that would be taken far more seriously if his build-up play weren't so clunky at times.
There is certainly still room for improvement. Arsenal didn't buy Gyokeres to be the Premier League's sixth-highest top scorer, level with Morgan Gibbs-White, a midfielder.
Gyokeres may well be the striker who leads the Gunners to their first title since the days of Thierry Henry. But arguments that he's had a disappointing season, given his extraordinary scoring record for Sporting CP last year, also hold weight.
Arteta is very loyal to his players, so it's difficult to assess his reading of the situation. It's worth asking if there's another available striker out there and if Arsenal would look better with them in the team. The answer is yes. One name instantly comes to mind: Julián Alvarez.
The Atletico man's all-round quality at this crucial stage of the season will have many potential suitors watching him ahead of the World Cup. Alvarez has stepped up at the right time, his free-kick in the Champions League quarterfinal victory over Barcelona underlining what we already knew: he's ice cold and ready to deliver in the biggest moments.
Alvarez's agility would also eliminate many of the moments when Arsenal have looked slow up front. Gyokeres is great at using his body, but he's not the best at bringing his teammates back into play once he's received the ball. Alvarez dictates play as much as he latches onto it.
He's a no-brainer for any of the big-spenders, and if he performs well at the summer showpiece, his price will only go up.
-Nick Akerman
Chelsea: Victor Osimhen
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Victor Osimhen looks like a perfect fit for Chelsea for all the right and all the wrong reasons.
The Blues are in need of a potent striker to lead the line, and the Nigeria international has demonstrated an expert ability in finding the back of the net with regularity. In 203 games for Napoli and Galatasaray combined since the 2020-21 season, he has 132 goals and 33 assists.
While Galatasaray is a storied club with a vibrant history and raucous fanbase, Osimhen should be playing at a higher level. Any club with a hefty budget could certainly prise him away from Turkey, and Chelsea has the bank balance to suit.
There is one lingering concern, though. Osimhen's time at Napoli ended on a sour note, with the club's hierarchy and the player clearly aligned on the idea that he would move on after he made it known he wanted to leave.
With Chelsea having recently suspended Enzo Fernández over interviews that fuelled talk of a future move to Real Madrid, and Marc Cucurella openly admitting that a return to Barcelona would be "hard to turn down," the Blues may be wary of adding another high‑profile player who is comfortable signalling openness to a new challenge.
Still, Osimhen's scoring record speaks for itself, and with Chelsea getting just 15 Premier League goals from João Pedro and Liam Delap in 57 combined appearances (with the Brazilian bagging 14 of them), it's clear a player with a better hit-rate is required.
Chelsea has needs in other areas, such as upgrades on either wing, a better goalkeeper, and a center midfielder—the latter will be especially true if Fernandez gets his wish. However, those gaps can be plugged with the club's plentiful squad options, but a lethal striker is nowhere to be found.
-Leo Collis
Liverpool: Yan Diomande
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Liverpool's season has gone south quickly after their title win last year, and the lack of a dangerous sparkplug on either wing has been massively damaging.
Mohamed Salah's performances dropped off a cliff after a record-breaking campaign in 2024-25, in which he effectively dragged the Reds to title glory. Of course, he will now bid farewell to Anfield in just a few weeks.
Meanwhile, the sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich at the start of the season looks like an enormous loss in hindsight.
For the Reds, the Colombian always worked tirelessly and threatened regularly, but he didn't consistently deliver an end product. Even so, he was still a nightmare to defend against, which drew attention from other attacking players. His talent has been made even clearer with the German giants, with 25 goals and 20 assists in 44 games.
Cody Gakpo has done a poor job of replicating Diaz's threat, giving defenders less to worry about and an easier 90 minutes on the legs. Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz seems to be more effective in the middle, although he's not shown his abilities as often as he should have in his debut campaign on Merseyside.
The need for wingers is clear. The emergence of 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha is promising, and he could be a long-term solution. However, he shouldn't be run into the ground this early in his career.
Yan Diomande has had a true breakout season for RB Leipzig, with the 19-year-old scoring 12 and assisting eight in 31 games in all contests.
The Ivory Coast international has played on both the right and the left this season, which means he could effectively replace Salah or Diaz, he won't block Ngumoha's progress, and he could switch positions at will with the 17-year-old if they line up together.
The Reds have started a defensive rebuild with Giovanni Leoni and the incoming Jeremy Jacquet, and one more center-back addition is probably wise.
However, Liverpool look fairly toothless in attack at present, and a rapid, skillful winger like Diomande would open up space for Alexander Isak and Wirtz to cause more damage, while adding a potent goal threat of his own. With Hugo Ekitike now out with injury for the foreseeable future, his arrival becomes even more important.
Diomande should be a priority signing.
-Leo Collis
Manchester City: Elliot Anderson
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Manchester City have done significant work rebuilding their squad over the past 18 months, but midfield still stands out as an area in need of reinforcements.
Recent signings Nico González and Tijjani Reijnders were meant to strengthen this area, but the duo have made just five Premier League starts combined in 2026.
Manager Pep Guardiola has clearly lost trust in the pair, forcing Bernardo Silva and Rodri (29 and 31, respectively) to play nearly every game. Silva has announced he will be leaving at the end of the season, and Rodri recently showed interest in a move to Real Madrid in an interview with Onda Cero (h/t Sky Sports).
According to the Daily Mirror's Jeremy Cross, City already believe they have won the race for Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson ahead of an $87.5 million move, and the England international fits a lot of criteria to replace Silva next season and potentially become Rodri's longer-term successor.
Anderson won't be covering the wide creator role the Portuguese has often filled under Guardiola, but data analyst Spencer Mossman highlighted the Englishman's on-ball ability and physicality as markers that suggest he will be effective in the central areas that Silva has largely taken up this season.
Whether it's in deeper areas or higher up the pitch, Silva has been crucial to City's dominance during his nine years at the club. While Anderson is not a complete like-for-like replacement, he offers more than enough to become a similarly valuable player in Manchester.
-Calum Rogers
Manchester United: Mateus Fernandes
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If it wasn't obvious before Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Leeds United on Monday, it should be now.
The club desperately needs more than one midfield reinforcement. I'm going to park the Casemiro replacement conversation—which could easily centre on someone like Elliot Anderson or Adam Wharton—and focus instead on the depth issue. United must add strength in depth so that Manuel Ugarte is no longer asked to play such a prominent role for the club next season.
West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes deserves to be a prime candidate. He has really stepped up during a difficult moment for the Hammers and is playing like a future captain. He's got all-round quality: sharp on the ball, creative, throws his weight around defensively.
Nuno Espírito Santo has laid extra responsibility across the 21-year-old's shoulders since Lucas Paqueta departed in January, a sign of trust in a player who will be on the move soon whether West Ham are relegated or not.
Should the Championship beckon, United might even find themselves with an opportunity to get the Portugal international at a cheaper rate.
Premier League-proven stars have served the Red Devils well this season, so there's no need to look much further than Fernandes, who can contribute immediately and still has ample room to improve.
-Nick Akerman
Tottenham Hotspur: Manuel Locatelli
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This pick is contingent on Spurs staying in the Premier League, which is in serious question.
The midfield is emblematic of their flawed squad-building. Eight central midfielders have played more than 450 minutes for the north Londoners this season, and only 20-year-old Archie Gray can claim to have met or surpassed expectations.
Spurs are below 50 percent for average possession, and they're 12th for touches in their opponents' penalty area. They don't have the ball enough, and they don't do enough when they do have it.
So, high-quality passing is a must, preferably with good physicality to compete in the Premier League.
Step forward Manuel Locatelli. The 6'1" Italy international has started 30 league games for Juventus this season, and data analyst Spencer Mossman highlighted his significant output in helping his club progress the ball into attacking areas. The 27-year-old is also third among Serie A midfielders for defensive contributions per 90 minutes, according to FotMob.
New manager Roberto De Zerbi has already suggested the move, according to Calciomercato (h/t GiveMeSport), and quite simply this is the kind of aggressive, sensible move Spurs have been lacking for years.
Leeds United's Ao Tanaka, whom Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg has reported to be available for around $14 million, would be a worthy alternative in the event of relegation.
The 27-year-old Japan international played over 3,000 minutes for a title-winning team in the Championship last season, finishing fourth for accurate passes per 90 minutes among midfielders and joint-fourth for interceptions, per FotMob.
He has also shown he can be a valuable contributor to a promoted team in eight Premier League starts this season, and his technical quality should make him a good match for De Zerbi.
-Calum Rogers
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