1 Dream Transfer for Every Premier League Team During the 2026 Summer Transfer Window

The transfer activity from Europe's top clubs will be quick and frenzied ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

And the Premier League is about to spend big.

Arsenal will look to stay at the top of the heap, while teams like Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City will look to support their new managers with the right pieces. Meanwhile, the promoted teams will attempt to make savvy transfers to keep themselves alive in an ultra-competitive league next season.

With teams looking to add before the World Cup, B/R's Calum Rogers and Leo Collis looked at every Premier League side and decided one dream transfer each club would love to have.

Arsenal: Julian Alvarez

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Manager Mikel Arteta has a difficult but not dreadful dilemma about how to make a team that just won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final even better. 

He has no need to worry at the back, with David Raya increasingly looking like one of the world's best goalkeepers and the defence conceding just 27 goals in the Premier League title-winning season.

Midfield is an interesting area. Declan Rice is practically cemented in the engine room, but Martin Zubimendi tailed off towards the end of the campaign; Martin Odegaard has struggled with injury, and Christian Norgaard is a back-up and nothing more. 

Eberechi Eze, Miles Lewis-Skelly, and even Leandro Trossard can provide midfield support, and the area looks more stacked than the point of attack, which has Viktor Gyökeres and not much else. 

Gabriel Jesus has had fitness problems, and his contract runs out in 2027, so selling now and reinvesting the money would make sense. Mikel Merino has popped up with a couple of crucial goals as a makeshift striker, but finding a more comfortable fit at the position would make the Gunners a lot better in their pursuit of back-to-back league titles and a Champions League trophy that was again agonisingly out of reach. 

If we're talking about dream transfers that are still attainable, then Victor Osimhen and Julian Alvarez stand out as options that would improve the squad immediately. But it's the latter who seems the best fit from both a fitness perspective and a tactical one. 

Eight goals in 29 La Liga games for the Rojiblancos is a bit of a drop-off from his 17 strikes last season, but he played eight games fewer. However, his 10 Champions League goals marked his best record in the competition, and that could make a huge difference to the Gunners' pursuit of an elusive European trophy. 

-Leo Collis

Aston Villa: Dusan Vlahovic

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Aston Villa are heading back to the Champions League after a sensational Europa League title win, masterminded by the king of the competition, Unai Emery.

Reinforcements for a return to European football's top table are essential to support a squad that is solid if not spectacular, and one that could be forced to fend off interest in its best player, Morgan Rogers. 

The West Midlanders will want to find quality options across the pitch, but their biggest area of need is in attack. 

Ollie Watkins came good towards the end of the campaign, with eight goals in his final eight Premier League games and five in his last seven Europa League appearances. However, he turns 31 in December and notched just one goal in 19 games across all competitions up to the start of December. 

Meanwhile, since Tammy Abraham's arrival in the January transfer window, he's scored just three times in 16 appearances. 

But Villa might be hamstrung by finances, with the club having to contend with profit and sustainability rules last season and likely hunting in the bargain bins in the summer. 

Thankfully, a dream signing could be available for absolutely nothing. Dusan Vlahovic will leave Juventus at the end of his contract, and a move to a Premier League club with Champions League football on the horizon could be tempting for the Serbian's next career step.

At just 26 years old, there is still plenty of room for growth for a striker who has already impressed during his career, and in an increasingly rough-and-tumble English top flight, he'd be a perfect focal point up front. 

-Leo Collis

Bournemouth: Mateus Mané

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Bournemouth will head into another difficult summer with vultures once again hovering around the club's best players. 

However, there will also be an influx of incomings, with the club gearing up for its first European campaign in its history.

"Dream" signings will mean different things to different clubs. The Cherries can't go out and sign world-class stars, so expectations have to be tempered somewhat. The south-coast side's model has enabled them to pick up players on the path to star status and sell them for a huge profit, and adding the next big thing is their version of a dream acquisition. 

With that in mind, looking to the Premier League's relegated clubs is a sound strategy. Plucking the best from a bad bunch can keep costs down while providing huge upside, and negotiations will be easier with players forcing moves back to the top flight.

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Mateus Mané had a breakout season, with the 18-year-old becoming a regular under Rob Edwards. In addition to three goals and two assists, the Portuguese has demonstrated positional versatility, fearlessness in taking on players, electric pace, and a willingness to bring teammates into the game. For new manager Marco Rose, those attributes would be perfect for his system.

Mané will see the opportunity to play in the Europa League and to continue his development in one of the best leagues in the world as the perfect step, and Wolves can use the money to rebuild to earn promotion out of the Championship. 

-Leo Collis

Brentford: El Hadji Malick Diouf

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What should have been a disastrous campaign for Brentford turned into one of the best in the club's history, with a ninth-place Premier League finish the Bees' joint-highest placing. 

They were inches away from a European berth, and manager Keith Andrews deserves huge credit for building on Thomas Frank's success despite losing some of the club's best players in the 2025 summer market. 

Maintaining those standards or even going one better will be a challenge, but that can be helped with a new arrival or two—as well as keeping hold of the players that made it possible.

Left-back is an obvious weak spot in the team, and improving in that area will help improve the balance of a unit that shipped 52 goals last season, one more than relegation-battling Nottingham Forest.

El Hadji Malick Diouf looked excellent upon his arrival at West Ham United, and while those standards weren't maintained throughout the whole campaign, there are certainly signs of immense promise from the 21-year-old.

With the Hammers facing at least a season in the Championship, the Senegal international could be up for grabs, and his whipped balls into the box from the left flank would be the perfect ammunition for Igor Thiago, the Premier League's second-highest scorer last season. 

Bigger clubs might come in for Diouf, but the Bees could convince him that the Gtech Stadium is the perfect place to continue his development before a big move later down the line.

-Leo Collis

Brighton & Hove Albion: Maxime Esteve

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Brighton & Hove Albion secured a fourth top-half finish in the space of five seasons in 2025-26, grabbing a Europa Conference League place in the process. 

A return to European competition for the second time in the club's history is well-deserved for a club built on a mix of experience and emerging talent, a perfect formula for Premier League stability.

The dream signing for the Seagulls could change quickly depending on outgoings, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, defender Jan Paul van Hecke, midfielder Carlos Baleba and winger Yankuba Minteh all linked with exits to top clubs. 

For now, though, a centre-back partner for Van Hecke looks essential, with Lewis Dunk set to turn 35 in November and veteran Adam Webster leaving the club upon the expiry of his contract.

Despite Burnley suffering relegation to the Championship, Maxime Esteve did all he could to keep the Clarets in games, making the sixth-most clearances and blocking the seventh-most shots in the Premier League last season, according to WhoScored. 

At just 24 years old, the Frenchman still has time to develop further, but his body of work is already promising. At 6'4", he's ideal to defend the box amid the Premier League's increased reliance on set-pieces and long throws, and he's happy to carry the ball forward, which would suit Brighton's vertical style of play. 

-Leo Collis

Chelsea: Ruben Dias

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This is a very un-Chelsea-like signing, and that's exactly the point. While the club's ownership would probably never dream of adding a 29-year-old on big wages, their approach to the transfer market has left the team entirely out of the league's European spots.

Changes are needed, and centre-back is one of a few positions crying out for added quality and experience. Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool and Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund also came under consideration, but the former has some question marks over him after a disappointing season with Liverpool, while Schlotterbeck is a less-than-ideal fit as he and likely partner Levi Colwill are both left-footed.

So, four-time Premier League winner Dias is the selection, offering a far more reliable presence than the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana. While the numbers on this deal wouldn't be pretty from a business perspective, Dias' leadership and experience would be more than worth the cost for a club struggling to get the most out of its collection of talented young players.

-Calum Rogers

Coventry City: Liam Delap

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Coventry City are coming back to the English top flight for the first time since 2001, cruising to the top of the Championship under the guidance of Frank Lampard.

As any promoted club knows, bringing in new players is essential in any bid for survival, and the Sky Blues have their work cut out for them.

Lampard could look to his beloved Chelsea for new blood, and a move for one particular player could be a win-win situation for all parties.

After Liam Delap impressed for Ipswich Town in the 2024-25 season, notching 12 goals in the Premier League, Chelsea took advantage of a favorable relegation-release clause to bring the Englishman to Stamford Bridge. However, two goals in 41 appearances across all competitions have proved massively disappointing for both the club and the player.

A move to Coventry, either on loan or permanently, could help Delap get a promising career back on track and keep the West Midlanders in the division for at least another season. 

If it's a loan, Chelsea could benefit from a sharper, more experienced player in 2027-28, allowing him to finally deliver a return on the $40 million investment. If they decide to ship him out permanently, the Blues would arguably recoup most of that outlay for yet another misguided signing. 

-Leo Collis

Crystal Palace: Hayden Hackney

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It's going to be a strange year for Crystal Palace, with the club saying goodbye to the most successful manager in its history and likely preparing for a sharp reversal in fortunes.

But with the Eagles' first Europa League campaign approaching, they will want to make the most of the opportunity, all while guarding themselves from a possible relegation battle. 

That's not even to consider the possible outgoings, with Maxence Lacroix, Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta all keeping an eye on the exit door.

Wharton looks like the most likely and the most damaging of those potential departures, so grabbing someone to fill the midfield void left by the 22-year-old will be crucial.

While not in the exact same mold as his countryman, Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney will replace some of those ball-playing and defensive shielding abilities while offering more of an attacking outlook.

The 23-year-old was brilliant in Boro's ultimately doomed efforts to return to the top flight, scoring five and providing eight assists along the way. A move to Palace and a chance to play in Europe will be a much-needed step up, and he could follow Wharton's career progression and court the attention of bigger clubs while at Selhurst Park. 

-Leo Collis

Everton: Jarrod Bowen

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After suffering relegation with West Ham United for the first time, Jarrod Bowen won't be short of offers. The winger has scored 85 goals in 280 appearances for the Irons, and while the fact that he is 29 years old will take him off some radars, he could still make a big impact for his next club.

After a season that initially looked promising but ended with Everton once again outside of the European spots, an added jolt to the team's forward line could be required. David Moyes would also surely love to reunite with a player he spent four-and-a-half years with at West Ham. 

With Jack Grealish unlikely to return after his loan from Manchester City, Bowen could be a nice replacement for the winger's star qualities. With Illiman Ndiaye capable of playing on the left, he and Bowen could make for a devastating wide duo on Merseyside.

-Calum Rogers

Fulham: Harvey Elliott

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It's become difficult to project for Fulham after the club announced that manager Marco Silva will leave at the end of his contract. However, Silva and Fulham have had success in recent years, restoring the value of players cast aside by bigger clubs (Harry Wilson, Alex Iwobi, Ryan Sessegnon, to name a few), and whoever Silva's replacement is could repeat the trick with former academy product Harvey Elliott.

The playmaker made just 11 appearances on loan at Aston Villa from Liverpool this season, and he seems likely to look for a permanent exit from Merseyside in the summer. Fulham could provide a perfect exit route with their own left-footed winger/attacking midfielder, Harry Wilson, coming to the end of his contract. 

Wilson played the fourth-most Premier League minutes for the Cottagers last season, so there will be plenty of opportunities opening up for Elliott to establish himself. He'd be an exciting addition in west London, where he could get back to the form that saw him record nine league goal contributions for Liverpool in 2023-24 as a rotation option.

-Calum Rogers

Hull City: Léo Scienza

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Hull City will still be flying high after their play-off final victory over Middlesbrough, but the reality of fighting for Premier League survival could see them crash back to earth fast.

Expected goals put Hull as the second-worst team in the Championship, according to Opta Analyst. While that shouldn't diminish the team's accomplishments, they will likely face a significant battle to even be competitive in the Premier League relegation fight.

One player who would help them, though, is Léo Scienza of Southampton. The winger's combination of speed and skill should translate to the Premier League, and his seven goals and 10 assists in the Championship last season show he has a finishing touch.

Scienza would likely need to be one of a few astute signings on Humberside, but an impressive season for the 27-year-old Brazilian would at least see Hull make a profit on his transfer fee.

-Calum Rogers

Ipswich Town: Danilho Doekhi

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After conceding 82 goals in their previous Premier League season in 2024-25, Ipswich Town must improve their defence this time around to make more of an impact on the division. 

Union Berlin centre-back Danilho Doekhi could be the perfect addition. He's out of contract in the summer after starting all 34 of his team's league games and helping lead Union to an 11th-placed finish in the Bundesliga. 

In addition to providing the defensive strength Ipswich should be looking for, Doekhi also scored five league goals, four of which came from set pieces, according to FotMob. 

Promoted sides should lean into players who can contribute from dead balls, as they're an excellent way to make up for a difference in quality. Doekhi ticks that box, and the 27-year-old would provide a good amount of top-level experience for an Ipswich team that is lacking in that department.

-Calum Rogers

Leeds United: Archie Gray

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Leeds United's return to the Premier League came a season too late for Archie Gray. The young midfielder departed for Tottenham Hotspur for £30-40 million after Leeds lost the 2024 play-off final, but the club said the decision was made "with a heavy heart."

Fans were disappointed to see such an exciting product of the club's academy leave, but he could be in line for a return with Premier League survival secured. Gray was a substitute for Spurs in each of their last six games as they narrowly escaped relegation, and at 20 years old, he may want more assurances over playing time.

Spurs would want to at least recoup their transfer fee for a popular player with fans, but the timing could be right for them to consider a sale, with a summer overhaul in north London looking likely. 

With Leeds midfielder Ao Tanaka also reported to be available by Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, a space could open up in midfield for Gray to return to his former home. 

-Calum Rogers

Liverpool: Micky van de Ven

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Despite a 2025 summer transfer window that saw Liverpool break the English transfer record twice and spend more than any club has ever spent during a signing period, the Reds still need to invest in several areas of the squad.

Ibrahima Konate's unexpected departure has heightened the need for reinforcement at centre-back, while a right-back who can stay fit would also be ideal. 

Meanwhile, Liverpool should sign a No. 6 who can shield the defence, with Ryan Gravenberch, despite his obvious talents, not providing the kind of bite that gives the back line breathing room. Alexis Mac Allister could also be upgraded after a dreadful season. 

After Mohamed Salah's dramatic exit and Cody Gakpo's alarming drop-off, incomings at both wing spots are vital, too.

Something big needs to happen in the market to get the club back on track, and with Andoni Iraola set to take over from Arne Slot, reinforcements will be needed. 

Centre-back is non-negotiable, though. While Jeremy Jacquet is arriving and Giovanni Leoni will be back from a serious ACL injury, those two have a combined age of 39. Virgil van Dijk, who looked increasingly beatable last season, is 34. 

Nottingham Forest's Murillo could be an option, as could Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke. However, Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven looks ripe for the picking, and he would be perfect as the long-term successor to his compatriot's throne. 

While there are concerns that he was part of an awful Spurs side on the verge of relegation, the 25-year-old couldn't do much to help the collective disaster. He finished the campaign with his head held high and arguably prevented the North Londoners from conceding a lot more.

His pace when coming out from the back would suit a side expected to return to gung-ho attacking ways next season, and his strength in the air would shore up a squad that was leaky at set pieces. 

-Leo Collis

Manchester City: Enzo Fernandez

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Manchester City's interest in Elliot Anderson has been well documented and was spotlighted as an ideal move for them to make previously by Bleacher Report. 

City's midfield could be in need of a more significant overhaul, though, and new manager Enzo Maresca—Pep Guardiola's expected successor, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein—would surely love to see Fernandez join him in Manchester after the pair's time together with Chelsea. 

Fernandez scored 10 league goals last season and is capable of being a team's playmaker further back, and that versatility would be valuable in a midfield facing mounting question marks. 

Rodri's future appears to be up in the air, while Nico González, Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden and Mateo Kovačić (after a serious ankle injury) made little impact last season. And that's all on top of Bernardo Silva departing after starting 34 of 38 league games.

Anderson would be a terrific signing for City, but he's only one man. Adding the 25-year-old Fernandez as well would make this midfield a strength for years to come even if Rodri departs.

-Calum Rogers

Manchester United: Bruno Guimarães

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Manchester United have been connected to a host of midfielders in recent months, and the impending departure of Casemiro has only heightened the need for upgrades at the position.

Kobbie Mainoo is a viable option for Michael Carrick and the expected addition of Ederson should add another player for the new United manager to choose from. But more additions in the centre of the park are needed.

Bruno Guimarães' name hasn't come up too much in recent speculation around who United could bring in, but the point of a dream transfer is to get the very best available at a position of need. The Newcastle United captain absolutely fits that bill, with Aurélien Tchouaméni of Real Madrid the only other contender in that regard.

Guimarães would be costly—possibly close to $100 million—but his playmaking and defensive attributes would make him a significant upgrade. Guimarães even added nine goals for Newcastle from a deeper midfield role, but with Bruno Fernandes playing ahead of him, he could thrive as more of a designated playmaker in United's buildup.

-Calum Rogers

Newcastle United: Felix Nmecha

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Where does Newcastle United go next? The Magpies took a step back in the 2025-26 campaign, and the incoming players did little to suggest that a bright future lies ahead.

Key players might also be starting to get frustrated with the lack of progress, especially after the sale of Anthony Gordon. But the 25-year-old's departure has provided some cash to invest, on top of what's left over from Alexander Isak's record-breaking transfer to Liverpool last summer. 

Spending that money wisely will be key, as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa did little to soften the blow of the Swede's exit. 

Upgrades could be made in goal, at centre-back and up front, but the middle of the park looks most in need of rejuvenation, especially with the futures of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães uncertain.

Germany international Felix Nmecha could be a player to build around, boasting qualities similar to those of both Guimarães and Joelinton, with a bit more elegance than the latter. 

While he wouldn't replace the midfield on his own, he would provide a key foundation stone for Newcastle to return to the path that saw them qualify for the Champions League twice since 2023. 

-Leo Collis

Nottingham Forest: Bilal El Khannouss

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After the highs of Nottingham Forest's remarkable 2024-25 season, they have been brought back to Earth with a bump. 

While a trip to the Europa League semifinals was an impressive achievement, the Tricky Trees still had to endure a relegation battle, and they blitzed through four different managers during the campaign.

How long Vitor Pereira sticks around for remains to be seen, but he'll need to make some shrewd moves to try to keep his job for a little while longer. 

With Morgan Gibbs-White unlikely to stay for another season, Forest would be wise to start succession planning now. 

While a spell at Leicester City was disappointing for Bilal El Khannouss, eventually resulting in relegation to the Championship, the 22-year-old has been reminding everyone of his quality in the Bundesliga with Stuttgart. The Moroccan had four goals and five assists for the German side in a season interrupted by the Africa Cup of Nations. 

While his spell with Forest's East Midlands neighbors ended in disaster, he proved he could handle the rigors of Premier League football. He operated in a similar role to Gibbs-White, helping to provide chances for teammates. He was also unafraid to take the shot himself. 

El Khannouss could be a sound option both now and in the future, assuming Forest can achieve a little bit of stability in the upcoming campaign. 

-Leo Collis

Sunderland: Christos Tzolis

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Sunderland's qualification for the UEFA Europa League was one of the most impressive achievements of the Premier League season, but it has caused a challenge.

The added pressure those extra games will place on the players makes it crucial to bring in more quality, and Sunderland would be wise to make three or four upgrades to their first XI to strengthen the squad overall. 

The left wing is an area where the Black Cats could add a starting-level player. Simon Adingra was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion to fill that role last summer, but he only played 15 games before moving to Monaco on loan in January.

As a replacement, Christos Tzolis is a standout option after scoring 43 goals and recording 45 assists over the past two seasons for Club Brugge. 

While adding players from leagues with a lower overall standard can be risky, Tzolis' production is impossible to ignore. He also shouldn't need too much time to adjust after spending two seasons in England with Norwich City earlier in his career.

-Calum Rogers

Tottenham Hotspur: Victor Osimhen

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After a second consecutive 17th-placed finish, Tottenham Hotspur's leadership has pledged through multiple channels to return the club to the upper reaches of the Premier League. 

Taking them at their word means ambitions should be high in the transfer market, and there are few more ambitious moves available than Victor Osimhen.

The Nigerian forward is paid around $336,000 per week in base salary by Galatasaray, according to ESPN—he would comfortably become Spurs' highest-paid player and would cost a significant transfer fee.

However, the 27-year-old would also be an instant upgrade to the team's attack, which has been devoid of a focal point after losing both Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in recent years.

Osimhen scored 26 goals in 32 appearances for Napoli's Serie A title-winning team in the 2022-23 season, and he has continued his excellent performances in Turkey.

Spurs' recruitment has leaned far too heavily on potential lately. Osimhen is instead a ready-made attacking star for new manager Roberto De Zerbi to build around and properly kick off a squad overhaul.

-Calum Rogers