play Live Sign upShow navigation menuplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upEXPLAINERSport|FootballTransfer day: What and when is the deadline for club football signings?Which players will Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona sign and for how much? Al Jazeera explains.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoCody Gakpo could leave Liverpool for Premier League rivals Manchester City [File: Annegret Hilse/Reuters]By Manasi PathakPublished On 31 Aug 202631 Aug 2026Football clubs in the biggest leagues across Europe have their last chance to sign new players as the 2026 summer transfer window approaches its deadline on Tuesday.
English Premier League clubs have been the most active during the summer signing period, with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City leading the way in expenses. Real Madrid and Barcelona have also welcomed some new faces in La Liga.
Al Jazeera breaks down everything you need to know about transfer deadline day:
Deadline day in the transfer window refers to the final opportunity clubs have to complete signings and strengthen their squads for the upcoming season.
The summer transfer window 2026 will close on the following days and times in Europe’s top leagues:
Yes, but only in the Premier League. Even as the transfer window closes, deals can still be announced after the deadline has passed, as clubs have a two-hour grace period to complete a signing if they have submitted a deal sheet prior to the deadline.
A deal sheet allows a club to confirm that an agreement has been reached in order to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documentation.
Clubs in all leagues can sign players as free agents after the deadline, as long as the player is not officially attached to another club when the window closes.
⚽ Bradly Barcola Liverpool announced the signing of France international Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain on Monday, making him the most expensive signing in the Premier League so far.
The 23-year-old signed a five-year deal in a package worth about $162m with the Merseyside club.
⚽ Morgan Rogers Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa on July 21 for a British record 117 million pounds ($158m), roping in the 23-year-old attacking midfielder on a deal until 2033.
⚽ Elliot Anderson Manchester City signed midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a club record 116 million pounds ($153m). At the time of the signing on July 2, it was a British record transfer.
⚽ Yan Diomande Real Madrid spent a club record 140 million euros ($161m) to buy 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig. The Bundesliga Young Player of the Season in 2025-26 reportedly signed a deal until 2033.
⚽ Sandro Tonali Italy’s midfielder Sandro Tonali signed for Tottenham Hotspur from Newcastle United for 92.5 million pounds ($125m). The ex-AC Milan player spent three seasons at St James’ Park.
⚽ Mateus Fernandes Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes signed for Tottenham from West Ham United for 85 million pounds ($112m). The 22-year-old was nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award last season.
⚽ Ayoub Bouaddi After an impressive quarterfinal campaign with Morocco at the FIFA World Cup 2026, Ayoub Bouaddi joined Man City from Lille for 100 million euros ($110m). The 18-year-old French-born midfielder had three years left on his Lille deal.
⚽ Savinho Brazil winger Savinho, also known as Savio, signed for Tottenham from Man City for 85 million pounds ($102m). Savinho started at Atletico Mineiro and joined Troyes in 2022, but his breakout season came on loan at Girona, where he scored 11 goals in 41 appearances.
⚽ Bruno Guimaraes Bruno Guimaraes, the Newcastle United captain, signed for Arsenal for 75 million pounds ($101m). The Brazilian, one of the Premier League’s most influential midfielders, has penned a four-year contract with a further one-year option.
⚽ Carlos Baleba Cameroon international Carlos Baleba signed for Manchester United from Brighton & Hove Albion for 70 million pounds ($88.7m), becoming the third midfielder to be roped in by the Red Devils during this window.
⚽ Anthony Gordon Anthony Gordon realised his long-held dream of playing for Barcelona when he signed from Newcastle for 70 million euros ($80m). The England international even answered questions in Spanish on the day the La Liga club unveiled him.
British media reported over the weekend that Liverpool and Manchester City are in talks to reach an agreement over the sale of Dutchman Cody Gakpo.
Gakpo, also a target for Tottenham Hotspur, expressed interest in joining City after Liverpool was heavily linked with a potential move for PSG’s Bradley Barcola.
With Gakpo’s future at Liverpool in doubt, the Reds are reportedly interested in signing winger Ismaila Sarr from Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, Tottenham has reached an agreement to sign winger Iliman Ndiaye from Everton.
Premier League clubs cumulatively spent more than 2 billion pounds ($2.7bn) this summer, with Chelsea the highest spender at $476m, followed by Tottenham, which spent $413.8m, while Man City is the third-highest spender with $318.9m.
Newcastle is fourth on the list with an expenditure of $294.7m, while Arsenal rounds out the top five, at $265m.
