C for Viktor Gyokeres, D for Liverpool’s £200k-a-Week Lost Boy: Premier League’s 11 Biggest Summer Signings Graded

Premier League clubs paid out over £3 BILLION in total on transfer fees in the summer window. Some have seen an immediate return on their investment, while others are still waiting for proof that their money was well spent.

With the Premier League on pause for the second international break of the season, we have taken the time to grade the 11 most expensive summer signings based on how they have started the 2025/26 campaign.

Alexander Isak — Liverpool (from Newcastle on September 1)

Transfer fee: £125 million
Wages: £250,000 per week (£1.25m so far)
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
Cost per goal/assist so far: £63.125m
Grade: C+

Expectations were — and still are — very high after Isak arrived at Anfield with a British transfer record price tag around his neck. However, he also arrived a little rusty, having missed the entire pre-season with Newcastle. Therefore, Isak has been eased in steadily by Arne Slot.

He has made six appearances so far — averaging just 52 minutes in each — and delivered one goal and one assist. Isak might struggle to challenge Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot this season, but don’t be surprised if he gets past the 20-goal mark for a third season in a row.

Florian Wirtz — Liverpool (from Leverkusen on June 20)

Transfer fee: £116 million
Wages: £200,000 per week (£3m so far)
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Cost per goal/assist so far: N/A
Grade: D

Wirtz arrived at Anfield with the reputation as one of the world’s most exciting forwards. However, he has felt more like Liverpool’s extra deep playmaker than their final-third difference-maker so far. With Trent Alexander-Arnold sold to Real Madrid and Arne Slot recalibrating the build-up, the German has often been asked to drop into traffic, receive under pressure and carry the ball forward.

This has seen him dragged away from the zones where he normally hurts teams and he has looked a bit like a lost boy at times. He is working like mad out of possession and covering huge ground, yet the output is lean so far — no league goals and little end product in an attacking sense.

Hugo Ekitike — Liverpool (from Frankfurt on July 23)

Transfer fee: £79 million
Wages: £200,000 per week (£2m so far)
Goals: 5
Assists: 1
Cost per goal/assist so far: £13.5m
Grade: B+

A bright, confident start. Ekitike has looked unfazed by the stage, scoring five goals in his first 10 appearances for the Reds. He has also displayed sharp link-up play, knitted moves together with deft one-twos and awareness of runners. He would probably score higher than a B+ were it not for his “stupid” red card against Southampton — which led to him being suspended for Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.

But Ekitike looks like a top signing. His versatility — he can play out wide, as the main centre forward or slightly off the striker — will also be very handy as Slot attempts to blend together his new-look attack.

Benjamin Sesko — Manchester United (from RB Leipzig on August 9)

Transfer fee: £74 million
Wages: £160,000 per week (£1.28m so far)
Goals: 2
Assists: 0
Cost per goal/assist so far: £37.64m
Grade: B–

Two league goals in eight is steady rather than spectacular, but context matters. United have chopped and changed around him and Ruben Amorim has clearly tried to shield him from overload early on. The upside showed against Sunderland as he occupied centre-backs, used his frame to connect play and gave Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha space to dart beyond.

Wayne Rooney called him a handful and you could see why. He looks a little raw, while his reluctance to take a penalty in the shootout loss to Grimsby did not fill fans with confidence. But the tactical fit is improving and he could yet still prove to be an excellent signing.

Bryan Mbeumo — Manchester United (from Brentford on July 21)

Transfer fee: £71 million
Wages: £150,000 per week (£1.65m so far)
Goals: 2
Assists: 1
Cost per goal/assist so far: £24.2167m
Grade: C+

Mbeumo’s effort levels are undisputed — he’s already fired 17 shots in his first seven Premier League games for United — and he can justifiably feel unlucky to have only one top-flight goal to show for it. His pressing remains relentless and his link play with Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha is beginning to take shape, but his decision-making in the final third has been hit and miss.

He has spoken about players needing to ‘take responsibility’ and he’s clearly trying to lead by example. If his finishing sharpens even slightly, the numbers should follow quickly — but for now, it’s industry over impact.

Nick Woltemade — Newcastle (from Stuttgart on August 30)

Transfer fee: £69 million
Wages: £132,500 per week (£662,500 so far)
Goals: 4
Assists: 0
Cost per goal/assist so far: £17.4156m
Grade: A

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge called Newcastle “idiots” for paying £69m for Woltemade. Four goals in seven games later, it is perhaps the Bayern Munich legend who himself is looking a little foolish.

Woltemade has scored in each of his home league appearances, including burying a pressure penalty to finish off Nottingham Forest on Sunday. His movement inside the box has been sharp, his frame is a real weapon in duels and he strikes the ball early rather than overcomplicating things. Newcastle fans have fallen in love instantly.

Eberechi Eze — Arsenal (from Crystal Palace on August 23)

Transfer fee: £67.5 million
Wages: £180,000 per week (£1.08m so far)
Goals: 1
Assists: 2
Cost per goal/assist so far: £22.86m
Grade: B

Eze was an Arsenal fan favourite before he had even kicked a ball — rejecting Tottenham late in the window to force through a move to the Emirates will do that for you. Now he’s starting to justify the hype. He has alternated between the left half-space and the No 10 role and, with Martin Odegaard now sidelined, could own that central creative brief outright in the coming weeks.

He missed a sitter in Saturday’s 2-0 win over West Ham but that won’t define him. His ball-carrying and link with Bukayo Saka already add a new wrinkle to Arsenal’s attack. If the finishing sharpens, he’ll be one of the signings of the window.

Viktor Gyokeres — Arsenal (from Sporting on July 26)

Transfer fee: £64 million
Wages: £200,000 per week (£2m so far)
Goals: 3
Assists: 0
Cost per goal/assist so far: £22m
Grade: C

Three goals across his first ten matches and plenty of honest running, but Arsenal signed him to be the finisher who tilts tight games. A disrupted pre-season and Kai Havertz’s injury thrust him into heavy minutes earlier than planned.

Arteta likes the work-rate and the more direct patterns clearly suit Gyokeres’ runs between centre-backs. The next step is cleaner contact and more shots on target from the chances his team-mates are now threading through.

Matheus Cunha — Manchester United (from Wolves on June 1)

Transfer fee: £62.5 million
Wages: £180,000 per week (£3.24m so far)
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Cost per goal/assist so far: N/A
Grade: C–

Cunha’s elasticity could be very useful in Amorim’s beloved 3-4-3 formation, with the Brazilian drifting off the front to link play. When Sesko pins defenders, Cunha can roll into pockets and feed runners. But when United go flat, he drifts too far from goal.

Moments are there, the consistency is not just yet. He scored 17 goals for Wolves last season. He has none in his first seven games for United. Fans are still waiting to be convinced.

Joao Pedro — Chelsea (from Brighton on July 2)

Transfer fee: £60 million
Wages: £125,000 per week (£1.625m so far)
Goals: 5
Assists: 3
Cost per goal/assist so far: £7.7031m
Grade: B–

Five goals in 12 games is a solid return for a player still adjusting to Enzo Maresca’s rigid structure. Pedro’s athleticism has stretched defences in ways Chelsea rarely did last season, giving them licence to go more direct when the build-up stalls.

He still drifts in and out of games and his decision-making can be erratic, but he offers unpredictability — and unpredictability can win tight matches. The late red card against Benfica was daft, but it shouldn’t overshadow what has largely been a positive start.

Martin Zubimendi — Arsenal (from Real Sociedad on July 6)

Transfer fee: £60 million
Wages: £75,000 per week (£975,000 so far)
Goals: 2
Assists: 0
Cost per goal/assist so far: £30.4875m
Grade: B+

Scored two excellent goals in a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest last month. That aside, Zubimendi has made his name through control rather than chaos. He has quietly tightened Arsenal’s midfield, stitching phases together and restoring structure whenever games wobble.

Against West Ham he came on early, instantly raising the tempo with sharp line-breaking passes and giving Declan Rice licence to surge forward. He’ll rarely chase headlines, but Arsenal look calmer and more secure with him steering the middle — and that’s exactly what they paid for.