Summer 2026’s Premier League transfer window was an absolute madhouse, unlike anything we’ve seen in years. Nine out of the 20 clubs in England’s top flight changed managers since last season, including big names like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea. This kind of upheaval meant financially powerful clubs had new bosses with grand ideas and serious cash to throw around, which, surprise surprise, sent player prices soaring as everyone knew everyone else had deep pockets. The pace never even slowed down by deadline day, but a pretty clear picture of who won and lost in this wild ride definitely emerged.
Arsenal Kept Their Cool Amidst The Storm
While everyone else was scrambling, the reigning champions, Arsenal, stayed above the fray, moving with pure assurance. They brought in Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa, both “win now” buys right in their prime. Mikel Arteta and the Gunners’ brass clearly understood their position of strength with so much flux going on everywhere else. They tried to snag a marquee attacker like Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez but got frustrated there, and they look a little light on the left flank after moving on Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli for good fees. Still, Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge is already looking like an absolute steal in his early appearances. When chaos reigns, sometimes the smartest move is just to stick to your plan, and Arsenal did just that.
Tottenham’s $400 Million Gamble Is Already Crashing
On the flip side, Tottenham is looking like the biggest loser of the window. After two straight 17th-place finishes, they went all in, backing Roberto De Zerbi in a massive way. The Italian tactician built his reputation as one of the generation’s most forward-thinking coaches during his time at Brighton, and Spurs handed him more than $400 million for new players. But here’s the kicker: after just two Premier League games, they have two defeats, zero goals scored, and five conceded. Seriously, what did they actually get for all that cash? Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali alone account for half of that staggering outlay. Fernandes has already been relegated at Southampton and West Ham, and Tonali was supposed to be a star in a Newcastle side that was “faded and jaded” last season. And get this, Savinho and Omar Marmoush are in north London because they weren’t good enough at Manchester City. This isn’t just a slow start; it’s a red flag after a monumental splurge.
After dropping that kind of money and seeing these early returns, Tottenham fans have to be wondering what in the world is going on. It’s a huge investment with zero payoff so far, and it’s going to be a long season if things don’t turn around fast for De Zerbi’s heavily-backed squad.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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