Deadline Day: Three big winners and three losers as summer window slams shut

As the record-breaking window comes to an end, let’s take a look at three winners and three losers from the dramatic summer.

Who else to start with other than Liverpool? Their summer window has been nothing short of exceptional.

Liverpool - Winners

The Reds began the window by raiding Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong for a combined £145million.

The pair played pivotal roles in Leverkusen’s historic league triumph under Xabi Alonso, and will undoubtedly play similar roles in Liverpool’s push to do just the same.

Slot’s side then added left-back Milos Kerkez and highly-sought-after striker Hugo Ekitike, who hit the ground running by scoring on his competitive and Premier League debuts for the club.

But the club was far from done there; they still had time on deadline day to break the bank once more, this time ending the long and painful saga of Alexander Isak, setting them back £125million.

It wasn’t pretty, with the striker refusing to train and releasing a bombshell statement on his desires to leave Newcastle, but it was done in the end.

Their only disappointment this summer can be their failure to capture Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi - though they will be back for his signature on a free transfer next year.

A remarkable saga that saw the Englishman complete his medical for the Reds before Palace put a hold on the deal as their struggles to find a replacement continued.

Overall, Liverpool and Arne Slot’s window can be considered nothing other than extraordinary.

The club managed to recoup over £200million in player sales to soften the outlay of over £400million, just to add the cherry on top.

It was a squad rebuild that had to happen, and Liverpool completed it ruthlessly and clinically, producing a window that should set them up for years to come.

Sunderland - Winners

Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce the signing of Granit Xhaka, who joins on a three-year deal from Bayer 04 Leverkusen! ❤️✍️

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) July 30, 2025

To have a newly-promoted team in the ‘winners’ list represents just how successful this window has been for the Black Cats.

Their promotion to the Premier League came a year ahead of plan, the club finished 24 points away from the top two and it was boss Regis Le Bris’ first year, so the squad needed major improvements - and that is exactly what they did.

Sunderland spent £150million this summer and strengthened all over the park.

Simon Adingra and Granit Xhaka provide much-needed Premier League experience, while Habib Diarra, Chemsdine Talbi and Noah Sadiki represent unknown but exciting and hungry talents.

Nordi Mukiele from Paris Saint-Germain and Reinaldo from Atletico Madrid will also add continental experience from some of the biggest clubs in the world.

The Black Cats entered the season with a squad that was furthest away from Premier League survival.

After their window, they may have played their way into being the favourites to stay up.

JUST IN: Liverpool confirm £125m capture of Alexander Isak ending weeks of speculation

Arsenal - Winners

Arsenal fell significantly short of Liverpool last season, so additions were a necessity and not a desire for Mikel Arteta.

Add to that Liverpool's incredible spending spree in the summer and suddenly Arsenal were under pressure just to keep up.

But keep up they have, with their monstrous £275million outlay this summer they have added depth, quality, creativity and goals and will undoubtedly be competing for the title come May.

Martin Zubimendi opened the Gunners’ business for the campaign in a £65million deal from Real Sociedad.

The Spaniard has played every minute of the campaign so far which has seen Arteta’s side recoup six points from the first nine available.

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Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera followed Zubimendi through the door at the Emirates, adding much-needed quality in depth and Premier League experience.

But Arsenal’s most important signings were still to come: Viktor Gyokeres, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon in a £54million deal, and Eberechi Eze, £67.5million from Crystal Palace.

Gyokeres promises to add a goalscoring touch to a team devoid of natural finishers - he has already grabbed his first two Premier League goals - and Eze adds the quality and directness to provide the chances for him.

The club ended deadline day with the loan signing of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen with an option to buy for £45million.

The social media post announcing the deal said he was “the final piece of the puzzle”. Maybe they’re right.

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Brentford - Losers

The Bees have endured a summer of departures, bookended by Yoane Wissa’s late £55million move to Newcastle after he refused to play for the club.

Star player Bryan Mbeumo, skipper Christian Norgaard and goalkeeper Mark Flekken also joined Wissa out the exit door at the Gtech Community stadium, as the club raked in close to £150million in player sales.

But the departure that will arguably hurt Brentford the most this summer is Thomas Frank.

The coach left the club to join Tottenham after an astonishing seven-year spell that saw him transform the side from Championship mediocrity to Premier League stalwart while overseeing a move to their new stadium.

Replacing him with set-piece coach Keith Andrews could prove to be a master-stroke, or it could be a disaster waiting to happen.

The club have gone some way to trying to replace the quality that they have lost with Dango Outtara and Caoimhin Kelleher, who are known quantities and have cut it in the Premier League.

The rest of their business stands uninspiring, and leaves the club in a dire situation where Premier League survival would be considered a major achievement.

Crystal Palace - Losers

Crystal Palace’s window has been disastrous from the outset.

After the glory of winning the FA Cup, it is a shame to see their summer capitulate in such spectacular form.

The struggles began when the club were expelled from the Europa League after being adjudged to have been in breach of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, and this set the tone for the remainder of the window.

The loss of Eberechi Eze will hurt a lot and the signing of Yeremy Pino from Villarreal, while exciting, has a lot of work to do to fill his shoes.

The only other major signing being French centre-back Jaydee Canvot, who arrived on deadline day, which is a major problem for the club.

Today even saw the club miss out on Brighton centre-back Igor to West Ham despite the Eagles agreeing a deal with the south coast club.

Positively, however unorthodox it was, it led to the club keeping skipper Marc Guehi for one more year, which is absolutely crucial.

With their European campaign coming up, though, the Eagles have struggled to improve or add to their squad at all.

Leeds - Losers

The Championship winners have spent less than any of the newly-promoted sides, and it tells.

There have been some good additions to the squad, with their midfield and defence looking solid in their opening three games that has seen them yield four points.

But their attacking options have been crying out for additions and have been criminally neglected by the club.

Manor Solomon, a crucial member of the title-winning squad last year, and Largie Ramazani are two offensive options that have left west Yorkshire, with just Noah Okafor coming in leaving them weaker than they were in the second division.

Boss Daniel Farke has repeated his desperation for more options going forward - he was not provided with enough.

Simply put, the squad Leeds possesses is not good enough to stay in the league, and they have been overtaken by their fellow promoted sides.

They left it until the last minute (today) to find out Facundo Buonanotte was joining Chelsea instead, meaning panic stations.

A last-minute effort to lure Harry Wilson to the club failed and left them with less than £20million spent on their front three. In May, Leeds fans will surely look at their end of this window.