Man City matching the British record for Enzo Fernandez is absurd — and it also leaves Chelsea short in midfield: GOAL grades the biggest deals of the 2026 summer transfer window

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Mark Doyle, Krishan Davis and James Westwood
Sep 02, 2026 07:15 +08:00

Man City equalling the British record to sign Enzo Fernandez is ridiculous — and it leaves Chelsea short in midfield too: GOAL grades the biggest deals of the 2026 summer transfer window.

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For some football fans, the summer is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most — and that's not just because it's filled by a World Cup every four years! Rather, it's because the end of the season means only one thing: it's time for transfers!

The 2026 window once again proved to be exceptionally busy, with some huge names making big-money moves all the way up to Deadline Day on September 1. We know that some transfers turn out well for all parties involved, but there are plenty where at least one of the clubs, or even the player, are left wondering what might have been had they made a different decision while at the negotiating table.

GOAL has thus ensured you know who did the best out of every massive deal before the players were even officially unveiled. Throughout the summer window, we graded every done deal as it happened, letting you track the big winners — and losers — of transfer season.

Check out all of our grades below, and let us know what you think in the comments section...

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September 1: Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea to Manchester City, £125m)

For Chelsea: A mixed bag. In an ideal world, Chelsea would have been able to convince one of their best players to remain at Stamford Bridge, but a reunion with former Blues boss Enzo Maresca at Manchester City was inevitable once Real Madrid made it brutally clear that they didn't want the disagreeable Argentine at the Bernabeu. From that point on, Clearlake's primary goal was getting their Premier League rivals to meet their £125m asking price — and, to their enormous credit, they achieved that goal.

What Chelsea did not manage to do, though, was bring in another midfielder on deadline day, with Monaco rather unprofessionally going back on their word to allow Lamine Camara to move to west London at the eleventh hour. The Senegalese obviously wouldn't have been a like-for-like replacement for Fernandez, but he would have definitely been an excellent addition to Xabi Alonso's midfield, which suddenly looks a little light on quality. So, while Enzo's exit confirms Chelsea's status as one of the game's elite sellers, the collapse of the Camara deal has taken a little of the shine off the British record-equalling fee.

Grade: B

For City: Maresca's finally got his man. Fernandez is a very questionable character, and Benfica were disgusted with the way in which he forced his way out of the Estadio da Luz three-and-a-half years ago, while an 'emotional' farewell letter to Chelsea fans is unlikely to spare him a hostile reception when he returns to the Bridge as a City player later this season.

Maresca won't care, though. He wanted Fernandez at the Etihad at all costs and he'll be incredibly grateful to his new employers for belatedly making it happen just before the summer transfer window slammed shut. The fee is obviously ridiculous — but it definitely makes more sense than paying £116m for Elliot Anderson, as the World Cup winner has it in him to become City's new Ilkay Gundogan, a multi-talented midfielder with a propensity for scoring big goals in big games.

Grade: B+

For Fernandez: Relief. With Monaco pulling the plug on Camara's move to west London, Chelsea could have easily followed suit by blocking Fernandez's transfer to City. Luckily for the 25-year-old, though, the Blues kept their word, thus affording Fernandez more respect than he's afforded them over the past six months.

Whether a move to Manchester is really going to satisfy a man that publicly expressed his desire to live in Madrid is anyone's guess at this particular point in time, but he'll clearly relish working with Maresca again. Still, given the way in which Fernandez has left Lisbon and London over the past three years, we wouldn't be at all surprised to see him seek another change of scenery if things don't go according to plan at City.

Grade: B

Mark Doyle

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September 1: Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea to Tottenham, loan)

For Chelsea: One the Blues will be thrilled to move on from. Even before the drugs ban that led to him being suspended in November 2024, Mudryk had proven to be one of the more expensive transfer flops of the Clearlake Capital era at Stamford Bridge. Signed for an initial £61m in January 2023, the Ukraine international managed just 10 goals in over 70 appearances for Chelsea before his lengthy ban, and never looked wholly suited to the Premier League despite his electric pace and fleet-footed style.

Of course, there's every chance Mudryk finds himself back in west London next summer if Tottenham opt not to make his move permanent, but Chelsea will just be glad to not have to think about Mudryk for the next nine months.

Grade: B-

For Spurs: A puzzling end to a headline-grabbing window. Tottenham's failure to land Iliman Ndiaye led to them pivoting and moving for Mudryk during the final hours of the window, and there is no doubt that they have secured a talented forward player for the remainder of the campaign.

However, it remains to be seen just how much Mudryk will realistically be able to contribute to Spurs' cause as they aim to turn around their poor early season form. Remember, the 25-year-old hasn't made a competitive appearance for the best part of two years, hasn't performed consistently for three-and-a-half years and joins an attacking unit that already boasts fellow new arrivals Savinho and Omar Marmoush, as well as Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and Mathys Tel as wide options. Factor in the quite ridiculous £75m option to make Mudryk's move permanent, and this is a real head-scratcher from the Tottenham transfer gurus.

Grade: D

For Mudryk: An opportunity he must have thought might never materialise. Mudryk's initial four-year ban being cut short has presented him an opportunity to resurrect his career, and that he has the chance to do so not only in the Premier League, but with a member of the 'Big Six' must be beyond his wildest dreams.

Spurs fans are crying out for a hero to drag them out of their current mess, and manager Roberto De Zerbi knows how to get the best out of Mudryk having previously coached him at Shakhtar Donetsk. Given his history, this is likely Mudryk's last chance to earn himself a top-level career, and he could well end up warming the bench for much of the campaign, but to even have the chance to rebuild himself on such a stage is a blessing in itself.

Grade: A

Tom Maston

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September 1: Iliman Ndiaye (Everton to Manchester City, £65m)

For Everton: A real blow so late in the window. If Everton are going to kick on and start qualifying for Europe again, then they need to be keeping hold of players like Ndiaye. Instead, the man who scored the first competitive goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium, as well as the final Everton goal at Goodison Park, is moving on just as he enters his prime years.

The 26-year-old provided the Toffees with an X-factor in attack that they will struggle to replace, even if Jack Grealish does, as expected, move in the opposite direction and return to Merseyside from City. Given some of the money that has been thrown around this summer, a £65m package also seems remarkably low for a player who still had three years left to run on his contract, and is unlikely to spark much confidence in a transfer committee that has come under fire throughout the window.

Grade: D

For City: Certainly not the most headline-grabbing signing of the summer, but one that looks pretty sensible given the holes that needed filling in Enzo Maresca's squad. The departures of Savinho and Omar Marmoush left City a little light in attack, and after they failed to land Cody Gakpo from Liverpool, returning for Ndiaye after showing interest earlier in the summer is a solid call.

The Senegal international is a proven commodity in the Premier League and does not lack for confidence, which should allow him to make the step up when it comes to producing in the Champions League too. Ndiaye is unlikely to have much resale value, so the fee could prove a little steep if he doesn't play to his potential, but given how well City have sold over the past few months, they can afford this outlay with little risk attached to it.

Grade: B+

For Ndiaye: Talk about dodging a bullet! As the transfer window entered its final 36 hours, Ndiaye looked set to join Tottenham after Everton agreed a deal with the north London outfit. However, rather than be dropped into the mess that is Spurs at this moment, he is instead heading to the Etihad Stadium, where he will be able to challenge for trophies and play alongside some of the game's very best attacking talents.

Whether he will get as much game time at City as he might have done for Tottenham is debatable, as he faces competition from Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki for a place in Maresca's line-up. However, with four competitions to play for, Ndiaye should be rotated in often enough to make this move worthwhile for his development.

Grade: A-

Tom Maston

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September 1: Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal to Barcelona, €15m)

For Arsenal: This deal doesn't look great on paper considering the Gunners paid £45m to sign Jesus from Manchester City four years ago. However, cashing in for almost £10m up front is a lot better than losing him for nothing next summer. It's hard to comprehend why Barcelona decided to launch a late swoop for Jesus given his age and fitness record, and Arsenal had to bite their hands off.

The 29-year-old had fallen well behind Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres in Mikel Arteta's attacking plans, but was still costing the club a reported £265,000 per week in wages. Now that salary has been removed, Arsenal have extra room to potentially sign another striker before the deadline — even if it now seems unlikely that Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez will be the man through the door.

It's a slight blow to lose Jesus's versatility, but it's been a long time since he was considered a key player for the Gunners. Injuries have prevented him from reaching his full potential and most Arsenal fans will be nonplussed about his exit. Sending the Brazilian abroad instead of to a Premier League rival is a bonus, too.

Grade: A

For Barca: Signing a five-time Premier League winner for just €15m is a low-risk move for the Spanish champions. Jesus is flexible enough to play anywhere across Hansi Flick's frontline and the Barcelona boss will love how much work he puts in off the ball.

However, Jesus is an underwhelming alternative to the club's first-choice target Alvarez. The Brazil international's ability has never been in question, but his body has been failing him for years now. Jesus cannot be trusted to stay fit for a full season, and at 29, that is unlikely to change. This feels like a panic buy from Barca, who may live to regret not getting a younger, more reliable option through the door.

Grade: C+

For Jesus: A fresh start at a top club, but the move raises questions. Jesus will join a Barca side that plays attractive, attacking football under Flick, which should suit his style. However, he will face stiff competition for minutes from Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, and his injury history is a major concern.

On the plus side, the move to Spain removes him from the physical rigours of the Premier League, which could help him stay healthier. He also gets to play in the Champions League and compete for major honours. Still, at €15m, this feels like a low-risk gamble for Barca, but for Jesus, it's a chance to prove he can still perform at the highest level.

Grade: B-

Krishan Davis