Transfer deadline day ۲۰۲۶: All to know about target signings, clubs, fees

EXPLAINER

Which players will Man United, Man City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona sign and for how much? Al Jazeera explains.

Football clubs in the biggest leagues across Europe have their last chance to sign new players as the ۲۰۲۶ 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.

When is transfer deadline day ۲۰۲۶ in England, Spain and other European countries?

The summer transfer window ۲۰۲۶ will close on the following days and times in Europe’s top leagues:

• Premier League (England): Tuesday, September ۱ at ۱۱pm (۲۲:۰۰ GMT)
• La Liga (Spain): Tuesday, September ۱ at ۱۱:۵۹pm (۲۲:۰۰ GMT)
• Bundesliga (Germany): Monday, August ۳۱ at ۸pm (۱۹:۰۰ GMT)
• Ligue ۱ (France): Monday, August ۳۱ at ۸pm (۱۹:۰۰ GMT)
• Serie A (Italy): Tuesday, September ۱ at ۸pm (۱۹:۰۰ GMT)

Can signings be made after the transfer deadline?

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 ۲۳-year-old signed a five-year deal in a package ⁠worth about $۱۶۲m with the Merseyside club.

⚽ Morgan Rogers
Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa on July ۲۱ for a British record ۱۱۷ million pounds ($۱۵۸m), roping in the ۲۳-year-old attacking midfielder on a deal until ۲۰۳۳.

⚽ Elliot Anderson
Manchester City signed midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a club record ۱۱۶ million pounds ($۱۵۳m). At the time of the signing on July ۲, it was a British record transfer.

⚽ Yan Diomande
Real Madrid spent a club record ۱۴۰ million euros ($۱۶۱m) to buy ۱۹-year-old Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig. The Bundesliga Young Player of the Season in ۲۰۲۵-۲۶ reportedly signed a deal until ۲۰۳۳.

⚽ Sandro Tonali
Italy’s midfielder Sandro Tonali signed for Tottenham Hotspur from Newcastle United for ۹۲.۵ million pounds ($۱۲۵m). 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 ۸۵ million pounds ($۱۱۲m). The ۲۲-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 ۲۰۲۶, Ayoub Bouaddi joined Man City from Lille for ۱۰۰ million euros ($۱۱۰m). The ۱۸-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 ۸۵ million pounds ($۱۰۲m). Savinho started at Atletico Mineiro and joined Troyes in ۲۰۲۲, but his breakout season came on loan at Girona, where he scored ۱۱ goals in ۴۱ appearances.

⚽ Bruno Guimaraes
Bruno Guimaraes, the Newcastle United captain, signed for Arsenal for ۷۵ million pounds ($۱۰۱m). 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 ۷۰ million pounds ($۸۸.۷m), 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 ۷۰ million euros ($۸۰m). The England international even answered questions in Spanish on the day the La Liga club unveiled him.

Cody Gakpo transfer update: Man City in talks with Liverpool

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.

Ismaila Sarr linked with Liverpool, Iliman Ndiaye closes in on Spurs move

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.

Which clubs have spent the most money on transfers in the ۲۰۲۶-۲۷ season?

Premier League clubs cumulatively spent more than ۲ billion pounds ($۲.۷bn) this summer, with Chelsea the highest spender at $۴۷۶m, followed by Tottenham, which spent $۴۱۳.۸m, while Man City is the third-highest spender with $۳۱۸.۹m.

Newcastle is fourth on the list with an expenditure of $۲۹۴.۷m, while Arsenal rounds out the top five, at $۲۶۵m.

Which other clubs could sign players on transfer deadline day?

• Man City: Apart from its interest in Gakpo, City is also reportedly lining up a big-money move for midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea.
• Chelsea: Should Fernandez leave, Chelsea needs a replacement, and it has been linked with Lamine Camara from AS Monaco.
• Barcelona: The Catalan club is expected to sign striker Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal for about ۱۰ million euros ($۱۱.۶m). It is also interested in bringing in Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, which has priced him at ۱۵۰ million euros ($۱۷۴m).
• Arsenal: The club is also linked with Alvarez, and it could have a better chance than Barcelona at signing him, as Atletico is not eager to sell the Argentinian to a fellow La Liga club.

Who are the top five deadline day signings?

• Cristiano Ronaldo (۲۰۲۱): Portugal forward Ronaldo returned to his boyhood club Man United after ۱۲ years, signing a sensational deadline-day deal from Juventus that eventually saw him score ۱۸ goals in ۳۰ appearances that season.
• Wayne Rooney (۲۰۰۴): An ۱۸-year-old Rooney joined Man United from his boyhood club Everton, becoming the most expensive teenager in world football at that time. His spell at United saw him lift ۱۳ major trophies, including five Premier League titles.
• Mesut Ozil (۲۰۱۳): Joining the Gunners in a then-club record deal from Real Madrid, Ozil went on to spend seven-and-a-half years at the North London club, winning three FA Cups.
• Luis Suarez (۲۰۱۱): Signing for Liverpool in a chaotic deadline-day deal, Suarez, one of the greatest strikers of his generation, made more than ۱۰۰ appearances in three seasons at Anfield.
• Cole Palmer (۲۰۲۳): Since leaving Man City for Chelsea in ۲۰۲۳-۲۴, attacking midfielder Palmer has established himself as one of the most impactful players at Stamford Bridge.

What are the five most bizarre transfer deadline day stories?

• A broken fax machine: In ۲۰۱۵, Man United goalkeeper David de Gea was set to join Real Madrid in a high-profile move, but the deal reportedly collapsed after technical issues with the club’s fax machine meant the paperwork did not arrive in time.
• So close yet so far: Despite completing his medical and posing with a Bayern Munich jersey for customary photos during the ۲۰۲۳ window, Joao Palhinha had to make his way back to London from Munich after the transfer reportedly fell through at the last minute.
• A helicopter ride gone wrong: In ۲۰۱۰, West Ham reportedly sent a helicopter to bring Ryan Babel to London from Liverpool, but after the deal did not go through, there was no flying back home. Babel was dropped off at a train station.
• A not-so-welcome arrival: West Bromwich Albion’s Peter Odemwingie thought he had secured a transfer to Queens Park Rangers in January ۲۰۱۳ and drove to Loftus Road believing he would complete the formalities. But Odemwingie was left outside in his car and denied entry into the stadium after both clubs said a fee had not been agreed.
• The wrong button: Duncan McGuire’s transfer from Orlando City to Blackburn Rovers in February ۲۰۲۴ broke down with McGuire mid-flight from Orlando’s training camp in Mexico. Why? Blackburn thought they had clicked “submit paperwork” on the English Football League’s transfer system before the deadline but instead hit “save”.