As we reach Christmas and approach the midway point in the Premier League season, the time has come to reflect on the first half of a campaign that has delivered drama and unexpected twists in abundance. It's also the opportune moment to assess those players who completed a transfer to, or within, the English top-flight back in the summer, with a decent sample size of games now under their belts.
Premier League clubs once again blew the rest of Europe out of the water with their spending, cumulatively shelling out more than ($4bn) on new arrivals – obliterating the previous record of £2.36bn ($3.16bn) that was set back in 2023.
Champions Liverpool were, of course, responsible for a significant chunk of that outlay as they twice broke the British transfer record, first signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million ($156m) and then Alexander Isak from Newcastle in a £125m ($169m) deal, albeit their net spend was actually lower than 2025-26's title favourites Arsenal.
But four months in, when we break down that eye-watering £3bn spend, who has truly justified their price tag and shone in their new surroundings? Below, GOAL ranks the 10 best signings of the Premier League season so far, with the biggest takeaway probably being that you don't always need to splash out the big bucks…
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10Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool – £79m)
Where would Liverpool be without Hugo Ekitike?! The France international has been a flicker of light in a largely dark and gloomy season for the Reds so far, with their title defence all-but over already barring a miracle in the second half of the campaign. He deserves huge credit, too, for getting his head down and working hard despite his new club spending a record-breaking sum on another new striker later in the summer.
Ekitike has unexpectedly been the standout among a raft of big-money summer arrivals, often carrying the goal-scoring burden as Isak and Wirtz have struggled to settle at Anfield, and only two players – Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago – have more than his eight goals in the English top-flight this term.
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9Rayan Cherki (Manchester City – £37m)
It's been a strange start to life at Manchester City for Rayan Cherki, who missed a chunk of the start of the campaign with a thigh injury and then became a victim of Pep Guardiola's habit of regularly rotating in midfield and attack. That said, in his time on the pitch, he has impressed more often than not and finds himself ranking second for Premier League assists with six.
Bringing his unique, refreshing blend of flair and vision, the France playmaker has created the most chances per 90 in the division, racking up his seven league goal involvements in just over 500 minutes on the pitch – the equivalent of a little more than six full matches. His influence is only growing.
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8Jordan Henderson (Brentford – free)
Brentford have defied the odds this season, and Jordan Henderson has too. Many pundits' favourites for relegation, former set-piece coach Keith Andrews has guided the Bees to mid-table at the midway point of the season, and despite many believing he was washed up and couldn't cut it back in England's top-flight, Henderson has been a big part of that.
A Premier League and Champions League winner, the experience of England international Henderson has been invaluable in stabilising a squad that was shorn of captain Christian Norgaard in the summer, as well as key forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.
The demanding ex-Liverpool captain has undoubtedly raised standards, and he has even affected the scoreboard by chipping in with three assists and a goal at the ripe old age of 35.
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7Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland – £12m)
One of a clutch of excellent signings Sunderland pulled off in the summer, Nordi Mukiele has been a cornerstone of the Black Cats' impressive backline and – alongside two others on this list – looks like being an absolute bargain.
The versatile former Paris Saint-Germain man has been one of the standout defensive performers in the Premier League so far in 2025-26, excelling across a host of metrics including tackles, clearances and aerial duels. He's even popped up with some key attacking contributions, scoring in the win over Wolves and collecting a vital assist in the impressive draw with Arsenal. At £12m ($16m), he has been an absolute steal.
