The 10 most expensive summer Deadline Day transfers of all time

Analysis

FT Desk

The summer transfer window is one of the busiest events on the football calendar and Deadline Day is always extremely hectic.

While most clubs would ideally avoid conducting business on the final day of the window, some of the biggest deals in football history have been finalised on Transfer Deadline Day.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive summer Deadline Day transfers of all time.

10. Thomas Partey - €50m (Atletico Madrid to Arsenal, 2020)

Arsenal were interested in signing Houssem Aouar during the 2020 summer transfer window, but they soon pivoted their attention to Thomas Partey after failing to reach an agreement for the Frenchman.

Mikel Arteta’s side agreed to match Partey’s €50m release clause and he joined Arsenal on Transfer Deadline Day, with Lucas Torreira moving in the opposite direction on loan.

Partey left Atletico having made 188 appearances for the club across an eight-year association.

9. Manuel Ugarte - €50m (PSG to Man Utd, 2024)

Manuel Ugarte opted to join Paris Saint-Germain instead of Chelsea in 2023, but the Uruguayan secured a Premier League move just one year later following an underwhelming season in France.

Ugarte made 37 appearances in all competitions during his time at PSG, but he lost his place during the second-half of the campaign and the Parisians opted to sell him after agreeing a deal to sign Benfica wonderkid Joao Neves.

After weeks of negotiations, Man Utd finalised a €50m move for Ugarte and he arrived at Old Trafford on Deadline Day.

8. Brennan Johnson - €55m (Nottingham Forest to Tottenham, 2023)

Tottenham Hotspur paid €55m to sign Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson in 2023 and he is currently the sixth-most expensive summer Deadline Day signing of all time as a result.

After helping Forest to promotion from the Championship, Johnson netted eight goals in 38 games during his first season in the Premier League, which prompted Spurs to fork out a huge transfer fee to land him.

The Welshman spent 14 years at Forest and he became the club’s most expensive sale at the time upon confirmation of his move to Tottenham.

7. Anthony Martial - €60m (Monaco to Man Utd, 2015)

Antony Martial was once the most expensive teenager in football history when he left AS Monaco to join Man Utd for €60m in 2015.

The French wonderkid enjoyed a sublime Old Trafford debut, scoring off the bench against Liverpool, but his nine-year spell at the club was marred by inconsistency and injuries.

Martial left Man Utd to join AEK Athens on a free transfer in 2024, having scored 90 goals in 317 appearances for the Red Devils.

6. Matheus Nunes - €62m (Wolves to Man City, 2023)

Manchester City made the surprise decision to spend €62m on Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes on summer Transfer Deadline Day in 2023.

Pep Guardiola was a huge fan of the Portuguese star during his time at Sporting CP, but Nunes was fairly underwhelming during his sole campaign at Wolves, and he struggled for game time upon his arrival at the Etihad Stadium.

Nunes started just nine Premier League matches across his first season at Man City, though in subsequent years he was more often a starter, albeit at right-back.

5. Yoane Wissa - €63m (Brentford to Liverpool, 2025)

Yoane Wissa refused to train with Brentford's first team and was absent from their squad as he tried to force a transfer to Newcastle in 2025. He believed Brentford had previously agreed that they would allow him to leave for a reasonable offer.

The dispute escalated when Newcastle's bids were rejected. The player eventually went public, saying Brentford had put their agreement in writing and had subsequently changed their position.

He got his move in the end, for €63m, and although he was a major disappointment in his first year at St James' Park, Wissa has shown good form at the start of the 2026/27 campaign.

4. Antony - €95m (Ajax to Man Utd, 2022)

Erik ten Hag’s arrival at Man Utd saw the Red Devils dip into the Eredivisie transfer market and they agreed a deal to sign Brazil winger Antony for a whopping €95m before the end of the 2022 summer window.

Man Utd officially confirmed the arrival of Antony on Transfer Deadline Day and he enjoyed a sublime start at Old Trafford, scoring in each of his first three Premier League appearances for the club.

However, the Brazilian’s form soon tailed off and he endured a torrid few years before joining Real Betis on loan in January 2025 before a permanent deal was agreed at a massive financial loss.

3. Randal Kolo Muani - €95m (Eintracht Frankfurt to PSG, 2023)

Randal Kolo Muani joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer in 2022 and the Bundesliga giants turned an eye-watering profit when Paris Saint-Germain paid €95m to sign him 12 months later.

Kolo Muani registered 26 goals and 17 assists in 50 games for Eintracht Frankfurt, while he impressed during France’s run to the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.

Amid PSG’s desire to sign more French stars, they opted to spend just shy of €100m on Kolo Muani in 2023, although he was loaned out to Juventus in January 2025 after falling out of favour under Luis Enrique and he moved there permanently in the summer of 2026.

2. Gareth Bale - €101m (Tottenham to Real Madrid, 2013)

Gareth Bale’s record-breaking transfer from Tottenham to Real Madrid was agreed on 1 September 2013, but he was formally unveiled the following day and he is therefore widely considered to be one of the most expensive summer Deadline Day signings ever.

The Wales legend established himself as one of the world’s best players during the latter stages of his Spurs career and he immediately became a pivotal part of Real Madrid’s all-conquering team, alongside fellow forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Bale’s time with Los Blancos ended on a sour note, amid his love for golf, but he still racked up 258 appearances, 106 goals and 16 trophies during a nine-year spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.

1. Alexander Isak - €145m (Newcastle to Liverpool, 2025)

The most expensive transfer in the history of Deadline Day is Alexander Isak's controversial switch from Brentford to Liverpool in the summer of 2025.

This one proved to be the saga of the window as Liverpool looked to reshape their frontline. They had already acquired Florian Wirtz for a record fee and also spend big on another number nine, Hugo Ekitike.

Isak was their dream target, though, and, much like Wissa, he effectively went on strike to ensure the move happened.

Liverpool didn't see him anywhere near his best in his first season at Anfield due to form and injury problems.

The 10 most expensive summer Deadline Day transfers of all time

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FT Desk

FootballTransfers' desk

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