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And scene! A frenetic end to the summer transfer window brought several notable deadline day moves including Jadon Sancho to Chelsea and Raheem Sterling to Arsenal.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney, long linked to various London rivals, elected to leave the Premier League altogether when Saudi side Al-Ahli came calling, while Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah sealed late loan and permanent transfers, respectively, to Fulham and Crystal Palace to follow fellow academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe out the door at the Emirates.

Manchester United finally got their midfield man in Manuel Ugarte once Scott McTominay’s departure to Napoli was completed and Armando Broja finally found his way out of Stamford Bridge by way of a loan to Everton. But Palace‘s asking price for Marc Guehi proved too much for Newcastle to stomach, so the England international stays in the capital.

This summer brought many more moves than those – and i has rounded them all up in order to rate each Premier League club’s transfer window out of 10.

Arsenal – 8/10

By Oliver Young-Myles

Mikel Arteta has added quality depth with Riccardo Calafiori reinforcing the backline and Mikel Merino adding muscle to the midfield.

Both are savvy recruits who tick two key boxes for Arsenal’s recruitment team: they can cover multiple positions and are physically dominant.

Kai Havertz’s form had lessened the desperation for a new forward, but Raheem Sterling’s loan has topped off a strong window.

The departure of Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham stung, but he needed to go to revitalise his career. Arsenal have successfully shifted squad players like Smith Rowe for big fees which is something they have struggled to do in the past.

Transfers in: Raheem Sterling (Loan from Arsenal), David Raya (£27m from Brentford), Riccardo Calafiori (£33.6m from Bologna), Mikel Merino (£27.4m from Real Sociedad), Neto (Loan from Bournemouth)

Transfers out: Emile Smith Rowe (£27m), Aaron Ramsdale (£18m), Mika Biereth (£4m to Sturm Graz), Brooke Norton-Cuffy (£1.7m to Genoa), Charlie Patino (£1m to Deportivo La Coruna), Marquinhos (Loan to Fluminense), Albert Sambi Lokonga (Loan to Sevilla), Nuno Tavares (Loan to Lazio), Karl Hein (Loan to Real Vallodolid), Fabio Vieira (Loan to Porto), Reiss Nelson (Loan to Fulham)

Aston Villa – 8/10

Everything Aston Villa touch turns to gold at the moment, and this window has been no different. Losing Douglas Luiz was a necessary blow, but every other deal has been smart and geared towards improving and expanding an already excellent group of players.

Amadou Onana is the headline addition as Luiz’s replacement, while Ross Barkley provides depth ahead of a Champions League campaign. Ian Maatsen gives Unai Emery two excellent left-backs, while bringing back Jadon Philogene for a relative pittance adds to an exciting forward group.

Past the first-team group, deals for Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea show they are planning for long-term stability by bringing two excellent youngsters in from Juventus. Another attacker could have come in but wasn’t entirely necessary.

Transfers in: Cameron Archer (Undisclosed from Sheffield United), Lewis Dobbin (£10m from Everton), Ian Maatsen (£37.5m from Chelsea), Samuel Iling-Junior (£11.9m from Juventus), Enzo Barrenechea (£6.8m from Juventus), Ross Barkley (£5m from Luton), Jadon Philogene (£13m from Hull City), Amadou Onana (£50m from Everton), Yeimar Mosquera (Undisclosed from Orsomarso)

Transfers out: Morgan Sanson (Undisclosed to Nice), Tim Iroegbunam (£9m to Everton), Omari Kellyman (£19m to Chelsea), Douglas Luiz (£42.5m to Juventus), Moussa Diaby (£50.5m to Al-Ittihad), Cameron Archer (£15m to Southampton), Philippe Coutinho (Loan to Vasco da Gama), Lewis Dobbin (Loan to West Bromwich Albion), Alex Moreno (Loan to Nottingham Forest), Samuel Iling-Junior (Loan to Bologna), Enzo Barrenechea (Loan to Valencia), Yeimar Mosquera (Loan to Real Union)

Bournemouth – 7/10

By Mark Douglas

Good early signs for the new executive team of Simon Francis and Tiago Pinto, the director of football and global director of football operations respectively.

They extracted top whack for Dominic Solanke despite what i understands were some fairly fractious negotiations with Spurs and then quickly invested in Evanilson, who has shown early flickers of promise.

Signing defender Dean Huijsen from Juventus was a real coup – Pinto’s contacts coming through for the Cherries – and Kepa will add strength-in-depth in the goalkeeping department. It looks like a squad that will allow Bournemouth to progress.

Transfers in: Enes Unal (£13m from Getafe), Dean Huijsen (£12.8m from Juventus), Julian Araujo (£8.5m from Barcelona), Evanlison (£40.2m from Porto), Daniel Jebbison (£1.5m from Sheffield United), Alex Paulsen (£850,000 from Wellington Phoenix), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Loan from Chelsea)

Transfers out: Dominic Solanke (£65m to Tottenham), Kieffer Moore (£2m to Sheffield United), Gavin Kilkenny (Undisclosed to Swindon Town), Joe Rothwell (Loan to Leeds), Alex Paulsen (Loan to Auckland FC), Romain Faivre (Loan to Brest), Hamed Traore (Loan to Auxerre), Jaidon Anthony (Loan to Burnley), Daniel Jebbison (Loan to Watford), Chris Mepham (Loan to Sunderland)

Brentford – 7/10

By Mark Douglas

Ivan Toney was always going to dictate Brentford’s summer. Although the club’s public stance was bold, letting him leave for nothing in a year was unthinkable – so getting close to £40m for him without a domestic bidding war is a reward for a saga handled skilfully.

With Igor Thiago already signed to replace him, Brentford concentrated on other areas. Fabio Carvalho arrives with plenty to prove but it is the exciting Gustavo Nunes who will – eventually – get the pulses racing. Sepp van den Berg feels like another solid addition.

And by player trading like they have, they’ve managed to keep hold of key assets like Bryan Mbuemo. It was a window that solidified the club’s status as an established Premier League fixture. When you consider where they’ve come from, that’s no mean feat, is it?

Transfers in: Igor Thiago (£30m from Club Brugge), Fabio Carvalho (£27.5m from Liverpool), Sepp van den Berg (£25m from Liverpool), Gustavo Nunes (£10m from Gremio), Jayden Meghoma (Undisclosed from Southampton)

Transfers out: David Raya (£27m to Arsenal), Thomas Strakosha (Free to AEK Athens), Fin Stevens (Undisclosed to St Pauli), Mathias Jorgensen (Free to Anderlecht), Stefan Bajcetic (Loan to Red Bull Salzberg), Frank Onyeka (Loan to Augsburg), Myles Peart-Harris (Loan to Swansea)

Brighton – 9/10

Brighton have spent the second-most in Europe this summer, only behind Chelsea, splashing out nearly £200m. The perennial sellers have cashed in on their massive profits over the past two years in an attempt to become permanent fixtures in the Premier League’s upper echelons. It might just work.

In Yankuba Minteh, the Seagulls already appear to have poached one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League from Newcastle, while Mats Wieffer is an instant upgrade in defensive midfield.

Every player they have signed is below 25 and has significant potential. They also continue to use the loan market masterfully, ensuring their conveyor belt of prodigious talent isn’t stopping any time soon.

The only potential downside of their summer is if a number of these signings do not come good, but that seems very unlikely given the players brought in and the club’s track record.

Transfers in: Ibrahim Osman (Undisclosed from Nordsjaelland), Yankuba Minteh (£30m from Newcastle), Mats Wieffer (£25.4m from Feyenoord), Amario Cozier-Duberry (Free from Arsenal), Malick Yalcouye (£6m from IFK Goteborg), Brajan Gruda (£25m from Mainz), Georginio Rutter (£40m from Leeds), Matt O’Riley (£25m from Celtic), Ferdi Kadioglu (£25m from Fenerbahce)

Transfers out: Pascal Gross (Undisclosed to Borussia Dortmund), Denis Undav (Undisclosed to Stuttgart), Kacper Kozlowski (Undisclosed to Gaziantep), Billy Gilmour (£12m to Napoli), Mahmoud Dahoud (Undisclosed to Eintracht Frankfurt), Kjell Scherpen (Loan to Sturm Graz), Facundo Buonanotte (Loan to Leicester), Ibrahim Osman (Loan to Feyenoord), Abdallah Sima (Loan to Brest), Valentin Barco (Loan to Sevilla), Malick Yalcouye (Loan to Sturm Graz), Jeremy Sarmiento (Loan to Burnley), Odeluga Offiah (Loan to Blackpool), Amario Cozier-Duberry (Loan to Blackburn), Carl Rushworth (Loan to Hull)

Chelsea – 4/10

By Sam Cunningham

Chelsea have spent close more than £200m on players, but have they really significantly strengthened the team? The jury is definitely still out.

They made some excellent players, including Raheem Sterling, train away from the first team to force them out of the club, which is very poor form. They dragged their heels over Conor Gallagher’s move to Atletico Madrid, which was no way to treat an academy product who loved the club but found himself another number on a spreadsheet.

It’s all just felt like a continuation of the chaos that has become a distinguishing feature of the club since the Todd Boehly – Clearlake Capital takeover.

Transfers in: Omari Kellyman (£19m from Aston Villa), Tosin Adarabioyo (Free from Fulham), Marc Guiu (£5m from Barcelona), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£30m from Leicester), Renato Veiga (£11.8m from Basel), Caleb Wiley (£8.5m from Atalanta United), Filip Jorgensen (£20.7m from Villarreal), Aaron Anselmino (£15.6m from Boca Juniors), Pedro Neto (£51.3m from Wolves), Joao Felix (£44.5m from Atletico Madrid)

Transfers out: Ian Maatsen (£37.5m to Aston Villa), Hakim Ziyech (£2.5m to Galatsaray), Omari Hutchinson (£20m to Ipswich), Lewis Hall (£28m to Newcastle), Malang Sarr (Free to Lens), Diego Moreira (£2m to Strasbourg), Conor Gallagher (£36m to Atletico Madrid), Tino Anjorin (Undisclosed to Empoli), Romelu Lukaku (£25.2m to Napoli), Andrey Santos (Loan to Strasbourg), Alfie Gilchrist (Loan to Sheffield United), Aaron Anselmino (Loan to Boca Juniors), Eddie Beach (Loan to Crawley Town), Caleb Wiley (Loan to Strasbourg), Lesley Ugochukwu (Loan to Southampton), Bashir Humphreys (Loan to Burnley), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Loan to Bournemouth), Raheem Sterling (Loan to Arsenal) Trevor Chalobah (Loan to Crystal Palace), Djordje Petrovic (Loan to Strasbourg), Armando Broja (Loan to Everton)

Crystal Palace – 7.5/10

By James Gray

Decent fees collected, two out of three in-demand stars retained: it’s easy to see why Newcastle wanted director of football Dougie Freedman as well as Crystal Palace’s England centre-back Marc Guehi.

Both proved beyond the clutches of the Magpies though, with Palace having already sold Michael Olise for around £50m and Joachim Andersen for £30m.

They have reinvested some of that in winger Ismaila Sarr and centre-back Chadi Riad, but the best signing of all might be Eddie Nketiah, who will presumably leapfrog Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta in the pecking order up front.

Transfers in: Chadi Riad (£14m from Real Betis), Daichi Kamada (Free from Lazio), Ismaila Sarr (£12.5m from Marseille), Maxence Lacroix (£18m), Eddie Nketiah (£25m from Arsenal), Louie Moulden (Free from Wolves), Trevor Chalobah (Loan from Chelsea), Matt Turner (Loan from Nottingham Forest)

Transfers out: Michael Olise (£50.8m to Bayern Munich), Joachim Andersen (£30m to Fulham), Jordan Ayew (£5m to Leicester), Sam Johnstone (£10m to Wolves), Malachi Boateng (Undisclosed to Hearts), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Loan to Sheffield United), Malcolm Ebiowei (Loan to Oxford United), David Ozoh (Loan to Derby County), Odsonne Edouard (Loan to Leicester), Naouirou Ahamada (Loan to Rennes)

Everton – 7/10

By Mark Douglas

Ignore the league table for now. Kevin Thelwell seems to have navigated Everton’s high wire transfer balancing act with no shortage of skill this summer.

First of all he set the tone with honesty about sales then set a firm message on Jarrad Branthwaite’s price. By bringing in players with potential on one of the smallest budgets in the top flight he has probably ticked the third box.

Jake O’Brien is Branthwaite’s successor, Iliman Ndiaye will make an impact and Tim Iroegbunam is a very decent find. A late loan for Orel Mangala looks like good business too.

The elephant in the room is whether it’s enough to stave off relegation after Amadou Onana’s sale. They still lack goals and successive sales of big players has left them with little strength-in-depth or goals. That they haven’t resolved the Dominic Calvert-Lewin situation is also a concern.

But given the assignment Thelwell had, it feels like he’s performed it to the best of his ability.

Transfers in: Tim Iroegbunam (£9m from Aston Villa), Iliman Ndiaye (£15m from Marseille), Jake O’Brien (£16m from Lyon), Asmir Begovic (Free from QPR), Jack Harrison (Loan from Leeds), Jesper Lindstrom (Loan from Napoli), Orel Mangala (Loan from Lyon), Armando Broja (Loan from Chelsea)

Transfers out: Lewis Dobbin (£10m to Aston Villa), Ben Godfrey (£10m to Atalanta), Amadou Onana (£50m to Aston Villa), Neal Maupay (Loan to Marseille), Mason Holgate (Loan to West Brom), Billy Crellin (Loan to Accrington)

Fulham – 7/10

This looks pretty good and could be very good if everything works as hoped. Emile Smith Rowe has already hit the ground running and could supercharge Fulham’s attack, but the reason this isn’t higher is not adequately replacing Joao Palhinha.

Palhinha was one of the finest defensive midfielders in the Premier League and while Sander Berge is a perfectly good player, he’s not on that level. It’s hard to know quite how much Marco Silva loses without his Portuguese powerhouse in the middle, but assume it’s a lot.

Equally, while Joachim Andersen is as capable as Tosin Adarabioyo on his day and an upgrade on any of Fulham’s other defenders, £30m is a huge amount of money for a 28-year-old in the current market.

Transfers in: Emile Smith Rowe (£27m from Arsenal), Jorge Cuenca (£7m from Villarreal), Sander Berge (£20m from Sander Berge), Joachim Andersen (£30m from Crystal Palace), Reiss Nelson (Loan from Arsenal)

Transfers out: Joao Palhinha (£42.3m to Bayern Munich), Tim Ream (Undisclosed to Charlotte FC), Kieron Bowie (£600,000 to Hibernian), Tosin Adarabioyo (Free to Chelsea), Kevin Mbabu (Free to FC Midtjylland), Jay Stansfield (Undisclosed to Birmingham)

Ipswich Town – 8/10

The main aim of any transfer window is to get better, and Ipswich have certainly done that.

Their signings from the Championship have had the clearest early success. Jacob Greaves already appears a shrewd central defensive addition, while Sammie Szmodics’ debut goal shows he’s also capable of stepping up to the top flight. Expect Jack Clarke and Dara O’Shea to assimilate with similar ease.

Omari Hutchinson is still raw but thrilling and Kieran McKenna knows how to get the best out of him, while Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste are smart loan deals if either performs as they can.

The only real point of contention in their business is signing Arijanet Muric – a goalkeeper who continues to appear unfit for the Premier League yet somehow falls upwards. He could cost McKenna crucial points in a survival battle.

Transfers in: Omari Hutchinson (£18m from Chelsea), Ben Johnson (Free from West Ham), Jacob Greaves (Undisclosed from Hull), Liam Delap (Undisclosed from Manchester City), Arijanet Muric (Undisclosed from Burnley), Conor Townsend (£750,000 from West Bromwich Albion), Sammie Szmodics (Undisclosed from Blackburn Rovers), Jack Clarke (Undisclosed from Sunderland), Dara O’Shea (£15m from Burnley), Kalvin Phillips (Loan from Manchester City), Loan from Napoli (Jens Cajuste)

Transfers out: Vaclav Hladky (Free to Burnley), George Edmundson (Loan to Middlesbrough)

Leicester City – 5/10

It’s no secret that Leicester remain relatively hamstrung by the ongoing PSR charges against them, but they have not improved their squad as much as they would have hoped.

Oliver Skipp and Bilal El Khannouss are both solid midfield additions, but they already had a decent central pairing in Harry Winks and Wilfred Ndidi.

It is up front the Foxes are really short. Jordan Ayew is not a regular goalscorer, while Jamie Vardy scored just three goals the last season he was in the Premier League. Not replacing Kelechi Iheanacho may well come back to bite Steve Cooper’s side.

Transfers in: Abdul Fatawu (£14.4m from Sporting CP), Bobby Decordova-Reid (Free from Fulham), Michael Golding (£5m from Chelsea), Caleb Okoli (£13m from Atalanta), Oliver Skipp (£20m from Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Ayew (£5m from Crystal Palace), Bilal El Khannouss (£20m from Genk), Facundo Buonanotte (Loan from Brighton)

Transfers out: Kelechi Iheanacho (Free to Sevilla), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£30m to Sevilla), Harry Souttar (Loan to Sheffield United), Odsonne Edouard (Loan from Crystal Palace), Ben Nelson (Undisclosed to Oxford), Wanya Marcal (Loan to De Graafschap)

Liverpool – 7/10

By James Gray

It might not be exciting or sexy, but there is something quite “Moneyball” about signing Federico Chiesa, once a highly-rated prospect before an ACL injury since when he has not been the same player. At £10m, it feels like a risk-free move with a very high ceiling that would give Arne Slot the six elite attackers he wants to choose from.

The succession planning in goal seems to be in hand too, with Giorgi Mamardashvili’s arrival in 12 months’ time signalled to Alisson Becker well in advance to avoid any political awkwardness.

Transfers in: Giorgi Mamardashvili (£25m from Valencia), Federico Chiesa (£10m from Juventus)

Transfers out: Fabio Carvalho (£27.5m to Brentford), Bobby Clark (£10m to Red Bull Salzburg), Sepp van den Berg (£25m to Brentford), Billy Koumeto (Undisclosed to Dundee), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Loan to Valencia), Calvin Ramsay (Loan to Wigan), Owen Beck (Loan to Blackburn), Nat Phillips (Loan to Derby County), Ben Doak (Loan to Middlesbrough), Kaide Gordon (Loan to Norwich), Marcelo Pitaluga (Loan to Livingston)

Man City – 6/10

This has been a minimalist window for City but a classically effective one.

Savinho was the early arrival and has looked excellent in his early matches, while Ilkay Gundogan’s return may not have been planned but was free and he will slip back into action with ease.

While City do still look a touch light in places, it’s increasingly hard to find players good enough to improve this squad.

Transfers in: Savinho (£30.8m from Troyes), Ilkay Gundogan (Free from Barcelona)

Transfers out: Tommy Doyle (£4.3m to Wolves), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£20m to Southampton), Sergio Gomez (£8.4m to Real Sociedad), Liam Delap (£15m to Ipswich), Yan Couto (Loan to Borussia Dortmund), Callum Doyle (Loan to Norwich), Julian Alvarez (£81.5m to Atletico Madrid), Kalvin Phillips (Loan to Ipswich), Maximo Perrone (Loan to Como), Joao Cancelo (£21m to Al-Hilal).

Man Utd – 9/10

By Kevin Garside

The capture of Manuel Ugarte from PSG for £42m up front, £8m less than PSG paid Sporting a year ago, is the signature signing and, United believe, the answer to the long-standing void in midfield.

Decisive moves for highly-rated defender Leny Yoro, striker Joshua Zirkzee and the twin raid on Bayern Munich for defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui was further evidence of a plan playing out.

Record sales of £100m-plus, including Scott McTominay to Napoli, Hannibal to Burnley and Mason Greenwood to Marseille, balanced the PSR equation.

Transfers in: Joshua Zirkzee (Undisclosed from Bologna), Leny Yoro (Undisclosed from Lille), Matthijs de Ligt (Undisclosed from Bayern Munich), Noussair Mazraoui (Undisclosed from Manchester United), Manuel Ugarte (£50.8m from PSG), Sekou Kone (Undisclosed from Guidars FC)

Transfers out: Raphael Varane (Free to Como), Omari Forson (Free to Monza), Donny van de Beek (£500k to Girona), Willy Kambwala (Undisclosed to Villarreal), Mason Greenwood (£27m to Marseille), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£15m to West Ham), Facundo Pellistri (Undisclosed to Panathinaikos), Hannibal Mejbri (£5.4m to Burnley), Scott McTominay (Undisclosed to Napoli)

Newcastle – 3/10

By Mark Douglas

To borrow a famous phrase from Kevin Keegan, is it not like it said in the brochure for Newcastle United under the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund?

A second transfer window without a major first team addition prompts uncomfortable questions about the club’s future direction. And make no mistake, this was an unsettling, arduous and unsatisfactory summer – from June’s mad scramble to comply with PSR to the single-minded pursuit of Marc Guehi which ended in disappointment on Thursday.

It leaves them firmly on the back foot as a club and having failed to do what was considered the bare minimum back in May – add a centre-back and upgrade at right winger. PSR has been blamed but surely given the amount of work put into the transfer window a suitable option could have been sourced?

The only silver lining is that they kept hold of crown jewels Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon.

Transfers in: Odysseas Vlachodimos (Undisclosed from Nottingham Forest), Lloyd Kelly (Free from Bournemouth), Lewis Hall (£28m from Chelsea), John Ruddy (Free from Birmingham City), William Osula (£15m from Sheffield United)

Transfers out: Elliot Anderson (£35m to Nottingham Forest), Yankuba Minteh (£33m to Brighton), Harrison Ashby (Loan to QPR)

Nottingham Forest – 8/10

By Daniel Storey

I’ve complained a lot about Forest’s transfer activity since they got back into the Premier League, but not this time.

They have moved on some of the fringe players they needed to and strengthened in the right areas (physically dominant centre-back, more winger options, central midfielder, left-back). Finally Forest have landed upon evolution over revolution, and that has to help bring some calm.

The lack of another striker will worry some, but Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi with lots of competition in wide areas until January is better than buying a striker they didn’t want, after missing out on Eddie Nketiah and Santiago Gimenez.

Transfers in: Marko Stamenic (Undisclosed from Red Star Belgrade), Eric da Silva Moreira (Undisclosed from St Pauli), Elliot Anderson (£35m from Newcastle), Carlos Miguel (£3.4m from Corinthians), Nikola Milenkovic (£12m from Fiorentina), Jota Silva (£5.9m from Vitoria Guimaraes), Ramon Sosa (Undisclosed from Talleres), David Carmo (Undisclosed from Porto), Alex Moreno (Loan from Aston Villa), James Ward-Prowse (Loan from West Ham), Morato (£12.6m from Benfica)

Transfers out: Odysseas Vlachodimos (Undisclosed to Newcastle), Brandon Aguilera (Undisclosed to Rio Ave), Orel Mangala (£20m to Lyon), Moussa Niakhate (£27m to Lyon), Joe Worrall (Undisclosed to Burnley), Marko Stamenic (Loan to Olympiacos), Jonathan Panzo (Loan to Rio Ave), Lewis O’Brien (Loan to LAFC), Omar Richards (Loan to Rio Ave), David Carmo (Loan to Olympiacos), Matt Turner (Loan to Crystal Palace), Alex Mighten (Undisclosed to San Diego FC), Josh Bowler (Loan to Preston)

Southampton – 5/10

There’s a sense Southampton’s window has focussed on quantity over quality. Aaron Ramsdale is an instant upgrade on Alex McCarthy and signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes full-time is a show of strength, but neither make them any better than they were last season.

It’s still hard to identify the proven Premier League talent the Saints will need if they have any chance of staying up, as two defeats and no goals so far indicates.

Ben Brereton Diaz is one match from breaking the Premier League record for consecutive games without a win. Cameron Archer was Brereton Diaz’s strike partner at Sheffield United last season when they were relegated having scored fewer than a goal per game. This is not a good sign.

Transfers in: Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£20m from Manchester City), Adam Lallana (Free from Brighton), Charlie Taylor (Free from Burnley), Ronnie Edwards (Undisclosed from Peterborough), Yukinari Sugawara (£6m from AZ Alkmaar), Flynn Downes (£18m from West Ham), Ben Brereton Diaz (£7m from Villarreal), Cameron Archer (£15m from Aston Villa), Juan (Undisclosed from Sao Paulo), Mateus Fernandes (Undisclosed from Sporting CP), Aaron Ramsdale (£18m from Arsenal), Lesley Ugochukwu (Loan from Chelsea), Ryan Fraser (Free), Maxwel Cornet (Loan from West Ham)

Transfers out: Romain Perraud (£3m to Real Betis), Lyanco (£4m to Atletico Mineiro), Duje Caleta-Car (Undisclosed to Olympique Lyonnais), Sekou Mara (£10.2m to Strasbourg), Mateusz Lis (Undisclosed to Goztepe), Carlos Alcaraz (£16m to Flamengo), Jayden Meghoma (Undisclosed to Brentford)

Tottenham – 7/10

By Katherine Lucas

You might argue that Spurs’ progression will not necessarily be about personnel, but they have strengthened where they needed to.

Dominic Solanke offers an alternative to Richarlison the versatile Archie Gray provides cover in central midfield and at right-back.

Gray, like Lucas Bergvall, 18, Wilson Odobert, 19, and Yang Min-hyeok, 18, will be a case of “wait and see”. Perhaps not firework signings but promise for the future and over a dozen fringe players out the door.

Another centre-back would have been desirable but Radu Dragusin will get more minutes and a revived Djed Spence can play on either side at full-back.

Transfers in: Lucas Bergvall (£8.5m from Djurgarden), Archie Gray (£40m from Leeds), Dominic Solanke (£65m from Bournemouth), Wilson Odobert (£25m from Burnley), Yang Min-hyeok (Undisclosed from Gangwon), Timo Werner (Loan from RB Leipzig)

Transfers out: Joe Rodon (£10m to Leeds), Troy Parrott (£6.7m to AZ Alkmaar), Emerson Royal (Undisclosed to AC Milan), Oliver Skipp (£20m to Leicester), Jude Soonsup-Bell (£1m to Cordoba), Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg (Loan to Marseille), Bryan Gil (Loan to Girona), Alejo Veliz (Loan to Espanyol), Ashley Phillips (Loan to Stoke), Manor Solomon (Loan to Leeds), Giovani Lo Celso (Undisclosed Real Betis)

West Ham – 7.5/10

There’s a lot to like here. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is an instant upgrade on Vladimir Coufal, while Max Kilman’s assist and clean sheet against Crystal Palace shows why he’s a £40m player. Guido Rodriguez has looked good so far on a free, while Jean-Clair Todibo is a coup even on loan.

Despite all this, there’s the suspicion West Ham’s window may appear better on paper than it does in reality. Accusations they have overpaid for some players are not too far wide of the mark.

Niclas Fullkrug is the kind of striker who usually thrives in the Premier League, but at 31 his £27m fee is toppy and his injury record is suboptimal. Luis Guilherme and Crysencio Summerville are both exciting young wingers, but won’t overtake Jarrod Bowen and Mo Kudus for a £50m combined outlay.

And beyond the incomings, they have struggled to shift some of their unwanted talent, meaning their wage bill continues to climb and they risk discontent among the ranks.

Transfers in: Luis Guilherme (£25.5m from Palmeiras), Wes Foderingham (Free from Sheffield United), Max Kilman (£40m from Wolves), Crysencio Summerville (£25m from Leeds), Niclas Fullkrug (£27m from Borussia Dortmund), Guido Rodriguez (Free from Real Betis), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£15m from Manchester United), Jean-Clair Todibo (Loan from Nice), Carlos Soler (Loan from PSG)

Transfers out: Thilo Kehrer (£9.5m to Monaco), Said Benrahma (Undisclosed to Lyon), Flynn Downes (£18m to Southampton), Maxwel Cornet (Loan to Southampton), Nayef Aguerd (Loan to Real Sociedad)

Wolves – 5/10

By Kevin Garside

The keynote dealings have been outgoing, skipper Max Kilman to West Ham in July and star forward Pedro Neto to Chelsea for a combined £91m.

Five players arrived in July, but all low key and only three at a cost, the fees totalling £25m. None have the experience of those departed, which proved costly in the tough start against Arsenal and Chelsea.

On the plus side, loan signing Jorgen Strand Larsen scored on his home debut in the 6-2 defeat to Chelsea. Defender Pedro Lima, 18, and 21-year-old Rodrigo Gomes are ones for the future.

Transfers in: Tommy Doyle (£4.3m from Manchester City), Rodrigo Gomes (£12.7m from Braga), Pedro Lima (£8.5m from Recife), Sam Johnstone (£10m from Crystal Palace), Andre (Undisclosed from Fluminense), Carlos Forbs (Loan from Ajax)

Transfers out: Max Kilman (£40m to West Ham), Pedro Neto (£51.3m to Chelsea), Fabio Silva (Loan to Las Palmas), Chem Campbell (Loan to Reading), Chiquinho (Loan to Mallorca)

from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/GZQ3VPT

The optics of a busy window left a sense that Manchester United were actually behaving like a well-run club. The newly-implemented technical department was busy early, creating a positive impression with a couple of quick signings.

This was followed by judicious moves to renew an ageing defence and then the signature hire, a coveted midfielder of some repute identified as the answer to a long-standing problem.

Not only did the incomings appear to result from a coherent plan, they were balanced by outgoings that for the first time in the club’s history yielded north of £100m. For long-suffering fans it feels like United won the transfer window.

However, that can only be decided on the pitch, and just two games in United have already recorded a Premier League defeat, intensifying the scrutiny around manager Erik ten Hag. At least he has material with which to fashion a response.

Players in

Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte

The arrival of Yoro immediately validated the new Ineos regime under sporting director Dan Ashworth. Yoro was one of the most sought-after young defenders in the game. But United got their man, a defender with the right age profile, 18, and attributes.

Tall and quick, with good feet, he meets the standard of the modern centre-back, sharp in the tackle, good in the air and able to play out from the back. His injury on the pre-season tour was unfortunate, but United were quick to further augment the defence.

De Ligt hardly flourished at Juventus and Bayern since departing Ajax, where he excelled at the heart of defence.

However, the authority he displayed under Ten Hag in Amsterdam suggests there is still value in a defender as comfortable on the ball as he. Happy in a back three, or a four, De Ligt arrived in a pair with Mazraoui, a utility defender who has made an immediate impression, filling in at left-back.

Striker Zirkzee, 23, is more of an unknown. Though he made the Dutch squad at the Euros, he was under used by Ronald Koeman.

After five years at Bayern, where he joined from Feyenoord at 17 and spent most of his time on loan, Zirkzee established himself at Bologna.

For a man standing 6ft 4ins he has outstanding balance and touch, but in his two substitute appearances so far has lacked aggression and pace. Scoring the winner against Fulham on debut will have helped him settle.

But with Rasmus Hojlund still some weeks away from fitness, the need for Zirkzee to deliver is already gaining urgency.

The key signing was Ugarte, a midfielder in the abrasive South American tradition. Already cast as the new Roy Keane, the Uruguayan clearly meets a need in a part of the pitch that has undermined Ten Hag’s reign.

He loves a tackle and moves the ball quickly. Think Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg-plus. Whether he has the motivational character of Keane or his forward propulsion is still to be determined. At the very least he ought to make United less brittle, which will do for starters.

Players sold

Mason Greenwood, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Hannibal, Facundo Pellistri, Scott McTominay, Willy Kambwala, Alvaro Fernandez, Donny van de Beek, Will Fish

The outgoings are remarkable for the yield, which surpassed £100m for the first time in United’s history, adding to the feeling that the new regime is about its business.

The departure of Greenwood drew a line under a messy episode during which the old regime mishandled the complex issues around the abuse charges, eventually dropped, that were laid against him.

The sale of McTominay to Napoli, more than any other, symbolises the new era.

A product of the academy, McTominay came to represent the post-Fergie period, a player who gave his all, proved himself indispensable to all the coaches under whom he played, but who ultimately fell short of the ridiculously high standards required.

The mood around Old Trafford

As productive as the transfer window has been, other elements of the new working practices under Ineos have been less well received. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s hard-nosed business approach continues to disrupt with widespread unease triggered by the swathe of staff cuts announced a month ago.

Against that United announced 118 new wheelchair positions at Olde Trafford and 158 amenity seats.
As far as we know the patched-up roof is holding up for now.

A new, 100,000-seater ‘Wembley of the north’ was recommended by the Lord Coe-led Regeneration Task Force last month, with detailed proposals expected by the year’s end.

What to expect from United this season

Though the sample is yet small, in the two games so far United carried over familiar faults from last season, including a lack of goal threat, a propensity for conceding late, and a porous midfield. The quality United need most is authority, the kind that comes from winning.

Ten Hag has failed to imbue his team with any sense of identity. United lack the narcissistic streak of champions, any meaningful appreciation of their own worth. Manchester City, Arsenal and Sunday’s visitors Liverpool share a feeling that they cannot be beaten.

They swagger about the parish exuding confidence and belief. They know they are good and delight in proving it.

This is Ten Hag’s biggest challenge, to trigger in United the primal psyche and personality of serial winners.

The signing of Ugarte is central to this project, a player with the character to lift the performance of others. This was the alchemy Keane brought, evincing from those around him the marginal gains that make a difference.

Ten Hag is already battling negative perceptions following a narrow win at home to Fulham and the late collapse at Brighton, which brought all the old uncertainties and doubts flooding back.

A win against Liverpool would change that, of course, the more so should Ugarte be at the heart of it, freeing Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo to do their stuff.

Ten Hag needs a solid autumn to build on the FA Cup victory over City and assuage the doubts. A Champions League place is not beyond them, but they have to bump Aston Villa, Spurs and Chelsea to do it, not to mention Brighton and Newcastle. No pressure Erik.

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Newcastle United may have spent very little this summer but they did use up a more precious commodity – credit in the bank with their supporters.

Faith in the decision makers – a given until now – has been sapped by the failure to land a single player who will lift the level of the first team this summer.

The bruising Marc Guehi saga – and the secretive, failed negotiations for four other centre-backs whose names weren’t in the spotlight – mean the pressure is now firmly on Darren Eales and Paul Mitchell, the director of football whose honeymoon period has been non-existent.

The club are aware of that noise, they acknowledge there is risk in being this cautious. Insiders insist, though, they have taken difficult decisions now to protect the club’s long-term ambitions.

“Getting the right players is more important than getting players right now,” one source told i earlier in the transfer window. That sentiment was repeated – several times – in a tense one hour press conference on Friday as Eddie Howe was left to face the music for the club’s failed pursuit of Guehi.

He swerved the blame game and tried to create a narrative of “Us against the world”, blaming crippling profit and sustainability rules (PSR) for the recruitment failures. And clearly, that has had an over-sized influence on their approach this summer – but so too has the caution that afflicts every department of the club.

Rather than twist and sell the likes of Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier – all good players with plenty still to give – Newcastle have opted to stick. That, combined with keeping hold of all of their crown jewels, has left them with limited PSR headroom and some big, big calls to make.

i has been told by football finance experts that the headroom, given increased revenue, Champions League prize money and sales, could have given them around £100m to manoeuvre with. Newcastle sources insist it is less than that but it was still enough for them to offer £65million for Guehi.

The problem was when the fee went up – and the payment schedule wasn’t one Newcastle wanted to do – they were unable to countenance what it might do to their future spending power. A move for Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba, one of their alternatives, was simply beyond their PSR headroom capacity, it seems.

Among the fanbase, it is a record that badly needs to be changed and it is up to Eales and Mitchell to explain themselves now. We need more detail on the club’s PSR challenges, and a clearer roadmap for what comes next.

The problem with PSR – one of the many, many issues with such a flawed system – is how opaque it is. Only a privileged few in the legal and accounting departments at the Premier League and its member clubs really know what the arithmetic is, which is hugely problematic.

Those with knowledge of the inner workings at Newcastle knew there would be sales this summer but few appreciated the true scale of the deficit they had to claw back. Clearly spooked by the points deductions handed out to Everton and Nottingham Forest – and facing the prospect of losing 10 or more points themselves – they scrambled to broker sales from a position of weakness.

It was an experience that increased the resolve of those inside the boardroom that there could be no repeat of that in 2025. And while the noises were much more positive in July, it has obviously made everyone more cautious.

“Qualifying for the Champions League in 2022-23 created a party atmosphere at Newcastle but sometimes after a party there’s a hangover and that hangover has arisen in the past few months,” Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert, tells i.

He agrees with the assessment of Howe and Newcastle that PSR is a major dampener on their ability to spend.

“Not qualifying for Europe means a substantial hole when it comes to the finances although some of this will have been made up significantly with the deal with Adidas and other sponsors.

“The wage bill has significantly increased and because you have to look at clubs over a three-year horizon you have to look at the quality of players who have come in and the quality of those players.

“That has created a level of expectation for the Newcastle fanbase which haven’t been able to be repeated due to the constraints of PSR. It should always be remember that PSR and it’s other incarnations, FFP beforehand, were never there to create a level field for the Premier League.

“It’s very much a case of preserving the existing gaps between the hyper rich and the moderately rich as far as the ability to spend is concerned. For the sneaky six who created the Super League, they’re relatively happy it is doing what it was intended to do.”

But Newcastle have to learn mistakes from this failure of a window too. Their tactics and approach have been flawed, the focus on Guehi a mistake when Crystal Palace were clearly unwilling sellers.

Mitchell – a long-term appointment who will feel stung by his first weeks in the job – will know the pressure is on for January. Newcastle have acted like Fenway Sports Group, walking away from deals that aren’t quite perfect to save resources for future windows.

But whatever FSG’s failings at Liverpool, they have done some stunningly successful and swift business too. Newcastle need to find their Virgil Van Dijk under the Christmas tree – a swift, speedy deal wrapped up in stealth to return momentum to the St James’ Park project. If Mitchell is as good as they say, it should not be beyond him.

What looms large over the club now is the summer of 2025. Three of the players who started last Sunday are out of contract, another three on the fringes of the first team are also in the final months of their deals.

There should be no PSR scramble – if anything, Newcastle might be well placed to opportunistically take players from others – and they can player trade from a position of strength. Ambition still prevails, sources say.

But for the first time Newcastle fans won’t take them at their word. They need to see actions from now on.

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Chelsea plan to have a busy final day of the transfer window as they line up potential deals for both Jadon Sancho and Victor Osimhen – but their chances of success revolve around resolving their Raheem Sterling conundrum.

i understands Chelsea do not have to sign one or the other today – they have the capacity to bring in both – but sources say deciding what to do with Sterling, whom they are “desperate to shift”, is key.

Sterling is owed around £70m in wages from the three years he currently has left on his lengthy Blues contract, meaning one of the biggest pay-offs in Premier League history is going to need to take place for him to depart on a permanent deal.

Manchester United have discussed bringing Sterling to Old Trafford, with new sporting director Dan Ashworth especially keen, i has been told.

However, his £325,000-a-week wages remain an obstacle, meaning that with United’s transfer pot almost empty after Manuel Ugarte’s capture is complete, any deal seems unlikely unless a loan can be agreed.

Arsenal are reportedly pursuing a late deal for Sterling too, but that would also be a loan move where Chelsea will still cover a large portion of his wages.

Should Sterling leave, with new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca making it abundantly clear the England international is not part of his plans, then both Sancho and Osimhen joining could complete a remarkable window for the Blues.

United are keen to secure Sancho an exit before the window closes, with the 24-year-old having also been omitted from both of his side’s Premier League match squads so far this season.

As i reported earlier this week, Juventus had been very confident of agreeing a loan deal with United for Sancho, but the player is understood to prefer a move to Chelsea and the Turin club are struggling to get the funds together, with United commanding a substantial loan fee. A Chelsea switch would likely be a loan with an obligation to buy.

United are under no pressure to sell, and while they would like to strengthen their forward options if Sancho leaves, they are not desperate to do so.

Osimhen is another big name who is almost certain to move somewhere on deadline day. There is an agreement in place with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli to take the Nigerian striker to the Middle East, but Osimhen is waiting to see what Chelsea and even Paris Saint-Germain put on the table before making any decision.

The Napoli hitman’s agent Roberto Calenda took to social media to insist his start client has “much more to offer in Europe” this week.

Further Chelsea outgoings to free up funds and the few remaining squad numbers are expected. Deivid Washington is on the verge of joining Strasbourg, who are also co-owed by Blues chief Todd Boehly and his BlueCo holding company, with Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja among those pushing for moves.

“Chelsea could have the busiest deadline day since it became a thing,” one intermediately who regularly works with Chelsea tells i.

“They do not need to put a limit on their incomings like other clubs have to do to stay within PSR (the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules). So many have already left and more will go.

“Sancho and Osimhen could be the star signings their summer business is missing.”

One target Chelsea look set to miss out on is Ivan Toney, after the Brentford striker agreed to join Al-Ahli on a £40m deal, i understands.

Signing both Osimhen and Toney could prove problematic for Al-Ahli, who would have until Monday night’s Saudi Premier League deadline to free up a foreign player slot – SPL clubs are permitted only two overseas players over 21.

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Do you remember when the transfer window used to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, when deadline day produced actual surprises and everything didn’t feel quite so cash-sodden and grim?

Well we do. The transfer market increasingly feels stuck in a perpetual decline. We want to change that.

And so, without further ado, here are i’s six changes football and the Premier League needs to make to fix the transfer market.

Profitability and Sustainability Regulations need a proper reform

For a third of the clubs in the Premier League, three letters are guaranteed to bring them out in a cold sweat: PSR.

Spending rules have been around in one form or another for 13 years but it was last year that they begun to bear teeth. Points deductions for Nottingham Forest and Everton were a tipping point for clubs who are now – in the words of one executive – “running scared”.

At Newcastle United they have found a glass ceiling preventing them from investing in players to take them forward. A nadir was hit on Tuesday when Eddie Howe, coach of the supposedly richest club in the world – an epithet they’ve always resented, in fairness – said the club couldn’t afford to bring in both a centre-back and right winger.

While opposition fans might peer in and mock given the source of their new-found wealth, there is a problem here for clubs with ambition to break into the top four. How is it possible when spending on players is impossible?

Reform is coming down the tracks in the form of Uefa-inspired squad cost controls but one frustrated executive likened it to “shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic” when it came to helping clubs with ambition. “Frankly it won’t help at all,” they said, succinctly.

More creative answers are out there. A luxury tax – where ambitious clubs “buy” PSR headroom from the Premier League and the money is then redistributed – has been mooted but did not get off the ground.

Another Premier League club renowned for its innovation put forward a proposal to auction off their PSR headroom to the highest bidder.

“At the moment you get no reward for being compliant, just punishment for not being. We felt that should change but it didn’t get much of a hearing from the Premier League,” they lamented.

Their warning was clear: without creative thinking, the advantages the Premier League has enjoyed in player recruitment are going to be washed away by PSR and its successors.

Implement tighter rules around multi-club models

Everyone thinks multi-club models are fun until Al-Nassr turn Rotherham into their feeder club. There’s been a sharp increase in Premier League owners investing in clubs elsewhere, primarily with the aim of using those clubs to develop talent and hoard younger players.

This disincentivises developing homegrown talent while removing the soul and agency of often-storied clubs around the world in the process. Strasbourg fans have repeatedly protested against Chelsea’s owners, while Manchester City’s City Football Group have overseen Troyes’ double relegation to Ligue 3.

Ownership groups like John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings or even 777 Partners have had mixed-to-terrible results at clubs worldwide.

It also heavily impacts the market for younger players. Clubs can stockpile younger players at other outposts of their multi-club model and give themselves first refusal if they develop well.

This has formed the foundation of Brighton’s recent success and City recently benefitted from it through the £30m signing of 20-year-old Savinho from Troyes.

While the Brazilian is probably delighted, he only made the move because City had the privileged opportunity to take a risk on him early and move him to Troyes, a club he never played for and who saw no real benefit from his talents.

Really, the only people who profit from multi-club models are already-wealthy owners. They remove teams’ identities and alienate fans, all while acting as the holding pen for prodigious 18-year-olds somewhere bigger isn’t quite ready for.

While banning multi-club models outright is infeasible, there could be tighter regulations or disincentivising measures put in place.

Greater transparency is needed around the bidding process for players who move between clubs in multi-club systems. There should be measures to ensure suitable separation between leadership structures within clubs.

Untangle the market for very young players

Two years ago the adverts started popping up on industry websites. Clubs in London after more Midlands and north of England scouts, those in the Midlands looking to creep towards the south west and south east.

The reason? Brexit. With Premier League clubs now unable to scout the best under-16 players from Europe, they had to start parking their tanks on the lawns of their rivals.

Steve Harper, the director of Newcastle United’s academy, told i that PSR rules meant clubs were piling money into this new “transfer market”.

“With Brexit everyone is looking at the same group of players so the internal academy recruitment market has got mega competitive and with the rules set up to encourage people to develop their own and sell them on it’s become even more competitive,” he said.

Four years on from Brexit, we’re starting to see the impact filter through. The rewards of selling players tempted out of other Academies, played a few times in the senior side and then moved on are clear: more PSR ‘headroom’ and more spending power for the established ‘big’ clubs.

The answer? One recruitment executive thinks the Premier League needs to work closer with the Government to allow work permits for young European players. Another thinks geographical restrictions on academy players – and limits on the sort of financial inducements being offered – would help.

“Our league is suffering, and the transfer market is getting distorted. The Premier League is a great export but this is having a huge impact that is now filtering into the transfer market,” he tells i.

Rebalance football’s inflated wage structures

There’s an odd trend on show in the Premier League of late – footballers are getting markedly younger. In principle there isn’t anything wrong with that, but the reality is more complex.

Over the past decade, the number of players over the age of 26 getting Premier League moves has almost halved from 34.4 per cent of all permanent signings in 2014-15 to just 17.5 per cent this summer. Eight top-flight teams haven’t signed a single player over 26 and no 29-year-old has joined a Premier League club on a full-time deal this summer.

On the other hand, 29 per cent of transfers 10 years ago were of players aged 22 or under, up to 45 per cent this summer. 22 is the new 24, but what does that mean for football?

This trend has more serious long-term than short-term implications. For one, it risks making football an even shorter and more precarious career than it currently is, with damaging results for players’ wellbeing as it encourages higher turnover of youngsters.

More generally, it restricts the talent pool and limits experience at the elite level if older players have to drop out of the Premier League to find contracts and game time.

This then either forces them to Saudi Arabia – the main country with clubs able to pay the higher wages older players expect – or limits these players to only moving around a handful of English clubs. 29-year-old Raheem Sterling is now a prime example of that, 28-year-old Ivan Toney another.

This pushes up prices for younger players, in turn putting more pressure on them and potentially damaging their careers.

The primary factor in the decline of interest in older footballers is that they command huge wages. As football finance expert Dr Rob Wilson explains: “There is no value in transferring players in that 26 and up category, because they typically are expensive and come with significant wages.

“In terms of your PSR compliance, they don’t represent good value. The reason why we’ve seen a flurry in younger players, and certainly academy prospects, that have come through, is you book them as pure PSR profit, so that gives you some headroom, and that allows you then to go out and spend.

“Even if you put in a fairly significant transfer fee for young players, you can amortize that over the contract.”

And so the practical next step is for wages paid to players above 26 to drop sharply over the coming years in order to save their careers and rebalance the market. This may not be popular, but it will allow players to extend their careers and football to retain valuable experience and talent for much longer.

Sort out the EFL settlement

If you speak to most directors of football, they’ll tell you the problem isn’t buying players. Anyone can do that. The issue for most of them is selling players who haven’t worked out or are no longer the right fit for their club.

And for that they blame the EFL transfer market shrivelling up. “If you want to sell someone, Championship clubs mostly can’t afford them now. The best you’re likely to get is a season-long loan with wages fully covered,” one Premier League recruitment head tells i.

Making the EFL sustainable and giving them spending power feel like two really big issues for the English game. One League Two chief i spoke to said that the entire league was “basically unsustainable as it stands”. Last season Stockport and Wrexham were entirely reliant on wealthy owners and “utterly distorted” the market by paying “Championship level” fees and wages for players.

A £900m “settlement” from the Premier League to help stabilise the rest of the football pyramid has been in the pipeline for almost a year now, with the Government having urged them to agree it as recently as March.

Signing the big cheque and tackling the EFL’s issues is the first step to sorting out issues further down the leagues.

Further regulate non-football associated-party transactions

Much of the talk about non-footballing associated-party transactions (APTs) focusses on sponsorship deals like Manchester City’s Etihad deal or Newcastle’s Sela contract, but there is an even grubbier side to this which needs dealing with.

In the past two seasons, Chelsea have sold two hotels and a car park at Stamford Bridge to another holding company they own for £76.5m, then done the same with their women’s team for an even higher fee. They can then book these as sales against PSR, allowing them to spend even more wantonly.

This isn’t in the spirit of PSR and shouldn’t be permitted within it either. Up to this point, Premier League clubs have hesitated to follow the EFL and Uefa in banning these non-football associated-party transactions. That should change now.

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