The summer 2026 transfer window is officially closed, and some of football’s biggest names are starting the season in completely different colors.
The major European leagues shut their windows on September 1, ending a summer packed with blockbuster deals, record-breaking fees and several transfers few fans would have predicted only months earlier.
From Mohamed Salah beginning a new chapter in Türkiye to Rodri joining Barcelona and Enzo Fernández moving across the Premier League to Manchester City, this was a window built around statement signings.
But which transfer looks like the best piece of business?
Mohamed Salah to Trabzonspor
Perhaps no move generated more surprise than Mohamed Salah leaving Liverpool for Trabzonspor.
The Egyptian star signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club on August 6 after bringing his legendary nine-year spell at Anfield to an end. Trabzonspor secured Salah on a free transfer, making the deal particularly remarkable considering his profile and experience.
Salah left Liverpool as the club’s third-highest scorer of all time, having scored 257 goals in 442 appearances and won eight major trophies, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Trabzonspor agreed to pay him €17 million per season, while his deal reportedly also gives him a share of merchandise sold under his name.
From a pure value perspective, this may be the standout transfer of the entire window.
Trabzonspor have acquired one of world football’s most recognizable players without paying a transfer fee, while Salah brings goals, leadership, commercial value and enormous international attention.
Best for: Immediate impact and value.
Enzo Fernández to Manchester City
Manchester City responded to major midfield changes by making one of the most expensive signings in English football history.
Enzo Fernández joined City from Chelsea on deadline day, signing a five-year contract through 2031.
The deal was reportedly worth £125 million, matching the British transfer record and giving new manager Enzo Maresca a player he already knew well from their time together at Chelsea.
Fernández has already made an encouraging start.
On his Premier League debut against Coventry City, the Argentina international played a role in the buildup to Erling Haaland’s winning goal as City continued their perfect opening to the season.
With Rodri leaving and Bernardo Silva also departing, City needed a midfielder capable of controlling possession while contributing further forward.
Fernández offers exactly that.
The price is enormous, but at 25, City are buying a midfielder who could sit at the heart of their team for most of his prime years.
Best for: Rebuilding a midfield around a proven world-class player.
Morgan Rogers to Chelsea
While Enzo went from Chelsea to Manchester City, Morgan Rogers moved in the opposite direction of the title race by joining Chelsea from Aston Villa.
Chelsea completed the signing of the England international in July, handing the 23-year-old a contract through 2033.
The reported £117 million fee made Rogers Chelsea’s record signing and, at the time, the most expensive English player ever.
What Chelsea are buying is versatility.
Rogers can operate centrally, from wide positions or behind a striker, and arrived after establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous young attacking players.
Chelsea noted that he had directly contributed to 40 goals in 85 Premier League appearances during his Aston Villa career.
Pairing Rogers with Cole Palmer gives Chelsea two highly creative attackers who already understand the demands of English football.
The transfer fee creates massive expectations, but Rogers’ age means this could become one of the window’s smartest long-term moves if he continues developing.
Best for: Long-term Premier League potential.
Rodri to Barcelona
Barcelona addressed one of the most important positions on the pitch by signing Rodri from Manchester City.
The Spanish midfielder officially joined Barça on August 18 and signed a four-year contract running until June 2030.
Reports put the total transfer package at around €70 million, giving Barcelona an elite defensive midfielder for considerably less than some of the window’s nine-figure deals.
Rodri brings tactical intelligence, composure, defensive positioning and experience at the highest level.
For Barcelona, there is also something particularly natural about the fit.
He is a Spanish international accustomed to possession-heavy football and arrives with years of experience playing in a Manchester City system heavily influenced by Barcelona’s football philosophy.
At 30, he does not offer the same long-term upside as Rogers or Diomande, but Barcelona are buying a player who can immediately organize their midfield.
Considering both quality and price, this could end up being one of the most efficient deals of the summer.
Best for: Tactical fit.
Omar Marmoush to Tottenham
For Egyptian fans, the second major move of the window came when Omar Marmoush left Manchester City for Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs signed Marmoush on a season-long loan with an obligation to make the transfer permanent next summer.
Reuters reported the permanent deal could ultimately be worth around £50 million plus £10 million in performance-related add-ons.
The move gives Marmoush something he increasingly struggled to get at Manchester City: the chance to become a central part of an attack.
Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has already highlighted his versatility, explaining that Marmoush can play as a centre-forward or in a more attacking No.10 role.
Marmoush brings pace, direct running and the ability to score from multiple attacking positions.
At 27, he is also entering what should be the strongest years of his career.
If regular playing time allows him to rediscover the form that originally took him to Manchester City, Spurs may have secured one of the better attacking deals of the window.
Best for: Opportunity and career revival.
Yan Diomande to Real Madrid
Real Madrid made perhaps the boldest long-term investment of the summer by signing 19-year-old Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig.
The Ivorian winger signed a massive seven-year contract until June 2033.
Reports suggest Madrid paid around €125 million guaranteed, with bonuses potentially pushing the package toward €140 million — a figure that could make Diomande the most expensive signing in Real Madrid history.
It is an extraordinary investment in potential.
Diomande had enjoyed a breakout season at Leipzig, producing 12 Bundesliga goals and nine assists and helping the club qualify for the Champions League.
Real Madrid clearly believe they are buying someone capable of becoming one of football’s elite attackers.
But compared with Rodri or Salah, this deal carries significantly more risk.
Diomande is still developing, and a record-level fee means there will be pressure almost immediately.
If he becomes the player Madrid believe he can be, however, this transfer could define their attack for the next decade.
Best for: Superstar potential.
Bradley Barcola to Liverpool
Liverpool waited until the final days of the window to land one of their biggest targets.
Bradley Barcola joined Liverpool from Paris Saint-Germain on August 31, signing a long-term contract and taking the No.29 shirt.
Liverpool reportedly paid £106 million upfront, with another £17 million in potential add-ons taking the package to £123 million.
The 23-year-old arrives as an established France international with the speed, one-on-one ability and direct attacking style Liverpool wanted on the wings.
Barcola also arrives with significant Champions League experience after his spell at PSG.
His price makes him Liverpool’s second-most expensive signing, behind Alexander Isak, so expectations will naturally be enormous.
If he adapts quickly to the Premier League, Liverpool could have secured one of Europe’s best young wide forwards for his prime years.
Best for: Elite attacking upside.
So Which Signing Was the Best?
There is no single answer yet because these players were signed for very different reasons.
If we judge purely on value, Mohamed Salah to Trabzonspor is extremely difficult to beat. Signing Salah without paying a transfer fee gives Trabzonspor sporting and commercial value few clubs of their size could normally access.
If we judge tactical fit, Rodri to Barcelona may be the strongest move. Barça have brought in one of football’s best midfield controllers for a fee considerably below those paid for several younger stars.
For immediate Premier League impact, Enzo Fernández to Manchester City already looks promising, particularly as City rebuild their midfield following Rodri’s departure.
For long-term potential, Real Madrid’s investment in Yan Diomande and Liverpool’s move for Bradley Barcola could eventually produce the biggest returns — but both come with enormous price tags.
Morgan Rogers gives Chelsea another elite young English attacker, while Omar Marmoush’s Tottenham move could prove particularly successful if regular minutes allow him to become the focal point of their attack.
Our Early Verdict
If we had to choose right now, Salah to Trabzonspor may be the best piece of business, while Rodri to Barcelona looks like the smartest elite-level signing.
Salah cost no transfer fee and immediately transforms Trabzonspor both on and off the pitch.
Rodri, meanwhile, gives Barcelona a proven world-class midfielder in one of their most important positions without requiring a £100 million-plus investment.
But transfer windows are rarely truly judged in September.
Diomande could become a Real Madrid superstar. Barcola could dominate Liverpool’s left wing. Rogers could become Chelsea’s next attacking centerpiece. Marmoush could explode at Tottenham. Fernández could become the player Manchester City build their new midfield around.
For now, the 2026 summer transfer window has given football fans plenty to debate — and the real answer to the question “Who made the best signing?” will only emerge once the season unfolds.
