Summer transfer window 2026: Manchester United & Tottenham Hotspur fluff their lines

The Premier League gravy train showed no sign of slowing down this summer, with clubs continuing to spend extravagantly during the transfer window.

However, some of the biggest spenders will be concerned that their huge outlay on new players has failed to deliver the desired results early in the season.

With that in mind, read on as we look at the top signings made this summer before assessing some of the biggest hits and misses.

Summer transfer window 2026: Top Premier League signings

Man United & Spurs signings must improve

The Red Devils finally embarked on their long-awaited midfield rebuild this summer, but the early signs have not been promising.

Youri Tielemans has failed to live up to expectations since moving from Aston Villa, while Carlos Baleba has yet to make his debut due to an ankle injury.

Brazil international Andrey Santos also joined the club from Chelsea as a long-term replacement for compatriot Casemiro. He has been woeful.

The 22-year-old started in defeats against Hull City and Brighton & Hove Albion, and has been restricted to just 42 minutes in his other appearances combined.

There is still time for United’s new midfield to click, but they need it to happen sooner rather than later after an underwhelming start to the campaign.

United’s early struggles have been overshadowed by Tottenham, who are bottom of the table after five games (D2, L3).

After spending more than €200 million on midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, Tottenham were touted as potential top-four contenders by some pundits.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi has yet to get a tune out of the duo, and they need to improve massively over the next few months.

The same point applies to Jan Paul van Hecke, who has struggled to get to grips with the demands of playing for a so-called ‘Big Six’ club.

His defensive reading of the game has been extremely poor, and Spurs may ultimately regret sacrificing Luka Vuskovic to sign him.

Brighton make Tottenham look silly

Brighton & Hove Albion capitalised on Tottenham’s questionable transfer strategy by replacing Van Hecke with Croatian defender Luka Vuskovic.

Vuskovic never made a first-team appearance at Tottenham, but showcased his talent during an excellent loan spell with Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

The 19-year-old has been a regular starter for the Seagulls since joining them this summer. His form has helped Brighton climb to third in the Premier League.

He has adapted well to different systems and is another shrewd acquisition for a club that rarely makes mistakes in the transfer market.

That point also applies to Brentford, whose ability to identify talented players they can sell on for a significant profit is uncanny.

Mamadou Sangare is the latest work in progress for the Bees following his summer move from Ligue 1 club Lens. The Mali international looks destined for big things.

His all-action display on the opening weekend left Tottenham’s new-look midfield chasing shadows, and he has continued to impress since then.

Based on their early-season form, a strong argument can be made for suggesting that Man United missed a trick by overlooking Sangare this summer.

James Trafford (Leeds United) and Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool) are other summer signings who have made a strong start with their respective clubs.

Trafford has conceded just three goals in five league games for Leeds, while Jacquet has added stability to a Liverpool defence which floundered last season.