The European summer transfer window closed on Monday, with Premier League clubs making the headline moves. Liverpool paid a British-record 125-million-pound fee for Alexander Isak after a protracted, last-day negotiation; Isak had expressed his desire to leave Newcastle, trained alone with Real Sociedad and criticised his former club on social media. Liverpool also signed Florian Wirtz in a club-record deal potentially rising to 116 million pounds. Manchester United continued to address longstanding goalkeeping problems since David De Gea's 2023 departure, with Andre Onana's errors and even rumours of a De Gea return. Manchester City pursued PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma late in the window.
Isak's move to Liverpool was the biggest transfer of the summer in terms of finances and drama. The 25-year-old's 125-million-pound ($167.4m) move is a British record transfer fee, beating the 107 million pounds ($143.3m) that Chelsea paid Benfica for Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2023. Alexander Isak celebrates with the League Cup trophy after Newcastle United beat Liverpool in the final in March 2025 [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]
The fact that the move didn't come until the final day of the window capped what had already been a stressful period for all of the parties involved. The Swedish international made no secret of his desire to leave Newcastle and ended up training alone with former club Real Sociedad, even before criticising his club on social media for breaking promises.
Manchester United's goalkeeping woes have been their constant focus in a turbulent period for the fallen giants since David De Gea left the club in 2023. So desperate had the situation become that there were even rumours the 34-year-old former Spanish international could be brought back to Old Trafford from Fiorentina. Andre Onana was trusted with the gloves by then-manager Erik ten Hag, but the Cameroonian stopper has been prone to costly mistakes.
#premier-league #alexander-isak #record-transfer-fee #manchester-united-goalkeeping #gianluigi-donnarumma
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