Tottenham Hotspur completed the club-record signing of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United for a fee that could reach £100 million, the most dramatic move of an early-July window that has seen several Premier League sides act decisively. The 26-year-old Italy international, who joined Newcastle from AC Milan in 2023, overcame a ten-month betting ban to become a pivotal figure in the Magpies’ 2025 Carabao Cup triumph. “I spoke to the head coach for close to two hours … it was like magic,” Tonali said of his conversations with Roberto De Zerbi, the Italian manager who took over at Spurs in March and narrowly avoided relegation. The deal, structured as an initial £92.5 million plus £7.5 million in add-ons, eclipses the £85 million Tottenham paid West Ham for Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes earlier in the window. Analysts in London note that the club’s spending power is underpinned by the new squad-cost ratio rules, which allow Spurs to allocate up to 85% of revenue to player costs; their last accounts showed wages and amortisation at only 61%, while matchday and commercial income from the new stadium has soared.

Brighton & Hove Albion, meanwhile, secured Leeds United centre-back Pascal Struijk for a reported £20 million. The 26-year-old, who made nearly 200 appearances for Leeds, is left-footed, strong in the air, and comfortable in multiple defensive roles. Viewed from Jakarta, the transfer carries additional significance: Struijk is eligible to represent Indonesia through his maternal lineage, and his new market value of €22 million would instantly make him the most valuable player in the national team setup should he accept a long-standing invitation from the Indonesian football federation. Speculation intensified in March when an assistant to then-head coach John Herdman visited Leeds’ training ground, and Struijk later posted an image of a Garuda tattoo on his calf. No formal announcement on his international future has been made.

Arsenal agreed to sell Belgian forward Leandro Trossard to Turkish side Besiktas for €20 million, with the deal contingent on personal terms and the conclusion of Belgium’s World Cup campaign. Trossard, 31, has impressed at the tournament, scoring twice against New Zealand and providing an assist against Senegal. With his contract entering its final year, Arsenal moved to secure a fee rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer. He departs after three and a half seasons, 174 appearances, and 70 goal contributions, including eight goals and eleven assists in the league title-winning campaign just concluded.

Everton completed the permanent signing of forward George from Chelsea for a fee that could rise to £24 million, following his successful loan spell in the second half of last season. The 21-year-old academy product made 11 appearances for the Toffees and becomes their third summer arrival. Across the division, the early window activity reflects clubs’ determination to address squad weaknesses before pre-season, with Tottenham’s outlay on Tonali, Fernandes, and centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke alone approaching £240 million. The reshaping of squads now shifts attention to pre-season preparations and the final weeks of the World Cup, where several of these players remain in action.