Bruno Guimarães puede ser ídolo en el Arsenal: así califican las grandes transferencias del verano 2026 rumbo al Mundial

For some football fans, the summer is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most – and that’s not just because it’s filled by a World Cup every four years! Rather, it’s because the end of the season means only one thing: It’s time for transfers! The 2026 window is once again proving to be busy, with some huge names making big-money moves before deadline day on September 1.

August 8: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle to Arsenal, £75m)

For Newcastle: A complete disaster for the Magpies. Letting Sandro Tonali go to Tottenham for £100m left a big hole in the midfield, but it now looks like Springfield Gorge from The Simpsons without Guimaraes, who was Newcastle’s best player throughout a turbulent 2025-26 campaign. It is unfair to expect new signing Sean Steur to fill Guimaraes’ boots at just 18 years of age, and unrealistic, considering the Dutchman only scored once across his first full season in the Ajax senior team. Guimaraes was Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League last term with nine goals, and his haul of five assists was also a team-leading total. As captain, the Brazil international also led by example and often dragged his team-mates up by the scruff of the neck. Matthias Jaissle has a monumental job on his hands to stabilise the engine room once he officially replaces Eddie Howe in the dugout, and if a suitably experienced replacement for Guimaraes is not immediately sourced, it could prove an impossible one. Grade: F

For Arsenal: A very smart piece of business from Mikel Arteta as he aims to build on Arsenal’s long-awaited return to the summit of English football. Guimaraes can easily slot in alongside Martin Odegaard as a No.8 and ease the creative burden on the Gunners skipper. He will inject extra dynamism into the attack and more aggression in defence, having won more duels than any Arsenal player in the Premier League last season. Arsenal fans can be certain that Guimaraes will hit the ground running given his experience and the fact that he is a perfect match for Arteta’s preferred style. Strength in midfield was a key reason for the Gunners’ success in 2025-26, and it’s difficult to see how any domestic opponents will overpower them now that Guimaraes has completed their fearsome central unit. That could also be the case in the Champions League if they come up against Paris Saint-Germain again, which bodes very well for their chances of finally landing that elusive piece of silverware. Grade: A

For Guimaraes: At 28, now is the ideal time for Guimaraes to make the jump to one of Europe’s elite sides. He is bang in his prime, as he proved beyond all doubt at the World Cup, setting up four goals for Brazil while rivalling Vinicius Junior for talismanic influence, albeit before a nightmare round of 16 exit to Norway. Guimaraes had outgrown Newcastle some time ago, and Arsenal will provide the platform for him to reach the world-class bracket and regularly fight for the biggest trophies. He’s technically brilliant in tight spaces, has an eye for the killer pass, and sets the tone with his relentless off-ball work rate. Add to that his flexibility and never-say-die mentality, and Guimaraes truly ticks all the boxes as a tailor-made cult hero for the Arsenal faithful, one who won’t be remotely fazed by the big price tag on his back. Grade: A+

James Westwood

August 7: Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid to Fiorentina, loan)

“El Mundial 2026 transformará la estrategia de los grandes clubes. Cada fichaje del verano cambia el equilibrio del fútbol mundial.”— Resumen del análisis rumbo al Mundial 2026

For Real Madrid: Shipping out Mastantuono on loan is another blow to Madrid’s recruitment department after similar settling in problems for Brazilian wonderkid Endrick. They will, of course, hope that Mastantuono rediscovers his rhythm in Italy in the same way Endrick did at Lyon, but there are no guarantees. Serie A is an unforgiving league from a physical and tactical standpoint, and much will depend on whether Mastantuono adapts quickly. If he doesn’t, there’s a danger he will return to Madrid next summer even more drained of confidence and with a significantly reduced market value. On the flip side of the coin, Real may still have no use for Mastantuono even if he does well at Fiorentina, having closed deals for Yan Diomande and Bernardo Silva, which push the youngster even further down the squad pecking order. It’s fair to say Mastantuono has been mismanaged by his parent club, and there are now a lot of obstacles in his way to revive his Madrid career. Grade F

For Fiorentina: An excellent, low-risk signing for La Viola as they bid to bounce back from a disappointing 2025-26 season, even if they will have to cover a significant portion of his €3.5m per-year salary. Mastantuono will certainly add extra quality to Fabio Grosso’s ranks, and versatility, as the 18-year-old can operate as a No.10 or on the right wing, and he will be hungry to prove his doubters wrong and get back in the Argentina national team. It’s also a smart move for Fiorentina, because Mastantuono is a dual Argentinian-Italian citizen, meaning they can still sign two non-EU players from foreign leagues in compliance with Serie A rules before the transfer window closes. Building a good relationship with Madrid could lead to similar deals in the future, too, especially if Mastantuono thrives at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Grade: A+

For Mastantuono: A major disappointment. Mastantuono arrived at Real with much fanfare, and for a €63m fee that looked like a coup given the promise he showed at River Plate. Unfortunately, the jump from Argentina to a major European league has proven too big. He made 35 appearances for Los Blancos in 2025-26, but only 17 of those came as a starter, and a measly return of three goals hardly justified the hype around him. Mastantuono also struggled with a persistent groin injury, and the frustration was evident in his body language, especially when he was sent off for needlessly remonstrating with the referee during a defeat to Getafe. It’s clear that the teenager still has a lot of maturing to do, and a move to Serie A will allow him the space to do that away from the intense limelight of the Bernabeu. It’s certainly a career setback for Mastantuono, but there is no buy option in the agreement with Fiorentina, so his dreams of succeeding in the Spanish capital are not yet completely dashed. Grade: D-

James Westwood

August 6: James Trafford (Man City to Leeds, £45m)

For Man City: You really have to question City and Pep Guardiola’s handling of James Trafford. Re-signed from Burnley last summer having departed in 2023 to be a starter elsewhere, he was finally expected to be No.1 at the Etihad last season following Ederson’s exit. But just three games into the new campaign, the club saw fit to bring in Gianluigi Donnarumma – one of the world’s best goalkeepers – from PSG, immediately knocking the young Englishman back down the pecking order. City have developed a reputation for ruthlessly prioritising business needs over emotion and sentiment, and from a financial perspective they will be very happy to have made a fairly significant profit on a player they ultimately paid Burnley £27m for 12 months ago and who was merely a cup goalkeeper under Guardiola last season. It is a shame to see yet another highly-rated, young academy graduate with first-team potential depart, but this is just the way City’s business model works, for better or worse. Grade: C+

For Leeds: This feels like one hell of a coup for Leeds, who have been quietly strengthening this summer and will be dark horses for a European finish if they play their cards right next season. Trafford follows coveted free agent Harry Wilson and highly-rated Bosnia & Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic through the door at Elland Road, providing a top-level solution to what has been a problem position for the Whites. Viewed as a future England No.1, Newcastle were known admirers of the 23-year-old, who could have had his pick of teams in the Premier League. The fact he has chosen Leeds is significant, and he must believe that they can push up the table and avoid a relegation scrap under Daniel Farke next season. The £45m ($60.5m) total package is substantial for someone who has just spent a full campaign as nothing more than a back-up, but if Trafford reaches his full potential in Yorkshire then Leeds could well be charging one of Europe’s big hitters twice that sum in the years to come. Grade: B+

For Trafford: A second attempt at life away from Man City for Trafford, who finally stands a real chance of establishing himself as a Premier League No.1 for the long-term, barring what would be a shock relegation at the end of 2026-27. The goalkeeper clearly needed another fresh start, having spoken openly about the need to play more last season, and he will hope this is the transfer that sets him on the course to replacing Jordan Pickford, now 32, as England’s No.1. Trafford will be in direct competition with the Everton stopper in the Premier League, and if he can propel Leeds up the table and catch Thomas Tuchel’s eye in the process, there is every chance he will be given an opportunity having been included in the German tactician’s World Cup squad despite his status as back-up at City. Some will question the decision to join Leeds over the likes of Newcastle or so-called ‘big six’ clubs, but Trafford will be undisputed No.1 at Elland Road and there will be far less pressure on his shoulders. He will quietly believe that he can use this move as a springboard to even better things. Grade: B+

Krishan Davis

August 6: Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig to Real Madrid, €140m)

For RB Leipzig: Making a €120m profit on a player you only signed a year ago is outstanding business for RB Leipzig. The likes of Benjamin Sesko, Josko Gvardiol, Dominik Szoboszlai and Dani Olmo all honed their skills at Red Bull Arena before going on to bigger things, and Diomande might end up being their greatest success story yet. However, it will be very difficult for them to replace him. Diomande was the driving force behind Leipzig’s run to a third-place Bundesliga finish last term, and built up a near-telepathic relationship with the club’s star midfielder, Christoph Baumgartner. Without Diomande’s electrifying dribbling, precise finishing and progressive passing, Leipzig may struggle to get back into the Champions League places. That said, Leipzig are no strangers to cashing in on their top assets; in fact, their entire transfer model depends on it. They will recover and unearth another gem soon enough, and if Diomande hits the ground running at Real, it will only enhance their reputation as elite talent spotters. Grade: B-

For Real Madrid: Los Blancos have overpaid for Diomande, but that seems to be the only way to land your top targets in today’s market. They definitely needed more wide cover, with Rodrygo not expected to return until 2027 as he continues his recovery from ACL surgery, and Diomande is versatile enough to play on both flanks. It has been suggested that the teenager has been signed to replace Vinicius Junior as Arsenal push to sign the Brazilian, but Diomande operated from the right in the majority of his 36 appearances for Leipzig last term. He could be the perfect foil for overlapping full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, and is ideally suited to Jose Mourinho’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system, possessing the speed and agility to unlock defences and the strength and intensity to fight to win the ball back. Diomande is still raw, but he has shown a capacity for learning quickly, and his familiarity with La Liga should also help the transition process. Beating the likes of PSG and Liverpool to Diomande’s signature also shows that Madrid remain the most attractive club on the planet, even after two trophy-less seasons. Grade: B

For Diomande: A dream move to cap an unprecedented rise to stardom. Most casual fans were unaware of Diomande’s existence this time last year, as he completed a €20m switch to Leipzig from Leganes, who were relegated from La Liga in 2024-25. Indeed, Diomande only made 10 league appearances in his solitary season at Leganes, having started in their reserves, but Leipzig were convinced of his immense potential. He quickly proved himself as a superb find for the German club, registering 23 goal contributions across all competitions in his first full season as a senior professional. A World Cup call-up followed, and Diomande fared admirably on the biggest stage as the Ivory Coast made it to the round of 32. By that time, the 19-year-old had emerged as a target for a host of elite European clubs, but he probably still never imagined Madrid would come calling. It remains to be seen how Diomande deals with the pressure of the Bernabeu and a €140m price tag, but it’s truly remarkable that he’s even in this position, which makes him a winner whatever happens. Grade: A+

James Westwood

August 6: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool to Trabzonspor, free)

For Liverpool: Salah probably should have left Anfield at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, on a high befitting the superhuman consistency he’d displayed in a Liverpool shirt for the previous eight years. However, it was no surprise that Salah accepted the club’s two-year extension offer after spearheading their run to the Premier League crown under Arne Slot, and no one could have predicted how badly he’d decline the following season. The Egyptian only mustered 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions as Liverpool fell to fifth in the Premier League and failed to win any trophies, and he publicly hit out at Slot and the club hierarchy after being forced to sit on the bench. Several members of the squad dramatically underperformed, including record signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, but Salah was most responsible for ruining the harmony in the dressing room with his poor attitude. The Reds also looked better without Salah on the pitch, because his end product dried up and his lack of defensive work was exposed after the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold. In hindsight, Liverpool never should have broken their long-standing rule of not offering multi-year contracts to players over 30. Salah’s reported new £400,000 per week deal was eventually terminated by mutual consent – a waste of money and time for all parties involved. Failing to even get a transfer fee for Salah, who had been a long-term target for the Saudi Pro League, is also a travesty. Grade: D

For Trabzonspor: One of the biggest coups in the history of the Turkish Super Lig. Salah’s best years are certainly behind him at 34, but signing the 2025 PFA Player of the Year on a two-year deal is still an amazing feat for a club the size of Trabzonspor, who have only won the Super Lig once this century and sit firmly in the shadow of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. They will rightly hope to close the gap on their arch rivals after bringing in one of the finest goal-scorers and playmakers of his generation. It’s a dream free transfer that should also significantly raise Trabzonspor’s global profile, building on the recent loan extension for Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana. If Salah can build up an instant rapport with Paul Onuachu, who won a share of the Golden Boot last term with 22 league goals for Trabzonspor, they could fight for top spot and embark on a strong run in the Europa League. Grade: A

For Salah: No matter how you slice it, going from being the best player in the Premier League to a free transfer to Turkey in the space of 12 months is an embarrassment for Salah. He paid the ultimate price for putting himself above the needs of Liverpool and his team-mates, alienating even his most loyal fans in the process, and now he is destined to wind down his glittering career with a whimper. It would appear that no other top clubs across Europe held any interest in the ex-Roma star, which is damning given his status as a free agent. Salah should rediscover his scoring touch in Turkey, but only because it’s a massive drop in level. The move does nothing to enhance his legacy, and he will surely be privately regretting how things ended at Anfield. If he’d dropped his ego, Salah would be part of an exciting fresh start under new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola instead of toiling to remain relevant in a second rate league. Grade: D

James Westwood

August 3: Jordan Henderson (Brentford to Chelsea, free)

For Brentford: A strange one for Brentford, who were never likely to stand in 36-year-old Henderson’s way when Chelsea came a-calling, even smoothing his path by terminating his contract. The England international was, though, an important part of what Keith Andrews unexpectedly built at the Gtech Stadium last season, making 32 Premier League appearances and starting more often than not. His departure, then, left a significant hole in a midfield that already needed reinforcing following the permanent exit of Frank Onyeka to Coventry and former captain Christian Norgaard’s move to Arsenal last summer. After what had been a quiet window to date, the Bees have entered the market in a big way; Lens’ highly-rated Malian defensive midfielder Mamadou Sangare has joined for what is a club-record £41m ($55m) fee to replace the England international. Henderson’s leadership skills will be almost impossible to replace, however. Grade: C

For Chelsea: With Danny Welbeck also making the move to Stamford Bridge, this represents one hell of a departure from Chelsea’s previous, much-derided transfer strategy of attempting to stockpile some of the best young talent around in the blind hope that they might develop into elite stars in the future. A Premier League and Champions League-winning captain who is revered for his leadership skills and counts former Chelsea and now-England boss Thomas Tuchel among his many admirers, Henderson will bring all the attributes the Blues are looking for in their bid to inject some experience, stability and maturity into a squad that has dearly lacked all of that in recent years. While there will be question marks over what he brings in a footballing sense, it’s pretty clear that the 36-year-old hasn’t been brought in for his ability on the pitch, but rather what he will provide off it. However, he showed last season that he can be a steady presence, and his temperament and know-how could be invaluable in those marginal situations where Chelsea have often faltered. He will, though, have to win over the fanbase, given his Liverpool connection, but it feels as though the World Cup was quite transformative for his reputation, as he showed his character by making himself available and even training despite suffering a freak broken arm after the last-16 clash with Mexico. Grade: B+

For Henderson: At 36, this was an opportunity that was simply too good to turn down for Henderson, and he won’t even have to move house as he swaps one west London club for another. The former Liverpool skipper will presumably become one of Alonso’s most trusted lieutenants immediately, and the responsibility that will be bestowed upon him in the dressing room will surely be very attractive to him at this stage of his storied career. As well as delivering off the pitch, he will be expected to usher in a new era off it as the Blues look to overhaul their culture and turn a promising young squad into consistent challengers for major honours. It feels like a mission that Henderson will relish, and you wouldn’t bet against him being successful. A two-year contract, which means he is covered until the age of 38 when he could well retire anyway, is just the cherry on top. Grade: A+

Krishan Davis

August 2: Valentin Barco (Strasbourg to Chelsea, undisclosed)

For Strasbourg: Chelsea have reportedly paid £34m ($46m) to sign Barco from their sister club, which is a significant fee given his lack of experience at the highest level. It represents the 13th deal closed between the two clubs since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, but only the third permanent one, and Strasbourg will be sad to see the Argentine depart. Barco registered six goal contributions in Ligue 1 last season, helping them finish in the top eight for the second year in a row, and also played a key role in their run to the Conference League semi-finals. Operating as both a deep-lying playmaker and box-to-box No.8, Barco’s progressive passing gave Strasbourg real penetration, and he covered every blade of grass out of possession. The nature of Strasbourg’s relationship with Chelsea makes losing their top talents inevitable, but Barco’s exit could be very detrimental to their chances of progressing towards Champions League qualification. Grade: C-

For Chelsea: Signing Barco was a bit of a no-brainer for the Blues after his breakout campaign with Strasbourg, and the 22-year-old has also gained global notoriety after his fiery clash with Jude Bellingham at the World Cup. It’s unlikely that Barco will go straight in as a regular starter for Chelsea, but he is ideally suited to Xabi Alonso’s fluid, control-orientated system. The youngster will give Alonso an extra option at both the base of midfield and the left flank, with Barco having initially made his name as a full-back. With bags of technical quality and aggression, Chelsea can rely on Barco to keep the ball circulating in enemy territory and run himself in the ground to win it back. His presence will certainly ease the blow if Enzo Fernandez ends up being lured away to Real Madrid, and he still has plenty of potential to unlock. Grade B+

For Barco: A second chance in the Premier League that he probably didn’t envisage coming so quickly after his departure from Brighton, where he only played for eight months before being loaned to Sevilla and Strasbourg, the latter of whom bought him outright last summer. Barco has learned a lot over the past two seasons, and the transition into midfield at Strasbourg forced him to work on the physical side of his game. He will be far better prepared for the intensity of English football this time around, and Alonso is the ideal coach to bring him to the next level. The experience of working with Lionel Messi & Co on the daunting World Cup stage will also hold Barco in good stead, despite the fact he only played 19 minutes at the tournament for Argentina. He may have to get used to a bit-part role at Chelsea, too, but if he’s patient and soaks up as much wisdom as possible from Alonso and Chelsea’s senior stars, Barco could emerge as an important member of the ambitious BlueCo project in the coming years. Grade: B

James Westwood

August 1: Danny Welbeck (Brighton to Chelsea, £5m)

For Brighton: It’s actually difficult to overstate how much of a blow this is for Brighton, who are being shorn of the man who was their top goal-scorer by some distance last season and the joint-third highest scorer in their entire history. They certainly won’t begrudge Danny Welbeck an exit, especially when such an unlikely opportunity has arisen for him at the age of 35, but it will sting nonetheless. Head coach Fabian Hurzeler will be determined to secure a worthy replacement, especially with highly-rated young Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas still sidelined after suffering a dreaded ACL tear back in December. At the moment, Tzimas’ compatriot Charalampos Kostoulas and German attacker Georginio Rutter are their only options, although Evan Ferguson is back from his loan with Roma. It’s currently unclear who they will turn to in the transfer market, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Liam Delap’s name had come up during discussions with Chelsea over Welbeck’s move to Stamford Bridge. Grade: D

For Chelsea: Chelsea signalled some time ago that they would seek Premier League-proven players who were ‘mature’ and ‘emotionally resilient’, as they leave their youth-driven transfer policy behind after another mightily underwhelming campaign under BlueCo’s stewardship. Welbeck certainly brings all of that in abundance despite being in the twilight of his career. He wouldn’t be making up the numbers, either. Despite now being 35, the Brighton striker is fresh from the best goal-scoring campaign of his 18-year Premier League career to date (13), with his second-highest tally coming in 2024-25. He has even plundered nine goals and two assists in 19 league appearances against Chelsea, with his first coming for Sunderland way back in 2010 and his most recent in April this year. He looks set to play second fiddle to Joao Pedro, which means the Blues have work to do in terms of outgoings with Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Emmanuel Emegha and Shim Mheuka among the many strikers on their books. Signing Welbeck is obviously a short-term play, but Chelsea will hope his presence and leadership can have a long-term effect. He has demonstrated that he is still perfectly capable of delivering. Grade: B+

July 30: John Stones (Man City to Inter, free)

July 30: Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace to Chelsea, £52m)

July 23: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, £116m)

July 23: Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea to Aston Villa, loan)

July 23: Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge to Arsenal, £34m)

July 23: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, €29m)

July 21: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa to Chelsea, £117m)

July 14: Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa to Manchester United, £35m)

July 13: Andrey Santos (Chelsea to Manchester United, £50m)

July 6: Sandro Tonali (Newcastle to Tottenham, £100m)

July 5: Denzel Dumfries (Inter to Real Madrid, €20m)

July 2: Mateus Fernandes (West Ham to Tottenham, £85m)

July 1: Ismael Saibari (PSV to Bayern Munich, €50m)

July 1: Marco Palestra (Atalanta to Chelsea, £47m)

June 30: Goncalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain to AC Milan, €75m)

June 18: Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton to Tottenham, £52m)

June 18: Victor Munoz (Osasuna to Liverpool, £34.5m)

June 18: Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool to Real Madrid, free)

June 17: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City to Real Madrid, free)

June 15: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea to Real Madrid, €60m)

June 5: Andy Robertson (Liverpool to Tottenham, free)

May 29: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle to Barcelona, €80m)

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