Gyökeres joins the Gunners and Xhaka Returns: Premier League Done Deals July 23rd to 30th

As July comes to a close and we enter the final month of the summer transfer window, Premier League teams continue to make big moves in the market in preparation for the new campaign. Below are all the confirmed deals from the last week of transfer action.

Viktor Gyökeres - Sporting Lisbon to Arsenal, £63.5m 

Photo via Reuters

After weeks of negotiation, Arsenal finally confirmed the signing of Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres. The 27-year-old joins on a five-year deal worth £63.5m from Sporting Lisbon. Arsenal have been on the hunt for a frontman for several seasons now; Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are the two most recent attempts at acquiring a striker, but neither was able to cement themselves as a reliable Premier League number nine.

In Gyökeres, Mikel Arteta has acquired one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. After joining Brighton in 2018 from Brommapojkarna in Sweden, Gyökeres spent several years going out on loan before leaving the club to join Coventry City. Gyökeres flourished in the Championship, scoring 40 goals in 97 appearances and earning a move to Portugal with Sporting Lisbon. His record on the continent is nothing short of remarkable, scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances.

He’s a quick and powerful striker who's at his best when stretching the back line, chasing down through balls, or driving with the ball into the opposition's half. He isn’t an aerial powerhouse, nor is he a traditional target man who will hold up the ball against a physical defender, so it will be interesting to see how he performs when up against lower-tier Premier League opposition.

Gyökeres’s signature was one of the most coveted in Europe for a reason; his numbers are on par with Haaland’s at Borussia Dortmund, even if the league he played in was not nearly as competitive. The price is also somewhat reasonable in this day and age–a good coup for Mikel Arteta, and an exciting prospect to watch for all Premier League fans.

James Trafford - Burnley to Man City, £31m

Photo via Rex Features

Manchester City confirmed the signing of 22-year-old English goalkeeper James Trafford for £31m, the highest ever fee for a British goalkeeper. Trafford spent his youth career at Manchester City before leaving the club in 2023 to join Burnley.

Trafford is expected to compete with Ederson for the number 1 spot in Pep Guardiola’s side, with backup goalkeeper Stefan Ortega now looking to leave the club, reported Yahoo Sports. Ederson has been Pep Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper for eight seasons, but his long-term future is uncertain, with several links away from the club appearing this summer. 

Statistically, Ederson is still solid. His goals prevented stats ranked in the Premier League’s top three last season, and his save percentage remained steady at 66.4%, which, while low compared to other goalkeepers in Europe, is consistent with his performances in recent seasons.

Trafford has long been considered England’s future number 1 and successor to Jordan Pickford. When Manchester City allowed the player to leave two years ago, under the impression that he was not yet the finished article, they placed a clause in the contract allowing them to match any future offers for the player.

Since then, Trafford has improved in all aspects of his game. Despite a shaky first season in the Premier League with Burnley, Trafford excelled last year in a record-breaking Championship defense. He led the division in clean sheets, save percentage, and goals prevented. 

Trafford isn’t joining Manchester City to sit on the bench, so an exciting battle between the young Englishman and the veteran Brazilian is likely to ensue. For Manchester City, that’s great news in both the short and long term.  

Granit Xhaka - Bayer Leverkusen to Sunderland, £17.3m

Photo via Times Photographer Marc Aspland

Sunderland announced their seventh signing of the summer in former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka. The 32-year-old Switzerland international, who went from zero to hero in his seven years at Arsenal, joins in a deal worth £17.3m.

Before this move, most of Sunderland’s business was directed towards young players with strong resale value. Simon Adingra, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, and Chelmsdine Talbi are all 23 or younger. Xhaka represents a move towards Premier League-proven experience, which is an important balance to strike in a newly promoted Premier League side.

Since leaving Arsenal in 2023, Xhaka has made 99 appearances for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, helping them lift the league title in 23/24. In his two seasons in Germany, the central midfielder notched six goals and nine assists, and ranked in the 98th and 97th percentile, respectively, for completed passes per 90 and progressive passes per 90, amongst midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues. Xhaka does his best work linking up the play in midfield with his passing range, and has a cracking left-footed strike from distance.

Xhaka should be one of the first names on the team sheet when Sunderland kick off the Premier League season, and he’ll bring a hefty dose of quality and leadership to the young side. It may spell the end for some young Sunderland players, like Dan Neil and Chris Rigg, as the club is now loaded with central midfielders. If his legs can still hold up to the pace of the Premier League, Xhaka could play a huge role in keeping Sunderland in the top flight. 

Lucas Perri - Lyon to Leeds United, £15.6m

Photo via Getty Images

Leeds United confirmed the signing of 27-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Olympique Lyonnais in a deal worth £15.6m. Perri spent one full season with Lyon after joining from Brazilian side Botafogo in 2024.

Last campaign, Perri made 45 appearances for Lyon, keeping ten clean sheets, and preventing 6.1 goals, which ranked him seventh in Ligue 1. Perri is expected to be the first-choice goalkeeper at the start of next season, reported The Athletic. 

This comes after long-serving Leeds goalkeeper Ilan Meslier endured a difficult end to the Championship campaign, in which Daniel Farke benched him for the final seven games of the season. 

Perri has enough experience to prove he’s likely up to snuff, while also being a target that didn’t break the bank for Leeds. If it doesn’t work out, Leeds still have Meslier, who's done it at Premier League level before, but should have some additional motivation now that a replacement has arrived.

Jhon Arias - Fluminense to Wolves, £15m

Photo via Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves completed the signing of 27-year-old Colombian winger Jhon Arias from Fluminense, in a deal worth £15m, with £4m in potential add-ons. Arias is the second attacking midfielder to join the club since the departure of Matheus Cunha for Manchester United, after Fer Lopez signed last month. 

A fantastic dribbler and a showman with the ball, Arias joined Fluminense in 2021 and made 230 appearances for the Brazilian side, scoring 47 goals and adding 45 assists. He has appeared 31 times for the Colombian national team. Arias can play on either wing or as a number ten.

After losing star man Matheus Cunha, Wolves look to be replacing his productivity with multiple players who can provide similar numbers when combined. While Arias may take some time to develop in the Premier League, he should be a fun player to watch once he settles in, and he’ll replace some of the creative flair lost with Cunha’s departure.

Cristhian Mosquera - Valencia to Arsenal, £13m

Photo via Getty Images

Arsenal completed the signing of 21-year-old defender Christhian Mosquera from Valencia for a fee of £13m. The right-footed Spanish center back appeared in almost every La Liga match for Valencia over the last two seasons after rising through the club’s youth ranks.

Mosquera is viewed as a prospect for the future who can provide support for William Saliba when needed, wrote The Athletic. He’s a rough diamond, whose 6’3 frame and pace provide an excellent base for a modern central defender, but he is still prone to some tactical lapses.

Expect to see Mosquera making off-the-bench appearances in the league and stepping in as cover in cup competitions.

Adam Aznou - Bayern Munich to Everton, £10m

Photo via Bayern Munich

Everton confirmed the signing of 19-year-old Moroccan left-back Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the range of £10m. Aznou initially developed in Barcelona’s academy before making the switch to Germany.

Aznou is now the second left-back on Everton’s books behind first choice Vitali Mykolenko, after veteran Ashley Young departed the club earlier this summer. Everton reportedly believes Aznou is one of the most promising full-backs in European football.

The quick, technical player, who has the dribbling abilities of a winger, spent last season on loan in La Liga with Real Valladolid, making 13 appearances. He’s also earned three caps from the Moroccan national team, providing one assist in AFCON qualifiers.

Aznou is an exciting buy for Everton, not least because he represents a change in transfer strategy for the club. This time last year, Everton were renewing the contract of 39-year-old Ashley Young, so it’s exciting for Everton supporters to see a young prospect from one of Europe's elite academies come through the doors. 

Benjamin Lecomte - Montpellier to Fulham, undisclosed

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Fulham completed their first signing of the summer in 34-year-old French goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte from Ligue 2 side Montpellier. Lecomte made 82 appearances in three seasons at the club.

Lecomte will provide cover and competition for first-choice Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. It’s been a quiet summer so far for Fulham, and fans will hope this first signing is indicative of more to come. 

Check back next Wednesday with Grubby Balls for all the Premier League's latest confirmed deals!