Tottenham and Newcastle Spend Big: Premier League Transfer Round Up
- Angus Kearney
- Jul 16
- 8 min read
With the Club World Cup concluding last weekend, it’s full steam ahead to the Premier League season. Clubs are beginning their run of pre-season friendlies, and new signings continue to enter the fray. Check out all the deals from last week in the Premier League’s summer transfer window.
Mohammed Kudus - West Ham to Tottenham, £55m
Tottenham confirmed the signing of 24-year-old Ghanaian attacking midfielder Mohammad Kudus from West Ham on a six-year deal worth £55m. He is the first player to join Tottenham from West Ham in 14 years.
Kudus scored five goals and added four assists in 24 West Ham appearances last season, which was a dip in production from his first season in England, where he scored 14 with six assists. He can deploy in several attacking roles, most commonly playing as either a right winger or a number ten.
Quick feet and pace are two of his best qualities, as well as the ability to either drive to the byline and cross with his right foot or cut in and shoot with his left. Out of possession, he's a tenacious presser of the football.
For Spurs, injury issues meant they used several players in the number ten position last campaign. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Pape Sarr, and Wilson Odobert all deployed behind the striker at times.
Brennan Johnson played regularly out on the right, finishing the season as the club’s top scorer. This likely won't change under Thomas Frank, who is a fan of Johnson’s; he attempted to sign him while he was at Brentford.
It’s an expensive but valuable signing for Tottenham. If Kudus can recapture his form from two seasons ago, it will look like a bargain in six months.
Anthony Elanga - Nottingham Forest to Newcastle, £55m
After several failed attempts at big summer transfers from Newcastle United, who’d been heavily linked with Mohammad Kudus and João Pedro, the Magpies finally landed a major signing this week in Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. The rapid 23-year-old Swede joins in a deal worth £55m.
Elanga didn’t push for the move, and Forest were reluctant to let him leave. But the money proved too good to refuse for Forest, whose transfer policy is to buy young players like Elanga and move them on for a profit, wrote the BBC.
Elanga is an immediate boost to the Newcastle starting 11, with Eddie Howe’s side requiring additional depth after earning Champions League qualification on the last day of the 24/25 Premier League season.
Elanga scored six goals and added 12 assists in 43 matches for Forest last season. Clocking in as the fifth fastest player in the league, his abilities align perfectly with Newcastle’s counter-attacking football. His addition also adds stiff competition for places with Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, who both enjoyed solid but not stellar 24/25 campaigns.
Newcastle and Eddie Howe will be very pleased with the signing, and Elanga should make an immediate impact. For Forest, it leaves another hole to fill in a side that performed so well last season, with Morgan Gibbs-White also rumored to be on his way out.
Djordje Petrovic - Chelsea to Bournemouth, £25m
Bournemouth announced the signing of 25-year-old Serbian goalkeeper Djorde Petrovic from Chelsea on a five-year deal. Petrovic joins from Chelsea, though he spent last season on loan with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
Bournemouth were in the market for a new first-choice goalkeeper after the conclusion of Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan. The Spaniard was a key player for Bournemouth last season, featuring in 31 Premier League matches.
Petrovic featured for Chelsea during the 2023/24 season, making 23 Premier League appearances, but didn’t feature as part of Enzo Maresca’s plans when he joined the club last summer.
During that 2023/24 season, Petrovic ranked 19th in the league for goals prevented with -8.9, a statistic that compares goals conceded to the quality of shots faced. This was the lowest number in the league that year.
While his statistics improved last year in Ligue 1, ranking fifth in goals prevented and third in clean sheets, it’s unclear whether Petrovic can cut it as a first-choice Premier League goalkeeper. Bournemouth should look at adding another keeper just in case.
Simon Adingra - Brighton to Sunderland, £20.5m
Sunderland confirmed their sixth signing of the summer in Brighton and Ivory Coast left-winger Simon Adingra, who joins on a five-year deal for a £20.5m fee. The 23-year-old made 70 appearances in two seasons at Brighton after joining from Union St. Gilloise, scoring 12 goals and adding five assists. All five of his goals last season came in the first half of the season, with Adingra’s form and playing time dropping in 2025.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler told Adingra he could not guarantee him regular game time, which led to the player and club deciding to part ways. The left winger should see regular playing time for Sunderland, who last year rotated players at the left midfield position. 22-year-old Romaine Mundle held the position regularly for the second half of last season, but Adingra’s quality and Premier League experience should mean he overtakes Mundle for the first-choice spot.
Adingra is a direct goalscoring winger who prefers to cut in on his right foot and shoot, then cross with his left. His ability to get up the pitch quickly will help Sunderland break out of their defensive shape. At £20.5m, he would be an exciting signing for any Premier League side.
El Hadji Malick Diouf - Slavia Prague to West Ham, £19m
West Ham announced their first real summer signing this week in Malick Diouf, who joins from Czech side Slavia Prague in a deal worth £19m. Before this, West Ham had only completed the signings of Jean-Clair Todibo, who had been on loan with West Ham last year, and teenager Daniel Cummings, who joined the U21s.
Diouf is a left-wing back who can also play in midfield. For Slavia Prague, he often played as a left-wing back in a 3-4-3, while he plays as a more traditional left-back for his national team, Senegal.
West Ham often employ a 3-4-3, or a 3-4-1-2 under Graham Potter, meaning Diouf could be expected to operate in that wing-back position for West Ham. The club needed a new left-back, as Aaron Cresswell left the club this summer, and 30-year-old Brazilian Emerson seemingly fell out of favor with Potter towards the end of the season.
Diouf scored seven goals and added three assists in 41 appearances for Slavia Prague last year. His left foot is his best attribute, as he likes to take shots from distance, and delivers good crosses from that left side.
He’s an interesting signing for West Ham, if somewhat an unknown quantity, but after such a poor showing last year, fans will be hoping this move signals the start of more regular activity in the market.
Christian Nørgaard - Brentford to Arsenal, £15m
Arsenal confirmed the signing of Brentford central midfielder Christian Nørgaard this week. The 31-year-old Danish international joins in a deal worth £15m. The signing means Arsenal have now fully replaced their midfield department after losing Thomas Partey and Jorginho earlier this summer.
Nørgaard has been a Premier League regular since Brentford earned promotion to the Premier League, making 122 appearances in the last four seasons. Last year, he made 24 Premier League appearances, scoring five goals and adding four assists. He ranked in the 90th, 88th, and 74th percentile, respectively, for interceptions, blocks, and tackles per 90 amongst midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.
Nørgaard will likely play much less for Arsenal than he did for Brentford, with Martin Zubimendi joining last week from Real Sociedad, meaning that Nørgaard is expected to operate as a back-up number six. However, with Champions League football, the Dane will still see regular playing time.
Nørgaard’s experience and price tag make this a strong signing for Arsenal. There is little financial risk and a near guarantee of consistent performance. While he may not have much resale value, it’s a smart signing from Arsenal.
Jordan Henderson - Ajax to Brentford, free
After two years away from the Premier League with Saudi Arabian side Al Ettifaq and then Ajax in Amsterdam, Jordan Henderson returns to England on a free transfer, signing for Brentford.
After losing Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal, Brentford needed a new number six, and in Henderson, they have one of the most experienced options available, with 431 appearances in 14 Premier League seasons.
The question is whether Henderson is still up to playing the Premier League at 35 years old. His move to Saudi Arabia looked like it spelled the end of his time at the highest level. But since moving to Ajax, Henderson's steady form continued, making 45 appearances, including 15 in the Europa League, and returning to the England side under Thomas Tuchel.
He’s rarely struggled with injury and appears still to have gas in the tank. On a free transfer, it’s savvy business from Brentford.
Jacob Bruun Larsen - Stuttgart to Burnley, undisclosed
Burnley agreed a deal to sign Danish striker Jacob Bruun Larsen from VFB Stuttgart. Bruun Larsen spent the 23/24 season on loan with Burnley in the Premier League, where he scored six goals in 32 appearances as the club was relegated.
Burnley reportedly attempted to sign the 26-year-old permanently last summer, but a deal couldn’t be agreed upon. Instead, he returned to the Bundesliga, where he scored three goals in 27 appearances for Hoffenheim and then Stuttgart.
Bruun Larsen’s one season in the Premier League was a general success despite the club's relegation. His seven goals included notable finishes in wins over Luton Town and Sheffield United.
Burnley was in the market for strikers this summer, as their top scorer in the Championship last season was midfielder Josh Brownhill, followed by striker Zian Flemming, who was on loan from Millwall. Rumored to have cost only £4m, a cheap striker with Premier League experience is good business, but they need more.
Mark Travers - Bournemouth to Everton, £4m
Everton completed the signing of Bournemouth and Ireland goalkeeper Mark Travers, who joins as a backup for Jordan Pickford. The 26-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with Middlesbrough in the Championship, where he made 17 appearances.
Everton announced earlier in the summer that backup goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and Joao Virginia would both be leaving the club upon the expiration of their contracts, so they were in the market for additional goalkeepers.
Young for a goalkeeper and with solid professional experience, Travers is a steady backup for the Toffees.
Borna Sosa - Ajax to Crystal Palace, £3m
Crystal Palace confirmed their second signing of the summer in Croatian left-back Borna Sosa. The 26-year-old joins on a three-year deal from Ajax, though he spent last season on loan with Torino.
Sosa joined Ajax in 2023 after a successful five-year spell in Germany with VFB Stuttgart. His one season with Ajax saw him log five assists in 25 appearances, but he didn’t log any goals or assists in his 20 matches with Torino last year.
Sosa will provide cover for first-choice left-back Tyrick Mitchell, with Ben Chillwell returning to Chelsea after his loan spell. Palace haven’t made any big moves in the window so far, but have managed to keep hold of their stars, which is arguably more important for them at this point.
Jair Cunha - Botafogo to Nottingham Forest, undisclosed
Nottingham Forest confirmed the signing of 20-year-old Brazilian central defender Jair Cunha this week. Cunha is the second player to join Forest from Brazilian side Botafogo this summer, following Igor Jesus, who joined last week.
Standing 6’6 inches tall, Cunha is a towering presence in both boxes. He scored twice in 21 appearances for Botafogo this year, including one goal in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Forest will hope Cunha can follow in the footsteps of compatriot Murillo. The fellow center back has cemented himself as a Premier League regular for Forest since joining from Corinthians in 2023. It’s a promising signing with strong resale value that fits the club’s transfer policy.
Marco Bizot - Brest to Aston Villa, undisclosed
Aston Villa confirmed the signing of 34-year-old Dutch goalkeeper Marco Bizot from Ligue 1 side Brest for an undisclosed fee. Bizot will join as a backup for Emiliano Martinez.
Bizot made 148 appearances in four seasons for Brest and appeared once for the Dutch national team in 2020.
Check back next Wednesday with Grubby Balls for all the Premier League's latest confirmed deals!
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