Browsing: Transfers

• 

  Beth LindopOct 11, 2025, 04:07 AM ET

  Close

  Based in Liverpool, Beth Lindop is ESPN’s Liverpool correspondent and also covers the WSL and UWCL.

With 33 minutes on the clock against Chelsea, Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch looked down at the turf as an ironic cheer sounded around Stamford Bridge. The Dutchman’s miscued pass for teammate Milos Kerkez had trickled straight out of play, and on an evening when a late strike from Estêvão condemned Liverpool to a third-successive defeat in all competitions, Gravenberch’s error served as a neat encapsulation of his team’s current struggles.

Sloppy, disjointed and low on confidence, Arne Slot’s side looks like a shadow of the team that romped to the Premier League title last term, with last weekend’s 2-1 defeat in West London following back-to-back away defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.

“The decision-making could’ve been better,” Slot said in his post-match news conference last Saturday. “It’s fine margins like it’s been for as long as I’ve been here. Last week, same as this week — two difficult away games — the fine margins haven’t been in our favor.”

After being the beneficiaries of so many late goals in the early weeks of the season, Liverpool are now falling foul of those “fine margins” and have been usurped by Arsenal at the top of the table.

– Connelly: The best teams in Europe right now: Bayern setting the tone
– Wright: Højlund, Rashford latest stars to shine since leaving Man United
– Leicester City’s Premier League triumph, 10 years later

Of course, there is a sense of perspective needed. This is the first time in Slot’s managerial career he has lost three games in a row, and his team still sits in second place, just one point behind Mikel Arteta’s side. There is still plenty of time for Liverpool to salvage the season, with its £450 million worth of summer signings likely to find their groove sooner rather than later.

That said, there can be no escaping the fact that Slot’s side does not currently look like a team poised to defend their Premier League crown. So where is it all going wrong? And how can Liverpool turn things around?

“Winning” the transfer window doesn’t always equal success

Mohamed Salah, left, and Alexander Isak, right, have struggled this season. Visionhaus/Getty Images

When Liverpool rounded off an unprecedented summer of spending with the £125 million British-record addition of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak on deadline day, it looked like the perfect end to one of the most impressive transfer windows of all time.

Isak became the Reds’ seventh first-team arrival, following the signings of Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, Bournemouth’s Kerkez, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Parma’s Giovanni Leoni. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili — who had agreed a move the previous summer from Valencia but spent the 2024-25 season back on loan in Spain — also joined up with Slot’s squad.

Just months after winning the title by a 10-point margin, it seemed Liverpool had made themselves even stronger, and they were instantly marked out as the team to beat in the Premier League. However, “winning” the transfer window does not always equate to success on the pitch, and Liverpool’s summer of change has left Slot’s side looking like a team in transition.

Last season, consistency was key to the team’s success, evidenced by the fact Slot was able to name the same starting XI more times in a single campaign (seven) than his predecessor Jürgen Klopp managed in his 491 games in charge (five).

Central to that continuity was the robustness of Liverpool’s midfield, with the trio of Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister starting 28 of the club’s 56 games in all competitions. So far this season, those three players have only started in midfield together twice, with Mac Allister still playing catchup after missing the majority of preseason with an unspecified injury and Szoboszlai often being deployed at right back.

play

2:01

Lindop: No cause for panic with Wirtz’s slow start at Liverpool

Beth Lindop explains why she believes Florian Wirtz will come good for Liverpool, despite a slow start to his Premier League career.

Instead, it is Wirtz who — more often than not — has been handed a starting berth in midfield. But, having arrived at Anfield for £100 million as one of the most talked-about young players in Europe, the 22-year-old’s performances are yet to live up to the noise. In his nine games this term, Wirtz has failed to register a goal or assist, with legendary Premier League striker Wayne Rooney claiming he “damages the balance” of Slot’s side.

“I’ve seen players come into this league, and it takes time,” the former Manchester United forward said on The Wayne Rooney Show last month. “It’s not the price tag. It’s not the player or his ability. I don’t see where he fits into what Liverpool do in that system.”

It was, perhaps, a harsh assessment. Only Cody Gakpo has created more chances for Liverpool than Wirtz in the Premier League this season, and the Germany international has offered enough glimpses of quality to suggest he could yet be a success for Slot’s side.

Still, he has not hit the ground running, and the same can be said of Isak, though there is mitigation for the striker’s slow start. The Sweden international arrived on Merseyside lacking match fitness, having spent much of the summer on strike in a bid to force through a transfer from Newcastle United. He has started just four games for his new club and, despite assisting Gakpo to score the equalizer against Chelsea last weekend, he still looks some way off full fitness.

At the other end of the pitch, both Kerkez and Frimpong have struggled to deliver consistently, while Leoni — who looked impressive on his debut against Southampton last month — is set to miss the rest of the campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

So far, striker Ekitike has been the overwhelming standout among Liverpool’s new recruits, with four goals and an assist in his nine appearances this term. However, the France international missed his team’s trip to Selhurst Park through suspension, while he was relegated to the bench against Chelsea after being forced off with a knock against Galatasaray.

For all the attention Liverpool garnered for their summer of heavy spending, it looks at present like the costliest aspect of their transfer business came with the failure to sign defender Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace. Sources told ESPN that club chairman Steve Parish accepted Liverpool’s £35 million offer on deadline day, with the player having been granted permission to have a medical.

However, Palace withdrew from the deal at the 11th hour after being unable to secure their preferred replacement and, while the feeling at Liverpool is that the defense is well-stocked without him, Guehi’s calm and composure would have been a welcome addition to a backline that has looked worryingly porous this term.

play

1:07

Moreno: Mo Salah could be dropped for Liverpool

Alejandro Moreno discusses the possibility of Mo Salah being dropped from Liverpool’s starting XI.

Experienced stars failing to shine

Despite their Premier League success last season, it always looked like it would be a big summer for Liverpool, with replacements needed for a number of key players.

Sources told ESPN that defender Trent Alexander-Arnold informed Slot of his decision to join Real Madrid as a free agent back in March, while forward Luis Díaz (who transferred to Bayern Munich for £65.5 million) was also eager to leave the club, having first expressed a desire to seek a new challenge in the summer of 2024.

Elsewhere, striker Darwin Núñez was keen to move to Saudi Arabia after Liverpool had blocked a move in the January window, while the decline of defender Andy Robertson last season made the need to sign a new left back pressing. The tragic death of forward Diogo Jota in July devastated the club emotionally and, on a practical level, also exacerbated Liverpool’s need for attacking reinforcements.

Considering the five aforementioned players averaged 2,723 minutes of competitive action last term, it was always likely the Reds would need some time to adjust to their new personnel. What has made that transition harder, though, is the fact that a number of Liverpool’s existing stars are not performing at their usual level.

The most obvious example is Mohamed Salah, whose drop-off in form was analyzed in depth by ESPN’s Ryan O’Hanlon earlier this week. The Egypt international has been Liverpool’s talisman since joining the club in 2017 and enjoyed an extraordinary individual campaign last season, with 34 goals and 23 assists in all competitions.

This season, however, Salah has struggled to hit the same heights, with his non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists (npxG+xA) per 90 minutes currently sitting at 0.34. By comparison, last season he averaged 0.87 npxG+xA per 90 minutes, with the average across his Liverpool career totaling 0.79. The 33-year-old has also attempted just 11 non-penalty shots in seven Premier League games this season, down from 22 after the same number of matches last term.

At the other end of the pitch, Liverpool’s central defensive partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté does not look as formidable as it did in 2024-25. Already this season, Slot’s side have conceded nine league goals; a threshold they didn’t meet until December last season.

At right back, academy product Conor Bradley has lacked the discipline and dynamism that made him such an exciting prospect when he broke into the first team under Klopp in 2023-34; while, in midfield, Mac Allister looks like a pale imitation of the player who deservedly earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year for 2025.

So far, the introduction of several new faces to a group of players operating well below their usual standard has proved a troubling combination.

play

2:10

Why Laurens blames Slot for Liverpool’s defeat to Galatasaray

Julien Laurens tells Gab Marcotti that Arne Slot’s Liverpool team selection didn’t make sense in their defeat to Galatasaray.

Tough start has compounded struggles

Alongside the plethora of problems plaguing Liverpool at the moment is a relatively simple fact that has perhaps been overlooked: The champions have had a very tough start.

When assessing the difficulty of each Premier League team’s first five fixtures, Opta ranked Liverpool fifth, behind Manchester United, Arsenal, Bournemouth and Everton. While the Gunners deserve enormous credit for having navigated difficult away trips to Old Trafford, Anfield and St. James’ Park, Slot’s side have also had a very tricky run.

All of ESPN. All in one place.

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

In their seven league games this season, Liverpool have played five of the current top eight. Of course, it is still very early days and the table is yet to fully take shape, but the Reds have so far encountered some of the division’s most in-form teams and have played just one of the current bottom six (Burnley, away from home).

Arsenal, by comparison, have already faced three of the bottom six at home (Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and West Ham United), with just two of their seven games coming against teams in the top eight (defeat away to Liverpool and draw at home to Manchester City).

Still, Arsenal have been impressive this term and, according to Opta, are the current favorites to win the title. Where Liverpool look unbalanced and defensively vulnerable, Arteta’s side look cohesive and well-structured and, with a relatively kind fixture list in the coming weeks, the Gunners could build up a healthy lead at the top.

That said, it is a long season. Between Nov. 22-Jan. 3, seven of Liverpool’s nine games are against teams that currently sit in the bottom half of the table. If they can stay within touching distance of Arsenal until then, there will still be all to play for.

However, if Liverpool can’t find solutions to the problems that have blighted the early months of their season, they could soon find themselves with too much to do.

“It was always going to be a difficult season”

play

1:53

Arne Slot moved by ‘powerful’ Diogo Jota tribute at Anfield

Arne Slot reflects on an emotional victory for Liverpool over Bournemouth in their Premier League opener.

It is impossible to assess Liverpool’s start to the campaign without acknowledging the turmoil Slot and his players have had to endure this summer.

The loss of beloved striker Jota just a few months ago rocked the football world, and while it is difficult to measure how grief has affected performance levels, it stands to reason his passing will have a lasting impact on those who knew him best — something captain Van Dijk alluded to after the Chelsea game.

“It was always going to be a difficult season,” he said. “I mentioned it from the very start already. We have to go through this as one, not only us as players but also the staff, and our fans who celebrated being champions, which is something we shouldn’t forget.”

After all, it was not long ago that several members of the first-team squad looked visibly moved as supporters paid tribute to Jota during a preseason friendly against Preston North End. Even less time has elapsed since Salah broke down in tears on the pitch at Anfield as fans sang their No. 20’s name following Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over AFC Bournemouth.

The fact that Slot’s side are only a point off the top of the table, having had so much to contend with emotionally, warrants credit. Though Liverpool clearly have a number of issues to solve on the pitch, it is important to remember that footballers do not exist in a vacuum, and while the news cycle invariably moves on, the effects of grief can often be profound and enduring.

Source link

Money. It’s what makes the world go round. And it’s why, in their first 30 years of existence, Major League Soccer teams have been able to purchase some of the biggest stars in world soccer.

Arguably, the two most influential MLS signings – David Beckham and Lionel Messi – both arrived on free transfers. However, there are plenty of other players who joined MLS clubs for a mouth-watering fee.

We taking a look at the 10 most lucrative transfers in MLS history.

10. Aleksei Miranchuk: $13.8m (Atalanta to Atlanta United)

Alexei Miranchuk high fives his team-mates after scoring for Atlanta in July (Image credit: Kevin C. Cox – Leagues Cup/MLS via Getty Images)

Spoiler alert: six of the 12 most expensive transfers in MLS history have been Atlanta United signings, including Aleksey Miranchuk. After developing his talents at Lokomotiv Moscow, the Russian attacking midfielder spent four years in Serie A with Atalanta and Torino before making the move to Atlanta United on July 30, 2024.

Miranchuk joined Atlanta for $13.8m, according to Transfermarkt, signing a contract until the 2028 MLS season with the option for a further year. He’s emerged as a crucial figure in attack and a creative outlet with 11 goals and 7 assists in his first 45 appearances.

“I think Alexey has settled in now well and shown his quality – he’s essential,” stated Atlanta Utd commentator Jason Longshore to FourFourTwo. “It was too crowded in the areas where he thrived earlier this season, but he’s been so good as of late. He’s been the best player in the attack in 2025. I like the trio with him and Steven Alzate/Bartosz Slisz behind him as a building block for 2026.”

9. Brenner: $13.9m (Sao Paulo to FC Cincinnati)

Brazilian-born Brenner Souza da Silva has been loaned back to FC Cincinnati after requesting a transfer away in 2022 (Image credit: Getty Images)

After developing his skills at Sao Paulo, Brenner made the move to FC Cincinnati for a reported $13.9m, joining the club as a young Designated Player. Whilst he scored on his debut vs Nashville, he struggled to parlay that into consistent form in his debut season, scoring just 8 goals and 1 assist in 33 appearances.

The Brazilian striker found his footing in 2022, however, racking up 18 goals and 6 assists in 32 appearances. After growing unhappy at Cincinnati, he requested a transfer out, only to be denied his move. He remained for the entire season and helped them qualify for the playoffs for the first time before eventually getting his move.

He joined Udinese in the summer of 2023 but was unable to make his mark in Italy, scoring just twice in 19 appearances. It’s why, in August 2025, Brenner was loaned back to Cincinnati with an option to buy, where he’ll be looking to lead them to a deep postseason run.

You may like

8. Myrto Uzuni: $14m (Granada to Austin FC)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After bouncing around from Albania to Croatia to Hungary, Myrto Uzuni made the move to Spanish club Granada in January 2022. Unable to rescue them from relegation in his first few months, emerged as an attacking talisman and helped them return to LaLiga, racking up 49 goals and 8 assists in 106 matches.

It’s why Austin FC decided to sign him for a club-record $14m in January 2025; despite leaving midway through the season, he finished as the club’s top scorer in the Segunda. The 30-year-old striker struggled to get going in his first few months in Texas, but he’s managed to shake off that rust and get back to his best recently.

Uzuni has scored 7 goals and 3 assists in his first 26 appearances; out of those 10 goal contributions, 7 came since the start of July, with the Albanian stepping up in Brandon Vazquez’s absence and guiding them to the playoff spots.

7. Hirving Lozano: $14m (PSV to San Diego FC)

Hirving Lozano scored for Mexico vs Peru at the Rose Bowl in 2022 (Image credit: Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Eight months before taking to the pitch for their first-ever match, San Diego FC sent shockwaves throughout the USA by announcing the signing of Hirving Lozano for $14m. Over the past decade, Lozano had won the league title in Mexico, the Netherlands, and Italy, whilst he had also made a name for himself with the Mexican national team, writing his name into history with the winning goal vs. reigning champions Germany at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The nimble winger kicked off his MLS journey with a trip to 2024 MLS Cup winners LA Galaxy, where Lozano set up Anders Dreyer’s opening goal in the 52nd minute. Dreyer would complete his brace in extra time to secure a shock 2-0 win, with him and Lozano striking up a superb chemistry against the reigning champions of American soccer.

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

He hasn’t looked back since then, with the 30-year-old forward helping San Diego punch above their weight and soar to the top of the Western Conference.

6. Esequiel Barco: $14.4m (Independiente to Atlanta United)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If there’s one thing that Atlanta United know how to do, it’s sign South American players. The Five Stripes won the 2018 MLS Cup in their second season thanks to various South American stars like Josef Martinez, Miguel Almiron, and Esequiel Barco, with the latter joining from Independiente just 11 months prior for an MLS record fee of $14.4m.

Barco’s opening season was marred by an act of indiscipline, where he reportedly made romantic overtures towards his teammate Brandon Vazquez’s girlfriend, causing him to be suspended and dropped from the starting line-up. He never quite recovered from that and was unable to showcase his world-class potential in MLS over a consistent period.

The diminutive attacking midfielder struggled to find a consistent position in the team due to injuries, international call-ups, a pandemic and coaching turnover (six different managers in four years). He scored just 19 goals and 18 assists in 107 matches before making the move to River Plate in 2022; two years later, he joined Russian side Spartak Moscow.

You may like

5. Gonzalo Martinez: $17m (River Plate to Atlanta United)

Signed to replace Miguel Almiron, Gonzalo Martinez struggled to live up to the price tag during his time in MLS. Pity. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Barco lasted just a year as the most expensive transfer in MLS history before Gonzalo ‘Pity’ Martinez joined Atlanta United in January 2019 for $17m. However, he was unable to work under his compatriot Tata Martino, who departed the same month for the Mexican national team, and instead struggled to find his footing under Frank de Boer.

Having won the South American Footballer of the Year after leading River Plate to the Copa Libertadores, it seemed that MLS would be a walk in the park for Martinez. Instead, however, Martinez would struggle to fill Almiron’s void in attack, drifting in and out of games, turning over possession with regularity, and struggling to deliver a consistent end product.

Whilst he did manage to win the U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup in 2019, he never came close to justifying his price tag and translating those skills to the North American game. He departed in September 2020 and joined Saudi club Al-Nassr, spending three years there before returning to River Plate.

4. Thiago Almada: $16m (Velez Sarsfield to Atlanta United)

A diminutive Argentinian no.10 have lead to inevitable Messi comparisons for Thiago Almada (Image credit: Getty Images)

Unlike Martinez and Barco, Thiago Almada successfully lived up to his billing after joining Atlanta for a league-record $16 million. The Argentine attacking midfielder scored 26 goals and 24 assists in 83 appearances, winning the MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2022 and the MLS Younger Player of the Year in 2023.

He then made the move to Brazil in 2024, where in just a few months, he guided Botafogo to their first Copa Libertadores trophy as well as their first league title in 29 years. Almada then took his talents to Europe in January 2025, joining Lyon. He would last just a couple of months in France before moving to Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid.

After becoming the first active MLS player to win the World Cup in 2022, Thiago Almada is one of the many players in the mix for Argentina’s 2026 World Cup squad alongside the likes of Nico Paz, Marcos Senesi, and Matias Soule. And at just 24 years of age, he’s already being tipped as the long-term successor to Lionel Messi’s throne.

3. Kevin Denkey, $16.2m (Cercle Brugge to FC Cincinnati)

Kevin Denkey: a Togolese forward, with an English name, raised in France, made in Belgium and now playing in the USA (Image credit: Getty Images)

Born in Togo, Kevin Denkey moved to France at 12 years old, staying with his uncle in Paris before moving to Lyon to live with his aunt. He developed at Nimes’ academy before leaving for Belgium in 2021 and joining Cercle Brugge.

Denkey excelled at Brugge with 66 goals and 20 assists in 152 matches, earning the attention of Cincinnati, who shelled out a league-record $16.2 million for the Togolese striker in November 2024. Denkey quickly settled in Ohio, scoring in each of his first four matches.

The 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and 2 assists in 29 appearances for Cincy, elevating them to second in the East and third in the overall standings. Alongside the likes of Evander and Brenner, he looks set to play a pivotal role in attack and help Cincinnati achieve success.

2. Emmanuel Latte Lath: $22m (Middlesbrough to Atlanta United)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Denkey’s record fee would last just three months before being smashed by another West African forward – Emmanuel Latte Lath. Born in the Ivory Coast, Lath moved to Italy at a young age and developed at Atalanta’s academy, undergoing eight different loans before joining Middlesbrough on a permanent deal in 2023.

He didn’t need any time to settle in England’s second tier and quickly thrived in Boro’s attack, finishing as their top scorer in 2023/24 with 18 goals in all competitions. These stellar displays drew the attention of Atlanta United, who signed him for $22 million in February 2025.

Lath kicked off his time in Atlanta with five goals in his first six matches; since then, he’s scored just twice in 21 matches. With a contract until December 2028, there’s still ample time for him to turn it around, but it’s fair to say that he hasn’t quite paid off the investment thus far.

1. Heung-min Son: $26.5 (Tottenham to LAFC)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

From Olivier Giroud to Hugo Lloris to Giorgio Chiellini, LAFC have already signed their fair share of superstars, and the latest to make the move to BMO Stadium is Heung-min Son.

After getting his start in professional soccer in Germany, the South Korean forward made the move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2015, where he helped them go from midtable mediocrity to challenging for silverware, eventually leading them to a first trophy in 17 years.

Having staked his claim as one of the best players in England and a club icon, Son decided to ride off into the sunset and depart Spurs in August 2025, joining LAFC for a league-record $26.5 million. He’s kicked off his time in California with an assist vs. New England and a goal vs. Dallas, and he looks set to play a crucial role in the Black and Gold’s postseason ambitions.

Source link

Check out the significant signings and departures in the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, EFL and Women’s Super League.

Check out the significant signings and departures in the Premier League, Scottish Premiership, EFL and Women’s Super League.