Mikel Arteta's Arsenal sit at the Premier League summit after 22 games as we edge closer to the end of the 2025/26 season. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are hot on their tails in second, Unai Emery's Aston Villa are currently sat on the podium too, while the trio of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool – and even, surprisingly, Marco Silva's Fulham – are among those battling it out for the final spot in the top four.

Over the pre-season summer transfer window, in excess of 150 transfers were made across the Premier League for a monumental combined £3.19 billion, with several of those proving to be instant successes for their respective sides so far in the two months of top flight action.

Here, GIVEMESPORT runs through the 15 best summer signings made by Premier League clubs for the 2025/26 season with the ranking based on the following factors: their transfer fees, impact on their respetive clubs club so far and how that has matched up against the expectations of supporters.

15Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Leeds United

Leeds United have been crying out for a new centre-forward for a while and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, even though he is in the infant stages of his Elland Road career, has filled the goal-getting gap for Daniel Farke and his entourage. In a bid to revive his once-promising career, the 28-year-old striker has plundered nine goals and the solitary assist in 21 Premier League outings, proving that he still has plenty to give to a top flight side.

Once upon a time, Calvert-Lewin (before injuries somewhat derailed his career) was linked with a big-money move to the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United – but he was instead signed by Leeds in the summer of 2025 after he became a free agent. One goal in 10 appearances raised eyebrows at first, but he then struck seven times in six outings between November and December and Leeds' acquisition is proving shrewd.

14Jack Grealish - Everton

Jack Grealish has a point to prove to his parent club Manchester City during his loan spell at Everton this season, and the England winger started the campaign in incredible form for David Moyes' side – but he has experienced a downturn in performances as of late. Already, the England international has two goals and six assists to his name for the Toffees, and he once appeared to have rekindled the sort of form which saw Man City shell out £100 million to Aston Villa for his services in August 2021.

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Alongside Iliman Ndiaye, Grealish has been imperative to Everton's attack, but the fact that his most recent goal (coming late on against Bournemouth in a tricky 1-0 win) was so long ago harms his place on this list. It seems as if the need to perform out of his skin is somewhat getting to the tricky wide man. Grealish, after being reduced to cameos from the bench during the latter stages of his career under Pep Guardiola, has built up a level of resilience and the Hill Dickinson Stadium will be wishing that he can soon return to his best.

13Mohammed Kudus - Tottenham Hotspur

Mohammed Kudus made the trip across London from West Ham United to Tottenham Hotspur for £55m in the summer, and he has since proven to be one of Spurs' brightest lights so far this season. Spurs may sit 14th in the top-flight table in Thomas Frank's maiden campaign, and Ghanaian international Kudus has played a pivotal role in Frank's early days in the north of the capital, netting three times and providing a total of six assists thus far.

Kudus has missed the last few matches through a poorly-timed hamstring injury but will be raring to go once he returns from the treatment table. Despite his side's poor form as a whole, the winger's influence has been evident. The pacey winger could hold the key to Spurs flying up the table between now and the end of the campaign and his ability to produce a magical moment is imperative to their play.

12Robin Roefs - Sunderland

Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs arrived at Sunderland from NEC Nigmegen with very low expectations given that he wasn't very well-known in European circles but, amid Sunderland's roaring success in the summer transfer window, the 23-year-old has been one of the most important additions of the lot by bringing a calm and composed presence between the sticks. The imposing shot-stopper possesses decent handling and being quick of his line is a vital part of Sunderland's defensive structure.

Roefs, at this point in his career, is yet to play for the Netherlands senior side, but a call-up – and breaking his international duck as a result – will be on the cards if he continues to thwart some of the Premier League's deadliest forwards with his shot-stopping ability and positioning, which allows him to be in the right place at the right time.

11Nick Woltemade - Newcastle United

German striker Nick Woltemade arrived at Newcastle United from Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart for a club-record £69 million fee, and the 6'6" centre-forward has already endeared himself to the St James' Park faithful. Bremen-born Woltemade had exceptionally big boots to fill following the departure of Alexander Isak to Liverpool, but has already proven to be a real handful for Premier League defences to contend with, notching seven goals from his first 20 top-flight outings.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Woltemade is the first Newcastle United player to score on both his first Premier League start and first UEFA Champions League start for the Magpies.

Eddie Howe's side have endured a topsy-turvy season to date, but the solace for the Magpies is how quickly the 23-year-old striker has adapted to life in the Premier League, and his physical presence combined with his technical prowess will continue to be imperative for the Toon Army between now and the end of term. If Woltemade is firing on all cylinders, a spot in Europe is certainly still up for grabs.

10Noah Sadiki - Sunderland

21-year-old Noah Sadiki is the second of four Sunderland signings to feature, and has more than earned his place following his £15 million arrival from Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise in July. Under Regis Le Bris, the Black Cats enjoyed a exceptional start to their Premier League return and the energetic young central midfielder has been imperative to their efforts so far. Even during their slight fall-off, rain or shine, the DR Congo international has been an energetic presence in the middle of the park.

Taking his AFCON duty out of the question, the Congolese starlet has featured in all of Sunderland's league outings so far this season, starting all of their 18 outings he's been available for to date, and has been dubbed as the 'next N'Golo Kante' by the Wearside faithful for his incredible athleticism and ability to turn defence into attack with sharp interceptions.

9Gianlugi Donnarumma - Manchester City

Ederson was Manchester City's go-to choice between the sticks between 2017 and 2025, but Pep Guardiola believed that a change was needed in the summer window. The former four-in-a-row champions of England signed the experienced Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain as a result and the lofty Italian – renowned for his shot-stopping exploits – has been a revelation for the Catalonia-born tactician.

No longer are sides relying on goalkeepers to be handy with the ball at their feet and Donnarumma, still just 26 years of age, has benefitted from the tactical evolution at the pinnacle of English football. At the time of writing, the former AC Milan academy star has played every minute of City's Premier League season, which has left the young and exciting English stopper James Trafford settling for a place on the bench.

8Malick Thiaw - Newcastle United

The mastermind behind Newcastle United's defensive transformation, fans didn't know what to expect when Malick Thiaw moved from AC Milan in the summer months for a fee of around £31.3 million, which is now viewed as a shrewd addition given how rock solid he has been for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe and his entourage since putting pen to paper on a deal in the summer.

Dusseldorf-born Thiaw, 24, has featured alongside the likes of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn since his arrival from Serie A but a potential partnership between the German and Sven Botman has the potential to be one of the best in England's top flight. A mentality monster of sorts, the lofty centre-back is able to dominate with his aerial ability, sheer pace and composure on the ball.

7Estevao - Chelsea

Teenage winger Estevao has made the cut after notching nine goal contributions (six goals and a further three assists) in 28 appearances in all competitions already and that succeeds his exhilarating start to life at Stamford Bridge. The 18-year-old arrived from Palmeiras for an initial £29 million fee, after a deal was struck between the two clubs in the summer of 2024, and is the latest Brazilian to get Blues supporters off their seats.

As quoted by ESPN Brazil, ex-Chelsea and Brazil winger Willian has backed the youngster to help his former side to glory. He said of Estevao:

"He has great potential like Lamine Yamal, they have a similar style. I hope he can be very successful in England playing for Chelsea, that he can score a lot of goals in the Chelsea jersey and will help them to win titles.

With the exciting starlet amply impressing in the Champions League as well as the Premier League, he could very well go on to enjoy similar levels of success at Stamford Bridge akin to his compatriot Willian's.

6Nordi Mukiele - Sunderland

The third Sunderland star to enter the fray is French defender Nordi Mukiele, who has proven to be an inspired addition to the newly-promoted Black Cats' squad since his initial £9.5 million move from French – and European – champions Paris St-Germain. Mukiele, with his combination of aggression and athleticism, has made him a perfect addition to combat the rigours of top-flight football.

The versatile defender has also made an impact on Sunderland's attack, getting off the mark with his goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 2025 (in a game in which he won 15 duels), and wreaking havoc for opponents with his now-fashionable-again long-throw, affectionately dubbed the 'Mukiele missile' by the Wearside faithful. Regis Le Bris' men recruited well in the summer and Mukiele has been one of the best in the entire league.

5Martin Zubimendi - Arsenal

Arsenal completed the signing of Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in the summer window, and Mikel Arteta's compatriot has so far proven to have been an exceptional acquisition. Zubimendi, 26, has slotted into the Gunners' central midfield ranks with ease, notching seven goal contributions in 23 Premier League appearances for his side to help them to the top of the table.

Not only does he operate at the base of the north Londoners' engine room like a seasoned professional, but his excellent positioning also allows Declan Rice to make more of an impact in the final third. Just months into his Emirates Stadium career, it's becoming abundantly clear as to why Zubimendi was sought after by the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool. He's not been without his faults, though, and errors leading to goals – especially in Arsenal's 3-2 loss to United – proves there is still room for improvement.

4Bryan Mbeumo - Manchester United

Manchester United spent heavily this summer as former boss Ruben Amorim looked to rebuild from last season's disastrous 15th-placed finish, and frontman Bryan Mbeumo has undoubtedly been the greatest addition at Old Trafford. Cameroon international Mbeumo arrived at United from Brentford, after scoring 20 goals in the top flight last term, in a deal worth up to £71 million. Although the former Bees winger is one of the most expensive outlays on this list, his impact at the Red Devils cannot be understated.

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Mbeumo has fired eight goals and notched the additional assist in his 18 league outings so far to become the Red Devils' top goalscorer thus far and his ability to take the ball, protect it with his life, and spruce his side into an attacking force cannot be understated as they look to secure European football. Just look at how things went south when he left for Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) duty; that's life without Mbeumo.

3Rayan Cherki - Manchester City

A true maverick of the people's game, Manchester City and France playmaker Rayan Cherki has played his way into being one of the most exciting players in England's top flight. “Everyone knows what he can do," ex-Arsenal and Barcelona marksman Thierry Henry said ahead of his switch from France to England and, week on week, we're beginning to realise what the now-pundit means as Cherki continues to dazzle.

Cherki, who is just 22 years of age, combines trickery and excellent decision-making to pierce Premier League defences and his tally of nine goal contributions in just 959 minutes of top flight football proves the Lyon-born starlet has what it takes to feed Erling Haaland on a week-by-week basis. Although the youngster's Premier League career is just getting started, he's already made his mark as a rare breed of forward.

2Hugo Ekitike - Liverpool

Much of Liverpool's summer business was focused on the arrivals of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak but the player to make the biggest splash so far has been former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who failed to break in at Paris Saint-Germain earlier in his career. Silky yet powerful in a tussle, the Frenchman hit the ground running upon his Germany-to-England switch and has scored a total of eight Premier League goals.

Elegant enough to waltz past opposition with relative ease, the title-defending Reds look far less exciting without Ekitike leading the line – and while the currently-injured Isak continues to master his trade at Anfield, the six-cap, one-goal France international proves why Arne Slot emptied their pockets for one of the hottest strikers in world football. Overall, he's notched 12 goals and three assists in 30 matches.

1Granit Xhaka - Sunderland

Eyebrows were raised across the footballing world when the former Bundesliga champion arrived at newly-promoted Sunderland for £13 million, but Granit Xhaka has undoubtedly proven to be the most inspired signing of the Premier League season. After captaining Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible German title and a German Super Cup trophy in 2023/24, the former Arsenal midfielder returned to the Premier League to spearhead Sunderland's return to the English top flight.

Upon his arrival at the Stadium of Light, Xhaka told Sunderland's media: "I’m very proud to be here. When I spoke to the Club, I was excited and I felt the energy, and the mentality that all the people and players have. It’s exactly what I wanted, and I have a very good feeling."

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Survival in the Premier League was the perceived aim for Sunderland, but Le Bris' stunned their Premier League foes by climbing to fourth earlier in the season, and the Swiss captain was the ultimate catalyst to their early-season form. Xhaka has five assists and one goal to his Sunderland tally, having played all but 108 minutes for the Black Cats' in the Premier League this term.

At 33 years of age, the seasoned midfielder – thrust by his innate leadership abilities and dedication – is proving that age is just a number in football. For his captain's role in the Black Cats' stunning resurgence in late 2025, he more than earned the signing of the summer accolade, and that remains the case even if Sunderland have fallen off a cliff. If anyone is going to do so, Xhaka will be the player to get Le Bris' side back on track.

All statistics per Transfermarkt – correct as of 27/01/2026