Deadline day is now upon us, with the summer transfer window in England slamming shut at 23:00 GMT on Friday 30 August.
A total of 130 players have already made the move to the English Premier League this summer, although spending volumes have fallen when compared with previous windows due to the constraints imposed by profit and sustainability rules.
It’s not expected that we’ll see fireworks on deadline day, although high-profile players like Jadon Sancho and Raheem Sterling could still be on the move. You can bet with 1Win on any remaining transfer deals, and there’s always a few surprises as the window closes.
Regardless, let’s take a closer look at the best summer deadline deals in history and the impact that they had on the Premier League!
1. Cole Palmer, Manchester City to Chelsea
Pep Guardiola’s judgement of players is usually impeccable, but the decision to sell Cole Palmer to rivals Chelsea rather than simply affording the midfielder more game time is questionable at best.
Palmer actually started last season in the City first team, scoring in both the Community Shield against Arsenal and the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla. However, he subsequently moved to Chelsea for an initial £40 million, before going on to enjoy a stellar personal season amid the ongoing chaos at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer scored a staggering 22 goals in just 33 EPL games for the Blues, while also contributing 11 assists. In all competitions, he recorded 42 goal involvements in just 48 matches (27 goals and 15 assists), while the burgeoning 2024/25 campaign has already seen him produce one goal and three assists in three games.
His highlights so far have included a match-winning hattrick against Manchester United, alongside the four superb goals he scored in the 6-0 demolition of Everton in April. He even scored for England in the UEFA European Championship final this summer, and continues to have a remarkable impact whenever he plays.
2. Claude Makelele, Real Madrid to Chelsea
Of course, Chelsea have historic form in the summer transfer market, with another deadline deal in 2003 seeing them snap up defensive midfielder Claude Makelele for just £16.8 million.
The understated Frenchman was one of the first signings of the Roman Abramovich revolution at the Bridge, and he quickly became a rock in front of the Chelsea back four. His incredible positional sense and tackling ability was crucial during defensive transitions, with Makelele becoming particularly influential in Jose Mourinho’s title winning side in 2004/05.
This season saw the Blues amass 95 points and concede just 15 goals in 38 matches. Makelele was key in this regard, while the former Real Madrid anchor won two titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup during his time in West London.
In many ways, Makelele redefined how defensive midfielders were perceived in the UK, and few players have performed this role to the same level since.
3. Manuel Akanji, Borussia Dortmund to Man City
While Guardiola may have dropped the ball with Cole Palmer, he struck deadline day gold with the signing of the outstanding Manuel Akanji in 2022. The powerful 29-year-old defender was captured from Borussia Dortmund for just £15 million, while he slotted seamlessly into Pep’s defence and quickly got to grips with the physicality of the Premier League.
Incredibly, his debut season saw him help City to the coveted treble of EPL, FA Cup and Champions League titles, before he added the Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to cap a remarkable 2023 for the Swiss international.
Akanji played 30 top-flight matches for City in 2022/23, while also fulfilling a number of different defensive positions. He’s also enduringly comfortable on the ball and an excellent ball carrier, which is key in City’s positional and possession-based style of play.
Akanji has only recently entered his peak years too, so he could well prove to be one of the best bargain buys in the history of summer deadline day!
