One year on from a bumper 2025 summer Premier League window, we've decided to rate all 20 teams' incoming signings based on two key tenets: How the players fared in their first season at the club, and what scope there is for them to improve (or continue to excel) long-term.
The scoring system is simple enough: ESPN's Sam Tighe and Bill Connelly each rated the teams' business, awarding up to 10 points for how much of an impact their signings made last season (2025-26) and up to five points for possible future impact. That created a total score of 30, which was used to rank the teams from 1-20.
This scoring system was settled on because while many clubs live season to season, signing players with short-term goals in mind, it would not be fair to declare a signing a success or failure after just one year -- especially when certain clubs invested good money in young players who they hope will become cornerstones in the XIs for years to come.
Note: Bear in mind we've only assessed incoming signings, rather than business as a whole (which would have included outgoings). Any additions clubs made in January are also considered for the ranking.
20. WOLVES
Present score: 5/20 | Future score: 4/10 | TOTAL: 13/30
Wolves lost X-factor attacker Matheus Cunha to Manchester United last summer and needed to nail the recruitment in response. Spoiler alert: They did not.
Of the three summer signings in forward areas, Jhon Arias lasted just six months before returning to South America permanently, Fer López was loaned back to Spain in January, and Tolu Arokadare scored just three league goals for the campaign. Elsewhere, Jackson Tchatchoua's transfer cost €12.5 million but proved more of a sprinter than a Premier League-level footballer.
They were relegated with a whimper, with a poor haul of signings playing a major part in that. -- Tighe
19. BURNLEY
Present score: 3/20 | Future score: 7/10 | TOTAL: 10/30
The good: Fourteen newcomers accounted for 63% of Burnley's minutes, 68% of their goals, 65% of their assists, 61% of their progressive carries, 61% of their successful ground duels, 60% of their ball recoveries and 56% of their defensive interventions. Burnley would have been much worse off without a lot of these players, from 36-year-old Kyle Walker to 22-year-old Lesley Ugochukwu.
The bad: They were still awful. There are decent players here for the future, but this was still another very short Premier League stint for the Clarets. -- Connelly
18. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Present score: 5/20 | Future score: 6/10 | TOTAL: 11/30
Tottenham spent €265 million and forgot to sign anyone who could pass.
Ryan O'Hanlon wrote in April: "Passing is ... the force at the heart of the game that gives everything else meaning. So, how the heck does one of the richest teams in the world -- one that purports to be the modern example of what a soccer club is -- build a team with only two of the 150 best passers in its own league? ... You can't build a roster that can't pass unless you're systematically focused on a set of alternative player attributes that creates an institutional blind spot."
Xavi Simons is an exciting attacker who needed service from an uncharitable midfield. Mohammed Kudus wins one-vs.-ones and turns them into very little. Mathys Tel is still only 21 and could develop further but gave Spurs just four goals in 1,677 minutes. Midfielder Conor Gallagher can do a lot of good things but couldn't do the thing Spurs lacked from their midfield.
Spurs almost got relegated! There's no way to positively grade any of this transfer work. -- Connelly
17. FULHAM
Present score: 5/20 | Future score: 6/10 | TOTAL: 11/30
With all the money Premier League clubs spent in 2025-26 -- a lot of it seemingly because they felt they had to -- I was honestly a little happy to see Fulham doing very little work but still holding steady at 11th in the table. Only one newcomer played even 1,200 minutes in all competitions, and that one guy, €40 million winger Kevin, only gave them three goals and three assists. However, the developmental approach kept Fulham competitive.
None of this earns them a good grade on this list, of course. But it's just good to know that you don't have to spend crazy money to be competitive. -- Connelly
16. WEST HAM UNITED
Present score: 8/20 | Future score: 4/10 | TOTAL: 12/30
Midfielder Mateus Fernandes has earned an £85 million transfer to Tottenham this summer, well beyond the £40 million West Ham paid to sign him last year. That's about the only positive. None of the other £20-plus million transfers could make enough of a contribution, and none could prevent West Ham from suffering relegation after a 14-year Premier League stint.
We'll see who sticks around -- El Hadji Malick Diouf (21) would certainly be one of the better left backs in the Championship next season, making this class a bit more successful -- but there just aren't many happy things you can say about anything West Ham did in 2025-26. -- Connelly
15. NEWCASTLE UNITED
Present score: 6/20 | Future score: 7/10 | TOTAL: 13/30
Newcastle went through hell last summer. A protracted, messy exit for Alexander Isak created confusion, angst and a last-minute trolley dash for replacements. What the Magpies ended up with -- Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade for combined fees of £120 million -- was not good.
Wissa flopped, and at 29 years old, there's limited room for him to come good. Woltemade (24) has time on his side, but he is an awkward fit for Eddie Howe's tactical style. Winger Anthony Elanga (24) is in the same uncomfortable boat.
It's still possible for these deals to work out for Newcastle, which is why only one team in the bottom half of this ranking scored more future points than the Magpies' seven. But in better, and more current, news, Malick Thiaw was a smash hit at center back and Jacob Ramsey flashed immense promise in midfield. -- Tighe
14. ASTON VILLA
Present score: 10/20 | Future score: 3/10 | TOTAL: 13/30
Villa did startlingly little in the transfer market last season, as the UEFA settlement agreement they are bound to heavily restricted their movements.
The bits of business they did do were of limited value and almost exclusively with an eye on the short term. Goalkeeper Marco Bizot (35) and defender Victor Lindelöf (31) were veteran depth additions, while winger Jadon Sancho (26) was loaned in. January saw striker Tammy Abraham (28) signed to replace Donyell Malen in what was basically a profit-generating exercise.
Villa's paltry three points was the lowest of all the future scores, but it's basically impossible to plan for the future when you're wheeling and dealing to stay afloat in the present. -- Tighe
13. BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Present score: 7/20 | Future score: 7/10 | TOTAL: 14/30
This was not a vintage year of Brighton transfers -- or at least, so far it hasn't proved so.
They made seven first-team signings in 2025-26, but the 13 most-used players in the Seagulls' squad had all joined previously. In 14th was Pascal Gross, who re-joined the club in January after a spell at Borussia Dortmund; what does that say about the (lack of) impact the summer arrivals had?
Luckily, time is firmly on their side. In typical Brighton fashion, they largely targeted promising young players -- Maxim De Cuyper was the oldest summer signing at age 25 -- and Charalampos Kostoulas looks a particularly exciting striker prospect at 19. -- Tighe
12. NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Present score: 8/20 | Future score: 7/10 | TOTAL: 15/30
Forest attacked the transfer market last summer with their typical scattergun approach, signing a long list of players presumably due to the demands European football would add to the squad.
A handful of them proved useful: striker Igor Jesus played plenty overall and scored regularly in Europe, while winger Omari Hutchinson was a positive presence. But the likes of Dilane Bakwa, Dan Ndoye, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo showed very little. The fact the club went through four managers in a season did not help.
This bulking of the squad was designed to help Forest compete on multiple fronts, but in the Premier League they sank. At least the majority of the players signed are in their early 20s, so there's time for them to impact in the future. -- Tighe
11. LIVERPOOL
Present score: 5/20 | Future score: 10/10 | TOTAL: 15/30
The best rationale I can come up with for Liverpool's massive, nonsensical £450 million-plus spending spree last summer was that they had the money to spend because of their positive PSR situation, and they spent it on the highest-upside guys they could get. Did it make them better in 2025-26? Good lord, not even slightly. Did it take down head coach Arne Slot in the implosion? Absolutely. Did it especially set striker Alexander Isak up to look like a spectacular disappointment after his club-record £125 million move? Definitely.
On the other hand, will they have Isak (26), Florian Wirtz (23) and, when healthy again, Hugo Ekitike (24) for the foreseeable future? If they want to. That combination could bear fruit at some point. Plus, since they hired manager Andoni Iraola, Milos Kerkez's former Bournemouth coach, he should be able to figure out how to get more out of the left back after a frustrating debut season. Liverpool at least went young with its disappointing signings, and that might be a saving grace. -- Connelly
10. CHELSEA
Present score: 7/20 | Future score: 9/10 | TOTAL: 16/30
In the last four seasons, Chelsea have spent around £1.45 billion in transfer fees which earned them finishes of 12th, sixth, fourth and 10th, respectively, in the Premier League.
In 2025-26, they got strong work from new forward João Pedro (20 goals and six assists in all competitions), and 19-year-old winger Estêvão showed spectacular promise before succumbing to injury. But this was just another year of signing younger players, throwing them in a blender with what feels like 100 other 21-year-olds, and watching them struggle to make an impact.
Still, left back Jorrel Hato (20) is one to watch for the future, and former Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho is somehow still only 21 years old. There's upside here, whether that means these players will contribute to a future winner or move on for a healthy fee. -- Connelly
9. EVERTON
Present score: 13/20 | Future score: 6/10 | TOTAL: 19/30
Signing a set of mostly young players for manager David Moyes, a guy who prefers veterans, was always going to be a future-based action. But they got well-rounded contributions from set-piece master Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (eight goals, four assists, 40 chances created and 170 progressive passes in all competitions); he was vital for a team in the hunt for a European spot all the way into May.
Meanwhile, though 23-year-old forward Thierno Barry scored only eight goals in 2,066 minutes, they should be able to recoup the £25 million they spent. If £35 million winger Tyler Dibling (20) and £12 million attacking midfielder Carlos Alcaraz (23) develop and contribute more this season, this could still be a successful group. -- Connelly
8. CRYSTAL PALACE
Present score: 12/20 | Future score: 8/10 | TOTAL: 20/30
Palace ended a second straight season lifting silverware -- despite being forced to juggle the losses of Eberechi Eze in the summer and Marc Guéhi in the winter. As if that wasn't impressive enough, they did so by signing players who could contribute at a high level immediately and still improve in the years to come.
Yéremy Pino (23) and Jaydee Canvot (19) proved excellent pickups, while striker Jørgen Strand Larsen (26) -- who was acquired in the midst of a full January panic -- contributed solidly enough. Evann Guessand (24) injected some more life into the attack after arriving on loan in January, but there is one negative to speak of: former Spurs winger Brennan Johnson (25), signed for £35 million, will need to improve next season to prove worth the outlay. -- Tighe
7. MANCHESTER UNITED
Present score: 13/20 | Future score: 8/10 | TOTAL: 21/30
Manchester United signed three expensive forwards last summer -- Matheus Cunha (£62.5 million), Bryan Mbeumo (£65 million) and Benjamin Sesko (£66.5 million) -- in an attempt to jumpstart their flailing attack. Forking out that much money looked like a risk, but there were hints in the second half of the season that their strategy could pay off.
Mbeumo was a bit hit-and-miss in his first campaign, but Cunha is already the club's second-best player, while Sesko cantered into form under the guidance of then-interim boss Michael Carrick.
The best was yet to come: deadline day arrival Senne Lammens, just 23, was a huge upgrade at goalkeeper and he won the Premier League's transfer of the season award. -- Tighe
6. LEEDS UNITED
Present score: 17/20 | Future score: 5/10 | TOTAL: 22/30
Upon promotion to the Premier League, Leeds decided to sign close to a full new XI. The players they recruited during that drive all had certain similarities: Physically imposing, a threat from set-piece scenarios, and largely falling into an age range of 25-28.
It proved extremely successful, as the Whites were competitive and avoided the drop easily. Free-transfer striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored 14 goals, Anton Stach was one of the best midfielders across the league and left back Gabriel Gudmundsson produced some excellent defensive work.
This nets Leeds a very strong present score, as their objective was emphatically achieved. But you might argue all of these players have already peaked, meaning that when the times comes for the club to kick on another notch, they will need to refresh the squad again. -- Tighe
5. MANCHESTER CITY
Present score: 14/20 | Future score: 9/10 | TOTAL: 23/30
City were disorganized and almost frantic at times, spending £27 million to sign goalkeeper James Trafford, then adding Gianluigi Donnarumma as a No. 1, too, just because he was available for £26 million. But they needed a new burst of creativity and found it with Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri and (for half a season) Antoine Semenyo combining for 28 goals, 30 assists and 185 chances created in all competitions. They kept center back Marc Guéhi away from Liverpool too. With Cherki joining Nico O'Reilly and Abdukodir Khusanov, City will start its post-Pep Guardiola era with maybe the best set of 22-and-under stars in the league.
This group didn't help City make up enough ground to win Guardiola one last league title, but it's a team undeniably built for future success. -- Connelly
4. ARSENAL
Present score: 17/20 | Future score: 6/10 | TOTAL: 23/30
Arsenal spent nearly £300 million on depth. They didn't feel they had enough of it, so they went out and corrected that issue. Of the eight primary contributors they signed, only one was under 24 (defender Cristhian Mosquera), and two were over 30 and barely played (Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard). But Martín Zubimendi was a vital player in midfield with Martin Ødegaard and Mikel Merino both battling injuries, £63-million striker Viktor Gyökeres played perhaps more than expected due to Kai Havertz's injuries, and forwards Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke combined for 5,300 minutes and 18 goals in all competitions.
They provided brilliant depth, in other words. Arsenal were bitten as hard as ever by the injury bug but won the Premier League anyway. Mission accomplished. -- Connelly
3. BRENTFORD
Present score: 16/20 | Future score: 8/10 | TOTAL: 24/30
Brentford lost a lot of key players last summer, leading some to suggest they would be in danger of relegation. But they did the complete opposite, spending the whole season comfortably perched in the top half en route to a ninth-placed finish.
Powering that was yet more good replacement work in the transfer window. Signing goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher for just £13 million was a masterstroke, as he was a huge upgrade on previous incumbent Mark Flekken, while right back Michael Kayode changed the fabric of Premier League soccer with his long throws. Better yet, these players are young for their positions -- 27 and 21, respectively.
Forward Dango Ouattara and veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson also played big parts in the season. The only miss they had was Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, who barely played but was only on loan. -- Tighe
2. BOURNEMOUTH
Present score: 16/20 | Future score: 9/10 | TOTAL: 25/30
This is the sort of score you get when you've unearthed a superstar. For Bournemouth, that was 19-year-old Rayan -- an inspired, clever and exciting January signing who replaced previously unearthed superstar, Semenyo. The Brazil winger took to Premier League football like a duck to water, ensuring the Cherries didn't skip a beat in their quest for a European finish.
Also impressive were left back Adrien Truffert, who started all 38 games in his maiden English campaign, while goalkeeper Djordje Petrović improved as the season wore on. They both helped rebuild a defense that had just been ransacked by elite clubs with the exits of Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen and Kerkez.
All eight of Bournemouth's 2025-26 signings were aged 25 or under, meaning they will benefit from their services for years to come. -- Tighe
1. SUNDERLAND
Present score: 19/20 | Future score: 7/10 | TOTAL: 26/30
Sunderland earned promotion with a pretty poor statistical profile and therefore had a lot of players to sign to survive in the Premier League. And they nailed their transfer window. Fourteen new players, ranging in age from 22 to 33, accounted for 66% of Sunderland's minutes, 55% of their goals, 85% of their assists and 66% of their defensive interventions. Midfielder Granit Xhaka was a manager on the pitch, Nordi Mukiele was one of the Premier League's best defenders, Enzo Le Fée and Brian Brobbey combined for 12 goals and seven assists up front, and Sunderland finished a stunning seventh.
Were they a bit lucky statistically? Yes. Will they be hard-pressed to keep up their success now that the Europa League is also on their plate? Probably. But hey, maybe they will solve that problem with another perfect summer. -- Connelly