Manchester City launched a new era by setting a Premier League transfer window record, while Chelsea made Morgan Rogers the most expensive British player in history.
Tottenham also embarked on a spending spree, but champions Arsenal missed out on a marquee forward and Liverpool and Manchester United may not have done enough.
After Premier League clubs broke their summer transfer record by spending £3.49 billion ($4.7 billion) before the window shut on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola’s exit after a glorious decade as Manchester City manager sparked a major overhaul by his successor Enzo Maresca.
Maresca smashed the Premier League record for a single transfer window by spending £458 million on a host of new faces in a bid to reestablish City as England’s preeminent force.
City have failed to win the title for the last two seasons and, with Rodri, John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Savio, and Tijjani Reijnders among the recent departures, the club’s Abu Dhabi powerbrokers responded by flexing their financial muscle.
Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was prised from Chelsea for £125 million – equalling the record fee paid by a British club – while Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson arrived for £116 million.
Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye was signed for £65 million, with Lille’s Morocco teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi costing £85 million.
Chelsea might have lost Fernandez but new boss Xabi Alonso still spent £349 million to reinvigorate a team that finished 10th last season.
England midfielder Morgan Rogers arrived from Aston Villa for £117 million, while Maxence Lacroix, Emiliano Martinez, Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson are all proven Premier League performers.
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