Sunderland quartet dominate top 10 Premier League signings of the season | OneFootball

We’ve ranked the top 10 Premier League signings of the 2025/26 season, with Granit Xhaka, Joao Palhinha and Martin Zubimendi among the new stars proving just how important it is for clubs to go all out on an elite defensive midfielder.

Arsenal spent big on Zubimendi and it’s instantly paid off, with those around him taking their game to another level, namely Declan Rice.

Sunderland, meanwhile, were ambitious enough to convince Xhaka to return to the Premier League. They immediately gave him the captaincy, and his leadership and quality have elevated the Black Cats.

Anyway, signings of the season ahoy. Here’s our Premier League top 10. Click here for those signings who might just be a bit sh*t.

10) Estevao (Chelsea, £28.7m)

He’s better than Lamine Yamal. No, but seriously, this kid is special. The next Neymar? Honestly, maybe.

An agreement between Palmeiras and Chelsea was reached long before the 2025 summer transfer window opened, but Estevao absolutely qualifies. At only 18, he already looks like the Blues’ best winger and has scored big goals against Barcelona and Liverpool.

For an initial £28.7m, this could go down as the biggest bargain of the window when all is said and done. He’s not playing loads of football, but that’s fine for his age.

9) Joao Palhinha (Tottenham Hotspur, loan)

“Palhinha hasn’t got the quality. For a player playing for Tottenham in central midfield, for me, that’s a pass you have to be able to make. He can’t make it… What you’ve got is you’ve got a lack of courage and confidence from certain players, but you’ve also got a lack of ability of certain players.”

Those were the harsh words from Jamie Carragher about the ninth-best Premier League signing of the summer.

Frank knew what he was getting with Palhinha, and as Carragher also noted, he’s done his job brilliantly.

Palhinha is an elite destroyer. He might not be the most technical passer, but in terms of defensive work and positioning, few in the division do it better.

Spurs look far more stable with the former Fulham man, on loan from Bayern Munich, anchoring the midfield in the No.6 role.

8) Omar Alderete (Sunderland, £10m)

Sunderland dominate this ranking, with Alderete coming in as the first of four Black Cats summer signings.

This guy is a dog. His player-of-the-match performance against Manchester City in Thursday’s 0-0 draw epitomised everything he’s about. He has that South American bravery that sees him put his body on the line time and time again. He’s just fantastic.

We’re not sure how Sunderland have nailed their summer business to this extent, but they’ve made some absolutely outstanding signings for very modest fees.

7) Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds, free)

Daniel Farke is getting the best out of Calvert-Lewin, and Calvert-Lewin at his best is a very dangerous player. A true fox in the box, the England hopeful doesn’t score goals as pretty as anyone, but he scores plenty when utilised properly, and, obviously, when fully fit.

The fact he cost Leeds nothing makes the former Everton man an even better signing. If he can keep this up, we might see him backing up Harry Kane at the World Cup.

6) Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland, £9.5m)

If we’re being brutally honest, the signing of Mukiele looked nailed on to be a waste of time and money. It’s been anything but.

Arriving from Paris Saint-Germain after a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen, he seemed destined to flop.

Instead, the Frenchman has adapted seamlessly to Premier League football, excelling in both a back four and a back five under Regis Le Bris.

5) Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City, £26m)

Manchester City signed arguably the best goalkeeper in the world for just £26m. That’s probably all that needs to be said.

Yes, Donnarumma isn’t entirely convincing with the ball at his feet, but he’s hardly clumsy and is arguably underrated in that regard. Pep Guardiola wouldn’t sign him if he didn’t fit the plan, even as Pep adapts to a more direct style in his latest football revolution.

The Italian’s presence has brought calm to City’s backline and he is a monster of a signing in every sense.

4) Rayan Cherki (Manchester City, £34m)

Another monster City signing.

Cherki might just be the flavour of the month, but we think he’s far more serious than that. He’s shown he can win points on his own and, aside from the goals and assists, he’s simply an incredibly exciting player to watch.

The Frenchman’s flicks and tricks are a joy to behold – a breath of fresh air in an otherwise robotic sport.

3) Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal, £60m)

Premier League pacesetters Arsenal look excellent and Zubimendi is a big reason why.

The Spaniard has slotted perfectly into the No.6 role, freeing Declan Rice to push forward and setting off a domino effect that’s lifted Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard too.

He keeps things ticking over beautifully, with the defensive steel Mikel Arteta craves. It will take something special to reach Rodri levels of control, but Zubimendi might be the final piece of Arsenal’s title-winning puzzle.

2) Robin Roefs (Sunderland, £9.5m)

Sunderland’s summer business has been a roaring success, and Roefs has been at the heart of it.

The young Dutch goalkeeper has brought calm, composure and confidence between the sticks. We can’t quite believe how good some of Sunderland’s signings have been – and having four of them in this ranking says it all.

1) Granit Xhaka (Sunderland, £13m)

We couldn’t believe Xhaka wanted to swap Bayer Leverkusen for Sunderland, especially given the record of newly promoted sides. But his arrival has gone a long way to ensuring the Black Cats buck that trend.

Le Bris’ side are seventh with 29 points from 19 games and are unbeaten at home, winning five and drawing five, with the only game they’ve failed to score in coming in the 0-0 draw against Man City on New Year’s Day.

The Switzerland and Sunderland captain has clearly raised the levels at the Stadium of Light and looks one of the best No.6s in the league, underlining just how vital that position has become.

It’s no coincidence that Zubimendi, Palhinha and Xhaka are all in this top 10, and that Rodri won the Ballon d’Or last year. The defensive midfield role has become the position every manager wants to build around.