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With transfer deadline day here, it is worth revisiting some of the most unforgettable and dramatic late summer signings in Premier League history.

Wayne Rooney was the most sought-after young player in football in the summer of 2004. After shining for England at that year’s European Championship, the 18-year-old was being chased by several leading Premier League clubs. Newcastle and Chelsea were both keen, but Manchester United ultimately secured his signature.

The £27m transfer made Rooney the most expensive teenager in football history at the time, and he went on to justify the outlay completely. His debut hat-trick offered an early glimpse of what was to come, as Rooney eventually scored a record 256 goals for Manchester United and collected a host of trophies during his time at the club.

One double signing remains permanently woven into Premier League folklore. There was no shortage of bewilderment when Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez appeared alongside Alan Pardew at West Ham. Two of South American football’s most highly rated talents had arrived in East London seemingly out of nowhere.

That, however, was only the beginning of the story. It later emerged that West Ham had breached Premier League regulations in completing the signings, because offshore companies held the ‘economic rights’ to the Argentina internationals.

Mascherano found it difficult to make much of an impression and left for Liverpool in January, but Tevez became a cult figure. The striker’s goals were crucial in helping West Ham stay up, including the winner on the final day at Manchester United. Sheffield United, who were relegated instead of West Ham, were enraged, and a lengthy legal battle ended with the Hammers paying roughly £20m in compensation for breaking the rules.

Manchester City sent shockwaves across the Premier League when they pulled off a statement signing in 2008.

On the same day the club’s Abu Dhabi takeover was announced, City smashed the British transfer record to sign Robinho from Real Madrid, beating Chelsea to the deal. The £32.5m move took Robinho to the Etihad and marked the start of a new era. Although the superstar arrival lost momentum after an encouraging first season, this transfer was unquestionably the club’s defining turning point.

With Arsenal finding it hard to challenge near the top of the table, the Gunners looked to make a major statement in the market. Arsene Wenger had hinted that a marquee name was on the way, and that proved to be the case when Mesut Ozil arrived from Real Madrid.

The gifted German became Arsenal’s record signing with a £42.5m fee and added real quality to the side during his years in North London. A three-time FA Cup winner, Ozil enjoyed his finest campaign in 2015/16, when he topped the Premier League assist charts with 19.

Few transfers have generated hysteria on this scale.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have been 36 when he returned to Manchester United, but the excitement surrounding the move and its announcement was unlike almost anything seen before.

More than a decade after leaving for a world-record fee, Ronaldo came back to Old Trafford. He was no longer quite the unstoppable force of his Real Madrid prime, but he still scored 24 goals in his first season back and earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year. Matters quickly deteriorated amid internal power struggles, yet Ronaldo’s return remains one of the most memorable deadline day deals of all time.

The biggest saga of the 2025 summer transfer window went right to the final moments. Alexander Isak’s determination to leave Newcastle led to a prolonged standoff throughout the summer. Isak did not return for pre-season as he pushed for a move to Liverpool, while Newcastle stood firm for as long as they could.

That changed only in the final hours of the window.

Liverpool eventually got the deal over the line with a British record offer, as Isak completed his move to Anfield for a huge £125m fee.