Transfer deadline day recap: Isak to Liverpool, Donnarumma to City, EPL

The summer transfer window in Europe closed on Monday with the English Premier League dominating the big name moves.

The next time that clubs on the continent may transfer players will be when the window reopens for a month in January.

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Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the top talking points from the final day of the summer window:

Alexander Isak – Newcastle to Liverpool

Isak’s move to Liverpool was the biggest transfer of the summer in terms of finances and drama.

The 25-year-old’s 125-million-pound ($167.4m) move is a British record transfer fee, beating the 107 million pounds ($143.3m) that Chelsea paid Benfica for Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

The fact that the move didn’t come until the final day of the window capped what had already been a stressful period for all of the parties involved.

The Swedish international made no secret of his desire to leave Newcastle and ended up training alone with former club Real Sociedad, even before criticising his club on social media for breaking promises.

Liverpool had already splashed out a club record 100 million pounds ($133.9m) for midfielder Florian Wirtz this summer. The deal could rise to 116 million pounds ($156m) depending on appearances.

Senne Lammens – Royal Antwerp to Man Utd

Manchester United’s goalkeeping woes have been their constant focus in a turbulent period for the fallen giants since David De Gea left the club in 2023.

So desperate had the situation become that there were even rumours the 34-year-old former Spanish international could be brought back to Old Trafford from Fiorentina.

Andre Onana was trusted with the gloves by then-manager Erik ten Hag, but the Cameroonian stopper has been prone to costly mistakes.

Onana lost his place in goal to his understudy Altay Bayindir, but he too has failed to impress, particularly in the season-opening defeat to Arsenal.

The arrival of Lammens for 18.1 million pounds ($24.2m) is something of a gamble for United, who had appeared set to sign Argentina’s World Cup-winning keeper Emiliano Martinez.

Lammens has yet to make his international debut for Belgium, but the 193cm (6ft-4-inch) stopper is seen as a long-term solution rather than the 32-year-old Martinez.

United need stability at the back, however, and the spotlight will be heavily on Lammens as he tries to find his footing in the hustle and bustle of the English top flight.

Yoane Wissa – Brentford to Newcastle

Softening the loss of Isak to Liverpool for Newcastle and their fans is the arrival of Wissa from Brentford for 55 million pounds ($73.7m).

The Democratic Republic of the Congo international scored 19 Premier League goals last season and took his total for the club since his 2021 arrival to 49 goals in 149 appearances.

Wissa, much like Isak, was involved in a public airing of his feelings when he posted on social media on Sunday about his desire to leave the West Londoners.

Now the 28-year-old must turn his attention to covering the 27 goals Isak scored in 42 appearances last season at Newcastle.

Marc Guehi – Liverpool a no-go for Palace defender

It wasn’t only the confirmed transfers that made headlines on the final day of the window but also the deals that collapsed.

Top of those was Liverpool’s prolonged courting of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

The 25-year-old England international had long been linked with a move to Anfield, perhaps longer than Isak, and even made it as far as a Monday medical on Merseyside.

Palace’s failure to sign a replacement for the England international meant the transfer fell through in the final hours of the window, which will undoubtedly come as a blow to Guehi given the advanced stage of the deal.

Ederson, Donnarumma, Antony, Hojlund, Sancho and Jackson leave it late

Isak and Guehi weren’t the only long-term transfer targets sweating on the final day of the window. A number of other rumoured moves also finally got over the line.

Ederson’s fall from grace at Manchester City resulted in the 32-year-old keeper signing with Turkiye’s Fenerbahce for 12.1 million pounds ($16.2m).

It brought to an end his eight-year stay at Etihad Stadium, where he was an integral part of the club winning an unprecedented four Premier League titles in a row and the unique five-trophy year of 2023.

Replacing the Brazilian is Gianluigi Donnarumma, again a surprising departure from Paris Saint-Germain, where he helped the French giants to the Champions League trophy as part of their first treble last season.

The Italian has signed a five-year deal with City.

A trio of Manchester United players were all on their way out of Old Trafford. Brazil winger Antony ended his uncomfortable time with the club by signing permanently for Real Betis after having been loaned to the Spanish club last season.

Rasmus Hojlund is on his way to Napoli on loan after the Danish striker struggled for goals while leading the line for United last season. And Jadon Sancho’s exile at Old Trafford is over for now. The former England winger has joined Aston Villa on loan, as has United’s Swedish defender Victor Lindelof.

Another expected departure that was left to the last minute was Nicolas Jackson’s move to Bayern Munich.

The on-off move has resulted in the Senegal international joining on loan but with Bayern obliged to pay 56.2 million pounds ($75.3m) for the 24-year-old.

Personal terms had been agreed on a five-year deal for Jackson, but an injury to Chelsea teammate Liam Delap resulted in the West London club stalling on the permanent deal due to concerns of a lack of numbers in their attack.