Chelsea embark on £60m spending spree as David Luiz secures shock return to Stamford Bridge on deadline day
Chelsea led the deadline day charge as maverick defender David Luiz made a shock return to Stamford Bridge and the Blues proved the biggest spenders by splashing out close to £60m.
On a day when spending during this transfer window surpassed £1.1bn, Chelsea paid £34m to secure the signing of Luiz from Paris Saint-German, two years after the 29-year-old left the club for the French champions.
The Luiz deal came a matter of hours after Chelsea signed former Bolton left-back Marcos Alonso from Serie A outfit Fiorentina for £23m.
Tottenham won a dramatic last-gasp tussle for Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko after the French midfielder snubbed a £30m move to Everton, despite appearing on course for a move to Goodison Park with the 11pm deadline in sight.
It was not total despair for Everton, however, as the Toffees clinched the loan signing of West Ham striker Enner Valencia, with a view to a £14.5m permanent signing.
Reigning Premier League champions Leicester broke their transfer record for the third time this window after shelling a fee in the region of £29m for Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani.
The 28-year-old scored 27 goals for the Portuguese side last term and Leicester’s outlay for the Algerian frontman takes their summer spending close to the £70m mark.
Spurs also bolstered their squad with the signing of 21-year-old winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou for an undisclosed fee on a five-year contract.
Espanyol goalkeeper Pau Lopez, also 21, was another recruit on a season-long loan, while winger Clinton Njie, who only arrived at Tottenham from Lyon last summer, was allowed to join Marseille until the end of the season.
There were club record deals for Sunderland and Burnley. The Blacks Cats splashed out £13.6m to lure Gabon midfielder Didier Ndong from Lorient, while the Lancashire outfit paid £10.5m for Derby midfielder Jeff Hendrick.
Arsenal allowed midfielder Jack Wilshere, who was left out of Sam Allardyce’s maiden England squad, to join fellow Premier League side Bournemouth on a season-long loan. The Gunners blocked a temporary move to Roma.
Wilshere was not the only significant loan move. Stoke pepped up their forward line with the signing of Wilfried Bony from Manchester City.
Bony was one of four senior City players to be shown the door by Pep Guardiola on a loan basis. Goalkeeper Joe Hart joined Torino, Samir Nasri departed for Sevilla and Eliaquim Mangala made the move to Valencia.
West Ham recruited veteran former Liverpool and Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa, 33, on a free transfer, while the curtain finally came down on Mario Balotelli’s Anfield career after the Italian joined Nice.