Marco Palestra, a 21-year-old right-back who was named Serie A's defender of the year last season, has just signed for Chelsea for £47m, becoming Xabi Alonso's first signing as manager. Meanwhile, Liverpool have confirmed the £60m arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, a 20-year-old France Under-21 centre-back from Rennes, as the summer window kicks into gear.
The summer transfer window is the period when Premier League clubs can buy and sell players, typically running from mid-June to the end of August. In 2026, it started on 14 June and will close on 1 September. Clubs negotiate fees, wages and contract lengths to strengthen their squads before the season starts in August. Both Chelsea and Liverpool have been active: Chelsea hijacked Inter Milan's agreed deal for Palestra by offering a higher fee (£47m vs £43m) and a more substantial wage package, while Liverpool agreed a deal for Jacquet back in January but only officially confirmed it now after he recovered from a shoulder injury.
“A guide to the Premier League transfer window, with the latest big-money moves including Chelsea and Liverpool.”
The transfer window exists because it creates a structured market and prevents clubs from disrupting each other mid-season. It was introduced by FIFA in 2002 to protect player contracts and bring order to the football calendar. Over time, fees have exploded: the record Premier League transfer is now over £200m. For UK fans, the window is a source of constant excitement and anxiety. Your club might sign a star or lose a key player. Chelsea, for instance, are now prioritising a centre-back (targeting Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix) and are also discussing moves for Rayo Vallecano's Pep Chavarria and Strasbourg's Emmanuel Emegha, while midfielder Enzo Fernandez wants to leave and is attracting interest from Real Madrid. Liverpool, meanwhile, have added Jacquet to a defence that includes Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni, after Ibrahima Konate left on a free transfer to Real Madrid.
Q: How do Premier League transfers work? Clubs negotiate a fee with the selling club, then agree personal terms (wages, contract length) with the player and his agent. The player also needs a work permit and must pass a medical. When all conditions are met, the transfer is announced and the player registers with his new club.
Q: Why are transfer fees so high? Fees reflect a player's ability, age, contract length and market demand. Clubs with large revenues (from TV deals, sponsorships, etc.) can afford to pay more. For example, Chelsea paid £47m for Palestra, who was Serie A's defender of the year and had strong dribbling stats – he attempted 73 dribbles over 5m, the most by any defender in Serie A.
Q: What is a hijack? A hijack is when a club swoops in at the last minute to sign a player who had agreed terms with another club. Chelsea did this to Inter Milan for Palestra, offering a higher fee and better wages. It's common in competitive windows.
What happens next? The window remains open until 1 September. Chelsea are focusing on a centre-back and have an £8m bid for Sunderland's Granit Xhaka rejected. Liverpool expect Jacquet to be fit for pre-season starting 14 July. Fan speculation will intensify as clubs race to finalise deals before the deadline.