Transfer window shuts and Man City's record deal set the tone for Premier League Matchweek 3
With the summer transfer window closed and Manchester City having signed Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m, Premier League Matchweek 3 arrives with Arsenal vs Chelsea as the headline fixture, while pundits also reflect on the league's most influential transfers of all time.
Window closes, focus shifts to the pitch
The Premier League's summer transfer window closed on Tuesday night. As reported by BBC and Yahoo Sports, one of the marquee deals saw Manchester City sign Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m (around $169.1m), equalling the British transfer record. According to another figure cited by Yahoo Sports, City's total summer spending reached £458m, while the value of players given their Premier League debuts on deadline day alone (including Fernandez and Ndiaye) was put at £185m. Fernandez has already made his debut, in a win over newly-promoted Coventry City, setting up Erling Haaland's goal.
Matchweek 3's biggest test: Arsenal vs Chelsea
According to the Premier League's own preview, defending champions Arsenal host Chelsea, now managed by Xabi Alonso, at the Emirates on Sunday. Both sides have won their opening two matches — Arsenal have kept two clean sheets, while Chelsea sit joint-top scorers with Brighton on seven goals. Former striker Alan Shearer, giving his predictions to Metro, backs Arsenal to win, forecasting Arsenal to win the title overall with Chelsea finishing second or third.
Other fixtures and predictions
On Friday, Liverpool travel to Ipswich Town in search of a first win under new manager Andoni Iraola after two draws; the Premier League notes that Jurgen Klopp also drew his opening two games as Liverpool boss. Saturday brings a clash of attacking, counter-pressing managers at St James' Park, with Newcastle's Matthias Jaissle facing Bournemouth's Marco Rose — the league has seen 62 goals so far this season, an average of more than three per game, with fast breaks rising from 1.9 to 2.5 per game.
Manchester City host Coventry City at home, while a struggling Tottenham side face a counter-attacking Nottingham Forest; Spurs have lost their opening three league games only four times in their history. Shearer also predicts wins for Newcastle, Brentford, Brighton, Aston Villa and Forest, plus draws in Fulham vs Crystal Palace and Everton vs Manchester United.
Historical context
Tied to the transfer theme, BBC journalist Alex Bysouth has also compiled a ranking of the Premier League's most game-changing transfers in history. Petr Cech's 2004 move from Rennes to Chelsea for £7m is ranked 10th, with names such as Alan Shearer, Carlos Tevez and Sol Campbell placed higher on the list.
