The Premier League’s Deadline Day saw several surprising moves beyond the high-profile transfers. Aston Villa signed Victor Lindelof from Manchester United after securing Jadon Sancho on loan and Harvey Elliot on a permanent deal. Reiss Nelson moved from Arsenal to Brentford on loan. Sunderland signed Brian Brobbey from Ajax. Oleksandr Zinchenko, in a surprising move, left Arsenal for Nottingham Forest on loan.
The Premier League's transfer window slammed shut with a flurry of activity, leaving fans breathless after a day filled with twists, turns, and unexpected deals. While the headline-grabbing transfer of Alexander Isak to Liverpool dominated the news, several other moves flew under the radar amidst the chaos. Let's delve into some of the more notable Deadline Day deals you might have missed.
Aston Villa, reeling from a heavy 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace and a slow start to the season, were expected to be busy on Deadline Day. They didn't disappoint, securing the loan signing of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United. But that wasn't all. Unai Emery's side also completed a £35 million deal for Liverpool's Harvey Elliott, adding some much-needed firepower to their attack. However, with their initial attacking woes, the former Arsenal boss had to turn his attention to fortifying the defense, leading to a surprise move for an experienced centre-back.
Victor Lindelof, once a mainstay at Manchester United, found himself out of favor and linked with a potential move to Everton. However, in a surprising turn of events, the Swedish international penned a two-year deal with Aston Villa, joining the Birmingham side after his contract expired with the Red Devils. Having departed Old Trafford at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Lindelof brings a wealth of experience to Villa's backline. This move is seen as a shrewd piece of business by Emery, adding depth and leadership to his squad. The club made the announcement via their official twitter account:
Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Victor Lindelöf.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 1, 2025
In North London, Arsenal were undergoing their own Deadline Day reshuffle. Following the high-profile arrivals of Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, Mikel Arteta was keen to trim his squad and provide opportunities for younger talents. Reiss Nelson, who spent the second half of the previous season on loan at Fulham, was deemed surplus to requirements and was expected to leave the Emirates. While a return to Craven Cottage seemed the most likely option, Nelson opted for a different path, joining Fulham's local rivals, Brentford, on a season-long loan. The 25-year-old winger is eager to secure regular first-team football, and this move to Brentford offers him the perfect platform to showcase his abilities. Brentford unveiled their new signing with a tweet:
1️⃣1️⃣ looks good on you, Reiss 🔥 pic.twitter.com/smpKlqcQPm
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 1, 2025
Sunderland, fresh from a thrilling 2-1 victory over Brentford, have made an impressive start to their Premier League campaign. Regis Le Bris' side have won two of their first three matches and have shown real promise in their return to the top flight. Backed by significant investment, the Black Cats have spent almost £160 million over the summer, signaling their intent to stay in the Premier League. Their final piece of business on Deadline Day saw them secure the signature of Brian Brobbey. The Dutch international, who had been linked with Manchester United in the past, joins Sunderland for a reported fee of £21.6 million. Brobbey brings a proven goalscoring record to the Stadium of Light, having won two Eredivisie titles with Ajax, scoring 56 goals and providing 24 assists in 163 appearances. The club celebrated the signing with this tweet:
Welcome to Sunderland AFC, Brian Brobbey! 😍🇳🇱
Moving to Wearside from Ajax, the 23-year-old striker has signed a five-year contract.
✍️ @livescore
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 1, 2025
However, not all Arsenal news was about arrivals. In a surprising move, Oleksandr Zinchenko completed a loan move to Nottingham Forest. Despite the injury concerns surrounding William Saliba, Arteta sanctioned Zinchenko's departure, highlighting the Ukrainian international's fall from grace at the Emirates. Zinchenko, who has struggled for regular game time, joins Forest on an initial loan deal until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, seeking to revive his career away from North London. Having made 91 appearances for Arsenal since arriving from Manchester City in 2022, this move represents a fresh start for the 28-year-old. Nottingham Forest welcomed their new signing with a post on X:
Welcome to Nottingham Forest, Oleksandr Zinchenko! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QFS00VoCMV
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 1, 2025
These are just a few of the Premier League Deadline Day deals that you might have missed amidst the bigger transfers. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these new signings fare at their respective clubs.