Karan Vinod
BBC Sport Journalist

While the traditional transfer windows - summer and winter - set specific periods for player signings, clubs can still acquire free agents outside these windows.

A free agent is a player whose contract has expired or been terminated, making them eligible to sign with any club at any time.

This flexibility allows clubs to strengthen their squads mid-season without waiting for the next transfer window.

As of September 2025, several high-profile players are available on free transfers, offering opportunities for clubs to bolster their ranks.

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Thanks Dean, thanks.

We realise there is always a bit of a dip after the excitement of deadline day has died down and the last few signings have filtered through.

But there is always the free agent market to keep us entertained - a great place to pick up a bargain, if we can continue Dean's analogy.

For the remainder of this page we will have a look at some of the deals out there while also trying to answer some of your transfer-related questions...

Craig Nelson
BBC Sport reporter

Quite a chilling note on which to hand over, Ben.

Can we count on our readers to lighten the tone?

Paul MacDonald of FootballTransfers.com says the Premier League should no longer be categorised alongside Europe's other elite leagues due to its spending power.

In total, clubs in England's top flight spent more than £2bn more than the next league in line, Serie A, while Liverpool alone were close to spending more than the entirety of Ligue 1 and La Liga.

"We are reaching a situation where the Premier League spending is so far ahead of the others and is so essential to the transfer market ecosystem, that the remaining 'big five' competitions are becoming feeder leagues," MacDonald explained.

"La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 all spent this summer, but it was money they had already generated from sales.

"Put simply there is the 'Big One' - the Premier League is such a behemoth it should no longer really be categorised with the other leagues in Europe."

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Does not matter whether a player is signing for Crawley Town (no offence to Crawley) or Manchester United.

"Massive club." "Great fans." "Brilliant stadium."

Every time.

While Isak's move was one between Premier League clubs, many of the major deals this summer have involved signings from Europe.

Liverpool, for example, brought in Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79m, full-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5m, keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia for £29m and Giovanni Leoni from Parma for £26m.

In other headline deals, Arsenal spent a combined £114.5m on bringing in striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting and midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, while Manchester United signed striker Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for £73.7m.

Premier League clubs buying players from the European leagues will have contributed to the Bundesliga, La Liga and Ligue 1 finishing the window with a net profit of more than £400m between them.

Having barely dipped their toes in the transfer market in Arne Slot's first summer in charge last year, Liverpool have gone in the completely opposite direction this time.

The swoop for Isak took their summer spending to £415m - setting a new record for the amount spent by a single club in a single window.

The previous record was set by Chelsea in the summer of 2023 (£400m).

Not only is this more than any other European club, but almost as much as the total spent in other European leagues.

"A humongous flex by Liverpool," former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"The moves and the money they have spent is phenomenal and they have brought in some brilliant players."

Chelsea and Arsenal also made major moves as they looked to bolster their squad to help challenge more closely for the title, spending £285m and £255m respectively.

But the Blues were good at selling players too, as £288m of sales made for a net profit of £3m, whereas Arsenal were the opposite and managed just £9m in sales for a net spend of £246m.

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Right, pivoting back again now.

Time for bit more of an in-depth dive into the summer transfer window and the record-breaking amount of money that has been spent by Premier League clubs over the last few months.

That, plus one for those that may still have an eye on bolstering their squads with some of the free agents on the market.

Jonty Colman
BBC Sport Journalist

In October 2019 Liverpool were fined £200,000, of which £100,000 was suspended, for fielding Pedro Chirivella in an EFL Cup third-round win against MK Dons.

Chirivella did not have international clearance to play in the competition, but the EFL said it "wasn't appropriate" to remove Liverpool because of "mitigating factors".

In 2016, Accrington Stanley received a suspended fine of £5,000 for fielding Janoi Donacien in their first two matches of the season - a League Two victory against Doncaster Rovers as well as a first-round EFL Cup win over Bradford City.

Donacien had not received international clearance following the expiration of a loan spell at Newport County in the previous season.

In August 2013, Sunderland were fined £25,000 for fielding Ji Dong-won, who was ineligible, in an EFL Cup win against MK Dons.

Sunderland were also fined by the Premier League for fielding the ineligible Ji multiple times during that season.

Image source, Getty Images

Grimsby Town have been fined £20,000 for fielding an ineligible player in their famous Carabao Cup win against Manchester United.

The Mariners knocked out the Premier League club on penalties after the tie finished 2-2 after 90 minutes.

The League Two side brought on midfielder Clarke Oduor, who had joined on loan the before from Bradford City, as a substitute but later realised he had been registered one minute after the 12:00 BST deadline.

In a statement, the EFL said Grimsby reported the breach themselves and the "club's non-compliance was not deliberate with no intention to deceive or mislead".

They must pay £10,000, with the remaining £10,000 suspended until the end of the season.

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Andrew providing the entertainment there are on this sunny Tuesday afternoon.

I know I said it was more transfer focussed again but there is another pretty big piece of news that has broken in the last hour to bring you...

Fulham

Fulham's new signing Jonah Kusi-Asare, speaking to the club's website: “I’m really excited to join Fulham. It’s a fantastic club with great supporters, and I can’t wait to get started, work with my teammates and give everything for the Club.”

Fulham Vice Chairman Tony Khan added: “I’m thrilled to welcome Jonah Kusi-Asare to Fulham.

"He is a talented young striker, we’re excited that he’s joining our team on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich, and we’re very happy that this deal includes a Club option to bring Jonah on a permanent transfer!

“Come on Fulham!”

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham

Fulham have completed the signing of Bayern Munich forward Jonah Kusi-Asare on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.

Kusi-Asare, 18, has two senior appearances to his name for Bayern and has represented Sweden at Under-21 level.

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Andddd because you asked so nicely, Bobby.

Back to transfers now - starting with your new man...