The 2025 summer transfer window is long and arduous, but even after two months of open registration, there are still transfers which crop up at the last possible moment.
With the window slamming shut after three Premier League matches, clubs often learn what they need most and then attack aggressively to fill those holes in the transfer window.
While many of the deadline day deals have been reportedly in the works for some time, a number of others crop up out of nowhere, providing fans with a rush of excitement and adrenaline for new players they didn't see coming.
The Sporting News details the most interesting deadline day deals that seemed to materialise out of thin air.
MORE: All about the Alexander Isak to Liverpool deal which set the British transfer record
Most surprising deals on transfer deadline day 2025 summer
Jadon Sancho, Harvey Elliott
- From: Manchester United, Liverpool
- To: Aston Villa
- Deal: Season-long loan
Manchester United had been trying to offload Jadon Sancho all summer, with very few reported suitors. So it was quite surprising that a club like Aston Villa came in to do a deal on deadline day, with a season-long loan set to encompass the final year of Sancho's contract. Sky Sports reports that Aston Villa will pay a loan fee while also covering 80% of his wages.
Aston Villa are the only Premier League club yet to score a goal after three matches this season, and they have clearly reacted in the hopes of bolstering their attack. Villa did similar business last season when they loaned Marcus Rashford from Manchester United, so the two clubs clearly have a working relationship.
Aston Villa also reportedly moved to secure a deal for Liverpool's Harvey Elliott, who has found it difficult to find a starting spot in a world-class Reds squad. Elliott will also move on loan, but the deal will include an obligation to buy at the end of the season, reportedly worth around £30-35 million.
William Osula
- From: Newcastle
- To: Eintracht Frankfurt
- Deal: £30 million (€34.7m / $40.6m)
Newcastle spent the entire summer transfer window crying that they don't have enough strikers. With Alexander Isak holding out for a move to Liverpool, Newcastle leaked that they wanted two incoming deals to replace Isak, plus another to replace the departed Callum Wilson.
Then, once they secured incoming moves for Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, they decided to open up the departure gates. The Magpies sanctioned a deal for Isak to join Liverpool, and then an opportunity opened up to secure even more cash as they received a bid from Eintracht Frankfurt for William Osula, with the 22-year-old leaving for a solid fee.
It makes sense for Eintracht Frankfurt, who sold Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool this summer, Omar Marmoush to Manchester City back in January, and Elye Wahi to Marseille a year ago.
Tyrique George
- From: Chelsea
- To: Fulham
- Deal: £22 million (€25.4m / $29.8m)
Fulham perennially leave their business late, but took that to an extreme this summer, failing to sign a single player until a deluge on deadline day. While they had been chasing Kevin and Samuel Chukwueze for weeks, the move for Chelsea youngster Tyrique George was a surprise.
The Whites secured a deal for the 19-year-old for fantastic value, snatching up the England youth international for a cut-rate fee amidst a modern transfer age where domestic players go for huge fees. The Blues youth product has played sparingly for his boyhood club, and now moves just down the road in the hopes of securing more first-team minutes in a Fulham side desperate for young attacking players.
Randal Kolo Muani
- From: PSG
- To: Tottenham
- Deal: Season-loan loan (no buy option)
Tottenham had already done an exceptional amount of business this summer, hoping to build a Champions League squad from a group that finished 17th in the Premier League last season.
Having already paid big fees for Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, and Mathys Tel this summer, it seemed that maybe they had completed their business before deadline day. Daniel Levy had one more trick up his sleeve however, as he snagged a loan deal for PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani, who has been on the fringes of the French giants since joining two years ago.
Kolo Muani spent the latter half of last season on loan at Juventus, where he scored eight goals in 16 Serie A appearances to bolster his value. It seemed that he would return to the Italian club for the coming campaign, but talks collapsed late, opening up his options. Spurs pounced, securing a loan reportedly just a straight one-year deal, with no option or obligation to make the transfer permanent. He will compete with Richarlison and Dominic Solanke for the No. 9 position.