The 2026 summer window delivered its share of headline purchases, but not every major move inspired confidence. Alongside smart recruitment and eye-catching spending, there were also a number of deals that raised questions across the game.

With so many players changing clubs, some questionable decisions were always likely. Here are eight signings that stand out for the wrong reasons.

Tottenham Hotspur’s capture of Sávio was among the most eye-catching. The $101.9 million fee surprised many, especially given the Brazilian’s return of just two Premier League goals in two seasons at the Etihad. Spurs also added Omar Marmoush from Manchester City in quick succession, and the scale of the Sávio deal left plenty of people stunned once the talk of a sell-on clause was dismissed.

Another Tottenham move came on deadline day and caused just as much confusion. The loan signing of Mykhailo Mudryk, alongside the addition of Chelsea center back Tosin Adarabioyo, puzzled supporters. Mudryk had not played a competitive match in nearly two years after a doping ban that was recently lifted, making the move a considerable gamble.

Nottingham Forest also drew attention for the wrong reasons when they spent $61.2 million on Liam Delap. Chelsea had only signed him for $40.6 million, and after a difficult debut season that brought three goals in 49 appearances, the fee looked excessive despite his 12-goal Premier League campaign for Ipswich Town in 2024-25.

Chelsea’s own summer business included Emmanuel Emegha, signed from Strasbourg for $28.5 million. Expected to back up João Pedro, he now sits third in the pecking order after the arrival of Danny Welbeck, leaving him with a difficult route to regular football.

Juventus paid $43.8 million for Randal Kolo Muani after his mixed loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored five goals in 41 appearances. AC Milan then turned to Gonçalo Ramos for $80 million, despite his role as a rotation option behind Ousmane Dembélé and a return of 13 goals in 50 matches.

Gabriel Martinelli’s $81.5 million move to Al Hilal was not a disaster for the clubs involved, but it was still a surprising step for a 25-year-old forward who could have rebuilt his standing at a Champions League club.

For Trabzonspor, the free signing of Mohamed Salah was a major coup. The Liverpool winger arrived with no transfer fee attached and plenty of interest elsewhere.

AC Milan manager Ruben Amorim kept his response measured after his side beat Manchester United, describing the result as little more than a routine preseason fixture. He also joked that the club’s press conferences have lacked energy since he left.

Asked whether the win carried added significance because of the opposition, Amorim declined to frame it that way. He said: “It’s a normal match,” and added, “Since I signed with Milan, I haven’t felt anything about Manchester United .

“I’m just proud to have been at Manchester United and I still love Manchester United, but after signing with Milan, I don’t feel anything negative about anything, because I’m very happy. I’m where I should be. So I just want to continue here. I wanted to win a preseason match to give a good image to our fans.”

After the game, Amorim crossed paths with BBC Sport journalist Simon Stone in the mixed zone. The pair embraced, before Stone referred to missing his old media briefings. Amorim’s reply was blunt and light-hearted: “More boring now!”

His time in England was defined by unusually forceful press conference moments. He once called his United side the worst in the club’s history, said he sometimes “hates” his players and stated he would prefer to pick his goalkeeping coach ahead of Marcus Rashford. Rashford later came off the bench for his first United appearance since being banished by Amorim nearly 20 months ago .

Meanwhile, the more controlled approach now associated with Carrick has drawn praise from United supporters and been linked to the mood around a side that has enjoyed a strong 2026 so far.

That calmer tone remained intact after the defeat, with Carrick setting his sights on improvement before the Premier League opener against Hull City on Aug. 22.

“We’re disappointed with today,” he told MUTV. “We didn’t play well today. There’s reasons for that in some ways [but] we need to learn from it, we need to improve.”

Marcus Rashford’s first Manchester United appearance in 611 days arrived in a pre-season setting that carried plenty of subtext, even without the stakes of competitive football. The forward, back in action after a long and complicated spell away, was given 30 minutes in Saturday’s friendly against an AC Milan side managed by Ruben Amorim, the coach who had previously lost faith in him.

It was a reunion shaped by history. Rashford had last turned out for United in December 2024, when he came off in the second half of a Europa League win over Viktoria Plzeň. What followed was a prolonged absence from the club, with Amorim said to have viewed him as a poor trainer and pushed him down the pecking order. Even after Amorim departed in January, Rashford’s future looked elsewhere as he excelled on loan in Barcelona, where he finished with 14 goals and as many assists while the club won a second straight league title.

A permanent move did not materialise, despite the player’s preference and the disappointment of Barcelona manager Hansi Flick. That brought the door back open at United, where Michael Carrick recalled his former teammate.

Against Milan, Rashford showed signs of application out of possession. Like United’s other attackers, he worked in the press and was involved in one notable moment when he sprinted in to dispossess Mario Gila. His influence in possession was far more limited. Bryan Mbeumo linked up with him a couple of times, but those combinations were untidy, and Rashford also produced a misplaced in-swinging cross that did not find a teammate.

The broader issue remains the same. Rashford still carries the label of a luxury player, and his defensive industry in matches has been questioned. Last season in La Liga, he ranked second bottom among qualifying attacking players for pressures per 90 minutes, with an average of 22.5 against a division average of 42.1. Only Kylian Mbappé registered less activity.

This outing did not erase that conversation, but it did show a player willing to work without the ball as he seeks to reset his standing at United.