Manchester United swooped for Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Amad Diallo on Monday, while Arsenal completed the biggest deal of transfer deadline day with the arrival of Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.
United were under the spotlight to respond to a humiliating 6-1 home defeat to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.
Dutch international midfielder Donny van de Beek had been the only addition to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad of the window prior to Monday.
Cavani, 33, has been a free agent since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in June and signed a one-year deal with the option for a second season.
The Uruguayan scored 200 goals in seven seasons in the French capital to become the club’s all-time top goalscorer.
“Manchester United is one of the greatest clubs in the world, so it is a real honour to be here,” said Cavani. “I’ve worked really hard during the time off and I feel eager to compete and represent this incredible club.”
The arrival of left-back Telles from Porto for £13.5 million ($19 million, 15 million euros) is arguably even more important to aid a United defence that has conceded 11 goals in three Premier League games to start the season.
“He is a player we have been tracking for some time and his performances over the past few years are exactly what we are looking for,” said Solskjaer on the Brazilian international.
“He is a fighter and a winner and will add real determination and competition to the squad.”
After a forlorn chase of Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, United also secured promising teenager Amad Traore from Atalanta, who will join in January in a deal that could reportedly reach up to 41 million euros.
Thomas a long-term target
Partey has been a long-term target for the Gunners, who have matched his 50 million euro (£45 million, $59 million) buyout clause to bolster their threadbare midfield options.
The Ghanaian has made 188 appearances for the Spanish giants and was part of the Atletico sides that reached the 2016 Champions League final and beat Arsenal on the way to winning the Europa League in 2018.
Uruguayan international Lucas Torreira also went the other way from Arsenal to Atletico on a season-long loan deal.
Arsenal have made an impressive start to the season, winning three of their opening four Premier League games, as they aim to return to the Champions League next season for the first time in five years.
However, the Londoners have been short in central midfield with Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi, who has joined Hertha Berlin on a season-long loan, frozen out by Mikel Arteta.
Arteta said: “We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high quality player to our squad. He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy. He brings a lot of experience from a top club that has competed at the highest level in La Liga and the Champions League for several years.”
“We’re very impressed with his attitude and his approach to the game. He’s an intelligent footballer and we’re looking forward to him integrating into our system and contributing to the progress we’re building at the moment at the club.”
Thomas will wear the No 18 shirt and will join up with his new team-mates next week after he returns from international duty with Ghana.
Quiet window for European giants
According to a report by the Centre for Economics Business Research, Premier League clubs were on course for an astonishing 95 percent of the net spend in Europe’s big five leagues this transfer window.
Barcelona’s accounts for the 2019/20 season showed the drastic impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on even the world’s richest clubs as the Catalans revealed 97 million euro losses on Monday.
Barca’s financial problems meant they could not agree deals for Lyon’s Memphis Depay or Manchester City defender Eric Garcia.
However, some of Europe’s giants were busy on the final day.
Juventus secured one of the hottest properties in Italian football as Federico Chiesa joined from Fiorentina on a two-year loan deal worth 10 million euros with an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met for a further 40 million.
English defender Chris Smalling returned to Roma on a permanent deal from Manchester United for 15 million euros after impressing during a loan spell last season.
French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has also returned to Serie A, joining Napoli on loan from Chelsea.
Bayern Munich added a trio of new players as Douglas Costa returned to the Allianz Arena for a second spell on loan from Juventus.
The European champions also signed former PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a one-year deal and Bouna Sarr from Marseille.
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