The Premier League transfer window has officially closed, but it left behind a mix of surprises and unmet expectations. Despite a record £3.5 billion being spent on transfers in the men’s market, several key players will not be on the pitch for their new teams when they might have been. For example, Vinícius Júnior, who joined Arsenal, will miss his first match against Chelsea, while Gabriel Martinelli, who moved to Saudi Arabia, did not mention his former manager, Mikel Arteta, in his social media goodbye. Enzo Fernández, who signed with Manchester City, will not be playing for Chelsea, and Lamine Camara, now joining Chelsea’s midfield, was largely unknown to the club’s fanbase before his move. Liverpool will face Ipswich Town in a match that raises concerns about their full-back options. Richard Hughes, who has moved to Saudi Arabia, may not receive much recognition for being the club’s highest net spender in the transfer window. Meanwhile, Manchester United will miss out on Lewis Hall, who joined Newcastle United, and the club is facing challenges in finding enough players for their matches. At Everton, Harrison Armstrong has stayed with the team, but Iliman Ndiaye is no longer available to play, leaving Thierno Barry as the only striker for manager David Moyes. Folarin Balogun, who joined Monaco, will not be playing against Paris Saint-Germain this weekend or in the club’s upcoming matches in the Tin Pot tournament. Richarlison, who had hoped to return to Everton, will not feature for Tottenham Hotspur against Nottingham Forest, as he was excluded from the team’s Premier League squad. There are also reports that Mohamed Salah, currently playing for Trabzonspor, could be moving to either the Turkish Super Lig or the Saudi Pro League. Balogun is also being linked with a potential move to one of these leagues. The transfer window has also sparked discussions about referee performance. Former head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Mike Hackett, dismissed claims made by former referee Mike Dean. In addition, various opinions and letters have been shared about the transfer window and other football-related topics, adding to the ongoing conversations around the game.