Ipswich Town's return to the English Premier League is making waves, as the club looks to solidify its place with a phenomenal transfer market effort. With new manager Gary O'Neil at the helm, they have already invested over €127.9 million, positioning Ipswich among the top spenders in the league's history.
The following is a list of clubs that have splashed the most cash right after promotion to the Premier League (according to Transfermarkt), alongside how their investments panned out.
Top 10 most extravagant newcomers in Premier League history
1. Sunderland (season 2025/26) — €188.7 million. Final result: Secured a European spot in their first season back.
2. Nottingham Forest (season 2022/23) — €155.2 million. Final result: Finished 16th, managing to maintain their Premier League status.
3. Aston Villa (season 2019/20) — €148.6 million. Final result: Avoided relegation on the final day, finishing 17th.
4. Burnley (season 2025/26) — €131.5 million. Final result: Couldn’t hold their place in the league and returned to the Championship.
5. Ipswich Town (season 2026/27) — €127.9 million. Final result: The season is just beginning, and major signings are still ongoing.
6. Ipswich Town (season 2024/25) — €125.0 million. Final result: Relegated at the season's end but bounced straight back up.
7. Southampton (season 2024/25) — €117.2 million. Final result: Finished bottom of the table, collecting just 12 points throughout the campaign.
8. Leeds United (season 2025/26) — €113.7 million. Final result: Comfortably retained Premier League status, finishing 14th.
9. Fulham (season 2018/19) — €113.1 million. Final result: Demoted back to the Championship after just one season in the top flight.
10. Burnley (season 2023/24) — €110.5 million. Final result: Finished 19th and dropped out of the Premier League.
Strategy shift at Ipswich under Gary O'Neil
Unlike their approach two years ago, which primarily focused on players from lower leagues, Ipswich Town's current strategy is a marked departure.
- Premier League pedigree: The club has bolstered its ranks with experienced players — Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop joined from Fulham, while Florentino Luis came in from Burnley.
- International market: The club's record signing is 22-year-old Brazilian forward Emerson, acquired for €24 million from Toulouse. Japanese winger Daizen Maeda also bolstered the squad from Celtic.
- Aiming for Sunderland's model: Ipswich openly admits they are looking to Sunderland’s successful turnaround last season, when they stormed back into European competition after a comprehensive rebuild.
Whether the considerable financial outlay will pay off remains to be seen as the new season kicks off, but Gary O'Neil has made it clear that the club's transfer activity is far from over.
