League One clubs got stuck right into this summer’s transfer window to prepare for a very competitive 2026/27 season.

Mansfield Town were among the clubs who set out to significantly bolster their squad this summer, and with the transfer window now closed for the year, they can be pleased with the personnel they’ve recruited.

Their main aim was to strengthen their attack, which they achieved with the signings of experienced strikers David McGoldrick and Michael Smith. Long-standing target Liam Thompson then arrived, before Stags were forced to replace Will Evans with loanee Owen Dodgson. The return of George Abbott on loan for the season was also announced on Deadline Day.

Despite Mansfield offering new terms to Evans, the versatile forward wanted to pursue a fresh challenge and made the move to League One rivals Plymouth Argyle.

Mansfield Town's Welsh striker #11 Will Evans celebrates after scoring their first goal during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Mansfield Town and Arsenal at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill in Mansfield, central England on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Jon Super / AFP via Getty Images)

placeholder image — Mansfield Town's Welsh striker #11 Will Evans celebrates after scoring their first goal during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Mansfield Town and Arsenal at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill in Mansfield, central England on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Jon Super / AFP via Getty Images)

Reports surrounding the move claim Stags earned £400,000 for the sale of Evans, putting him in the top five cash signings of the summer window. Here’s a closer look at the rest of those five and how their moves came about.

Dean Campbell, Notts County (£200,000)

According to Sky Sports’ table of signings, Dean Campbell made the switch from League Two side Northampton Town to Notts County for a fee of £200,000.

The Magpies triggered the Scottish midfielder’s release clause and he has joined the club on a three-year deal to help them survive their first season in League One after their promotion.

Will Evans, Plymouth Argyle (£400,000)

Argyle manager Tom Cleverley had been a fan of Evans for a while and the club finally made a deal happen this summer.

Although the fee has been officially undisclosed, the Pilgrims paid a reported £400,000 for the Welshman. Since his arrival at his new club, Evans has played mostly up top in a strike partnership with Aribim Pepple. He scored his first goal in green during a 1-1 draw against Wycombe.

Evans left Mansfield Town with less than a year left on his contract. Nigel Clough said the club have 'about doubled their money' from the sale.

“We’d been talking to Will about a new deal for a few months and we couldn’t quite reach an agreement and get to what he wanted,” Clough said at the time. “We offered him the figure he wanted, Plymouth had been bidding for a few weeks and we’d turned offers down. Ultimately, he said he would like a fresh challenge and to go.”

Murphy Cooper, Plymouth Argyle (£450,000)

Plymouth feature twice on this list after a busy summer window. Alongside seven new permanent signings, they have also added two loanees to the ranks, including Oliver Irow, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Stags.

The signing of Murphy Cooper was reportedly their most expensive and the third highest fee paid overall in this list. Sky's Anthony Cooper reported at the time that the deal with Queens Park Rangers was worth up to £450,000, with Argyle paying an initial £150,000, plus £300,000 worth of add-ons. The goalkeeper has signed a two-year deal, with the option of a further year in his contract.

Danny Ormerod, Peterborough United (£600,000)

Danny Ormerod takes second place in this list after his impressive move from National League North champions AFC Fylde to Peterborough United.

The 20-year-old striker scored 31 goals for Fylde last season and has unsurprisingly been poached into a higher league. The club confirmed at the time of Ormerod’s move that they will receive a ‘guaranteed fee of £600,000’, as well as a ‘substantial future sell-on clause'. He has made two substitute appearances for Posh since his arrival last week.

Ilari Kangasniemi, Leicester City (£2 million)

It’s no surprise former Premier League champions Leicester are top of the list with a £2 million addition to their team.

The Foxes have been extremely busy and have received a handsome sum of money from sales of their own this window, including a whopping £23 million from Abdul Fatawu’s move to Ipswich Town alone.

Leicester have bolstered their defence with the reported £2 million signing of centre-back Ilari Kangasniemi from Finnish club FC Inter Turku. The 19-year-old became the club’s tenth summer signing following their relegation from the Championship.