PREMIER LEAGUE clubs spent a staggering £3.19bn on new signings during the transfer window, setting a new record.This summer saw some high profile moves between English clubs, not least Alexander Isak’s £130million switch from Newcastle to Liverpool.AlamyAlexander Isak’s move to Liverpool was the biggest transfer of the summer[/caption]Of the top 10 biggest transfer fees shelled out by Prem teams, however, five were on players from foreign leagues, including three of the top four.Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee potentially rising to a staggering £116m, while they also bought Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in a deal that could reach £79m.Despite missing out on European football, Manchester United were able to spend more than £200m on a new front three alone – with £74m forward Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig the most expensive of the lot.Arsenal also weren’t averse to spending big sums on overseas talent, forking out £51m on Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad and £63.5m on Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.With such big fees involved, how do Prem scouts determine which stars to shell out on?THE IBIZA TESTWhen it comes to big-money recruits, clubs would prefer men with settled family lives that are ready to hit the ground running.Liverpool had the perfect test of this when signing Luis Diaz from Porto in January 2022.Having caught wind of the winger’s trip to renowned party island Ibiza, club bosses had a simple, yet crucial question.BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKTop 10 Prem summer 2025 signingsAlexander Isak (Newcastle to Liverpool) £125mFlorian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool) £116mHugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool) £79mBenjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig to Man Utd) £74mBryan Mbeumo (Brentford to Man Utd) £71mNick Woltemade (Stuttgart to Newcastle) £69mEberechi Eze (Crystal Palace to Arsenal) £67.5mViktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP to Arsenal) £63.5mMatheus Cunha (Wolves to Man Utd) £62.5mJoao Pedro (Brighton to Chelsea) £60mThe Times claim that during a recruitment meeting, recruitment chiefs wanted to know “which side of Ibiza” Diaz visited.To to the south of the Balearic island can be found notorious party destinations most associated with lads holidays. To the north, however, can be found stunning coves, tranquil beaches and perfect spots to relax and soak in the sunshine.Diaz had visited the north of the island, alongside his wife and young daughter, and was promptly snapped up by the Reds. Instagram / @gera25ponceLuis Diaz is married to long-term partner Gera Ponce[/caption]EPADiaz went on to be a resounding success at Liverpool[/caption]BACKSIDE BOYSScouts are determined to recommend signings that can physically cope with the demands of the Premier League.During their much-talked about striker hunt earlier in the summer, Arsenal were desperate to secure a bustling forward capable of leading the line.The Portuguese top flight is not always the ideal market for Prem clubs to shop in.But Gunners lookouts liked the way that Gyokeres was able to use his body to bounce off defenders and come away with the ball.A scout told the The Times that the Swede was the “master of the nudge” – and that the ability to handle the weight of expectation at a big club like Sporting stood him in good stead. Others said to use their bodies, and their backsides, well in slaloming through challenges are Gyokeres’ Swedish compatriot Dejan Kulusevski, and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes.AFPArsenal love Viktor Gyokeres’ combative style[/caption]GettyDejan Kulusevski and Bruno Guimaraes are both also renowned for slaloming through challenges[/caption]RAIN ON YOUR PARADEArsenal have had plenty of joy buying stars that have honed their craft at Real Sociedad in recent seasons.Martin Odegaard joined from Real Madrid, having just excelled on loan at Sociedad.While Mikel Merino was bought from the Basque side last year.It is claimed that Basque players are “more robust” than those from the rest of Spain – particularly valuing grit and determination.The Basque country also experiences a lot of rain compared to many Spanish regions, another factor that stands players in good stead ahead of moving to England.So with all this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Martin Zubimendi has hit the ground running.AP:Associated PressMikel Merino and Martin Odegaard played together at Real Sociedad[/caption]GettyMartin Zubimendi joined Arsenal from the Basque side in the summer[/caption]FAMILY TIESSunSport revealed earlier this week that Andre Onana would not be relocating his family to Turkey following his loan to Tranzonspor.This may have raised some eyebrows, given how much a player’s family can help them settle into a new environment.When Luka Modric first moved to Tottenham in 2008, his wife played a crucial role – both emotionally and practically.With the Croatian struggling to get to grips with driving on the left, his wife Vanja even started giving him a lift into training in order to help him avoid any scrapes.Friends are also crucial to a player’s happiness.Nick Woltemade has even moved to Newcastle alongside his best pal.The lanky forward told German paper Bild: “My friends are here with me, so I get a lot of support.“One of them is even moving in with me permanently. We’re very good friends and have always joked that if I ever move abroad, we’ll go there together.”Brazilians playing for London clubs have often linked up down the years, with Willian and David Luiz even co-owning restaurant Babbo together.The swanky eatery has welcomed several big stars down the years, including the likes of Neymar and Gabriel Jesus.Getty Images - GettyLuka Modric’s wife Vanja has been with him every step of the way[/caption]PANick Woltemade is living with a pal on Tyneside[/caption]