Time is of the essence for clubs because there is limited amounts of it left in the summer transfer window, which closes at 11pm BST on Friday. If a deal stalls, it could leave squads and balance sheets short of what is required.
Tottenham have seen their move for Brennan Johnson hit the skids, so are looking at alternatives. One winger that could fit the bill is Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, although the Eagles will put up a fight to keep hold of their star man. Another candidate is Ansu Fati after the winger was told he could leave Barcelona for pastures new. Contrarians Brighton, however, may have stolen a march on Spurs and could snap up the winger on loan.
West Ham are aiming to bolster their striking options in the next 48 hours and Hugo Ekitiké of Paris Saint-Germain is in talks. The French forward is available on loan or a permanent deal and could arrive in London before the close of the window, though Eintracht Frankfurt, Brentford and Crystal Palace are also keen. The Hammers are also working on a deal for Yuri Alberto – discussions are ongoing with the Brazilian club Corinthians over the 22-year-old. David Moyes is likely to offer Jesse Lingard a short-term deal with the former Hammers midfielder proving his worth in training after leaving Nottingham Forest this summer. Another target for West Ham and their crack negotiators is Ronnie Edwards of Peterborough, who will inevitably be available for the right price.
Tanguy Ndombele is set for another season-long move to Italy after Tottenham entered talks with Genoa over a loan deal for the midfielder, who is not part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans. There could be another option for the Spurs man, with Internazionale enquiring about his availability.
There is an obvious need for reinforcement in the Manchester United midfield but they do not seem too eager to pay for the privilege. Sofyan Amrabat is a key target for Erik ten Hag but Fiorentina want £30m to let their man go and United are offering a headshake in return.
Relegation does little for most clubs but Southampton have had a field day selling their stars this summer. The latest to attract big-money interest is the defender Armel Bella-Kotchap, who is wanted by not one but two German giants in the form of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Speaking of Bayern, they would not mind splashing out €60m on Fulham’s João Palhinha.
One midfielder possibly heading away from the Allianz Arena is Ryan Gravenbach after Bayern entered into talks with Liverpool over a deal. The Dutchman has never been a regular in Germany and could be tempted by the lure of the Premier League and playing under Jürgen Klopp.
Having qualified for the Champions League group stages, Galatasaray are looking to add a bit more quality to their ranks. One man mentioned in dispatches is Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek, who has been angling for a move for quite a while without success. There is, however, an alternative option for the Dutchman after Ligue 1’s Lorient offered to loan him for the campaign. Fellow United squad player Teden Mengi is set to join Luton, while Hannibal Mejbri is a target for Sevilla and Anderlecht.
Everton are lacking goals but are still willing to allow young striker Tom Cannon to depart for Norwich in exchange for £7m. The striker knows the Championship well after spending last season with Preston.
