Transfer Deadline Day: Relive the glorious madness

Ian Watson

You’ll find all the done deals here. For everything else, read on…

 

00.35: Fulham have signed two Ruben Loftus-Cheeks (correct plural may be Loftuses-Cheek? Subs please check) which is something of a coup because not a single ITK had even picked up on the fact that there were in fact two of them.

Just when you think deadline day has no surprises in store, along come Fulham with a wildly irresponsible use of untested human cloning technology that could have vast unintended consequences. Goes to show, anything really can happen on this most magical of days. And on that bombshell… see you later, yeah?

 

23.49: Fulham still going, bless ’em. And we’d forgotten about Ruben Loftus-Cheek as well! That might still happen/have happened! Or will in the fullness of time! It’s been a long day.

23.34: Here’s one of the stragglers, albeit one that was mentioned as a possibility what now seems around 300 hours ago and we had long since entirely forgotten about: United bringing in Facundo ‘Gary’ Pellistri.

 

23.32: We’re obviously now in the interminable post-deadline hinterland of ‘deal sheets’ and fax machines and documents sent and all the rest of it, but unlike in previous years there really is very little that isn’t already confirmed now. Unless there’s something absolutely wild that nobody knows about (there isn’t) we’re looking at one or two more tonight.

 

23.12: Pray for Pickford.

 

23.09: Some bits and bobs on Solskjaer in tomorrow’s papers. There is undeniably a certain elegance about the prospect of Tottenham twatting United all round Old Trafford being the final straw that ends up getting Poch the United job.

 

23.00: Time’s time.

 

22.56: That’s the big stuff done, I reckon.

 

22.47: ORRRRRRNNNNNSTEEEEEIIIIIIN

 

22.44: Walcott on his Southampton return is just lovely.

“I had a few opportunities from other clubs, but as soon as Southampton came in for me, it’s part of me and has made me into the player I am. It’s in my heart. I will probably cry, I bet, when I first play, and it means so much. All the people that made it happen, I can’t thank them enough. Honestly, I’m so pleased. I was seriously lost for words when Southampton came on the table, and for me it was such an easy decision.”

 

22.41: Theo Walcott has rejoined Southampton on loan. Which is nice, isn’t it? Like, genuinely, that is quite a nice thing to happen and this year of all years we should take time to enjoy nice things.

 

22.34: Raphinha has signed a four-year deal, by the way.

 

22.25: Good content.

 

22.03: Manchester United have signed their top target. One-year contract, with an option of another year.

21.47: Nineteen appearances. Bugger.

 

21.37: ORRRRRRNNNNNSTEEEEEIIIIIIN

21.15: The nationwide clearing of the deadwood continues.

 

21.09: A lot of clubs appear to have done very well in this window. Our Premier League Transfer Window Winners are here. By the time you’ve read it, another transfer might have happened.

 

20.52: Sources tell me Harry Redknapp has just sorta, kinda tipped Spurs to win the league, proving I was both very correct and very, very wrong indeed to switch SSN off. “Midfield… full of midfield players.”

 

20.44: Right, so with little more than a couple of hours to go there really isn’t all that much likely to happen ALTHOUGH NOTHING CAN EVER BE RULED OUT SO DEFINITELY DON’T LOG OFF OR IN ANY WAY SIMPLY GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE. That should keep the bosses happy anyway. But really it’s looking like Cavani to United and Partey to Arsenal and that’s about it really. Oh, and Walcott to Southampton which would be lovely.

 

20.42: Okay, one last Harry Redknapp update. He reckons Bournemouth should sign newly-free-agent Jack Wilshere because of course he does. I’m changing the channel now to avoid any further temptation. Not like anything’s happening.

 

20.37: Can’t lie, we were massively excited about the no-medical transfer. This is unsurprising but still disappointing.

20.21: Can anyone, I wonder, think of any other long-running transfer saga this summer where the selling club have “made the terms of the deal clear throughout”?

 

20.17: Re. Partey, Daily Mirror reckon he’ll be getting £260k a week. Blimey.

 

20.15: Chris Smalling to Roma is DONE.

 

20.13: That’s enough Redknapp chat now, I think. No more Redknapp updates unless Ed Woodward bids £100m for Jamie, which can’t at this stage be entirely ruled out.

 

20.12: Not saying Harry Redknapp has never seen Thomas Partey play, but when pushed for a view on Arsenal’s potential new boy he offered “Yeah, sounds like a good signing” and then went on to talk about other players at Arsenal and also Spurs.

 

20.06: ‘Arry playing all the hits. Rafa van der Vaart, Charlie Adam, Peter Odemwingie. Just enjoying having a good old chat with his mate Jim. Not sure he even realises he’s on the telly.

 

20.02: Two Redknapps. Two. I feel like Mark when Jez ordered four naan.

 

19.56: On SSN after the break: not one but two Redknapps and a Jim White. And we were determined not to start drinking until at least half nine.

 

19.51: It’s a sign of how little is happening that with over three hours of air still to fill, Sky Sports News have already resorted to discussing Jadon Sancho and wondering whether we could still see “the miracle of miracles”. By this point, it’s surely as unlikely as losing 6-1 at home to a Jose Mourinho team.

 

19.43: This is bleak. He was the future once.

 

19.40: The live blog on SPORT paints a slightly more optimistic picture on Ousmane Dembele to United:

“As SPORT has learned, the lack of time and the inability to do a medical examination is a stumbling block for the negotiation. Even so, Barça and United are studying the possibilities of the operation being carried out without a medical review. Ousmane’s lack of official matches worries the English.”

Could be some translation bants at work here, but doing a massive deadline-day deal for an injury-prone player without a medical does seem to be very Ed Woodward indeed, so this could be a goer.

 

19.33: No, you shut up. There’s hours of this sh*te left yet, and that will come to be seen as something of a high point, I promise you.

 

19.32: YOU GOT TO WRITE… ABOUT A FLIGHT… FOR PARTEY.

 

19.30: Sky Sports News saying no dice on Ousmane Dembele to Manchester United. Oh, Ed.

 

19.28: Because I’m bang on top of things I’ve just realised it’s now significantly past 7pm which was the deadline in Italy. Significant for Chris Smalling – you’d think we’ll have to hear something on that one way or t’other before too long.

 

19.11: Can’t really knock Danny Levy for his efforts in this transfer window can you, but on not-really-actually-deadline-day-for-this-particular-deal he’s giving his fans what they want with a classic lowball offer. All the latest on the apparent £7m offer for an £18m-rated defender is here. Read it quick, before Ed Woodward comes in and offers £40m.

 

18.52: One move that seems likely to happen is Ruben Loftus-Cheek slapping a Premier League relegation on his CV during a loan with Fulham. He will play every single minute under Scott Parker so that’s something.

 

18.41: Ed Woodward might keep this deadline day interesting. James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph has something of an update on their moves for Facundo Pellistri (£9m, Penarol) and Amad Traore (£18.2m, Atalanta). The former ‘is expected to be parachuted straight into the first-team squad,’ while the latter will join in January.

 

18.35: Manchester United have the centre-half signing they desperately need.

 

18.29: Jose Mourinho will be absolutely livid with Tottenham being conclusively ruled out of the Milan Skriniar race by Fabrizo Romano. It looks as though they will just have to keep scoring six whenever they inevitably concede one.

 

18.20: Despite earlier reports suggesting Chris Smalling would be staying, ORRRRRRNNNNNSTEEEEEIIIIIIN has confirmed that he will be leaving Manchester United for Roma in a deal worth €20m before the deadline. Ed Woodward has finally sold a player!

And here is the proof of his multi-tasking.

 

18.13: As an update to the Rodon news below, Tottenham are offering Swansea £7m for a player they value at £18m.

Daniel Levy has arrived.

 

18.08: Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Alex Telles. They will hope he is not their last.

 

18.01: There have been whispers over the last hour or so that Tottenham are interested in signing Joe Rodon for Swansea, who rate the centre-half at around £18m.

It is worth reiterating that the domestic window does not close until October 16, so Tottenham are in no rush to complete that deal today.

 

5.51: Some news on Everton’s quest to sign someone with longer arms than Jordan Pickford.

 

5.40: Southampton have confirmed the departure of Guido Carrillo for Elche, the former club-record signing having had his St Mary’s contract terminated. What a bloody transfer that was.

 

5.29: Two bits of Chelsea news, with Tiemoue Bakayoko headed to Napoli on loan. Antonio Rudiger was potentially joining him in Serie A but the centre-half will now stay and try and prove his worth at Chelsea.

 

5.25: John Bostock has been released by Toulouse. Here we bloody well go.

 

5.18: Chris Smalling seems to be staying at Manchester United as Roma are struggling to agree a deal. Arsenal are bringing in Football Manager regen Nikolaj Duus Moller from Malmo. Everton still want Sergio Romero.

It really is all kicking off.

 

4.51: The strange game of pass the Douglas Costa-shaped parcel between Juventus and Bayern Munich continues as the Brazilian is loaned back to the latter, who he left in 2018 to join the former on a loan that was then made permanent.

In Premier League terms, it likely brings to an end the interest the European champions were showing in Callum Hudson-Odoi once more. Maybe Frank Lampard will start using him now.

 

4.45: Don’t be salty but Ruben Vinagre has left Wolves, which brings us to this…

Excellent.

 

4.38: Sead Kolasinac is going nowhere. Kicker say Bayer Leverkusen have pulled out of a deal to sign the Arsenal left-back, who remains above Mesut Ozil in any and every pecking order imaginable.

 

4.33: Felipe Anderson to Porto? Sexy.

 

4.21: It seems as though Marko Grujic is sticking around at Liverpool this season, with Werder Bremen pulling out of talks due to a lack of funds. Let’s hope he enjoys FA Cup third-round ties.

 

4.09: It is genuinely fascinating to watch Manchester United panic like this. They are signing all of the right wingers and another name has resurfaced, courtesy of The Athletic.

They report United as wanting to take Ismaila Sarr on loan, with Watford preferring a permanent transfer of the Senegalese forward. They price is £45m: £20m up front before the deadline, £15m next summer and the rest the following season.

Premier League clubs can still do business with Football League clubs until October 16 but the deadline to name Champions League squads is October 6, meaning United would have to make the move today.

Furthermore, Watford have tabled one possible loan offer. They would let United have him for a fixed £20m fee at the end of the season, whether they keep him or not. Crikey.

 

3.51: It looks like Ousmane Dembele to Manchester United really could be a thing.

He has played just 20 minutes of La Liga football this season. Thanks to injury, his last La Liga goal was a year ago tomorrow.

 

3.42: Another expected deal today is a loan exit for Matteo Guendouzi to Hertha Berlin. Will Lucas Torreira also leave for Atletico Madrid? It sounds like the Spanish club might have the arse with Arsenal so maybe not…

 

3.35: A reminder now in case you missed it earlier: We are expecting Theo Walcott to sign for Southampton on loan from Everton. We approve.

 

3.33: According to Ed Aarons of The Guardian, there is some interest from Porto in Danny Rose. Him and Malang Sarr could go halves on a taxi from the airport.

 

3.29: Chelsea are still trying to get some wages off their books and the news is mixed, according to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol:

“Ruben Loftus-Cheek is available for loan with both Fulham and West Ham interested but his wages are a problem because Chelsea want any club who take him to pay his £150,000-a-week wages in full.

“We’re being told that at the moment, it looks like Antonio Rudiger is going to stay at Chelsea despite the fact that PSG, Tottenham and AC Milan are all interested in taking him on loan. The feeling in his camp is to wait until the January transfer window to keep his options open.

“Malang Sarr, the free signing that arrived in the summer, he looks like going to Porto on loan while Tiemoue Bakayoko is on his way to Napoli. Jorginho to Arsenal is very unlikely now with them going for Thomas Partey, and Emerson, Marcos Alonso and Kepa Arrizabalaga all look like staying.”

Poor Danny Drinkwater does not even get a mention. And what about Baba Rahman?

 

3.24: Ousmane Dembele to Manchester United could still happen, according to Duncan Castles. It seems that Barcelona have relented and could allow the Frenchman to join the club on loan. We still await confirmation of deals for Alex Telles and Edinson Cavani. Would that be a good window for United?

 

3.17: Liverpool aren’t the only club struggling to shift players. It looks very much like Manchester United will end the day with seven centre-backs – Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe.

 

3.13: Mediawatch highlighted the nonsense of Liverpool potentially doing eight deals today. It looks like they have not managed to find buyers for Marko Grujic, Harry Wilson or Xherdan Shaqiri so they may well be stuck at the club. As much as you can be stuck at the Premier League champions earning thousands of pounds per week, that is.

 

3:05: A report in France has fingered another right-winger Manchester United are chasing today…

Telefoot (via GFFN) claims United have had one offer for Ismaila Sarr rejected by Watford which involved an initial loan period before an option to buy for £45million.

Watford responded by suggesting that United would pay £25million if they did not take up that option, essentially making that sum a loan fee. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. And this is Woodward they are dealing with…

Apparently, a compromise is being sought.

 

2:50: Theo’s going home…

 

2:47:  St Etienne and Arsenal had a good old ding-dong when the Gunners refused to extend William Saliba‘s loan at the end of last season to allow the defender to play in the Coupe de France final. It seems the French club are willing to bury the hatchet…

 

2:23: Custis also reckons Everton haven’t made any contact with United over Sergio Romero. So the Spurs stopper appears to be their primary target.

 

2:20: #betterthanMessi

 

2:15: ‘Several years’. United then could have made a move long before it was necessary to pay £27million…

David McConnell also reckons a deal for Ousmane Dembele is “very unlikely” because the clubs cannot agree over a permanent or loan arrangement. Who’ll blink first?

 

2:05: What’s better than one right-winger? Three right-wingers, of course.

That seems to be Manchester United’s thinking as they close in on deals for Amad Traore and Facundo Pellistri. They also seem to be making progress with Ousmane Dembele, with Duncan Castles claiming the Barcelona winger has agreed to join United. All the two clubs need to sort is whether it is a loan deal – United’s preference – or whether Barca get their way over a permanent transfer.

Desperate stuff.

 

1:55: OOORRRNNNSSSTTTEEEEEEIIIIINNNN says it’s on. Arsenal have told Atletico and Thomas Partey that they will pay his £45million release clause.

 

1:35: Just a quick reminder that Danny Drinkwater is still being paid £110,000 a week by Chelsea. OK, bye.

 

1:23: The Times is reporting the same thing. What took Everton so long? Jordan Pickford has been a problem for months.

 

1:20: Barca are trying to ship out Jean-Clair Todibo but the centre-back is ‘still not convinced’ about Fulham.

The lad has good instincts, obviously.

 

1:15: Why Barca need to shift their deadwood…

 

1:05: A second teenage right-winger set to join United, with Traore supposedly following Facundo Pellistri.

Traore’s total number of Serie A minutes: 24.

If football was played in the future… United would still be f*cked because Woodward.

 

1:00: Gerard Deulofeu is set for the 427th move of his career, with Fiorentina keen to sign the Watford winger to replace the Juventus-bound Federico Chiesa.

 

12:55: Hello, hello…

Unless that move involves forking out the £45million to pay the Atletico Madrid midfielder’s buy-out clause, they may as well not bother.

 

12:45: An update on Jadon Sancho from Neil Custis…

Apparently, Man Utd have told the winger ‘we haven’t given up on you’ even though they haven’t bothered to pay the price Dortmund have demanded.  The Sun story goes that Sancho ‘has told close pals that he is convinced he will still end up being a United player with a deal revived in the New Year’.

It is said that United simply do not believe that a 20-year-old is worth £108million in the current climate.

What the f*ckety f*ck will have changed come January? Do United expect Dortmund to drop their demands next summer when there will be more than just United bidding for the winger?

United might not have given up on Sancho, but Sancho is best advised to give up on them.

 

 

12:30: If you’re having a bad day, just think: it could be worse…

 

12:20: One of the two centre-backs Fulham hope to bring in is PSV’s Timo Baumgartl. The 24-year-old has passed a medical at Craven Cottage, according to OOORRRNNNSSSTTTEEEEEEIIIIINNN.

 

12:10: Total number of players sold by Manchester United this summer: zero.

Total number of centre-backs on Manchester United’s books: Eight.

 

12:05: Chris Wilder to Sheffield United’s defensive targets: ”’ow much?!”

 

11:55: Jose wants a go at turning John Stones into a competent defender now Pep Guardiola seems to have given up on the England centre-back.

The Daily Mail says Spurs have approached Man City over taking Stones on loan with a view to a £20million move – less than half the figure City paid Everton in 2016.

City have signed Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake this summer – but Stones hasn’t taken the hint. Apparently, he wants to stick around at City ‘until he’s told he’s no longer needed’.

 

11:50: Can anyone make use of a top-class playmaker who’s lost his way this year?

Reports suggest Inter Milan are hawking Christian Eriksen around Premier League clubs, with the Denmark star out of the picture under Antonio Conte. Inter are said to be willing to pay half of Eriksen’s wages.

 

11:40: For the second deadline day in succession, Josh King is wondering where he’ll be come 11pm. The Bournemouth striker was the subject of a couple of unsuccessful bids from Man Utd in January and this time, clubs across Europe are eyeing up the Norwegian.

The Athletic says Sevilla and Fiorentina are keen on King while Torino have already had an offer knocked back by the Cherries.

 

11:30: PSG making moves…

 

11:20: According to TalkSport, the Champions League draw was a primary motivation for Edinson Cavani to join Manchester United.

It definitely isn’t the £220,000 a week they are paying him and the fat commission his agent is getting. Nope, he just can’t wait to go back to the Parc des Princes to get battered by his old team-mates.

 

11:15: Our friends at Sport Witness also have an update over Everton and their goalkeeping situation. This weekend’s Early Loser, Jordan Pickford, desperately needs some competition and it could come in the shape of Roma stopper Pau Lopez.

Reports in Italy suggest a loan move is possible, but it seems there is a long way to go.

Meanwhile, Sergio Romero is still in Manchester checking whether his phone is actually working.

 

11:10: A late Man Utd move for Kingsley Coman has been mooted by The Telegraph. With Bayern Munich signing Leroy Sane and set to land Douglas Costa, they aren’t short of attacking options in wide areas..

 

11:00: Fulham have got some panic buying to get done in the next 12 hours…

Reports suggest they are in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek who is free to leave Chelsea on loan for the season. The Cottagers also need at least one centre-back. They are keen on Barca’s Jean-Clair Todibo and they are also reported to be looking at Lyon’s Joachim Andersen.

 

10:50: One footnote from the Ben Godfrey-to-Everton deal: Norwich look set to make around £25million but a sell-on clause is set to make National League North club York City at least £2million.

Which is nice.

 

10:45: Leicester are about to shift Rachid Ghezzal to Besiktas but only for the season. The winger, who we forgot was still at Leicester, is in Istanbul now to have a medical.

 

10:42: Four in at Man Utd today?

 

10:35: Another ex-Man Utd right-back is moving to Milan…

 

10:25: Jim White there, pretending that he’s on a call…

 

10:15: We’ve hit the mid-morning lull and Sky Sports News have resorted to incessant poll-taking.

One line they (and a few other outlets) have is that Man Utd want to keep Brandon Williams around this season, despite Alex Telles’ arrival. Williams was wanted by Southampton – do the Saints fancy taking back Luke Shaw instead?

 

10:05: Confirmation that Ryan Sessegnon is off to Germany for the season…

 

10:00: Fabrizio Romano, the biggest transfer pervert of you all, reckons Chelsea are sending some of their deadwood to Italy.

 

 

9:50: United are being heavily linked with another right winger though in Facundo Pellistri, they perhaps have one eye on the future.

Reports in Uruguay suggest the 18-year-old underwent a medical in his home country on Saturday but United are yet to cough up the £7.6million required to get Pellistri out of his Penarol contract.

 

9:45: Leeds seem to have moved for Raphina after giving up on signing Daniel James from Manchester United.

James presumably realised that United would screw up any move for another right-winger so he’s staying put.

9:35: The Barcelona-based ESPN hack who was quickest off the mark on Saturday with the Cavani story says Barca are ‘expecting a call from Man Utd over Dembele’.

We all know it’s coming…


9:30: Mario Balotelli to Watford?

 

9:25: Read all about the only done deal of the day so far.

 

9:15: Having being shamed into action by being the only Premier League team to be beaten by Manchester United this season, Brighton are said to be closing in on the signing of Poland international Jakub Moder.

Moder is set to sign from Lech Poznan for anything between £6million and £10million, depending on which report you believe. The midfielder will then be loaned back to Lech Poznan until January at the earliest.

Brighton’s scout at Poland has been a busy bee. According to The Argus, the Seagulls are also said to be ready to move for Legia Warsaw’s 19-year-old Michal Karbownik.

 

9:10: The Athletic has news of an exit at Arsenal. The most 2020 exit imaginable…

Null and void the season now.

 

 

9.03: We have our first done deal of the day. And it’s Everton who have made the first move by paying £20m to Norwich for Ben Godfrey. That’s a solid move. Here we go…

 

9.00: It now looks very unlikely indeed that Arsenal will get anybody through the door today. Houssem Aouar has said that he is staying at Lyon, after scoring on Sunday night in a 1-1 draw. Asked why, he said: “First because I feel that I could still bring things to this team and the club, it’s that simple. I wanted to continue the adventure with the club that raised me. We now have to raise our heads because we have to do better.”

 

8.30: The talk from Sky Germany is that Hertha Berlin signing Matteo Guendouzi from Arsenal will not be the end of their business with Premier League clubs today. They also want Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko and Liverpool’s Marko Grujic.

 

8.25: We knew this already but the latest update from the BBC on Jadon Sancho is that it would take ‘something extraordinary’ for the deal to be completed today. Presumably the ‘something extraordinary’ would be Manchester United actually making a bid, preferably big enough to actually sign Sancho.

 

8.22: Oh, here’s a nice little snippet. It seems that Theo Walcott could leave Everton on loan today and among the clubs interested are his old club Southampton. That comes from the Daily Mirror’s John Cross and he has good contacts in the Walcott camp.

 

8.20: Here’s what to expect from Manchester United today. Still no talk of a centre-half, even after Sunday’s absolute sh*t-show.

 

8:05: Ruben Loftus-Cheek is looking for a loan move, but The Sun says it won’t be to Southampton. Apparently, the England star’s wages are too high for the Saints. Which contradicts reports at the weekend that Chelsea were willing to pay Loftus-Cheek’s entire salary for the season…

 

7:55: Sky Sports have sent Gary Cotterill to Germany to follow what probably won’t happen with Jadon Sancho, who is in England. Nice one.

Also in Germany is Matteo Guendouzi. The Arsenal midfielder is set to drop his trousers and cough for the Hertha Berlin doctors any time now, according to Sky in Germany.

 

7:45: Leeds are set to do some dirty deadline day business with the signing of £11million winger Raphinha from Rennes.

Let’s hope the Brazilian fares better in his medical than Michael Cuisance. Speaking of whom, the Bayern Munich midfielder appears set to join Marseille, who apparently aren’t as concerned over the foot injury which scuppered his Leeds move.

 

7:35: The Daily Express reckons Memphis Depay‘s agreement with Barcelona boosts Arsenal’s hopes on landing Houssem Aouar. Hear them out…

Lyon had said on Saturday that given the looming deadline neither player would be leaving. But they have already changed their mind over Depay so they could do the same with Aouar.

The ‘could’ is doing a lot of the heavy lifting there. Even if Jean-Michel Aulas is willing to sanction a move for Aouar, Arsenal seem miles away from being able to afford the midfielder.

 

7:30: One exit from Spurs today is likely to be Ryan Sessegnon. ORRRNNNSSSTTTEEEEEEEEIIIIIIINNNN says the youngster is travelling to Germany this morning to sign a season-long loan deal with Hoffenheim. There is no option to buy included in the agreement.

 

7:20: Eric Choupo-Moting‘s agent is a freaking wizard. The former Stoke flop is said to be on his way to Bayern Munich on a two-year deal after his contract at PSG expired.

PSG have strengthened their forward line by signing another Premier League dud…

 

7:00: Let’s dive straight into the Gossip…

As much as Manchester United need Dembele, Barca need rid of the French winger to fund their move for Memphis Depay. It is being widely reported that Lyon have agreed to sell Depay to the Catalans for £22.3million plus add-ons but Barca need to raise the cash by shifting some deadwood, preferably Dembele.

Barca are said to be willing to sell Dembele for £60million which represents a hefty discount on the £95million they paid Borussia Dortmund in 2017, but it is still extremely expensive for a player with obvious problems stifling his potential. With that in mind, United would prefer to take Dembele on loan, but that’s not much use to Barca.

There is something of a merry-go-round in full swing with wingers across Europe. According to reports in Germany and Italy, Bayern Munich will turn their attention from Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi to Juventus star Douglas Costa, with the 30-year-old moving on loan, creating room for Juve to sign Federico Chiesa in a deal which will eventually cost them in excess of £50million.

Arsenal want to add another midfielder but they first need to shift some of those clogging up their squad. Lucas Torreira has agreed a loan deal with Atletico Madrid but Atletico too need to create some room, with Hector Herrera the most likely to be moved on.

The Mirror is reporting that Matteo Guendouzi is poised to move on, with Hertha Berlin willing to take the Frenchman on loan. Sead Kolasinac is also heading to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.

Elsewhere in London, defenders are this season’s most in-demand commodity. The Mirror suggests Tottenham might make one last attempt to sign Milan Skriniar from Inter Milan and though they are also keen on Antonio Rudiger, Sky Sports says AC Milan are also sniffing around the out-of-favour Chelsea centre-back.

Fulham need a central defender perhaps more than anyone else and they are looking in the direction of Barcelona. Le10 Sport suggests Craven Cottage is Jean-Clair Todibo’s preferred destination, though Everton are also interested, which almost goes without saying when Barca want rid of a player.

Some other snippets…

The Telegraph says Southampton want Brandon Williams on loan for the season if Manchester United complete the signing of Alex Telles.

Juve are finally set to land Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea, with Marcos Alonso to stay at Chelsea, which could be awkward.

Celtic want to take West Ham winger Robert Snodgrass back to Scotland, while Josh Cullen could be heading further away from the London Stadium to Anderlecht.

Roma, who still hope to tie up a deal for Man Utd’s second-best defender Chris Smalling, are considering sending Justin Kluivert on loan to RB Leipzig.

Marca says Valencia midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia is the subject of a £22million bid from an unnamed Premier League club. Any guesses?

 

 

6:45: The Barclays may be waking up on a central reservation with a raging spin-on having soiled itself amid whatever madness yesterday was. But there’s no time for a hangover, because Deadline Day has arrived. And it’s carrying a crate of Special Brew.

Stay with Football365 throughout a day which promises plenty. Perhaps the most pressing issue for many: how exactly will panic manifest itself at Manchester United beyond Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles?

The most likely scenario we reckon at Old Trafford is that Ed Woodward becomes Barcelona’s b*tch by signing Ousmane Dembele, while Jadon Sancho stays right where he is at Borussia Dortmund.

Elsewhere, Arsenal need a midfielder but it looks increasingly unlikely it will be Houssem Aouar or Thomas Partey. Jorginho’s name keeps coming up but how they would afford the Chelsea captain when they can’t cough up £45million for Aouar or Partey is a mystery.

Chelsea, though, do need to trim their squad but there are plenty of players Frank Lampard would rather sell before Jorginho. Antonio Rudiger is certainly one and it would not be a surprise to see the Germany defender join Spurs, who are only a centre-back short of a very satisfying window.

The same can be said of Everton, but Ben Godfrey appears to be on his way to the Premier League leaders. Across Liverpool, their reaction to being humped by Aston Villa will be fascinating. They remain short of specialist cover at centre-back and on last night’s showing, they certainly need a new back-up keeper.

At Manchester City, Benjamin Mendy’s performance against Leeds also gave Pep Guardiola the excuse he needs to do what he loves more than anything else: splurge on a new full-back. Elsewhere, there is not a Premier League manager who wouldn’t like to add something to his squad before the deadline at 11pm tonight.

 

F365 Features Edinson Cavani