What deadline day transfer deals should we expect ahead of Premier League 2019/20?
It has been nearly three months of grapevine gossip, rumour mill chitter-chatter and newspaper speculation, but the Premier League transfer window is less than 24 hours from closing.
Across this helter-skelter summer of ins and outs, there have been some gargantuan deals pushed through, with the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Eden Hazard and Matthijs de Ligt all relocating to new clubs across the continent.
https://audioboom.com/posts/7330203-it-s-easy-to-get-backwards-but-liverpool-s-dependence-on-their-front-three-isn-t-a-weakness
Despite this bumper business, there still remains time for further activity to materialise, especially on these shores, with big deals like Nicolas Pepe bearing fruit only last week.
The Ivorian became the fourth-most expensive investment this window when he traded Lille for Arsenal but his £72m price tag could yet be topped should some of these last-minute manoeuvres come to fruition.
With that in mind, what are the major deals that could go through on deadline day week in the Premier League?
Leroy Sane
From: Man City to Bayern Munich
The German wing-wizard has seen his name perpetually associated with a move to the Bavarian giants, with this particular transfer saga prompting a public and ongoing war of words between both clubs throughout the summer.
Manager Niko Kovac was forced to apologise to Pep Guardiola after openly expressing his confidence of securing Sane’s signature, sparking backlash from the German club’s hierarchy, with both CEO Karl-Heinze Rummenigge and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic going on record to denounce the head coach’s handling of the matter.
But, that hasn’t stopped speculation circling. It was reported by Sky Germany over the weekend that the 23-year-old has already agreed terms with the Bundesliga champions, which could see Bayern top the charts for the most expensive summer signing.
The Daily Mirror are suggesting City are holding out for £140m for their wide-man and, well, given the desperation of Bayern to replace Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, they may be forced to fork out.
Joao Cancelo
From: Juventus to Man City
It could be a busy week for the Citizens, with reports strongly linking Old Lady right-back Cancelo with a move to the North West. Danilo, who is heading in the opposite direction, has already been pictured arriving for his Juventus medical.
According to the Guardian, City have agreed a fee of €30m (£27.5m) plus Danilo for the services of the Portugal international, bringing an end to several weeks of gruelling negotiations between the two clubs.
Leaked images of Cancelo out for dinner with Bernardo are circulating on social media.
https://twitter.com/Amr21DS/status/1158861263893618689
The deal could go through in the next 48 hours as Guardiola continues to strengthen his squad ahead of the forthcoming campaign, in which he will be determined to become only the second-ever manager to clinch three successive Premier League titles.
This could spell danger for Kyle Walker, as their potential new man is habitually a right-back, but given City’s vulnerabilities at left-back, not to mention Cancelo’s versatility and Walker’s supreme scissor-kick clearance in the Community Shield, it is highly likely the 25-year-old will supplant Oleksandr Zinchenko on the opposite flank.
Paulo Dybala and/or Giovani Lo Celso
From: Real Betis to Spurs
Spurs are probably top-flight English football’s weirdest club in the transfer market.
Last summer they signed no one. Now, less than a day before the deadline, they are in negotiations to sign several very expensive attacking midfielders, if a variety of reports are to be believed.
Spurs looked set to secure the Real Betis midfielder earlier this summer after lodging a £53m offer for the player, but the Spanish outfit rebuffed their overtures, holding out for a fee supposedly closer to the Argentine’s £88m release clause.
Of course, we know chairman Daniel Levy is an obsessively strategic operator in the market, so this saga was always expected to drag on once Los Verdiblancos rejected the north London club’s initial proposal.
However, it is now believed that Spurs have reached an agreement with Betis for Lo Celso, with the Daily Record reporting that both clubs have agreed upon an initial £47.8m deal, with £7.4m in add-ons.
Mauricio Pochettino has sought to acquire a new No 10 with uncertainty over Christian Eriksen’s future, with the Dane’s present deal expiring next summer, so Lo Celso’s arrival would certainly be welcome news to Spurs supporters. But elsewhere they are said to have submitted an offer to sign Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona, which has since been rejected.
And according to the Times, the interest is in addition to plans to sign Paulo Dybala from Juventus. However, as Man United learned, Dybala’s image rights are complicating Spurs’ attempts to get the deal over the line.
Ryan Sessegnon
From: Fulham to Spurs
Defensive wunderkind Sessegnon has consistently been mooted with a big-money move since exploding onto the scene as an exceptionally talented 16-year-old.
Since his debut in 2016, the teenage phenom has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence, excelling in the Championship with the Cottagers before failing to keep them afloat in the top-flight last season.
Despite this, Spurs could now be about to make the left-back their third summer signing, with the Mirror reporting that the Lilywhites are currently closing in on a deal to sign Sessegnon. The player, now 22, has one year left on his present deal and Spurs’ academy product Josh Onomah is expected to join Fulham in addition to a £25m fee.
Pochettino will be eager to add firepower to his defensive flanks following the departure of Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid and uncertainty over Danny Rose’s future.
Kurt Zouma
From: Chelsea to Everton
Kurt Zouma was a rock at the heart of Everton’s defence last season while on loan from Chelsea and, as such, has been one of Marco Silva’s biggest targets of the summer window. However, largely thanks to their transfer ban, Chelsea and Frank Lampard have so far refused to budge and are fighting tooth and nail to keep the Frenchman at Stamford Bridge.
“Free Zouma” has been trending on Twitter as Everton fans make it clear where they want the centre-back to be playing his football next season, while the Times report that the Toffees haven’t given up in their pursuit just yet.
Should they fail, Everton will not have to look far for an alternative. Fikayo Tomori, who spent last season on loan from Chelsea at Derby, is another reported target.
After losing Phil Jagielka on a free transfer, Everton remain short of cover, with only Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate available as senior centre-backs. This one could go right to the wire.
Wilfried Zaha
From: Crystal Palace to Everton
Sticking with Everton, their bid for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha was thought to be dead in the water. However, the player has now handed in a transfer request, according to the Times, and Everton remain willing to set a new club transfer record if it means landing the Ivorian winger.
Palace, it is explained, want more than £80m for their star player. It is a valuation legitimised by United’s recent signing of Harry Maguire for £85m from Leicester City and the fact selling Zaha – last season’s top-scorer from open play and second-leading assist provider – reduces their chances of staying in the Premier League. Top-flight survival is said to be worth at least £120m to top-flight clubs.
If this Zaha were to be somehow acquired, Everton’s forward line could look very tasty indeed with Italian striker Moise Kean recently arriving from Juventus.
Alex Iwobi has emerged as another target. It is widely reported Everton have bid £30m but will need to raise that to convince Arsenal to sell.
Romelu Lukaku
(Photo credit FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
From: Manchester United to Inter Milan
Without a doubt, one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer has been Romelu Lukaku’s Serie A “dream”. Will he go? Won’t he go? If he does go, which Italian giant will he join?
It now appears that Antonio Conte’s Inter are the most likely destination, with the Milan club reportedly coming back in with yet another improved offer. That bid is thought to be around the £65m mark but given Lukaku’s goalscoring record and relatively young age, the Red Devils are said to be holding out for £80m.
And just to add a little bit of spice to proceedings, Lukaku was snapped training with his old side, Anderlecht, in recent days, perhaps showing that United are ready to wipe their hands of him before the end of the window.
Dayot Upamecano or David Luiz
From: RB Leipzig/Chelsea to Arsenal
Arsenal have, once again, been busy fleshing out their squad with exciting talent in the final third, having signed Nicolas Pepe from Lille for a club record £72m. However, they still need to sort out that defence.
According to the Evening Standard, Unai Emery is now pressing on with a deal to bring RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano to the Emirates before the close of the window, while Juventus’ Daniele Rugani is thought to be a back-up option.
The report claims a deal is still in its early stages, with Arsenal making enquiries to negotiate a price. However, with Man Utd signing Harry Maguire and Bayern Munich signing Lucas Hernandez, the Gunners’ competition for Upamecano seems to have evaporated, giving them a clear run at the player.
Another more sensational option suddenly emerged on Wednesday afternoon as David Luiz’s hat was thrown in the ring by Frech publication L’Equipe. The Chelsea central defender is understood to be training away from Lampard’s senior squad and several fall-outs behind the scene.
Nouveau joueur, nouveau maillot, retrouvez-le dès maintenant ici ➡ https://t.co/6Jb2BRKbIo pic.twitter.com/eCfsGaSUYS
— FC Girondins de Bordeaux (@girondins) August 6, 2019
Another player who did little to endear himself to his colleagues at a London-based Premier League team is Laurent Koscielny, who was called “disrespectful” by Ian Wright over the manner in which his Bordeaux transfer was announced. His departure increases the need for Upamecano or Luiz. Shkodran Mustafi remains a concern and Rob Holding is some way from full fitness.
The prospect of a Luiz-Mustafi partnership is something much of Twitter got behind…
https://twitter.com/ShadeOfLamps/status/1159135573140893701
Potential Mustafi Luiz partnership I'm hearing? 💉💉💉💉💉💉💉💉💉 pic.twitter.com/aS0VOtuyK8
— Röhan (@Rohanaldo07) August 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/Leady23/status/1159114520985505792
https://twitter.com/jp_wfcloyal/status/1159127211015856129
Thinking about a Mustafi/Luiz CB partnership pic.twitter.com/7qTcZAmLDD
— Coral (@Coral) August 7, 2019
