The Premier League season is underway, but there’s still time for teams to make some last-minute moves before the transfer window slams shut.
This year, the typical August 31 deadline day has been moved for Europe’s top five leagues due to midweek match fixtures.
The transfer window will instead close at 11pm (British Standard Time) on September 1. That’s 8am AEST Thursday 2nd September.
So far this window, six Premier League clubs have net transfer spends over €100m ($A169m), with Manchester City set to join them when they confirm the €65m arrival of winger Jérémy Doku from Rennes.
But a host of big names could still be set to make moves in the final week before the transfer window slams shut.
Here are five players to watch out for.
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Ronaldo goes NUCLEAR at referee | 00:33
Romelu Lukaku
One of the longest-running transfer sagas of this off-season, Lukaku’s future remains well and truly up in the air.
According to respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Lukaku has not even spoken to Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino – and appears unlikely to get a look-in at the Blues this season, after the club gave him an extended break in the off-season to seek a move elsewhere.
The most likely destination appeared to be Inter Milan, where he scored 14 goals on loan last season (and where the Belgian striker played before signing for Chelsea in 2021).
But a $63m move collapsed in spectacular fashion after Inter found out he was secretly negotiating a transfer to their rivals Juventus.
MORE: ‘Huge disappointment’: $63m exit falls apart after two-year lie exposed
Juventus are financially thinly stretched and cannot afford to sign Lukaku without offloading the likes of Duhan Vlahovic, who they offered to the Blues in a swap deal – only to be rejected.
If Juventus can sell Vlahovic, a deal for Lukaku appears likely.
But if they can’t, Lukaku’s only real option appears to be Saudi Arabia. He rejected a move to Al-Hilal earlier in the window to try and continue his career in Europe’s top divisions.
But with precious little interest outside of Juventus, he could be forced to backtrack and accept a move to the Middle East – or else spend a season on the fringes at Stamford Bridge.
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Mason Greenwood
The 21-year-old Manchester United attacker was viewed as one of the most talented young forwards in the game and valued at over £100m just two years ago.
Sickening audio and video of the player with a former partner was posted online in January 2022, leading police to charge him with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was stood down by the club, before police dropped the charges this February after key witnesses including the alleged victim stopped co-operating with the investigation.
Manchester United subsequently undertook a (heavily criticised) six-month investigation into the abuse allegations, and announced this week that the striker would leave Old Trafford.
CEO Richard Arnold said in an open letter to supporters: “While we were unable to access certain evidence for reasons we respect, the evidence we did collate led us to conclude that Mason did not commit the acts he was charged with.”
Greenwood said: “I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February I was cleared of all charges” [which is not correct, given the charges were dropped after witnesses stopped co-operating with police].
Greenwood’s contract with United runs until June 2025, but he’ll now need to find a new club. However, given the club faced immense backlash over suggestions Greenwood could return to their first team – forcing them to backtrack – other clubs will be wary of signing the youngster who managed 35 goals in 129 senior appearances for the Red Devils.
According to The Sun, Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq were ‘considering’ an offer worth up to £10 million-a-year. But the club’s manager, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, branded that ‘fake news’ on social media.
Nevertheless, another of Saudi Arabia’s cashed-up clubs could make an offer given their remarkable spending spree this window.
The Sun also claimed former United manager Jose Mourinho is interested in signing him for Italian side AS Roma after an injury to Tammy Abraham left them short of attacking options. But their interest was quickly refuted by Italian media.
Another report has stated Juventus and AC Milan could be tempted into a move (Juve on a loan deal). AS Monaco in France is also looking for attacking reinforcements and could be a potential landing spot.
A report by the Mail claims Turkish sides Galatasaray and Istanbul Basaksehir are also interested, with another report stating Fenerbache could also be in the mix, while the newspaper also states that two unidentified Championship clubs (England’s second tier) withdrew their interest after preliminary talks with the player.
At this stage, it appears unlikely Greenwood would remain in England given the extremely negative public opinion towards the player.
But Manchester United has not terminated his contract and it is unclear whether they would let him go for free, seek a transfer fee for his exit, or potentially angle for a loan move.
‘It’s not going to change the game’ | 01:02
Mohammed Kudus [UPDATED]
Ghana international Kudus is a superstar at Dutch giants Ajax, and they’re desperate to keep hold of a player who has already picked up a goal and an assist in their first two games of this season.
But the 23-year-old attacking midfielder/winger is in hot demand in the Premier League. Brighton were interested earlier in the window, and even agreed a deal in principal for a reported £34.5 million. But the deal fell through – and the Dutch club has pumped up their asking price amid interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham.
West Ham have seen two bids for the player rejected in the last week, most recently a reported £36m offer. Ajax value the player at a reported £44m or £47m according to differing reports, but West Ham are reportedly unwilling to go above £41m.
The Ghanaian and 2022 World Cup star topped Ajax’s scoring last season with 18 goals in 42 games (all competitions).
After West Ham missed out on Rennes winger Jérémy Doku, who moved to Manchester City for £55.5m, they will be pushing hard to bolster David Moyes’ squad.
UPDATE: According to multiple reports, a deal is now on the brink of being agreed. The Athletic claims the initial fee will be worth €41.5m, with an additional €3m in add-ons. Ajax will also receive 10 per-cent of any fee should West Ham sell the player on.
Folarin Balogun
The young American attacker is on Arsenal’s books for now, but is unlikely to remain there by the end of the transfer window. The 22-year-old impressed on loan to French club Reims last season with 21 league goals in 37 games and has become a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but has been left out of Arsenal’s squad for the first two games of the new season.
Misfiring Chelsea are reportedly interested in a bid to cure their lack of goalscoring bite, and the Evening Standard reports the Gunners’ forward is open to moving to their cross-London rivals. But Arsenal would seek a significantly higher £50m fee from a cashed-up Premier League rival than an overseas club.
Injuries to Chelsea attackers Carney Chukwuemeka and Christopher Nkunku has left the club desperate for late signings, but the Daily Mirror says a compromise of around £40m could be reached.
A return to France in the form of Monaco had appeared the strongest possibility before Chelsea’s injury crisis forced them back into the market.
Monaco had a £34 million bid rejected for Balogun but remain in deep talks with Arsenal.
Fulham is also mulling a bid to replace star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic who joined Al-Hilal, but would struggle to contend with Chelsea should there be a bidding war.
Dean Henderson
It’s all action at Manchester United’s goalkeeper section right now. First they backflipped on a new deal for David de Gea, who remains without a club after a big-money move to Saudi Arabia fell through. According to reports, Bayern Munich appears a possible destination.
Now Dean Henderson is expected to depart after the £43.8m (plus add-ons) arrival of Andre Onana, who has taken the no. 1 role for the Red Devils. Crystal Palace lead the race ahead of Nottingham Forest, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
His pending exit has United looking for a new back-up gloveman – especially with their other back-up, Tom Heaton, battling a calf complaint.
United are in talks with Turkey goalkeeper Altay Bayindir of Fenerbahce, with a Turkish report claiming the club has offered £6 million for a player who has been given permission by his club to seek an exit.
It’s not the only back-up keeper United has been linked to, with 20-year-old Japanese keeper Zion Suzuki rejecting a £5m transfer earlier this window to focus on playing time with the Urawa Reds ahead of next year’s Olympics.
Greece international Odysseas Vlachodimos of Benfica is also a reported United target. Vlachodimos has been left out of the Portuguese side’s squad in recent weeks with an exit highly likely after the club signed a new number one.
