The final week of the summer window is upon us and there remains plenty of business to still be done. The biggest story is Mohamed Salah’s potential move to Saudi Arabia. The Liverpool star has reportedly told his club that he wants to join Al-Ittihad, who are willing to make him the highest-paid player in the world. Arsenal are focusing on outgoings, having again spent huge money, and want up to eight first-team stars gone before the deadline, including Gabriel and Folarin Balogun, and could then work on a surprise deal for Barcelona defender Eric Garcia.
Chelsea are keen to bring in another striker after early season struggles in front of goal, and have interest in Brennan Johnson, but the £40million-rated Nottingham Forest forward prefers a move to Tottenham. Spurs also like Ivan Toney ahead of the January window, and Brentford have quickly slapped an £80m asking price on his head. Romelu Lukaku is set to join Roma on loan.
Mohammed Kudus is expected to sign for West Ham after some initial concerns the deal had fallen through, while Crystal Palace are set to sign Dean Henderson from Manchester United for around £20m. Manchester United will sign goalkeeper Altay Bayındır as his replacement, and could launch a bid for Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella or Spurs outcast Sergio Reguilon. Follow all the latest transfer news, rumours and deals with Standard Sport’s live blog!
Live updates
Lukaku confirms imminent Roma move
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has confirmed his imminent move to Roma.
The Belgian has been deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, two years after joining for Inter Milan in a deal worth almost £100million, and is desperate to find a new club before Friday’s summer transfer deadline.
Chelsea were hoping to recoup some of their transfer outlay and did accept a £40m bid from a Saudi Arabian club for Lukaku, only for the striker to reject a move to the Middle East. Juventus were also keen, but only if Chelsea signed Dusan Vlahovic and offered cash.
The Blues have now reluctantly made Lukaku available for loan and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has made his move, which the striker has now confirmed.
Read more here!
Salah demands Saudi move
Mohamed Salah has told Liverpool he wants to join Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia!
According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, the Egyptian has made up his mind and wants Liverpool to accept a bid – worth more than $100million [£79.5m) – that is on the table.
Liverpool are considering the offer and a deadline of tomorrow has been set to accept or reject.
As one transfer reporter says: crucial hours ahead.
Hodgson confirms transfer talks
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed the club are in active talks over new signings.
He told reporters yesterday, following a 1-1 draw at Brentford: “We are working on it. We need some more people in, some more bodies that we can use.
“The club has always got players in the past and transfers must be a nightmare for people who have to pull it off. I’d much rather coach the team than deal with transfers.”
Arsenal duo set for exits
Arsenal duo Folarin Balogun and Kieran Tierney are both set for medicals ahead of moves away from Emirates Stadium.
Balogun is closing in on a £38.5million move to Ligue 1 side Monaco, while Tierney is set to join La Liga side Real Sociedad on loan.
Neither Balogun or Tierney have been in an Arsenal squad this season.
Man Utd target Amrabat not in Fiorentina squad
Manchester United are plotting a bid for Sofyan Amrabat in the final week of the transfer window and the midfielder is not part of the Fiorentina squad to face Lecce tomorrow.
Amrabat wants to wait until the end of the window and his future is decided.
United are yet to make an official bid for Amrabat and want to make outgoings first.
Roma in London for Lukaku talks
Roma are ready to accelerate a move for Romelu Lukaku by submitting an official loan bid today.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Roma officials are in London to hold talks with Chelsea over a loan fee and an agreement over his salary.
Romano says there are a “crucial” 48 hours ahead.
Arsenal open talks with Barcelona star
Arsenal want to bring in defensive reinforcements before in the final week of the window and reports this morning say they are in talks to sign Barcelona defender Eric Garcia on loan.
Football Transfers claim Arsenal have already made an enquiry and Barcelona are prepared to let Garcia leave once a deal for Joao Cancelo is finalised.
But the Barcelona hope to sell Garcia permanently rather than letting him leave on loan.
Mikel Arteta knows the 22-year-old having worked with him at Manchester City.
Spurs focused on outgoings
Ange Postecoglou has not ruled out adding further new faces to his Tottenham squad before next week’s transfer deadline, but reiterated that the focus remains outgoings for now.
“These kind of things are pretty fluid; they can happen pretty quickly. At the moment you can see by doing the maths we have got too many players in terms of when we submit our final list.
“There will be guys here who won’t be on that list if nothing changes so I am pretty sure that will change. From now until the end of the window I am sure there will be some movement.”
One of those players who wants to leave is Lloris, and Postecoglou again suggested the former skipper could be on his way out.
“You can’t just have any number of players you want,” he added. “There is a list and it is unlikely we will have three goalkeepers on our final Premier League list.”
Read more here!
Gabriel Magalhaes’ surprise drop down the pecking order has prompted talk the defender – a stalwart last season – could be sold by Arsenal this summer, with a week of the transfer window left to run.
But Mikel Arteta insists Gabriel is staying put, adding: “Gabby is a really important player for us and nothing is going on with that at the moment.”
Kieran Tierney, though, is on the verge of joining Real Sociedad on loan, while Florin Balogun is set to join Monaco for around £39million.
Arteta refused to offer clarity on his departing players’ futures but admits he is excited to define his squad.
He continued: “We have some movements, the last week is going to be really busy but we have no announcements at the moment.
“We need clarity on the numbers we will have and who can do what. When the window is open it is a little bit strange to be competing while it is open.”
Read more here!
Romero on Spurs summer signings
Cristian Romero is impressed by Tottenham’s summer business.
At just 24, the centre-back is now one of the senior players in the Spurs dressing room, not least because there is such a fresh feel to Ange Postecoglou’s team. The rest of the back five against United had just 16 Premier League starts between them, with 13 of them belonging to January signing Pedro Porro.
Destiny Udogie, bought last year but loaned out, Micky van de Ven and goalkeeper Vicario Guglielmo are all new additions.
Tellingly, Romero groups Yves Bissouma with the summer signings when discussing their impact, underlining the midfielder’s transformation in the first two games of the campaign.
“I have been surprised by Destiny,” Romero said, when asked about the new-look defence. “But not only him, Micky, [Manor] Solomon, Bissouma, Vicario — they’ve all brought new energy and we needed that.”
Read more from our exclusive interview here!
