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Transfer deadline day: Joao Palhinha's Bayern Munich move off after dramatic Fulham about-turn
By Sam Dean
Joao Palhinha’s move from Fulham to Bayern Munich collapsed in dramatic circumstances on transfer deadline day, with the deal falling through despite the midfielder having a medical in Germany.
Palhinha flew to Munich in the hope of completing a transfer that could have been worth around £60 million to Fulham.
But the Premier League club struggled to identify a suitable replacement at such short notice and ultimately an agreement could not be reached over a player who is widely regarded as the most important in their squad.
Palhinha will now have to return to Craven Cottage and continue his career in English football, although it seems certain that he will once again be the subject of serious interest in the January transfer window.
Palhinha’s departure would have represented a record sale for Fulham but, with star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic already leaving the club earlier this summer, there was reluctance to allow another key figure to depart.
Negotiations were led by vice-chairman Tony Khan, who is understood to have battled hard to keep Palhinha at Fulham despite the 28-year-old’s desire to join the German side.
The German transfer window closed at 5pm, which made the task of finding a top-class replacement for Palhinha even more challenging for Fulham.
Deadline day is often busy at Craven Cottage and Friday was no different, with the drama involving Palhinha and also their pursuit of Everton winger Alex Iwobi.
On Friday night, Fulham were working to finalise Iwobi’s transfer from Everton in a deal that could be worth around £20 million. Fulham have been keen to strengthen in wide areas this summer and Iwobi, a graduate of the Arsenal academy, can play on both flanks.
One player who has left Fulham is full-back Kevin Mbabu, who has joined Augbsurg on loan for the rest of the season.
Transfer deadline day as it happened
Lloris staying put
Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris turned down a late deadline-day offer from Nice to return to France.
Lloris has not been in any of Tottenham’s squads under head coach Ange Postecoglou and had been expected to leave the club during the summer window.
Having turned down offers from elsewhere, Lloris received a contract offer from Nice with just over an hour of the transfer window remaining.
But the 36-year-old is understood to have turned down the offer and will now either see out the final year of his contract at Spurs or negotiate his release from his Spurs deal.
Other than Lloris, Eric Dier is in the final year of his contract, but was still at Tottenham – along with Tanguy Ndombele.
Postecoglou has already said Lloris will not be part of his 25-man Premier League squad and it remains to be seen whether or not Dier or Ndombele are.
Mason Greenwood news
Mason Greenwood has been on the market in the 11 days since Manchester United announced it was mutually agreed he would continue his career away from Old Trafford.
During that time, United have told agents through correspondence seen by the Telegraph they were looking for a loan fee for Greenwood and “full salary recovery” on his wages.
While intermediaries have been working for interested clubs, United have been fielding all inquiries before discussing the next steps with Greenwood’s family, rather than an agent representing the player throughout.
Greenwood’s father, Andrew, is a registered intermediary with the Football Association and was listed on official papers as representing the player when he last signed a contract at United.
Manchester United sign Sofyan Amrabat on loan
Manchester United have announced the signing of Sofyan Amrabat on loan from Fiorentina until the end of the season. The Morocco midfielder rebuffed a series of offers from other clubs this summer as he waited for United to formalise their interest.
United have agreed to pay Fiorentina an £8.6m loan fee and have the option to sign the 27-year-old permanently next summer for an initial £17.1m with a further £4.3m in add ons.
“It is a huge honour to become a Manchester United player, I’ve had to be patient for this moment but I’m someone who always listens to my heart and now I am representing the club of my dreams,” said Amrabat, who played under the United manager Erik ten Hag at Utrecht in Holland.
“I am a passionate player; I want to bring that energy to the squad, and I will put everything into every action I take for the team.
“I know exactly how Erik ten Hag likes to work and what he needs from his players. His coaching and guidance developed me so much as a player earlier in my career; I know that he will help to bring out the best of my abilities so that I can help the group to be successful this season.” John Murtough, Manchester United Football Director, said: “We have tracked Sofyan for a long time, so we are really pleased to bring him to Manchester United. His committed, high-energy approach to the game fits perfectly with the group that we are building here. We know that Sofyan’s mentality, dynamism and technical qualities will help the squad as we look to achieve success in all competitions this season.”
Barcelona secure loan signing of Joao Cancelo
Joao Cancelo secured an 11th hour loan move to Barcelona from Manchester City on Friday night after rejecting a late offer from Bayern Munich.
On a day when City confirmed the £53 million signing of Portugal midfielder Matheus Nunes from Wolves, Cancelo finally landed the move to the Nou Camp that he had been waiting anxiously for all week.
Bayern, where Cancelo spent the second half of last season on loan, made a late play to bring the player back to Bavaria.
But Cancelo had his sights set firmly on a switch to Barcelona, who do not have an option to buy the 29-year-old at the end of the season.
City had been braced for an approach from Barcelona for Cancelo for weeks but a formal offer only materialised on Thursday night, with the Catalan club’s financial difficulties cited as the reason behind the delays.
Cancelo had been on standby at Lisbon airport on Monday night ready to fly, with City’s permission, but only arrived in Barcelona on Friday. He will be joined at Barcelona by fellow Portugal international Joao Felix, who has joined on loan from Atlético Madrid.
Cancelo appears to have accepted a pay cut in order to push through the move to Barcelona, who publicly thanked him for “the financial effort made”.
“The Club wishes to thank the player publicly for the financial effort made and his desire to wear the Barça shirt,” Barcelona said in a statement.
City, meanwhile, have confirmed the signing of Nunes, who signed a five-year contract and will wear the No. 27 shirt. Tommy Doyle, the England Under-21 midfielder, moved in the opposite direction after completing an initial loan switch to Wolves.
Another City youngster on the move was James McAtee, who turned down Leicester in order to rejoin Sheffield United on a second successive season long loan.
Omobamidele will cost £15 million
Nottingham Forest’s hectic final day of the transfer window continues after a £15m deal was agreed with Norwich for Andrew Omobamidele.
The Republic of Ireland international is facing a race against time to complete his medical before the 11pm deadline.
Forest have moved for Omobamidele after their bid for Chelsea’a Trevoh Chalobah fell through. The fee is understood to be an initial £15m with an extra £5m in add-ons.
South Korean forward Hwang Ui-jo will sign for Norwich on loan for the season.
Getafe interested in Greenwood
Getafe are exploring a potential move for Manchester United outcast Mason Greenwood.
Lazio tried to do a deal for Greenwood but ran out of time before the close of the Italian transfer window on Friday.
Now La Liga side Getafe are looking into the feasibility of signing Greenwood as the 21-year-old waits to discover if he will be given the chance to resurrect his career on the continent.
Greenwood has two years remaining on his £75,000 a week contract at Old Trafford but United are thought to be willing to consider waiving a fee to enable the striker to leave on a free transfer.
Clubs from Italy, Spain, Germany and Turkey have looked into the prospect of signing Greenwood since it was announced by United 11 days ago that he was to leave the club after they abandoned plans to bring the player back into their squad in the wake of a fierce public and internal backlash.
Tottenham ask about Trevoh Chalobah
Tottenham are eyeing up a late offer to sign Trevoh Chalobah on loan from London rivals Chelsea.
Chelse are aware of Spurs lining up an approach, but are yet to be told the exact terms of any proposed deal.
It is unclear at the moment whether or not Chalobah would consider moving to Spurs.
Chalobah had hoped to join Bayern Munich on loan, but that move fell through and he also has interest from Nottingham Forest, who resubmitted a £25million bid for the defender.
Two more in for medicals at Sunderland
Moving to the Stadium of Light, pending passing the tests, are Adil Aouchiche from Lorient, and Timothée Pembélé from PSG. Aouchiche is 21 and a No 10, a PSG academy graduate, while Pembélé is a 20-year-old right-back who has made 11 Ligue 1 appearances for PSG, 26 for Bordeaux and played at the Tokyo Olympics.
Gallagher deal hits major snag
Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of signing Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher are running out of time with the club currently unable to match the £45 million valuation from Stamford Bridge.
Telegraph Sport reported earlier today that the two parties were as much as £10 million apart in their respective valuations of the 23-year-old and that has been borne out during the day. It is understood that Spurs got into the high-thirties when it came to the fee in millions that they were prepared to offer – up from an original £35 million – but that was not enough. West Ham had a £40 million offer rejected by Chelsea earlier in the window.
It is understood that the sale or loan of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was crucial to Spurs being able to make space in their budget for Gallagher and that has not happened. Chelsea have also not agreed the departure of Trevoh Chalobah, another academy graduate made available for sale or loan, who was a target for Bayern Munich and Nottingham Forest.
Quite a lot of talk about another Forest incoming
And it sounds as if the double European champions will be recruiting a man who has scored in the final and lifted Old Big Ears himself, Divock Origi on loan from Milan:
Palace target angers parent PSG
There is a great deal of anger at Paris Saint-Germain that forward Hugo Ekitiké is in talks with Crystal Palace.
PSG had lined up a move for the 21-year-old to join Eintracht Frankfurt as part of the deal to sign Randal Kolo Muani for up to €90 million (£77 million).
However Ekitike and his representatives have made it clear he prefers to move to the Premier League and have opened negotiations with Palace who are in the market for a striker. PSG sources insist Ekitike has not been given permission to talk to Palace and are acting without consent.
Discussions are still ongoing with Eintracht and Kolo Muani but that deal, which PSG have chased all summer, is now in jeopardy despite a fee being agreed.
A dip into the Championship to drop in on Proud Preston and ... erm Sunderland
Who have confirmed the £2.15m signing of the Montenegro forward cum winger Milutin Osmajic from Cadiz. He looks rapid.
Meanwhile Nazariy Rusyn, a Ukrainian centre-forward, has joined Sunderland from Zorya Lugansk for the same fee.
Manchester United announce Jonny Evans has rejoined on a one-year deal
Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Jonny Evans on a one-year contract. The veteran Northern Ireland centre-half, 35, had been training with United’s Under-21 during the summer following his release from Leicester at the end of last season. But a decision was taken to award him a short-term contract after he impressed in training and manager Erik ten Hag subsequently decided to keep Evans for the remainder of the campaign after feeling he could offer experienced cover at centre-back. Evans played almost 200 games for United before being sold to West Bromwich Albion by Louis van Gaal in 2015.
“Jonny is a winner who has experienced everything in the game,” said United football director John Murtough. “These characteristics are invaluable to the culture that we’re building here. “His attitude and work ethic are second to none and Erik and the coaching staff know he’s someone they can rely on whenever needed this season.
“We all welcome Jonny back and hope he can add further achievements to the success he has already enjoyed with the club.”
Evans, Altay Bayindir and Sergio Reguilón – whose signings were all announced by United on Friday – have been registered in time to be eligible to face Arsenal on Sunday.
I like Louis van Gaal, always have. Check out the documentary on his life’s work and year with cancer on Amazon Prime and you cannot help but be impressed. But he made a major mistake in the summer of 2015 selling Rafael, Jonny Evans and Chicharito. Not to mention Danny Welbeck the year before.
Why Palhinha's move collapsed
Joao Palhinha’s move to Bayern Munich collapsed after the two clubs failed to reach an agreement on a fee for the midfielder.
Fulham were adamant that their valuation of Palhinha had to be met for a player who is widely considered to be the most important member of their playing squad.
Palhinha had travelled to Germany in expectation of completing his move but will now have to return to London and continue his career in the Premier League.
The German transfer window closed at 5pm today, and time simply ran out for Bayern as they attempted to negotiate a deal with Tony Khan, Fulham’s vice-chairman.
Callum Hudson-Odoi joins Nottm Forest for £8 million
The winger, who won three England caps in 2019, has left Chelsea for the City Ground:
That surely means Brennan Johnson, who is having a medical now at Spurs, has played his last game in the Garibaldi.
Rob Bagchi here, by the way, for the denouement.
Saudi club set to raise Salah bid to £200m
Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad are expected to come back with a £200 million bid for Mohamed Salah after Liverpool rejected their initial £150 million approach.
Despite the English transfer window closing today, The Saudis still have time to launch their £200 million bid as their transfer window shuts later in September.
For Chris and Mike’s full report on Al-Ittihad’s pursuit of Salah, go here.
Aston Villa striker signs for Udinese
Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis has joined Udinese on a permanent transfer.
The 25-year-old rejected approaches from Championship clubs such as Hull City in favour of a move to Serie A.
Davis spent last season on loan at Watford, scoring seven goals in 34 appearances for the club.
Wolves make final push to sign Strasbourg midfielder
Wolves are battling to seal a £12.8m deal for Strasbourg midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
The former France under-21 international is set to undergo a medical in the next few hours after a fee was agreed with the Ligue 1 club.
Wolves have moved for the 25 year old after the £53m sale of Matheus Nunes to Manchester City, and he will become their most expensive recruit of the summer if it is completed.
Funds have been limited this summer as the club aim to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play regulations.
Sangare flying to Nottingham Forest for medical
Ibrahim Sangare is en route to England ahead of a medical with Nottingham Forest.
The Ivory Coast international is set to join Forest for a fee of around £30m after a deal was agreed with PSV Eindhoven.
Telegraph Sport first reported Forest’s interest in Sangare last year and he has been a long-term target for Steve Cooper.
The defensive midfielder is flying into England ahead of his medical checks this evening, with Forest increasingly confident of completing a significant coup.
Forest’s £25m pursuit of Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah is still regarded as 50/50, but talks are ongoing.
Maatsen leaning to stay at Chelsea despite Burnley deal
Ian Maatsen is leaning towards staying at Chelsea, despite the Blues agreeing a deal with Burnley for him to return to Turf Moor.
The expectation is that Maatsen will decide to remain at Stamford Bridge, having started the season positively under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino likes Maatsen, which may encourage him to fight for a place at Chelsea, although there is stll time for Burnley to try to change his mind.
Burnley have agreed to take Maatsen back on loan with the obligation of a £31.5million deal, including add-ons, but face an uphill battle to convince the player.
Atletico Madrid continue pursuit of Spurs midfielder
Atletico Madrid have made a fresh bid to sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, this time on loan.
The Spanish club had an offer accepted by Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the summer to sign the midfielder on a permanent basis but failed to agree personal terms.
At present the Atletico offer, which does not include an obligation to buy, is not being taken seriously.
As things stand it looks like Hojbjerg will stay at Tottenham after talks ended with Fulham, but that could change quickly.
Arsenal strike deal for Crystal Palace defender
Crystal Palace have agreed a fee in the region of £4 million for Arsenal defender Rob Holding.
Telegraph Sport reported earlier today that Arsenal were in talks with Sevilla and Palace over a deal for the centre-back, and Palace are now well-positioned to win the race for the 27-year-old.
EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea agree Burnley loan with £31.5m obligation to buy
Chelsea have agreed a deal to loan left-back Ian Maatsen back to Burnley with an obligation to buy him in a deal worth £31.5million including add-ons.
The deal comes after Marc Cucrella’s proposed loan move to Manchester United fell through, leaving Chelsea with three left-backs, although Maatsen is yet to agree to the switch.
Maatsen spent last season on loan at Burnley, but enjoyed a good pre-season at Chelsea and started Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup victory over Wimbledon.
Chelsea have given Maatsen permission to speak to Burnley and it is thought that the deal also includes a sell-on clause, meaning Chelsea would profit from any future sale once his loan becomes permanent.
Should the move back to Burnley go through, there is a growing expectation that Maatsen will be followed out of the Chelsea exit by Conor Gallagher, with Tottenham making a verbal bid of £35m and the Blues holding out for £45m.
Trevoh Chalobah is still waiting to see whether or not he will move on loan to Bayern Munich ahead of the 5pm, UK time, German deadline.
Chelsea had been demanding a permanent move for Chalobah, but their stance is believed to have softened slightly and Bayern remain in talks.
Nottingham Forest bid £25m for Chalobah two weeks ago, which is understood to have been resubmitted, but the defender’s focus has been on moving to Bayern.
Forest may come into the equation if the German deadline passes without Chalobah moving, while other clubs such as Fulham could also come in.
Chalobah will move to Bayern on loan without undergoing a medical if a deal can be agreed before 5pm.
Brennan Johnson having Tottenham medical
Brennan Johnson is travelling down to London for a medical with Tottenham after a deal worth £47.5m including add-ons was agreed.
The Wales international has been pulled out of training at Nottingham Forest’s training ground and is close to completing his move, ending a 14-year association with his hometown club.
Tottenham struck an agreement on the transfer fee earlier today, following discussions between chairman Daniel Levy and Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
DONE DEAL: Man United finalise Amrabat loan
Manchester United have agreed a loan deal with Fiorentina for Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.
Matt Hargreaves, the United director of football negotiations, flew to Italy to help wrap up the deal.
United are thought to be paying a substantial loan fee for Amrabat, who is out of contract at Fiorentina next summer.
There is also a clause in the deal that will give United the chance to buy Amrabat permanently for up to €25m (£21.4m) at the end of the season.
Amrabat, 27, who played under the United manager Erik ten Hag at Utrecht, will now undergo a medical before completing his move to Old Trafford.
Fiorentina do have an option to extend Amrabat’s contract by another year to 2025.
United are due to announce the signing of left back Sergio Reguilon from Spurs on Friday.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag has confirmed that Rasmus Hojlund is available to face Arsenal on Sunday. The Denmark striker has yet to feature for United since his £72m move from Atalanta at the start of the month but is in line for his debut this weekend.
Man City speak out on Palmer departure
Manchester City assistant manager Juanma Lillo has spoken about Cole Palmer’s departure and says the club did not want to stand in the way of the England Under-21 forward’s wishes.
“I don’t need to send messages but this is the reality, it is very difficult to go against the players’ wishes.
“We have to work out the value for the club as well. On the other hand there is a pride, these young players are playing around the country and to deny what he wanted to do is very difficult.”
Liverpool reject £150m Salah bid
Liverpool have rejected a £150m bid for Mohamed Salah from Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad.
Club sources say it was given no consideration and the matter is closed so far as they are concerned.
Jonny Evans to re-join Manchester United
Jonny Evans is due to sign a one-year contract at Manchester United.
The deal will keep the Northern Ireland centre-half at the club for the 2023-24 season.
Speculation over a potential return to Old Trafford has been rife this summer after Evans began training with United’s Under-21 squad when his contract with relegated Leicester City expired.
For more on the Jonny Evans transfer saga, check out James Ducker’s report here.
Tottenham close in on deal for Chelsea's Conor Gallagher
Chelsea and Tottenham are currently negotiating the transfer of Conor Gallagher with the key problem in closing a deal for the England midfielder one of price. Having turned down a £40m offer from West Ham last month, Chelsea want £45 million for the 23-year-old while Spurs’ valuation is closer to £35 million.
It remains to be seen whether the two parties can reach an agreement before today’s deadline. Gallagher would be the fourth Cobham academy graduate to leave Chelsea in this window alone, with the possibility that Trevoh Chalobah also departs today for Bayern Munich. As with Gallagher, that deal is also being worked upon.
Having invested heavily once again in this summer window, Chelsea’s view is that they should realise top value for academy players with extensive Premier League experience. Gallagher was named in a very competitive England squad by Gareth Southgate this week - one of four Cobham graduates included along with Levi Colwill, Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori. Once again, indicative of just how successful the Cobham operation has been over the last 15 years under academy director Neil Bath.
Gallagher has been a regular so far under Mauricio Pochettino and has two years left on his deal.
DONE DEAL: Aston Villa sign Clement Lenglet on loan
Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan.
Lenglet spent last season on loan with Tottenham, where he struggled, but provides Villa some cover for the injured Tyrone Mings. Like Mings, Lenglet is a left-footed centre-back.
Nunes on joining Man City
The opportunity to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest managers ever, and alongside some of the best players in the world was something I couldn’t turn down.
I’ve learned so much during my season at Wolves and I’m excited to continue improving in the Premier League, a division which brings the best out of me.
Wolves progressing in Che Adams loan talks
Wolves are in advanced talks with Southampton over a deal to sign Che Adams.
The Scotland international is a target for Wolves and Bournemouth, who both want to strike a loan agreement with the Championship club.
Adams is expected to sign a new contract with Southampton before returning to the Premier League for the season.
Everton agreed a £15 million fee for Adams last month but could not settle on a pay structure due to their issues with Financial Fair Play.
Nottingham Forest land cut-price deal for Hudson-Odoi
Nottingham Forest will pay less than £5million for Callum Hudson-Odoi in what could prove to be one of the bargains of deadline day.
Hudson-Odoi has almost completed his move to Forest after Chelsea agreed to a cut-price deal for the winger that will include a significant sell-on clause.
With just 12 months remaining on his contract, Hudson-Odoi - once rated one of the country’s best young players - is leaving for a fee under £5m just four years since Chelsea turned down £35m for him from Bayern Munich.
Scott McTominay expected to stay at Man Utd
Manchester United expect Scott McTominay to stay as things stand. Fulham have been interested and made initial enquiries on Thursday but the Craven Cottage club have since bid for Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as a potential replacement for Joao Palhinha.
There are varying degrees of interest in Donny van de Beek, who is the subject of an approach from Galatasaray, Eric Bailly, who has interested Fulham and Marseille, and Mason Greenwood but nothing has been finalised with that trio.
Talks are ongoing with Fiorentina over Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.
Brennan Johnson to Spurs getting closer
By John Percy and Matt Law
Tottenham are now very close to agreeing a deal worth £50m including bonuses for Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson.
Negotiations have accelerated in the past few hours with Johnson expected to travel down to London for a medical soon.
Tottenham have been in talks this week to sign the Wales international and it is understood that they have now agreed to pay Forest’s asking price.
Forest have been demanding a fee in the region of £50m and appear set to have their valuation met before Friday’s deadline.
Johnson will become the latest attacking signing for Ange Postecoglou and ends a 14-year association with his hometown club.
For John Percy’s full story on how the Johnson transfer saga unfolded, go here.
DONE DEAL: Man City confirm £53m Nunes signing
Manchester City have announced the £53 million signing of Matheus Nunes from Wolves.
The Portugal attacking midfielder, 25, has signed a five-year contract until June 2028 with the Treble winners.
Nunes, who will wear the No. 27 shirt, said: “I’m so happy to be joining Manchester City, the champions of Europe and a club I’ve admired for a long time.
“The opportunity to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest managers ever, and alongside some of the best players in the world was something I simply couldn’t turn down.
“I learned so much during my season at Wolves and I’m excited to continue improving in the Premier League, a division which brings the best out of me. I’m really excited to get going, meet the fans and hopefully be a part of plenty more success at City.”
City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “Matheus is a fine player. We are really happy he is here, and we know he will help us this season and beyond.
“He possesses real quality and will bring a fresh dynamic to this team. He is a player who can play passes that open defences, he can beat players and he is technically excellent.
“Everyone knows Pep improves players – we have seen it so often – and we cannot wait to see how Matheus develops under his management.”
Fulham line up Hojbjerg as potential Palhinha replacement
Fulham have now made a bid for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The 28-year-old can leave Tottenham today if a deal is agreed and has been lined up as the replacement of Joao Palhinha who is hoping to seal a move to Bayern Munich.
Hojbjerg was considered by Manchester United, after failing to agree personal terms with Atletico Madrid after a £30million deal was agree earlier in the summer, but Fulham appears his most likely destination.
His departure would free up funds at Spurs who are hoping to be one of the busiest clubs on transfer deadline day.
Confirmed: No more incomings at Newcastle
Eddie Howe has confirmed Telegraph’s Sport story from earlier this week that they are not going to sign another centre back in this transfer window.
The Newcastle manager was speaking to reporters at his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Brighton this weekend and said there will be no incomings on deadline day.
Newcastle are likely to send Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick on loan to Championship club Sheffield Wednesday and there has been some late interest shown in right back Javier Manquillo too. Some of the club’s young players could also be sent out on loan, with Lucas De Bolle on his way to Feyenoord.
Have Newcastle strengthened sufficiently?
The signing of Sandro Tonali from AC Milan was hugely exciting for Newcastle fans, but Luke Edwards believes their summer business has left them short in one key area. Read Luke’s assessment of Newcastle’s transfer window here.
One of the stars of Sheffield United's promotion season returns
James McAtee has decided to return to Sheffield United on another season long loan from Manchester City.
The England Under-21 midfielder felt the lure of playing Premier League football with a club he knows well was too good an opportunity to turn down.
McAtee, 20, is understood to have had held talks with Enzo Maresca at Leicester on Thursday and was very tempted by the prospect of playing under Pep Guardiola’s former No 2 in the Championship next season.
But the opportunity to test himself at the highest level ultimately swung the decision Sheffield United’s way.
DONE DEAL: Cole Palmer to Chelsea
Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Cole Palmer from Manchester City for £40million with £2.5m due in potential add-ons.
Palmer has signed a seven-year contract, with a club option to make it eight.
“I’m excited to get started and it feels great to sign,” said Palmer. “I’ve joined Chelsea because the project here sounds good and because of the platform I will have to try to showcase my talents. It is a young and hungry squad and, hopefully, we can do something special here.”
Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “Cole arrives with experience of winning the Premier League and Champions League and adds further quality and versatility to our attacking unit.
“He has showcased his talent and potential in the most challenging environments and delivered on the international stage for England this summer at the European Under-21 Championships. He is undoubtedly ready for this next step and we are delighted it will be with Chelsea.”
The signing of Palmer brings Chelsea’s total spend under Todd Boehly to £1bn. Check out Matt Law’s story here for more on the club’s spending spree.
The latest on Tottenham's pursuit of Brennan Johnson
Tottenham are locked in talks with Nottingham Forest over the signing of Wales international Brennan Johnson.
Forest are demanding a fee in the region of £50 million and there is growing optimism that Spurs will reach an agreement later today.
Johnson’s move will then accelerate Forest’s club record move for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, who will cost around £30 million.
Sangare is keen to join Forest but the deal cannot happen unless Johnson is sold, with the club desperate to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
Forest are also set to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea, with the forward having a medical in Nottingham this morning.
Dyche on Everton's new signing Beto
When they go and deliver that kind of performance and impact of course it is is beneficial to the side, but it is also beneficial to the fans.
If you get goalscorers scoring it also releases the feel for other players to go and score, they feel a bit freer because a goalscorer is scoring.
The idea was of getting a focal point in the team, a different way of operating and he certainly showed that.
He’s another weapon and we want as many as we can.
It’s fair to say if you have strikers scoring and performing that has to be a massive benefit.
Barcelona still trying for Joao Cancelo
Barcelona have finally submitted an 11th hour loan bid for Joao Cancelo as they look to secure a frantic late deal for the out of favour Manchester City full-back.
The Premier League and European champions have been braced for an approach from Barcelona for Cancelo for weeks.
But City had still to receive a bid or any direct contact from the Spanish champions until an offer finally came on Thursday night.
Barcelona’s familiar financial difficulties are understood to have been behind the chaotic delays.
Cancelo had been at Lisbon airport on Monday night ready to fly to Barcelona by private plane to complete a proposed loan move.
City are understood to have granted him permission to stay in the Portuguese capital in anticipation of a move but the green light to fly never came as the deal was hit by further snags.
Reports in Barcelona claim the issues were a result of delays in Barcelona receiving funds from a commercial agreement struck earlier in the month.
Barcelona - who signed Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from City in June - are still scrambling to meet La Liga’s rules on spending that will allow them to register a full squad as the financial headaches that have engulfed the club for the past few years.
Cancelo spent the second of last season on loan at Bayern Munich but the Bundesliga champions did not take up an option to sign the Portugal defender permanently this summer.
The 29-year-old was a key part of the City side that won back to back league titles in 2021 and 2022 but fell out of favour with Pep Guardiola last season when the manager changed systems and the defender suddenly found his opportunities more limited.
Manchester United have a new goalkeeper
Manchester United have announced the £4.3 million signing of Turkey goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce.
Bayindir arrives at Old Trafford as back up for first choice goalkeeper Andre Onana after United sold Dean Henderson to Crystal Palace in a £20 million deal.
“It is a huge honour to join Manchester United and become the first Turkish player to represent this incredible club,” he said.
“I have a passion for success, and I will give everything to help this special group of players to achieve our ambitions.
“I cannot wait to start working with such an experienced goalkeeping unit. We will support each other and drive high standards every day so that each of us is ready to perform whenever called upon.”
John Murtough, the United football director, added: “Altay is an excellent addition to our squad and adds further quality to our already strong group of experienced goalkeepers.
“Having consistently performed at a high level in a strong European league, he has the qualities to support us in achieving our ambitions across all competitions this season and beyond.”
Latest on Fulham: Will Palhinha stay or go?
Deadline day is often busy for Fulham and, true to form, it is set to be a manic few hours at Craven Cottage.
The key question: will Joao Palhinha join Bayern Munich? Fulham have been fighting all summer to keep the midfielder at the club, but Bayern are pushing hard and are ready to pay a massive fee. It seems clear that Palhinha wants to go.
Palhinha is widely regarded as Fulham’s most important player, and the club will be keen to sign a replacement before the window closes. They are working hard on that front. If they cannot find a replacement, though, will they block Palhinha’s switch to Bayern?
To lose Aleksandar Mitrovic and Joao Palhinha in the same window would be a significant blow on the pitch, even if the finances of those deals look favourable on the balance sheet.
The story of Chelsea's summer
The announcement of Cole Palmer, expected this morning, will take Chelsea’s gross transfer spending under Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali beyond the £1bn mark. This piece by Matt Law tells the story of a whirlwind summer that has seen a Premier League squad’s worth of players come and go from Stamford Bridge.
If some fans have been scratching their heads over the strategy, head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s head must have been spinning by the time Chelsea agreed to make Cole Palmer their final first-team signing of the summer, taking their spending in one transfer window to more than Tottenham paid over 11 windows during his time in North London.
Could Arsenal dip into the market for a defender? Unlikely
Arsenal’s focus has been on outgoings for the last few weeks and that remains the case now, with a number of unwanted players still on their books.
The first departure they are expected to confirm today is that of Nuno Tavares, who is joining Nottingham Forest on loan.
After that, it remains to be seen whether any of the following players can find loan or permanent moves in the final few hours of the window: Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe.
Arsenal have been considering entering the market for a new defensive option, although there appears to have been little progress on that front. Never say never on deadline day!
A strange sense of calm descends on Everton
Have Everton ever gone into deadline day without a sense of desperation surrounding new recruits? After signing Beto, at least the need for a striker has been dealt with. Sean Dyche and Director of Football Kevin Thelwell will still be busy. If Alex Iwobi moves to Fulham for around £20 million, it opens the possibility of Dyche wheeling and dealing to build a more balanced squad. West Ham’s Maxwel Cornet, who Dyche once signed for Burnley, seems the most likely replacement for Iwobi should the midfielder go. On the evidence of the first few games, Dyche could also do with two full backs, centre-half and a holding midfielder.
The situation at Liverpool: Gravenberch flies in, all eyes on Salah
Ryan Gravenberch left Germany for Liverpool by private jet and will undergo his medical this morning. Presuming all goes to plan, it is expected he will be the final addition of this transfer window for Jurgen Klopp.
At the start of the summer, Klopp indicated he would like to add a centre-half too, but the midfield revamp was always the priority. Had a defender of the right profile been available - young, versatile, ready-to-learn-the-ropes on the sidelines for a year and not massively expensive - Liverpool might have moved.
They were interested in Levi Colwill but received no encouragement from Chelsea he would be available. Barring an unlikely turn of events today, the pursuit of centre-halves is likely to be the Liverpool story of next summer’s transfer window.
Meanwhile, having recruited three ex-Liverpool players (Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino) and been linked with another six current ones at different points during this window (Thiago, Luis Diaz, Alisson Becker, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah), all eyes are on how far the Saudi Pro League clubs are prepared to go to lure more Anfield talent in the final hours of deadline day. It has reached the point where there seems to be such an obsession in targeting Liverpool players, do not be surprised if the Saudi ask owners Fenway Sports Group to ‘name their price’ for the club mascot Mighty Red.
Leicester City have made another addition
Leicester have announced the signing of Sporting Lisbon winger Abdul Fatawu on a season-long loan.
The 19-year-old, who made nine appearances in all competitions last season, was predominantly used in the Portuguese side’s European campaign, featuring at Tottenham in the Champions League before coming on against Arsenal in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
Fatawu has 14 international caps for Ghana and made one appearance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, coming on as a late substitute in the 2-0 defeat to Uruguay.
Government told to introduce 'transfer tax'
By Jamie Gardner, Press Association
The Government has been urged to add a 10 per cent transfer levy to its package of football reforms as Premier League clubs look set to smash through the £2 billion barrier on summer deals.
The Fair Game group wants the Government to adopt the measure, which was one of the recommendations of the fan-led review back in November 2021 but did not feature in the white paper on football governance published earlier this year.
Fair Game says if a levy had been in place on deals between Premier League clubs and between Premier League and overseas clubs over the last five years, it would have raised £160 million to support the pyramid each year.
Financial services firm Deloitte said that as of midday last Friday, £1.95 billion had been spent by top-flight clubs, including the transfers of Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice for more than £100 million each.
Fair Game chief executive Niall Couper said: “The dreams of signing the likes of Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice and Rasmus Hojlund, and a place among the world’s elite has led to a gambling culture in English football that has put the very future of dozens of our clubs at risk.
“On the one hand we have normalised the £100m transfer. On the other, Fair Game research has revealed that 39 clubs are technically insolvent. And since the start of the Premier League 64 clubs in our top four divisions have gone into administration.
“No wonder there is growing support for a ‘solidarity levy’.
“If the levy had been in place over the last 12 months, that would have raised over £200m.”
Chelsea and Manchester United expected to be busy
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of another transfer deadline day, where you will be bringing you all the latest news and analysis of deals as they happen from Telegraph Football reporters.
True to form, Chelsea are expecting a busy final 24 hours to their summer, with Cole Palmer expected to be unveiled as the club’s latest addition after passing a medical. As Matt Law reports, Chelsea are also expecting a bid from London rivals Tottenham Hotspur for midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has been used by new head coach Mauricio Pochettino in a deeper role this season.
Manchester United are scrambling to bring in emergency left-back cover and a new central midfielder. Sergio Reguilon is poised to sign on a straight loan deal from Spurs, while James Ducker reports that talks continue with Fiorentina over Sofyan Amrabat. The Italian club has the option to extend Amrabat’s contract to 2025, but want an obligation to buy included in any deal with United.
Liverpool look set to make their fourth midfield signing of the summer after agreeing a £34 million fee with Bayern Munich Ryan Gravenberch. Chris Bascombe reports that the Dutchman is flying in for a medical. The 21-year-old looked a stellar talent when he broke through at Ajax but has endured a difficult spell in Germany. Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad have been heavily linked with Mohamed Salah, but Jurgen Klopp has already dismissed any potential idea of the Egyptian leaving, although the Saudi deadline is September 20. Mike McGrath reports Al-Ittihad are willing to bid £150 million to test Liverpool’s resolve.
Manchester City are expected to bring in Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes after a £53 million deal was struck between the clubs, with Kevin De Bruyne currently sidelined.
Tottenham are yet to replace striker Harry Kane, who has joined Bayern Munich, but are linked with a move for Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson.
Brighton are set to bring Barcelona forward Ansu Fati to the Amex Stadium on loan in the closing stages of the window, with another Barcelona player in Clement Lenglet likely to head to Aston Villa.
Fulham could land Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi, with Joao Palhinha reportedly a target for Bayern, while Crystal Palace are set to clinch a deal for Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Arsenal’s day is expected to be focused on outgoings, with Rob Holding, Nicolas Pepe and Cedric three players potentially in the departure lounge.