Soccer  Transfer deadline day as it happened: Chelsea sign Aubameyang, Zakaria late
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Transfer deadline day as it happened: Chelsea sign Aubameyang, Zakaria late

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Sep 1, 2022

The summer transfer window has reached the Sept. 1 deadline, and there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Chelsea announce Aubameyang, Zakaria

As the summer transfer window comes to a close, Chelsea have agreed to permanently sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona while also bringing in Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria on loan.

Aubameyang, 33, will sign for a transfer fee of €12 million. Zakaria’s deal includes an option of a permanent transfer, reportedly set at €35m, at the end of the season.

Barcelona are expected to announce on Friday that left-back Marcos Alonso will join after leaving Chelsea by mutual consent. Alonso, 31, will head to Camp Nou after being at Stamford Bridge since 2016.

Zakaria, 25, moved to Juve on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach in January, but the Switzerland international has struggled to make an impact and could sign permanently for Chelsea for a reported €35m in the summer.

Head coach Thomas Tuchel is thought to be concerned about the club’s midfield options in the wake of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Southampton and nagging injury concerns for key midfielder N’Golo Kante, who is set to be sidelined for around a month with a hamstring problem. The Blues had also made a €50m bid to sign Ajax and Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez, sources have told ESPN, but that has been turned down.

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LIVE BLOG

23.30 BST: Thanks for joining ESPN for transfer deadline day. Be sure to come back for more analysis of all the big deals

23.20 BST: Reminder of the major deals we’re waiting for in terms of official announcements:

– Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria to sign for Chelsea on loan

– Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to sign for Chelsea, with Marcos Alonso signing for Barcelona.

– Leeds winger Dan James to move to Fulham on loan.

23.10 BST: OK, now they’ve confirmed it. Bellerin signs a one-year deal.

23.01 BST: Barcelona have signed Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin. Though someone might want to tell Barcelona.

23.00 BST: THE TRANSFER WINDOW IS CLOSED for the Premier League and LaLiga now.

That’s all folks. But of course if the paperwork has gone in, then we can expect an announcement or two soon.

22.55 BST: Five minutes to go folks…

And a few more

– Aston Villa have announced the signing of Jan Bednarek on a season-long loan from Southampton.

– Southampton have completed the signing of Marseille centre-back Duje Caleta-Car.

– Everton’s Andre Gomes has joined Lille on loan.

– AS Roma winger Justin Kluivert joins Valencia on loan with €15m option to sign permanently.

– Girona have signed Manu Vallejo from Valencia.

22.45 BST: A flurry of deals…

– Real Valladolid have completed the signing of defender Kenedy from Chelsea on a permanent deal.

– Birmingham City have signed Tahith Chong from Manchester United for £1.45m.

– Fulham have signed striker Carlos Vinicius from Benfica for around £4m.

– Amine Harit has rejoined Marseille from Schalke on loan.

22.31 BST: Bernardo Silva said it was an easy decision to stay at Manchester City and revealed the one offer he received this summer did not come from Barcelona.

Silva was linked with a move to Camp Nou during the transfer window but said he was not aware of any bids from Barcelona or any other Spanish club.

The 28-year-old said the Premier League champions received one offer — believed to be from Paris Saint-Germain — but that it arrived too close to the deadline to be considered.

“It wasn’t a tough decision [to stay],” Silva said. “There was one offer from one team, no more than that, so it was quite easy for me and for the club because the only offer that came came quite late so for the club to find a replacement it wouldn’t be easy. I’m very happy here as I said and I’m going to do my best.

“The truth is there have been no offers from Spain, so I’m staying in Manchester and I’m happy. That’s all, that’s my choice.”

22.18 BST: James Garner has left Manchester United to join Everton for a fee of £15.5m.

The 21-year-old midfielder was wanted by Southampton and Leicester, but Everton have landed him on a four-year deal before the deadline.

Garner was highly regarded at Old Trafford but is keen to play regular first-team football after helping Nottingham Forest win promotion to the Premier League last season.

“I’m made up to sign for Everton,” he said. “It’s a huge step in my career and I want to help the team get better while progressing as a player. I think Everton is the perfect place to do that. I can’t wait to get started.

“The manager [Frank Lampard] has got a real plan for the Club and for me. Working with him on a daily basis is major for me. Him and his staff can take me and the team to the next level. That’s what I’m hoping for. I know how passionate Evertonians are. I’m passionate myself and the sort of player who feeds off the crowd. I know what the fans are like so I think I’ll be a good fit.”

22.16 BST: Southampton have completed the signing of 18-year-old defender Juan Larios from Manchester City on a five-year contract for a reported £6m.

Larios said: “I’m so happy to be here in Southampton. I’m really looking forward to starting with the team. I like the philosophy of the club, to develop young players and trust them. I was talking with the manager and the club, and they showed me how brave they are. They told me they believe in me, for now and for the future.”

22.07 BST: Memphis Depay had been linked with a move to Juventus and Chelsea, but claims he will be staying at Barcelona.

The 28-year-old winger had reached an agreement to terminate his Barcelona contract and move clubs, but wasn’t able to agree personal terms and will now remain at Camp Nou.

22.03: Arsenal’s deadline day attempts to sign Douglas Luiz appear to be over after Aston Villa rejected a third bid for the midfielder in the region of £25m, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

With just over an hour of the window remaining, the Gunners made what is expected to be their final offer for the 24-year-old, having opened with a bid of £20m, before rising to £23m later in the day.

Villa have been adamant throughout the day that Luiz would not leave and they have stuck to that stance, despite the player having just one year remaining on his contract.

It remains to be seen whether Luiz signs a new deal — that appeared a likely prospect earlier in the year before negotiations stalled — but regardless, Arsenal now appear to have run out of time in their last-ditch efforts to add to their central midfield options.

22.00 BST: Liverpool have signed Arthur on loan from Juventus.

Arthur, 26, moved to Juve from Barcelona in 2020 in a €72m deal which included €60m Miralem Pjanic going the other way.

However, he has slipped down the pecking order and now moves on loan to Anfield to help cover Liverpool’s midfield injury issues.

“I’m really, really happy to be here wearing this great shirt with this famous badge that represents so much in world football, it’s a dream,” he told the club website. “We talked a lot, and our ideas and visions were a good fit so I’m sure it was the right choice. I’m really happy and highly motivated to continue living my dream on the pitch and giving my all in a Liverpool shirt.”

Arthur moves for a €4.5m loan fee, with a €37.5m option to sign permanently, according to Juventus.

21.48 BST: U.S. men’s national team centre-back John Brooks has signed with Portuguese giants Benfica.

Brooks, who has been out of contract since leaving Wolfsburg in June, had been set to join Mallorca but opted for a different move on transfer deadline day.

21.31 BST: Southampton have signed Manchester City winger Samuel Edozie.

Edozie, 19, signed a five-year contract, with the England U19 international becoming the latest player to swap City for the south coast.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “Samuel is another promising young player who brings good attacking qualities to us, and he is someone who fits very well with our philosophy. He is a quick player who has impressive technical ability, so he will be able to help our squad immediately, but we also see a lot of potential in him for the future. This is a good opportunity for him, and I know he is excited about the chance to come here and improve.”

Edozie added: “I’m very excited. It’s a great club — a club that likes to play young players, so it’s a very attractive club to come to. I used to play with Romeo [Lavia] and Gavin [Bazunu], and they’ve both played a lot, so it’s definitely something at my age in my career that I just want to play as much first-team football as possible. If I’ve got a chance of that here then it’s a great opportunity.”

21.24 BST: Definitely the best social media announcement for a Championship side signing a Borussia Monchengladbach defender on loan. Jordan Beyer better be worth the hype.

21.01 BST: Southampton have signed defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan from Arsenal.

Maitland-Niles, 25, has spent recent seasons on loan after failing to break into the first team and will do so again, with the Gunners reportedly taking up their option to extend his contract by a year.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “Ainsley is at a good point in his career, with a lot of experience already, but he is also still a player with potential, and he is someone who can definitely help us. I think he fits well with us and can develop his game even further during his time here. He can also play in different positions, which is always a good thing, and I am pleased to welcome him as part of our squad.”

20.57 BST: Update from ESPN’s James Olley.

Dan James has passed his medical at Fulham ahead of a proposed season-long loan. But the deal is still waiting for a green light from Leeds.

20.28 BST: Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli has signed a contract extension at Camp Nou and joined Osasuna on a season-long loan.

Abde, 20, has renewed his deal until 2026, with his release clause rising to €200m. However, he will spend the current season on loan at LaLiga side Osasuna, who have beaten Elche and Real Valladolid to his signature.

Abde joined Barca’s B team from Hercules last summer but ended up making 12 appearances for the first team, scoring one goal, coincidentally against Osasuna in Pamplona.

20.21 BST: AC Milan have completed the signing of United States international Sergino Dest on a season-long loan from Barcelona, the Spanish club announced on Thursday.

The Serie A champions have an option to make the deal permanent next summer for €20m.

ESPN reported earlier this summer that Barca coach Xavi Hernandez had told Dest he was no longer part of his plans.

Dest, 21, initially said he wanted to stay at Camp Nou but changed his mind after being left out of the squad for the opening three games of the season.

The defender is set to feature for the U.S. at the World Cup, which begins in November, and he decided the offer from Milan, who will play in the Champions League this season, was too good to turn down.

20.12 BST: Barcelona have missed out on signing Man City midfielder Bernardo Silva, but Goal claims they have two other targets.

PSG’s Marco Verratti and Real Betis’ Nabil Fekir are the two named, though it may be January until Barca are able to make a move.

20.01 BST: Aston Villa have signed midfielder Leander Dendoncker from Wolves for around £13m.

“I’m very excited to have signed for Villa,” the 27-year-old said. “It’s a new challenge for me. I’m really excited to be here and I’ve already been shown around the training ground.

“I can feel that this a big club, you can just feel it. I obviously know the players from playing against them, and I know it’s a very good team with good players. I’m really happy to be here.”

19.58 BST: AC Milan have signed Wolfsburg midfielder Aster Vranckx on a season-long loan, with an option to sign permanently for around €11m.

Vranckx, 19, scored twice in his 29 appearances for Wolfsburg and has represented Belgium at U21 level.

19.47 BST: PSG have signed midfielder Carlos Soler from Valencia for around €18m.

Soler, 25, has signed a contract through to 2027. Having come through the Valencia youth academy in 2005, he scored 36 goals in 226 games for the club, winning the Copa del Rey in 2019.

“I’m very happy! It’s a new adventure in my career,” he told the PSG website. “I feel very proud and I’m looking forward to starting work with my teammates, to meeting them, and giving everything for this shirt. On Tuesday, we’re playing our first Champions League game at the Parc des Princes, and it’ll be an opportunity for me to get to know it. I’m certain that it’ll be a great party for everyone and for the fans.”

19.36 BST: After his move to Fulham broke down on Wednesday, Justin Kluivert now looks set to join Valencia, reveals Gianluca Di Marzio.

The 23-year-old caught the attention of sides in LaLiga after the possibility to sign him emerged, with Espanyol also competing for his services, but the latest report indicates that Los Che have won the race to sign the Roma winger, who spent last season on loan at Nice in Ligue 1.

19.20 BST: Fabrizio Romano reports that Nottingham Forest are set to sign Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi.

Batshuayi, 28, scored 14 goals in 42 games on loan at Besiktas last season but has returned to Stamford Bridge and has struggled for game time.

The Belgium international would be Forest’s 21st signing of the window.

19.15 BST: After Newcastle United completed a €70m move for Alexander Isak, Real Sociedad have moved quickly to replace him with the signing of Umar Sadiq.

The 25-year-old Nigeria international striker arrives from Almeria for a fee in the region of €25m, and joins Erreala in positive form, having scored two goals from the opening three LaLiga matches.

19.09 BST: ESPN’s Sam Marsden has a Barcelona update.

Barcelona confirm Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Chelsea), Sergino Dest (Milan) and Abde (Osasuna) all finalising moves away from the club this evening. Memphis Depay, Miralem Pjanic still training with Barça

19.02 BST: Inter Milan turned down a proposal from Barcelona after they were offered the chance to sign left-back Jordi Alba, says Sport.

The Serie A side were keen on the 33-year-old last summer and considered making an approach for him, but it is reported that they were unable to meet the personal demands for Alba, who earns in the region of €260,000-per-week on his contract with the Blaugrana.

19.00 BST: ANOTHER WINDOW CLOSED… In Italy’s Serie A. Though they can still move players on, so Denis Zakaria’s move is safe.

18.51 BST: Francesco Acerbi has joined Inter Milan on loan from Lazio.

The 34-year-old defender has been at Lazio since 2018 but is now ready for a new challenge as he winds down his career.

18.42 BST: Everton and Lille have reached an agreement over a deal for Andre Gomes, according to Foot Mercato.

The Ligue 1 side have been looking to reinforce their midfield options after parting ways with Renato Sanches and Amadou Onana, and it looks as though they are getting closer to acquiring the 29-year-old, who is already in France ahead of his medical.

18.28 BST: Duje Caleta-Car is set to complete a move to Southampton, reports The Daily Telegraph.

A fee has reportedly been agreed with Marseille, with the Saints highlighting the 25-year-old centre-back as a replacement for Jan Bednarek, who is set to join Aston Villa on loan.

Caleta-Car made 26 appearances in Ligue 1 last season.

18.20 BST: Benfica have signed PSG winger Julian Draxler on loan for a €2.5m fee, without an option to sign permanently.

Draxler, 28, has struggled to make a mark in Paris and was linked with Newcastle before heading to Portugal.

18.04 BST: L’Equipe says that Paris Saint-Germain have failed in their efforts to sign Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar.

PSG made a series of bids — the last of which was €50m, plus €10m add-ons — but they have all been rejected.

Skriniar has a contract which expires in 2023, so the Ligue 1 champions could try again January when the Slovakia international can sign a pre-contract with any club outside France.

17.30 BST: Manchester United have signed Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on loan, the club announced on Thursday.

Sources told ESPN the deal for Dubravka includes an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season, but not an obligation. The Slovakia international will challenge senior keepers David de Gea and Tom Heaton after the former faced criticism for his part in United’s 4-0 defeat to Brentford last month.

“To be joining Manchester United is a special moment in my career and I can’t wait to get started, and help the group achieve its ambitions,” Dubravka told the club’s official website.

“I am joining an excellent group of goalkeepers with lots of experience in the Premier League, and I know that we will push and support each other to keep our standards at the highest levels. The chance to work with David De Gea, alongside Tom Heaton, is one that I am relishing.

“I’d like to sincerely thank everyone at Newcastle United, and especially the fans, for many great experiences over the past four and a half years. I enjoyed every minute of my time there and made amazing memories to look back on. My focus is now on helping Manchester United, and we’ll see what the future holds after I have given my all this season. I am excited to be here!”

17.21 BST: Dujon Sterling has joined Stoke City on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Sterling, 22, spent last term on loan with Blackpool and Alex Neil has made the right-back his first signing as Stoke manager.

“The signing of Dujon is an exciting one for us and we had to fight off stiff competition to get him,” Neil said. “He’s a talented young player who plays as a right wing-back, which is an area of the field where we are short on numbers at present, but he’s also capable of playing as a centre-back so he brings versatility to our squad.”

17.11 BST: Valencia have signed Ilaix Moriba on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig.

And they win the award for weirdest unveiling video so far…

17.02 BST: Former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Willian has completed a move back to the Premier League with Fulham.

The Brazil international had been a free agent after terminating his contract at Corinthians due to the abuse that he and his family received while back in his homeland.

The 34-year-old has been training with Fulham for the past two weeks, and signs for the Cottagers to aid their bid for top-flight survival.

17.00 BST: WINDOW CLOSED… In Germany. That’s it for the Bundesliga sides.

16.55 BST: Idrissa Gueye has rejoined Everton from Paris Saint-Germain for an undisclosed fee, signing a two-year contract until the end of June 2024.

The Senegal international left Goodison Park for Paris Saint-Germain in July 2019.

“There is no better feeling than coming back home. I am very happy to be here at Everton again, to help and to work hard. I’ll give my soul to this team, ” he told Evertontv.

“Coming back here was important to me because I feel like I’m in my home. I’ve followed the team every week and watched how they play. For me, there is no better place than Everton, so that’s why I chose to come back here.

“There is also a great atmosphere at the stadium and everyone here is like a family. I felt very, very good when I was here [the first time] and even when I went to Paris, I kept in touch with some of the players here and continued to support the team.

“For me, it’s special. I told PSG if I am going to leave it will be for one team — and that was Everton. It was not a difficult decision for me because I love this club. That’s why I had to come home. It’s a pleasure for me to be back and hopefully we will have a good season because we have to go and try to achieve our goals.”

16.42 BST: Fulham’s pursuit of Blackburn star Ben Brereton Diaz has hit a further stumbling block, with the club seeing a second bid for the striker rejected, reports The Athletic.

Brereton Diaz, who represents Chile at international level, has two goals in six games in the Championship so far this season as he builds upon his impressive 22 goals last term.

That goal-scoring touch has reportedly caught the eye of newly-promoted Premier League side Fulham, who have been met with resistance in their hopes of signing the striker. His contract at Ewood Park has less than a year to run.

16.31 BST: We’re getting to the point of more DONE DEALS … Here’s two:

RB Leipzig have signed Abdou Diallo from PSG on a season-long loan, with a €25m option to sign permanently.

Fulham have signed defender Layvin Kurzawa from PSG on a season-long loan.

16.15 BST: Ajax have announced the signing of midfielder Florian Grillitsch on a free transfer.

Grillitsch, 27, left Hoffenheim at the end of his contract and the Austria international had been scouted by Roma, Feyenoord and Arsenal.

He has now has signed an initial one-year deal, with an option included to extend it for two seasons.

15.53 BST: Chelsea made an offer to sign Russian midfielder Arsen Zakharyan from Dynamo Moscow, but the move was unable to happen.

Dynamo claim that “technical reasons beyond their control” — most likely linked to the fact that the British government is blocking payments to any Russian company over the country’s invasion of Ukraine — was the reason for the transfer failure.

The 19-year-old prospect will now stay at Dynamo.

15.39 BST: Arsenal are making a second bid to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, says The Athletic.

Luiz, 24, reportedly wants to move but Villa aren’t keen on letting him go. The Gunners need cover as Mohamed Elneny has suffered an injury, while Thomas Partey is struggling with a short-term problem.

They had a £20m bid rejected for Luiz and though they may up it, Villa’s stance could make a deal difficult to complete before Thursday’s 11 p.m. BST deadline.

15.27 BST: West Ham have made an offer for Torino right-back Ola Aina, according to Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio.

The east London club have reportedly made a bid of a £4m initial fee with £4m in add-ons, but the Serie A side are asking for a further £2m up front.

Aina, who joined Torino from Chelsea in 2018, has previous experience in the Premier League — he played 31 games while on loan at Fulham during the 2020-21 season.

15.08 BST: Barcelona have terminated Martin Braithwaite‘s contract with the striker set to join local rivals Espanyol on a three-year deal.

Braithwaite, 31, had offers from other LaLiga sides but opted for Espanyol’s proposal as it allows him to stay in Barcelona.

Barca signed Braithwaite for €18m from Leganes in 2020 and he had a contract at Camp Nou until 2024. However, coach Xavi Hernandez told him he would not feature under him this season and advised him to find a new club.

The Denmark international’s intention was initially to stay and fight for his place at Camp Nou, but with the World Cup around the corner he has opted to move in search of regular football.

14.46 BST: An update from ESPN’s James Olley on Chelsea’s deal with Barcelona to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — a player-plus-cash deal has been agreed with Barcelona in which Marcos Alonso will join the LaLiga giants, sources have told ESPN.

The Blues will pay £12m and allow Alonso to move to Camp Nou after Aubameyang accepted terms on a two-year contract with an option for a third, dependent upon how many games he plays in his second year at Stamford Bridge.

Sources have told ESPN that the 33-year-old will fly to London on Thursday afternoon to undergo a medical, with all parties confident a deal will be completed before the 11 p.m. BST/6 p.m. ET deadline.

Alonso has been keen on joining Barcelona for months, but talks stalled amid Barcelona’s financial issues, with Chelsea holding out for a fee in the region of £8m. Barcelona wanted around £20m for Aubameyang, so a compromise has finally been reached to allow both players to make their desired moves.

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Julien Laurens says Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being burgled in Barcelona will make him desperate to leave the club.

14.19 BST: Barcelona are set to re-sign Hector Bellerin, after the defender agreed a contract termination with Arsenal, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

The 27-year-old is in advanced talks with the LaLiga club to complete a deal before Thursday’s deadline, and sources close to negotiations are confident an agreement will be reached in time.

Bellerin was the Gunners’ longest-serving player, having joined the club as a 16-year-old in 2011 from Barcelona. He went on to make 308 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 15 goals, but spent last season on loan at Real Betis, as sources told ESPN he was intent on a fresh challenge after more than a decade in north London.

Betis were keen on signing Bellerin permanently but continue to have LaLiga registration issues, a problem Barcelona also encountered but are gradually resolving.

There will be no fee involved, as Bellerin is technically a free agent, having agreed his exit from Arsenal.

14.05 BST: Paris Saint-Germain have made a huge deadline-day bid to Inter Milan for defender Milan Skriniar, RMC reports.

Skriniar, 27, has been at Inter for five years and started 31 games of their Serie A title-winning campaign of 2020-21.

The Slovakia international is, according to RMC, the subject of an offer of €70m plus add-ons from PSG.

13.39 BST: AC Milan are set to beat Villarreal to the signing of United States international Sergino Dest on loan from Barcelona, sources have told ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens, and it’s a transfer that makes sense for all involved.

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Julien Laurens thinks Sergino Dest’s move to AC Milan is positive for all parties involved.

13.16 BST: Nottingham Forest have signed defender Willy Boly from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Ivory Coast international, 31, has signed a two-year deal to become the 19th summer arrival at the City Ground.

13.03 BST: Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has confirmed that he will be staying at the club this summer amid interest from Barcelona.

The Portugal international told ESPN’s Rob Dawson last month that his future at the Premier League champions was uncertain. But, after Wednesday’s 6-0 win over Nottingham Forest, he said he would remain at the Etihad.

“The truth is that we have not received offers from Spain,” Silva told RAC 1. “Nobody has come and I stay in Manchester. I’m happy and that’s it. The decision is made.”

12.31 BST: Fenerbahce have joined the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi, according to L’Equipe.

The 29-year-old is in talks with Galatasaray, but with an agreement still not reached, the Yellow Canaries have made a move to attempt to hijack the deal from their Super Lig rivals.

Icardi is yet to make an appearance for PSG in the league this season, with manager Christophe Galtier looking to part ways with him.

12.14 BST: Leicester City have announced the signing of central defender Wout Faes from Reims.

Just one day after Wesley Fofana left for Chelsea in a £75m transfer, the Foxes have replaced him with Belgium international Faes.

The 24-year-old, who was Reims’ player of the season last term, arrives after signing a five-year contract.

12.03 BST: Colombia international Marlos Moreno has left Manchester City to join Troyes, the Ligue 1 club announced.

Moreno, 25, joined City from Atletico Nacional in 2016, but in six years on the club’s books, he never made a first-team appearance for them.

Instead, he spent time on loan at seven different clubs across five different countries before leaving this summer on a permanent deal.

11.39 BST: James Garner looks set to leave Manchester United today, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

The 21-year-old midfielder is wanted by Everton, Southampton and Leicester, with United looking for a fee of more than £15m.

Everton are leading the race, and it’s one that should be wrapped up well in advance of the deadline.

He’s highly regarded at Old Trafford but is keen to play regular first-team football after helping Nottingham Forest win promotion to the Premier League last season.

11.22 BST: Arsenal are exploring a late move for Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

The Gunners are scouring the market for a central midfielder after losing Mohamed Elneny for several weeks to a hamstring injury, while Thomas Partey is also out with a thigh problem.

Arsenal are interested in Palmeiras’ Danilo, but the Brazilian club are reluctant to sell at this point in the season, prompting the Gunners to look at other targets.

Villa are strongly opposed to allowing Luiz to leave, despite the 24-year-old having less than 12 months remaining on his contract. Sources said Luiz is open to joining Arsenal, but Villa’s stance could make a deal difficult to complete before tonight’s deadline.

One source suggests Villa have not given up on persuading Luiz to sign a new deal at the club, so Arsenal are likely to find any negotiation with the Midlands club particularly tough.

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James Olley explains why Arsenal are eyeing up Douglas Luiz as a deadline day midfield signing.

11.10 BST: Real Madrid aren’t expecting any last-minute transfer business, having done their major deals — bringing in Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger — earlier in the window.

Even the departure of Casemiro to Manchester United didn’t tempt the club into the market, with Madrid feeling they have sufficient midfield cover with Tchouameni, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Dani Ceballos.

Marco Asensio had been considering an exit in search of game time but is set to stay, according to reports in Spain on Wednesday night, while Madrid haven’t found a destination for fringe players they hoped to move on such as Mariano Diaz and Alvaro Odriozola.

10.47 BST: Manchester City are trying to shift two from Wednesday night’s matchday squad before the deadline, sources have told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

Ben Knight and Claudio Gomes, who were both on the bench for the 6-0 win over Nottingham Forest, are available to move before the end of the window.

Knight, a 20-year-old forward, is available to move on loan, while Gomes, a 22-year-old midfielder, will be allowed to leave permanently if a suitable offer comes in before the deadline.

10.41 BST: Chelsea have moved a step closer to signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona after agreeing personal terms with the striker, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

The 33-year-old has accepted in principle a two-year contract with the option of a third year based on the number of appearances made in his second season at Stamford Bridge.

Talks are continuing between the two clubs to settle on a fee, with Barcelona continuing to demand in the region of £20 million while Chelsea are trying to incorporate Marcos Alonso in a player-plus-cash transfer.

Although a fee is yet to be agreed, there is optimism on both sides that a deal can be reached before Thursday’s deadline.

10.36 BST: Liverpool are closing in on the signing of midfielder Arthur Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan deal, sources have told ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

The Brazil international is travelling to England from Turin with the deal due to be completed before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

Arthur’s move to the Premier League side accelerated late on Wednesday after Jordan Henderson was injured in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Newcastle.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were already short in midfield for that game with Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara among those sidelined.

Klopp confirmed earlier in the week that Liverpool were open to signing another midfielder if the right opportunity came up.

Arthur, 26, joined Juventus from Barcelona for around €70m in 2020. He has spent just two seasons at Barcelona, where he made 72 appearances after signing from Gremio.

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Mark Ogden expects Arthur Melo to help Liverpool’s injury-hit midfield but thinks he won’t get much game time when the squad is fully fit.

10.21 BST: Atletico Madrid are spending deadline day hoping to hang on to key players including Yannick Carrasco, who was linked with a move to Tottenham this week, sources have told ESPN’s Alex Kirkland.

The Rojiblancos are not willing to negotiate over Carrasco, and any interested party would have to pay the winger’s €70m release clause.

Atletico have been caught out on the last day of the window in the past, such as when Arsenal activated Thomas Partey’s release clause in October 2020.

Antoine Griezmann is expected to stay at the Metropolitano despite the club’s efforts to avoid having to pay €40 million to make the 31-year-old’s move from Barcelona permanent next summer.

Their loan agreement, agreed last year, specifies that Atletico must pay the fee if Griezmann plays over 45 minutes in 50% of their games, and while coach Diego Simeone is a fan of the player — who has scored twice off the bench so far this season — the club would like to negotiate a reduction.

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Rob Dawson says Manchester City’s deal to sign Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund couldn’t be turned down.

10.00 BST: Manchester City have signed centre-back Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund on a five-year deal.

Akanji becomes City’s fifth new arrival this summer after they signed Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Sergio Gomez and Stefan Ortega during this window.

The Switzerland international will give City boss Pep Guardiola another option in defence, joining centre-backs Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte.

Akanji will also come up against his old club when Guardiola’s side face Dortmund in Group G of the Champions League.

The 27-year-old made 158 appearances for Dortmund after joining the Bundesliga side from Basel in 2018 and helped them to the DFB Pokal title last year.

Akanji has been capped 41 times by Switzerland and was part of the team that reached the quarterfinals at last year’s European Championship.

09.48 BST: Sevilla have announced the signing of midfielder Kasper Dolberg on loan from Nice.

The Denmark international, 24, moves to LaLiga until the end of the season, at which point Sevilla have the option to make the deal permanent.

09.30 BST: First major done deal of the day, and it’s a big one — Manchester United have completed the signing of winger Antony from Ajax on a five-year deal, the club have confirmed.

United agreed a fee for the Brazil international on Monday, which sources told ESPN was worth an initial €95m with another €5m in add-ons — making it the club’s second-most expensive transfer behind the then-world-record €105m (£89.3m) deal to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus in 2016.

Antony’s move to Old Trafford means he will be reunited with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who has completed his fifth signing of the summer after deals for Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro.

The 22-year-old winger gives Ten Hag more options in attack after Anthony Martial sustained an Achilles tendon injury in United’s 2-1 victory against Liverpool last week.

Antony scored 25 goals in 82 games for Ajax after joining the Eredivisie side from Sao Paulo in 2020, winning two league titles and a KNVB Cup during his time there. He has made nine appearances for Brazil, scoring twice, and helped his country to an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo last year.

Antony is ineligible for United’s match at Leicester City on Thursday but could make his debut at home to Arsenal this Sunday.

– Everything you need to know about Antony

08.53 BST: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he could sign another central midfielder on deadline day following injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny.

“We are looking at options,” Arteta said after Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa. “We are just looking at options in the market. As I said, the club has been super supportive to try to keep improving the squad and the team as we can, and if the right player is available and we can do it, we will try.”

He added: “We were pretty protected in [central midfield] and now we are more exposed, but we have to be prepared for uncertainties, injuries and suspensions. Things like that can happen, especially this season it’s going to be really strange with the World Cup. So, we try to prevent things but sometimes it is not easy.”

The Gunners have been linked with interest in Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, who is also a reported target for Liverpool. The Brazilian scored direct from a corner at the Emirates on Wednesday, and Villa boss Steven Gerrard could not rule out an exit for the midfielder.

“I’m not in control of that,” Gerrard said. “There are more than two people in control of that, but I’m certainly not one of them. That will be Douglas, that will be his agent’s decision as to what happens around that. I’d like to keep him because he’s a fantastic player. I’ve made that abundantly clear.

“We are not in a position where we need to lose our top players, but at the same time, Douglas has got a year to go, and it is one of those really touchy situations where the club have to do what is best for the club and not necessarily what’s best for me.”

08.28 BST: Chelsea are discussing a potential move for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao before the summer transfer window closes on Thursday, according to The Times.

It is reported that the Blues have turned their attention to the 23-year-old Serie A star, after they failed with an enquiry to land Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil international forward Neymar. Thomas Tuchel’s side are keen to land a forward and midfielder before the transfer deadline closes on Thursday, with Leao is one of the final names on their shortlist.

The Portugal international was a key player for the Rossoneri last season in a Scudetto-winning campaign where he contributed to 19 goals in 34 appearances. He had been linked with Real Madrid this summer, and it would reportedly take an offer of at least €115 million for the Serie A champions to consider parting ways with him.

Chelsea had been previously linked to Barcelona’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, among others. The London side are without a striker after Romelu Lukaku returned to Internazionale and Timo Werner made the switch back to RB Leipzig.

08.00 BST: Chelsea have made a €50m bid to sign Ajax and Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.

Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel is thought to be concerned about the club’s midfield options in the wake of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Southampton and nagging injury concerns over key midfielder N’Golo Kante, who is set to be sidelined for around a month with a hamstring problem.

Sources have told ESPN that Ajax are under no pressure to sell, having already allowed Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea were keen on a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong, but the Dutchman has so far shown no interest in leaving Camp Nou.

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