Time to call it a night. Here are the day’s big stories – and keep following our interactive guide for every last deal before we take our ball home until 1 January.

Late moves aplenty still going through, with Zian Flemming joining Ipswich for £20m, and Hull City making their sixth deadline-day signing in the shape of Greek midfielder Christos Mouzakitis. Follow along with our transfer interactive …

Everton have completed the signing of Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Lyon for a fee of around £4.2m. The 29-year-old has signed a three year contract.

More on Enzo Fernández’s arrival at the Etihad, via an official statement.

Manchester City have completed the signing of Enzo Fernández from Chelsea on a five-year contract. The Argentina international’s deal means he will remain at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2031.

Fernández says he could not be happier to have joined City at this stage of his career. “Manchester City are the most successful club in England in recent times. Every player wants to be part of a club like this because everyone knows how well-run City are.

“I could not be happier to be here, and I am ready for the challenge of helping City continue winning trophies. This is a club built for success,” Fernández added. “If you look across the squad, City have quality in every area. I want to learn from my new teammates and become a better player.

“I pride myself on continually improving my game. Anyone who’s worked with me will know how hard I train every single day and how much I put into matches. I give absolutely everything and I can promise Manchester City that will continue now I’m here.

City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, added: “At Manchester City, we are always looking to bring in world-class players and Enzo fits the bill. He is a complete midfielder: technically gifted, hardworking, tenacious and a goalscorer.

“He is adept at playing different styles of football. He is comfortable playing a possession-based game, and he can play on the counter effectively, too. We are delighted to bring him here and feel very strongly he will improve our team.”

You wait 17 years for a Spurs-Chelsea transfer deal, and two come along in one evening. After agreeing a loan move for Mykhailo Mudryk earlier, Tottenham have signed Chelsea centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo for around £7m.

According to Sky Sports, there are at least six deal sheets in the Premier League’s inbox, with three of those coming from Selhurst Park, as Ed Aarons reports below. There’s also Folarin Balogun’s Everton move and Malick Fofana on his way to Sunderland; the other deal sheet comes from Leeds, for Eintracht Frankfurt winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya.

Crystal Palace have submitted deal sheets for Ben Chilwell, Dario Osario and Quinten Timber after dramatically missing out Malick Fofana earlier. Pierre Sage wanted to bring in more reinforcements ahead of a season that will see Palace play in the Europa League. Chilwell will replace Borna Sosa as cover for Tyrick Mitchell after the Croatia defender joined Köln on loan.

Palace turned to Osario – the Chile winger who plays for Midtjylland in Denmark – after Fofana opted to join Sunderland. They have also revived a move for Netherlands midfielder Timber (the twin brother of Arsenal’s Jurriën) from Marseille after failing to agree a fee for Mainz’s Kaishu Sano earlier in the day.

More on the weirdest transfer story of the day, as Sunderland and Crystal Palace practically fought on the runway to sign Lyon winger Malick Fofana.

Lamine Camara’s move to Chelsea is OFF, Jacob Steinberg confirms. It looked like the Monaco midfielder was set to complete a £47m move, but that won’t be happening. Enzo Fernández’s move to Manchester City is not affected by the Camara deal.

Here’s the first mention of a deal sheet, in relation to Everton and their pursuit of Folarin Balogun, who could probably live without any more admin drama.

“Everton have submitted a deal sheet to complete the Balogun deal after trying to renegotiate the structure of the fee with Monaco. Maitland-Niles deal expected to go through,” reports Andy Hunter.

Enzo Fernandez has penned a -long – heartfelt message to Chelsea fans after his £125m move to Man City.

Want to read it?

Dear Chelsea.

I want you to know that these have not been easy days for me. Writing this is not easy either. The truth is, I haven’t been in a good place.

Three years ago, Cobham and Stamford Bridge became home for me and my family. I grew attached to the people, to the shirt, and to the badge of this incredible club.

Believe me when I say that, from the moment I arrived, I became obsessed with winning and with bringing this club every trophy that its history deserves. We suffered, we cried, I got angry many times, but we also celebrated titles and unforgettable victories. Together, through the good times and the difficult ones.

I live football the same way I live my life: with passion and with all my heart. That is why I want you to know that I understand you. I truly understand you, from the bottom of my heart.

But life is about making decisions, and right now I find myself having to make one of those difficult decisions. I’ve said it before, but I want to say it again: I have grown incredibly fond of this club. Chelsea will always have a place in my thoughts and, above all, in my heart.

But I also understand how football works. I know how passionate you are, because I am the same. And if I were in your position, I would probably be thinking the same way.

I want to thank every single one of you: the staff, the coaching team, the medical team, the physios, and everyone who works at Cobham and throughout this great institution.

To all my teammates over these years, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing so many moments with me. I was truly happy here, and I wish you nothing but the very best for the future.

Thank you for all the love and support you have given me and my family throughout these years. I will never forget it.

This group will give you many more reasons to be happy, and I will be happy for you too. Never doubt that.

You will always be in my heart, Blues. I will always wish you, always, nothing but the very best.

Always Blue.

Thank you, Chelsea.

Enzo.

Drew is copping quite a lot of heat from fellow Arsenal fans behind the scenes.

I can’t share them all but let’s just say he doesn’t speak for all Gooners.

And as Rory Hoare points out, things could be worse than winning the league:

All my thoughts are with you Drew. As a spurs fan I cannot imagine the pain of winning the league, selling a couple of players and still looking like you’ll win the league again. You poor lamb.

I know it’s late because this from John Nielsen-Gammon brought out a chuckle from me:

Well, Crystal Palace tried to keep their interest in Malik Fofana secret as long as possible, but you can’t hide your Lyon eyes.

Understand Everton’s offer for Joshua Zirkzee was in the region of £10m for the loan of the Manchester United forward and to cover his wages for the season - and Utd felt this was too low.

Drew Lundgren [great name by the way] is back for some more Arsenal ranting:

I dont think you can call Arsenal favorites with their turgid attack (turgid for YEARS now), and their front office spiraling out of control, ready to close the window with 2 fewer attackers than last year. They are 1 injury away Arteta dressing as back up striker.

Just under half an hour to go?

Will there a be a deal secured that future generations look back on with awe? Will you, our dear reader, tell your grandkids that you were here, on our blog, to read all about it?

More on the failed Zirkzee deal.

“Am told Joshua Zirkzee’s proposed loan to Everton from Manchester United fell down because it was too late for United to source a replacement; United, it is understood, believe the Dutch forward can still contribute.”

Everton are not done yet.

The club have also enquired about a loan deal for Tammy Abraham but the forward declined the approach, preferring to stay at Aston Villa.

A couple of disgruntled Arsenal fans have written in.

Drew Lundgren:

Arsenal deadline day appears to be a failure. There is no imaginable reason to let Martinelli go with no replacement. The fans at the Emirates really need to get on the manager and Berta next time out. Chants, boos, they really need to let them know. It is a completely pathetic showing. Berta out.

Gary Stover:

Stan Knoenke not only owns Arsenal FC and the Los Angeles Rams, and is now buying the Los Angeles Angels MLB team, and through his wife, a descendant of Sam Walton (Walmart), they own the Denver Nuggets NBA franchise, the MLS Colorado Rapids, the NHL Colorado Avalanche.... Kroenke spearheaded the attempt to establish the European Super League. All of this doesn’t make him a bad guy. He’s simply using his money to buy and make money through ownership of sports franchises. He’s not alone. In this environment who’s to say how much an individual player is worth? or a team? If you have enough money to own a sports franchise, you have enough money to hire attorneys, who’ll find a way around the “rules.” One thing is certain--Man City is not worried about being in violation of anything anytime.

Phew. What a hectic couple of minutes. Jamie, Ed, Jacob and David are motoring! Well done lads!

In the last few minutes we’ve had Tottenham land Mudryk on a loan deal from Chelsea, Everton failed to secure Zirkzee from Man United and Chelsea are waiting on Camara’s medical.

Am now informed that Joshua Zirkzee will stay at Manchester United and not be loaned to Everton.

Just to add in the medical for Camara is already done. So we’re just waiting for confirmation.

A crazy situation as Chelsea had bids rejected for him - then the breakdown of Everton’s move for Folarin Balogun left Monaco needing another source of funds

Alan Baverstock wants to know, “Is Aaron Ramsdale really not better than third choice at Southampton?”

The keeper was on loan at Newcastle where he played just 12 games in a year.

One more hour to go!

Hull City are close to completing a £7.5m deal for Stoke’s Sorba Thomas.

Getting word that Sunderland have won the mad race for Malik Fofana’s signature.

The Black Cats had the deal wrapped up this morning – worth a reported £25.7m – but a faulty plane and some chutzpah from Crystal Palace, who tried to hijack the move, added some drama to the narrative.

Crystal Palace are set to sign Ben Chilwell for an undisclosed fee from Strasbourg as they continue to work right up until the deadline.

The former England defender spent the second half of last season at Selhurst Park on loan and is now on his way back to London, where he spent five years with Chelsea.

Palace are still trying to do deals for midfielder Quinten Timber from Marseille and a loan for Chile forward Darío Osorio from Danish side Midtjylland after apparently accepting defeat to Sunderland in their attempts to sign Malick Fofana from Lyon.

Everton have not pulled the plug on a deal for Folarin Balogun yet, despite problems with the US international’s medical and making a loan move for Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee. Still a chance the Balogun deal goes through.

“Seriously lads. What is Jarrod Bowen doing in the championship?”

That’s what Dean Kinsella wants to know.

Well, tonight he scored a penalty and set up a goal in a 4-2 win for West Ham over promotion rivals Wolves.

That’s the first win of the season for the Hammers who move up to 11th.

Wolves taste defeat for the first time and slide to third.

Jamie Jackson is on fire tonight!

Here’s more on United’s late effort to secure a leftback:

Am told Rayan Aït-Nouri was offered to Manchester United by his camp a few days ago - the club contacted City this afternoon and were told only a loan with obligation to buy was possible, which United baulked at.

Everton’s offer [to Man United] is for a loan plus an option to buy for Zirkzee.

Chelsea have agreed a £47m deal to sign Lamine Camara from Monaco.

The 22-year-old from Senegal joined Monaco from Metz in 2024 and has quickly established himself as one of Ligue 1’s most dynamic midfielders.

Comfortable as a No 6 or No 8, he brings energy, ball-winning and progressive passing, while possessing a fierce shot and a reputation for dangerous set-pieces.

Everton need some forwards. Joshua Zirkzee needs a club where he’ll play.

Jamie Jackson has the skinny:

Am told that Manchester United have fielded an enquiry for Joshua Zirkzee from Everton - if happens, likely to be a loan..

After that 9pm flurry we’re back to a slight lull.

Transfers seem to be like the proverbial London bus.

They do things a little differently up north.

As Simon McMahon points out:

Evening Niall. The transfer window doesn’t close slam shut until Thursday in Scotland, so still plenty time for rumours and actual deals up here. With Vicko Sevelj having left Tannadice for Azerbaijan outfit Neftci Baku, Dundee United have moved to secure Lyall Cameron on loan from Rangers and are looking at Josh Campbell of Hibs too. Celtic have taken Parma midfielder Oliver Sorenson on loan, and Portland Timbers striker Kevin Kelsy appears set to sign for Rangers. On Thursday, expect Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to be spotted in Glasgow...

More from Andy Hunter on City’s new signing.

Manchester City have completed the signing of Iliman Nidaye for a fee that could rise to £65m. The Senegal international had three years remaining on his Everton contract and had scored 17 goals in 74 appearances for the club.

David Moyes said just over a week ago that it would take “an absolutely outrageous bid” for Everton to sell their prized asset yet the club’s hierarchy, conscious of squad ratio cost pressures, have let him go for less than what City sold Savinho for.

With Beto gone and doubts emerging over Folarin Balogun’s medical results, Ndiaye’s exit could leave Everton in a very precarious position.

Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton for £60m plus £5m, the 26-year-old signing a five-year contract.

The wide forward said: “City are one of the best clubs in the world and I’ve seen them win everything as I’ve grown up. To be able to write my own chapter in a story that special is the chance of a lifetime and I’m determined to grab it with both hands. It’s not always been easy in my career, but I always had the belief that I could play for a team challenging for the biggest prizes and now I’m here. It feels so good. I love to play with the ball on the floor in an attacking team that wants to score as many goals as possible. That’s why I know this is the perfect fit.”

Ndiaye was loaned from Sheffield United, his first club, to Hyde United for the second half of the 2019-20 season and has also played for Marseille.

Thanks Niall. Phew, things are hotting up. Especially in the two-club race to sign Malik Fofana.

As Louise Taylor says:

Sunderland’s owner, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has flown to Lyon to try to persuade Malick Fofana to join Lyon rather than Crystal Palace and there is a sense Sunderland have won the race for his signature after the winger underwent a medical in France commissioned by both the north east club and Crystal Palace.

Sunderland, meanwhile, are hoping to sign a second winger in Benfica’s Dodi Lukebakio before the deadline.

And on that bombshell, time to hand back to Daniel Gallan for the home straight …

Manchester United made a late enquiry to Manchester City for their left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, but the 25-year-old will not be leaving. This seems a little late, and a scattergun approach from United.

“Why does Malick Fofana need to come to England at all tonight?” asks Iain Chambers. “Can’t he just sign a contract of whichever club he eventually chooses, pop home for a kip, and make an early morning start on packing up his PlayStation & some autumn clothing choices?”

Yes, it’s one of those old-fashioned curiosities of the transfer deadline that players must be whisked off to sign the paperwork in an empty stadium, when the whole thing could have been a Zoom call.

More on Malick Fofana’s plane dilemma – Ed Aarons reports that “Palace manager Pierre Sage has also spoken to the 21-year-old on the phone again this evening, having made contact earlier on today. The pair previously worked together at Lyon.” Presumably, Sage talked up Croydon’s excellent transport links with Gatwick and central London.

Any Arsenal fans awaiting transfer updates: how about an entire baseball team? Stan Kroenke, owner of the Premier League champions and the NFL’s LA Rams, is poised to buy the MLB’s Los Angeles Angels, who are based in Anaheim.

There’s a striker merry-go-round on the continent; with Nick Woltemade joining Juve on loan, Jonathan David has left Turin for Madrid, signing for Atlético on an initial loan. Júlian Alvarez, meanwhile, is still an Atleti player with the clock running down.

Everton’s pursuit of Folarin Balogun has left Beto surplus to requirements, so he’s off to Fiorentina for €18m – with former Everton forward Moise Kean joining Como on loan. Another man leaving Florence is Albert Gudmundsson, who moves to Lazio, freeing up Boulaye Dia to join Ligue 1’s Rennes on loan. Keeping up with all that? Good.

“The Malick Fofana tarmac tension is really something else. Let’s face it, it might come down to which of the two planes is nicer,” writes Peter Oh. Sky are reporting that Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is on the ground in Lyon, trying to persuade Fofana to choose his side. Palace need to bring out the big guns – Ikea, Boxpark etc.

Patterson also becomes, by my reckoning, the eighth Scottish player currently on the books of a Serie A club – and joins international teammate Ché Adams at Torino.

The transfer window has closed in France, Germany and Italy – it’s open until midnight in Spain – and one headline late move sees keeper Robert Sánchez leaving Chelsea and joining Como on loan, following Emi Martínez’s move to Stamford Bridge.

Nathan Patterson has completed his permanent move from Everton to Torino, becoming the second player from the club to move to Italy on deadline day after Beto. Everton will receive a modest sum for the Scotland international, plus a sell-on fee. The 24-year-old joined the club for £12m from Rangers in 2022 but struggled with injuries and to secure a regular starting role under a series of managers.

Don’t forget, you can keep tabs on the latest transfers in women’s football, with the WSL deadline still open until Thursday.

And if that has piqued your interest, the latest edition of our women’s football newsletter is here:

The Malick Fofana situation is quite something. Maybe he should just pick a plane without knowing the destination and let fate decide?

Thanks, DG. First up this hour – we need to talk about Kevin. Danso, that is – the Spurs defender is on the move …

Eight chimes on the clock tower down the road and that’s my cue to take a breather for an hour.

I’ll leave you in the safe-as-houses hands of Niall McVeigh.

I’ll be back at 9.

Over to NMcV!

West Ham’s financial demands for Edson Alvarez expected to see the Mexican midfielder stay.

He is not in squad to face Wolves [tonight in the Championship]. Nor is Magassa. Club want to keep him. Have had bids but none met valuation. Meanwhile ownership hopeful Amanda Staveley is here as the battle for control for the club edges towards a conclusion.

An update on Fofana and Palace.

Crystal Palace look set for another frantic end to deadline day as they await Malick Fofana’s decision over whether to pick them over Sunderland.

The Belgium forward is still said to be weighing up his decision, although Palace have lined Darío Osorio from Danish side Midtjylland if that falls through. The Chile forward would join on an initial loan with an obligation to make his move permanent for €30m.

Palace have also reopened talks with Marseille over a deal for Netherlands defender Quentin Timber after confirming the signing of Honest Ahanor on loan from Atalanta earlier.

As per our post at 19:19, Mammillaria Hahniana wonders where these cowboys would finish in a league.

I think the bones of top end Championship/bottom end Prem. squad could be had there.

Are you worried about Forest?

Chris Lyth is:

Forest have let a lot of players go out on loan, are they starting to look a bit thin. Glasner’s football is physically demanding. He wants intensity, running and aggressive pressing. You can’t really do that with all season without a bit of depth.

Got to say, so am I. Ever get a little inkling that a particular team with struggle/do well? I just have a sense that this might be a tricky campaign. But what do I know?

This, from Jason Grear, would make a great pub quiz question:

For all the $$ being thrown all over the place today and every year on transfer fees (which, whatever, clubs can spend what they want):

Lionel Messi’s career transfer fees are $0.

Unreal, actually.

Get a load of these big names who are all free agents:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jadon Sancho

🇫🇷 Paul Pogba

🇫🇷 Karim Benzema

🇩🇿 Riyad Mahrez

🇪🇸 Dani Carvajal

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Raheem Sterling

🇦🇹 David Alaba

🇲🇱 Yves Bissouma

🇨🇮 Wilfried Zaha

🇧🇷 Philippe Coutinho

🇺🇦 Oleksandr Zinchenko

Look, none of them are spring chickens. But surely there’s a club out there for them? We can’t be having these guys play in the local Powerleague.

It it better to spend a lot or spend wisely?

£350m on Anderson, Bouaddi, and Fernandez versus £150m on Santos, Tielemans, and Baleba.

Nice to see United being sensible in the market nowadays - makes a nice change

It it sense, Joshua Keeling, or can United no longer attract players who cost a fortune?

How many Enzos could buy a fighter jet?

What?

“The Premier League clubs have now spent upwards of three billion pounds on players this summer. I realize this sounds like a lot, but in today’s world that barely buys you a modern aircraft carrier. Heck, you could only afford ten frigates for that money,” so says Kári Tulinius.

Hope that puts things into perspective.

We really have the best readers.

A couple of you have provided a helping hand.

First AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh:

As I said it before, Aston Villa needed to look at England U-21 defenders. They’re affordable and Aston Villa suit them. Here it is. Former England U-21 captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis is going to Aston Villa. That’s good for England if he is part of Thomas Tuchel’s England plan for the next Euro.

Then PG [just PG]:

Not sure if you’ve seen this yet: Chema Andrés to Brighton - DONE DEAL. Verbal agreement reached with VfB Stuttgart over a transfer for 21 y/o talented midfielder. Up to €23m all-in + sell-on. Chema on his way for medical.

Cheers.

“Laying out 225m on Bouaddi and Enzo doesn’t speak well to the 117m they spent on the (so far, unconvincing) Anderson. But what’s 350 million on midfielders in one window amongst friends?”

Another head scratcher, this one from Peter Mumola.

Reece James to Man United?

There’s no actual story here, but reader Roger Andrew poses a pretty interesting hypothetical:

As Chelsea seem to be having a massive clearout, I think we’d take a fully-fit Reece James at Old Trafford? Just to help them out?

Can’t see it happening. But I reckon Carrick would love it!

Coventry have allowed Liam Kitching to join Sheffield United on loan for the season.

The 26-year-old defender was a regular en route to promotion as champions last campaign but has fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of Aurele Amenda, Ethan Pinnock and Stephen Mfuni.

Kitching has not played a minute of Coventry’s opening two games in the Premier League, both of which ended in defeat. He started Coventry’s 4-2 win over Plymouth in the Carabao Cup and will now bolster Chris Wilder’s ranks in the second tier.

Gary Naylor, an Everton fan and a good man, sets me straight on Beto:

Hi Daniel. Beto didn’t score many goals, but some were very important at a time when the club was fragile, tottering even. He is also a decent bloke who felt Everton in his heart and wasn’t afraid to show it. He goes with our best wishes and he’ll always be welcome at Hill Dickinson.

That’s lovely stuff. I hope you speak for all (or at least most) Toffee supporters.

Love this from Philip Midgley-Carver on the potential Fofana deal:

As a Palace fan, if there is a problem with the Sunderland plane then clearly Fofana should get on the Palace plane. Not our fault Sunderland sent a plane which hadn’t passed its MOT (or whatever the equivalent is for planes). Plus, I can assure him that the “Tasty Jerk” chicken place just outside Selhurst is, indeed, very tasty in case culinary options in South London might be the clincher for him.

I’ll get the word out, mate.

“Why do you think no miserable Premier League side has gone for Harvey Elliott? Would be a good fit for a Palace, wouldn’t you think?”

Good question, Kevin Wilson.

My guess is that Liverpool wanted to keep him in case he comes good over the year. A season eating paella on the Mediterranean coast could see an upturn in his performances.

I actually think he’d be a good shout at Villa.

I know this is nothing new, but these numbers really make my skin crawl. How much did that leftback from Uruguay cost?

Well, there’s method to the madness, apparently, as
Humphrey Elles-Hill (an Arsenal fan ‘proud of the club’s prudence) notes:

Hi Daniel. As much as it pains me, is the Blue Co business model starting to work? They seem to have inflated the market’s valuations of players so that they’re now seeing proper profits from wild buys like Enzo and poor performers like Delap?… are we going to see them sell Rodgers for £200m in a few years time, having won the premier league and mastered the Premier league’s flimsy economic structures? They were being written off as maverick charlatans who didn’t understand football not that long ago by this newspaper’s best writers!?

I don’t have them winning the title (still think Arsenal have enough to go back-to-back) but they are contenders, no doubt. Enough for second perhaps?

AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh has some advice for those clubs without serious title aspirations or immediate relegation fears:

Middle table EPL clubs should wait for the winter window. There is nothing wrong with that.

Not that it’s a surprise, but the seven highest spenders this transfer window are all English clubs.

Chelsea top the list with €406.7 mil followed by Spurs who parted with €354.7 mil.

Newcastle, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal come next before Real Madrid slot in at 8th.

Ipwsich in 9th place on this list have spent €184 mil for seven players.

Still plenty of time to go though.

For those wondering, Montreal CF are down in 250th spot having spent €3.7 mil.

Malik Fofana is still completing his medical in France.

Both Sunderland and Crystal Palace are in a battle for the 21-year-old winger from Lyon valued at £30 million.

But he’s having some technical issues with his plane, apparently, and so has to complete hes medical back in France.

“Sunderland ahead but won’t be fully confident of completing deal until he actually signs,” says Louise Taylor.

Cheers Luke. Evening everyone. Here we go then. The clock is ticking. Just five hours to go.

Any bits of business you’d like to see wrapped up for your club? Give me a shout.

That’s the lot from me. Daniel Gallan is here to steer you through the next bit, as the deadline looms ever closer.

Another Chelsea midfielder is on his way – Dário Essugo is joining Strasbourg on loan.

The combined gross spend across the Premier League for the summer transfer window went past £3bn with Aston Villa’s earlier purchase of the Senegal winger, Ibrahim Mbaye, from Paris Saint-Germain for £47m.

Cameron Archer, of Southampton, has sealed a loan move to Auxerre in Ligue 1. He will be reunited with the former Saints manager Will Still.

After all these mainstream stories, I would like to bring to everyone’s attention that Yussif Owusu has joined the Spanish second-tier side Sabadell. The English midfielder started his career at Chelsea before joining Brighton, who released him this summer.

As it stands, interest in Lamine Camara from Monaco is unlikely to be pursued. It’s Chelsea ... they have six hours ... anything could happen.

“So City have purchased Fernández for £125m which takes their spending, this window, to circa £1gazillion,” emails Derek.

“Not bad for a club (still) embroiled in a dispute with the authorities over alleged financial shenanigans, which has been running longer than Coronation Street.”

Ste also emails: “Just a shame City didn’t go in with a lower offer first, so we could have had a “City’s 115 thrown out!” banter headline … ho hum”

“As a Chelsea fan I have mixed feelings,” emails Aidan of the Fernández deal. “He’s a decent player and we now lack cover in midfield and have precious little time to bring in a decent replacement. That said, we’ve somehow sold him for a profit and despite being decent, I ultimately just never really liked him.”

Scott, meanwhile, writes in: “If I am correct in thinking the Ligue 1 deadline is 7pm [UK time], there is not much time left for Chelsea to get their seemingly preferred replacement.”

It was Alexander Isak, of course, who set the £125m transfer record that this Fernandez deal has matched. Exactly a year ago today.

In more nostalgia-related news, I’m old enough to remember Liverpool paying £35m for Andy Carroll being a show-stopper.

“Absolutely agree with Andrew at 16:31 about the urge to fire up a Footie Management game around this time of year,” emails Nathan. “Would love to know whether it was Multi Player Soccer Manager or International Tracksuit Manager that caught your own attention on the glorious Commodore 64. Things have certainly changed since the days of bidding £650,000 to nab Andy Linighan from the Gunners …”

Chelsea potentially signing no one: Checks made on Manu Koné (Roma) and Lamina Camara (Monaco) today: but both are deemed too expensive currently.

This is certainly far more exciting than a certain Covid-era deadline-day evening, when Ozan Kabak on loan to Liverpool was the only show in town.

What do you think of Fernández to City? Email us.

Are Brentford going to sign anyone today? “All quiet on the western front,” says the Sky reporter Uma Gurav.

Gurav does mention the arrival Mamadou Sangaré – which was of course at the beginning of August.

“Enzo Fernandez: overrated,” emails Joshua.

Straight to the point, I like that.

“As a Rodri replacement: subpar, in that he’s a completely different sort of player,” adds Joshua. “But it seems like an odd signing - Chelsea must be laughing their heads off at getting a profit for a 7/10 player they paid £115m for.”

Will Unwin, last week, wrote that Ayoub Bouaddi is the (potential) new Rodri:

“Afternoon Luke,” emails Andrew.

“It’s been a few seasons since I’ve bought it, but I usually start getting the old pangs for Football/Champ Manager around this time of the year.

“With all the Transfer Madness™ going on at the moment, I do find myself wondering a few things:

“In the soon-to-be-released 2027 game, how are club finances going to be explained/justified? Are the amounts being casually thrown around in the real world now going to be available in the game? Is it going to make it easier or harder? Is it all just a stupid pointless computer game and I should stop putting so much energy into overthinking it? Will I ever better my all-conquering Alonso Solis-inspired Olympiakos team of 2001-2?

“All questions unlikely to be satisfactorily answered although we can but hope.”

I honestly don’t think I’ve played a football manager game since I had a Commodore 64, so I can’t comment on Football/Champ Manager. Although I did occasionally used to feign illness in order to stay home and play it, so I can still relate. Thanks for the email, I agree that these sums for footballers have essentially become meaningless.

The Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger has announced his international retirement, two months after last playing for Germany at the 2026 World Cup.

The 33-year-old made 86 appearances for the four-times world champions.

“After some time reflecting, the moment has come for me to end my national team career and clear the way for the young generation,” Rüdiger said in a social media post.

Rudiger made his debut in 2014, a month before Germany won the World Cup, but was not included in the squad for Brazil.

The centre-back said he wanted to focus on his club side Real Madrid, where he is under contract until 2027. (Reuters)

While Football Daily isn’t going to claim to have looked too hard, the earliest mention we could find of Tottenham Hotspur being “in very real danger” of having to play Lincoln City home and away this season dates back to early March. Thomas Frank had been sacked a couple of weeks previously and fabled firefighter Igor Tudor had arrived in north London, only to lose his first two matches. While the weird but mercifully brief fever dream prompted a deluge of further hand-wringing, Spurs eventually avoided the drop thanks to replacing the Croat with Roberto De Zerbi. A more passable version of Red Adair, the Italian masterminded heroic wins over already-relegated Wolves, a Villa side focused entirely on Bigger Vase and an Everton team who had last done anything of interest 31 years previously. Not so much a miraculous escape, as a quite fortunate one aided by the benevolence of the fixture generator, it prompted the club hierarchy to hose cash in all directions, all the better to ensure Spurs never find themselves circling the drain again.

Next up: Barry Glendenning with Football Daily. It’s all happening now.

Azeez should be an excellent buy for Brighton. He’s got the lot: pace, skill and increasingly an excellent end product, be it assists or goals. Answers on a postcard for the other Millwall player that Premier League clubs will no doubt be sniffing around sooner rather than later …

“Previously, they’ve gone for Thierry Henry, and got Lenny Henry,” says Jamie Redknapp of Tottenham’s past transfer business. He’s been saving that one.

Anyone who was present at Lionel Scaloni’s press conference immediately after the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey on 19 July and saw his tears, the sobs which prevented him from speaking while he got up and walked out, could tell this was a man weeping not because of defeat in a single match but because he was fully aware that what that particular group of men had been through for the past eight years had come to an end.

Messi’s announcement that he is retiring from international football, posted on Instagram on Monday complete with photos of three handwritten sheets of some anonymous yet corporate-looking headed paper and a Harry Potter Time Turner pen, to the soundtrack of Brindis sung by Soledad Pastorutti, instantly dominated the news and unleashed a barrage of homages, gratitude and joy from all corners. But it’s not exactly a surprise.

“How crazy that the day has come, dear Leo,” Cristian Romero posted, making it clear that this was expected in spite of the unexpectedness. “The day no one wanted to arrive has arrived,” echoed Giovani Lo Celso, who said he had “nine years listening to you, admiring you and learning by your side”. His international teammates highlight how in their childhood they dreamed of meeting him one day, let alone actually play with him. Nico Paz says since he was four years old he “used to watch you play with my dad and we would calculate together whether I would be in time to play with you”.

“Can you rely on Roméo Lavia?” ponders Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports News. I’ve often wondered the same myself.

Redknapp is talking about the possibility that Chelsea may be left “a bit short in a big season” if the Enzo Fernández move to City comes to fruition.

There may yet be a transfer deadline-day arrival at Manchester United: Leicester City’s 18-year-old midfielder, Louis Page. A likely scenario would be a loan back to Leicester for this season.

Thanks Daniel. Hi everyone. It’s transfer deadline day! And I can assure you, this is all VERY important.

Righto, that’s it from me. Here’s Luke McLaughlin to chill with you through the next bit; peace out.

Brighton are set to sign Femi Azeez from Millwall after agreeing a fee worth up to £15m for the Nigeria forward. Azeez - who joined the south London club from Reading in 2024 and was outstanding last season in the Championship, scoring 11 times - will become Brighton’s 11th signing of the summer and Millwall’s record sale.

How do we think Bradley Barcola will do at Liverpool? I’m expecting him to be deadly on the counter, but I’m not totally convinced he’ll be as effective against low blocks, and he also needs to improve his finishing. I’m a little surprised Andoni Iraola has signed someone to go in front of Rio Ngumoha, though I suppose this felt like too good an opportunity to pass up.

Nottingham Forest have, say Sky, had a £15m bid for Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy rejected.

David Affengruber, Elche’s Austrian centre-back, is apparently on his way to join Fulham. He’ll have a lot of work to do, because his teammates have looked weak in that area thus far.

On Sky, they’re talking about Arsenal’s failure to sign an attacker, which is, I agree a problem – they lack elite quality in that area. They have, though, made one crucial acquisition: the Premier League trophy. The confidence finally winning it will give them will have a colossal impact on how they perform, and they’ve the added bonus of Liverpool and Man City in flux, while Chelsea and United probably aren’t quite ready.

Just get a load of this:

“The Premier League is absolutely bonkers transfer-wise,” reckons Terry from Newcastle. “It’s become an almost meaningless industry on its own. Fans crow about ‘winning’ windows but most don’t have a clue about the players their side is recruiting. Pardo from Lille, no idea. Gabriel Jesus must have some agent as well.

On another note, please, could you mention this lovely project to keep the Joy, Hope and Positivity Kevin Keegan brought to Newcastle alive if you like?”

As John Motson had it on Match of the Day” the eighties, “the little man was, quite simply, a big hero.”

“I don’t disagree with your comments on why Utd struggle to sell players,” says Mark Gillespie, “but I think the big factor you missed is that they were throwing over inflated contracts at players for most of the last 10 years. Players are under no obligation to take a pay cut, but buying clubs are under no obligation to pay over the odds in wages, so they look elsewhere. Even reducing transfer fees doesn’t totally fix that problem for Utd, because overpaying on wages can upset the wage structure for the buying club even if they make it add up on the one transfer by getting them for a lower fee.”

Yes, agreed – there are hardly any clubs in the world able to afford Marcus Rashford, for example, which is the main reason he’s not been flogged to allow more incomings.

I saw a bit of Azeez last season and quite liked him. Naturally, I’m now revisiting that and wondering what I missed; such is the power of Brighton’s talent ID.

Claudio Echeverri will be loaned to Benfica by Manchester City. The 20-year-old forward, who joined in January 2024 from River Plate, has made three City appearances and had previous temporary spells at Bayer Leverkusen and Girona, one of City’s sister clubs.

Or, put another way, it’s important not to be partisan about these things. If you don’t earn it, you shouldn’t be able to spend it, and even if you do earn it, there should be limits to what you can spend in favour of sporting fairness and integrity. Part of me is happy for fans of West Ham, Villa and Palace, who’ve got to see their clubs win European trophies, and part of me is saying well of course they have, almost how could they not – the second best side in last seasons’s Europa were Forest, who almost went down.

“There are aspects of what Villa has done that I’m not keen on,” writes Josef Crowther “the endless deals with Chelsea particularly… but do people like you think that Villa should just be happy to sell all their star players and not then spend the money they’ve received for those players? While also massively reducing the wage bill that we’ve received so much sanction for (not saying this was unjustified entirely). Do fans of teams like yours just think we should just know our place and going back to being a happy little mid-table team? Were you decrying the inequities of the Europa League when your team got to the final despite finishing 15th in the league that season?

Typical that these comments come from somebody who supports a club that has every possible advantage and privilege imaginable in the game but still seem to think that isn’t enough.”

I think there’s a difference between a club spending money it generates itself, and spending money given to it by a billionaire owner. I’m surprised that’s controversial.

On United, they got to the final of the Europa league by winning through the rounds – as far as I’m aware, that’s how these things work, and cup competitions are not impacted by league status. I also think United have paid out over £1bn in interest repayments, which does not, in my book count as “privilege” but, seeing as you semi-ask, I’m in favour of limits on spending and signings for all clubs, squad sizes too.

While Sunderland await Malick Fofana’s choice of destination - and the Lyon winger appears to be veering towards south London rather than Wearside - they have made a late move for the Benfica right winger Dodi Lukebakio.

A left footed 28-year-old Belgium international who likes to operate on the right, Lukebakio previously impressed at Sevilla in La Liga. He is said to be keen on the switch to a new Stadium of Light.

“Can anyone explain why United can’t sell players? Genuine question,” offers Ross Howarth. “Sure, something else is happening in the past few seasons which requires a different explanation, but in general the trend has been going on for 10+ years. Can’t sell players or get poor fees. Significantly less cash generated from youth sales. Missed out on Russian, Chinese, and now Saudi money. We know the club has been run incompetently ... but haven’t others too? Did Fergie completely destroy agent relations? What is going on?

I don’t even mention United’s problem in buying their top targets for at least the past ... 40 years? We all accepted it as that’s life ... but then City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Spurs have shown it can be done. I’m perplexed.”

The simple answer, I think, is that the brown stuff smells. It’s much easier to flog players who’ve been part of success than of toxic failure. And as regards signing top targets, INEOS will argue that they’ve been forced into frugality by the economic situation at the club, though I think the reason they passed on Mateus Fernandes was as much that they couldn’t justify the wages Spurs were prepared to give in terms of what, say, Kobbie Mainoo is on.

I guess Fofana choosing Palace makes sense, given a manager who knows how to get the best out of him. I imagine the London aspect didn’t do any harm either, and though he’s been in Lyon, the capital of French gastronomy, I’m betting he’s eaten nothing better than what’s on offer at Tasty Jerk, the restaurant which abuts Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace look like they have gazumped Sunderland in the race to sign Malick Fofana, with the Belgium forward set to have a medical in London after agreeing to join the south London club. Fofana had already completed a medical in anticipation of signing a five-year deal in the north east until Palace stepped in with a better offer that will see them pay up to £34m including bonuses. Pierre Sage - who managed the 21-year-old at Lyon - is said to have been the deciding factor in his decision after he spoke to Fofana and persuaded him to change his mind.

Palace are also in talks with Mainz over a deal for Kaishu Sano, although it remains to be seen if they can agree a fee for the Japan midfielder.

Manchester United youngster Jack Moorhouse has agreed to join Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on loan.

The 20-year-old, who spent time at Leyton Orient last season, had interest from Plymouth, Huddersfield and Cracovia but has decided to head north of the border.

Apologies, my veteran computer crashed and refused to allow me back ionto it, but we’re here again now.

“Perhaps we’ve all encountered a Garnacho in our lives,” says Tony Hughes. “That guy who seems a little bit different. Not ‘one of the boys’. Someone on the edge of things. That’s how he comes across to me. I think I’m like that also.

He’s still a young lad and I believe he can flourish under Emery, something Emery clearly believes too. There’s potential - we’ve all seen it, he just needs someone who tunes into what he’s all about.”

Oh, I’m not dissing him as a bloke – we’ve all done stupid stuff when we were young, without the aggravating factors of talent, fame and money. As he is now, he’s a terrific sub who isn’t scared of big moments, and if he listens to Emery, he might grow into a player who can make a consistent impact from the start. The deal just doesn’t make financial sense to me.

Talking of Villa, I’d love someone to explain how Alejandro Garnacho left Man United for Chelsea, had a dreadful season, then joined Unai Emery’s men for a bigger fee (next summer, he’s on loan until then).

Aston Villa have spent £75m today – strange given their billionaire owner is apparently being stymied by FFP, which afflicts them so severely they were able to hammer Freiburg in the Europa final, then relieve the German outfit of Johan Manzambi, their best player. It’s an outrage.

“Greetings from California,” begins Mary Waltz. “Last week this Everton fan was in despair when it looked like we were selling off the crown jewels. Now the possibility of Grealish serving Balogun has brightened my day.”

Yup, there’s potential there, especially with Hackney in midfield moving the ball forward. I wonder of his relative lack of physicality might cause him problems, but Evertoon look pretty solid in all areas now – though if they could replace James Tarkowski with a more rapid centre-back, they’d be able to squeeze the play more easily.

“Enzo Fernandez becoming the first player to go for £100m twice is wild,” notes Saurav Samaddar. “Truly shows how the PL clubs operate in their own economic fantasy land.”

I can’t argue with any of that – and yet, as José Mourinho noted yesterday, the biggest world stars play in Spain. He namechecked Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé, and I might add Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Bruno Fernandes in terms of quality, but not, of course, in marketability.

Malick Fofana is understood to have passed a medical ahead of a move to Sunderland when Palace intervened and the chance to be reunited with his former Lyon manager, Pierre Sage apparently turned the 21-year-old Belgium winger’s head.

Palace’s new manager clearly adores Fofana and his football and that represents a big problem for Sunderland who had agreed a five year deal with a player initially keen on a move to the Stadium of Light and the chance to work under Regis Le Bris in a squad heavily stocked with French speaking players.

Fofana , and his advisers, are believed to be torn but the bond with Sage may prove too powerful for Sunderland to counter.

Richarlison is an interesting part of the Spurs puzzle. Roberto De Zerbi said last Friday that one of his existing options for the front line could leave, which was interpreted to mean Richarlison. The manager then said on Saturday after the home loss to Newcastle that Richarlison had asked for a transfer and it was a long way from being the first time he had done so this summer. It looked as though the Brazilian could return to Everton, as Spurs pursued Iliman Ndiaye – albeit that would not have been a like-for-like trade. The avenue looks closed with Ndiaye heading to Manchester City and Everton pushing for Flo Balogun.

Whither Richarlison, who was Spurs’s top scorer in the Premier League last season with 11 goals? He was emotional when he took to social media on Monday evening to say, essentially, that he would not be forced into a move he did not want. Does anybody want him enough now? The bigger question perhaps concerns how De Zerbi accommodates Richarlison if he stays. De Zerbi has Omar Marmoush and Dominic Solanke as options for the No 9 position; Mathys Tel and Myhailo Mudryk (if he signs from Chelsea) on the left. Another left-winger, Wilson Odobert, is out until February or March.

“I think Enzo Fernandez is a pretty good player,” says Kári Tulinius. “I’d say he’d be a starter in most Premier League midfields, but doesn’t seem like the sort of player who can take control of a game. But it’s hard to think about him outside of the context of the nonsense fees that have been, and seemingly will be, paid for him, and in that context he’ll always be a disappointment.

I thought Manu Koné had a great World Cup, and was rock solid for Roma last season. I know hindsight is 20/20, but I wonder if Deschamps doesn’t regret not starting him in a midfield three against Spain in the semifinal. I realise he’s not the most eye-catching of players, but he’s reliable, is a pain to play against and can help his team play faster.”

Yeah, I agree Fernandez is “pretty good” and maybe there isn’t better on the market, but for the money I’d certainly want more. As for Koné, I agree attempting to beat Spain in a World Cup semi with a midfield of Tchouaméni and Rabiot, plus Olise, was outrageous behaviour, but that reflects the numbers game more than how good he actually is.

Also going on:

“While I think the Balogun fee is pretty high,” writes Kevin Wilson, “I think Everton have generally done some excellent business this Summer and more recently before that and should feel positive about the season.”

It’s hard to comment about fees until the players play, I guess, because if a transfer works – especially if it’s a goalscorer – he or she are worth whatever a club is lucky enough to play for them. I’m excited to see how Balogun does, though – he was incredible at youth level, and now has the confidence and presence to make an impact in the Prem. He’ll need decent service, but George and Grealish might be able to give him that.

This is, of course, a … workaround. Premier League clubs can only loan two players from other Premier League clubs and Palace have already filled their two spots by borrowing Axel Disasi from Chelsea and Evan Guessand from Aston Villa. So this is a deal they’ve done with Atalanta, and it’s joga bonito if ever there was some.

Meanwhile Palace have confirmed the signing of Honest Ahanor on loan from Atalanta after the teenage defender’s move to Chelsea was completed. He will join them next year for £40m after spending the season at Selhurst Park. “To be at one of the best clubs for young players in the Premier League is something which makes me grateful and excited,” he told the Palace website.

“What do you think about Man United’s window, Daniel?” asks Karen Asad. “I think they can definitely use more class at full-backs and in central defence. But all in all it’s not been that bad. Right? Right?! Please say ‘Right’!”

It’s hard to comment authoritatively until the players play – in the summer of 2001, having won three titles in a row, United signed Van Nistelrooy and Véron and were the shortest-priced favourites of the PL era, only to win nothing. But I think they’ve bought fairly well – if Baleba comes off, really well because I’m pretty sure Santos and Tielemans bring good depth, at worst. And i think they’re set up pretty well for Europe, because they’ve pass-first midfielders whose physical limitations will matter much less than in the Prem.

I was quite impressed with Fofana when he played against Manchester United in the Europa semis the season before last. I guess putting myself in his shoes, on the one hand, Sunderland doing what they did last season, with European football to handle, might be a risk but, on the other, Régis Le Bris is well settled, whereas Palace have a new manager who might or might not be the right fit – though the two worked together at Lyon.

“Since the midfield has not been the same since Johnny Haynes retired,” writes Richard Hirst, “it’s all moot really.”

The first £100-a-week player. “No player is worth £100 a week,” my grandfather apparently advised my dad.

Reports have suggested that Roma don’t want to sell Chelsea Manu Koné, a player with whom I don’t totally get it. I’m sure there are many who’ve seen more of him who really rate him, but the games I’ve watched, I’ve found him too passive and not as influential as I’d want at the price.

On Sky, they’re discussing whether Adam Wharton would be a decent replacement, but I’m not certain he has the physicality for a 3-4-3, much as I love the vision and punch in his passing – and I’m certain João Pedro would too.

It seems that Enzo Fernandez will be joining Manchester City; how do we feel about that one? I’m torn: on the one had, I appreciate his passing range and desire to go forward whenever he can but, on the other, I find his lack of athleticism a problem and think the fee is way above the ability. Let’s be real, I don’t vibe with him as a character either, but I’m trying to keep that out of the analysis.

“I might be late to the party on this one,” admits Darrien Bold, “but having just spotted Vinny Samways having a spot of lunch near Finch Farm it seems more midfield reinforcements for the Toffees are afoot. Rumours of a cool £2m swoop round these parts...”

I wish I still had a copy of an article from Leeds’ Square Ball fanzine from the mid-90s, making sport of Sideways – as it called him – and the constant look of surprise on his coupon.

I think Tyrique George is a really goods acquisition for Everton, though I’m sure supporters will be unhappy to see Iliman Ndiaye leave. Him being fed by Hayden Hackney sounds pretty tasty to me, and Brennan Johnson also strikes me as a pretty Moyesian player, and though Mailand-Niles won’t set pulses racing, he’s a decent utility man to have in the squad.

Everton have registered interest in Lyon’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles amid uncertainty over getting the deal done for Kenny Tete. A £9m fee had been agreed with Fulham for the right back but with their move for a replacement in serious doubt – Andrei Ratiu of Rayo Vallecano – Everton are now exploring a move for the former Arsenal player. Maitland-Niles, 29, is in the final year of his contract with Lyon.

I do, though, understand why United haven’t bought a centre-back though, on the face of things they could use one. They just have so many already on the payroll and, in Lisandro Martínez, the best playmaker in the world from that position – you need only consult the Ipswich game to see the difference with the midfielders given quick ball.

Next to him, though – provided he can stay fit – it feels essential that Leny Yoro establish himself. Though Harry Maguire has been excellent since Michael Carrick came in, Yoro has the recovery pace to allow them to play higher up the pitch, thus closing the gaps exploited at the weekend.

…the defence needs attention, and if it were reinforced, a title challenge wouldn’t be impossible. Most of the noise is about a left-back, but they need someone for the right as well, and I wonder if INEOS are too focused on bargains, when sometimes you just have to pay for quality. Were, say the financial director to quit, they’d not be scrabbling about for bargains or, in other words, it’s worth the sits reminding themselves that playing successful and entertaining football is the club’s principal business.

Sky are now at Old Trafford, discussing Man United. It’s unbelievable, really: the midfield rebuild looks not bad, though it remains the case that the two best players in it, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, were already at the club. Carlos Baleba, though, has elite potential, in mine, and should balance it well, while Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos are excellent rotation options, the former especially – I expect Benjamin Sesko to really enjoy his delivery when back.

However…

I actually think O’Hara, who doesn’t think Bruno is all that, has a point. He’s a good player, of course, but that also reflects a low standard: he’s nowhere near the level of the best we’ve seen, your Keanes, Vieiras, Petits, Lampards, Gerrards, Essiens, Scoleseseses, De Bruynes and so on.

Thanks Will and hi all. Jay Boothroyd and Jamie O’Hara are currently arguing on SSN about whether Bruno Guimarães is one of the best midfielders in the world; it’s compelling stuff, I can assure you.

That’s my extended stint done, Daniel Harris will run you through the next bit.

Everton have registered interest in Lyon’s Ashley Maitland-Niles amid uncertainty over getting the deal done for Kenny Tete. A £9m fee had been agreed with Fulham for the right back but with their move for a replacement in serious doubt – Andrei Ratiu of Rayo Vallecano – Everton are now exploring a move for the former Arsenal player. Maitland-Niles, 29, is in the final year of his contract with Lyon.

Starmer available on free transfer.

Spurs are set to add Tosin Abarabioyo and Myhailo Mudryk before the deadline while they continue to trim fringe players with Kota Takai the latest out of the door. The Japan centre-half has gone to Sint-Truidense in Belgium on a season-long loan. Spurs have already announced the loan departures of Souza and Mikey Moore to Porto and FC Koln respectively.

The club’s major out-goings to follow today are Kevin Danso to Sunderland on an initial loan followed by a mandatory £25m purchase and Pape Sarr to Juventus on an initial loan with a buy option. That deal is valued at around 30m euros. Spurs are expected to try to find a move for Dane Scarlett, who has only one year to run on his contract while Richarlison’s future will continue to be monitored. He wants to leave. But is there a buyer for him?

Abarabioyo will replace Danso as a central defensive option for Roberto De Zerbi and cost around £7m from Chelsea. The London rivals have not done business since 2009 when Carlo Cudicini was allowed to go from Chelsea to Spurs on a free transfer. It is Mudryk’s proposed move – a loan with an option to buy – that has the real shock factor.

The Ukrainian winger has not played since November 2024 because of a doping ban but he is free to play again after a resolution was reached between the Football Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency. De Zerbi has wanted a new player for the left wing and missed out on Iliman Ndiaye, who is going from Everton to Manchester City in a deal worth up to £65m, and Cody Gakpo, who is staying at Liverpool. De Zerbi worked with Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk and believes he can revive his career.

Abarabioyo and Mudryk stand to be the ninth and tenth new signings of the summer for Spurs. The Abarabioyo deal would take their spending to £311.5m.

Tony Hughes writes: “I’m an old man with young adult children. I cannot help feeling a little sad for these young men (and women) whose fate is decided by someone else, and who may end up leaving their club - their home - today and never returning.

“On top of that you’re suddenly inserted into another country, with perhaps an unfamiliar language and faces.

“I get they’re well paid for this for the most part however being a young adult is tough, and - Harvey Elliot is a good example - the churn in your professional life must be quite taxing.”

A bit more from Jamie Jackson on matters Manchester-related.

Left-back Harry Amass is on Wolves’s list - so may make a move as, for now, Burnley’s interest seems to have flatlined. Also might City’s final fee for Enzo Fernandez break the £125m British record fee? This was paid for Alexander Isak by Liverpool to Newcastle.

There is not the same intensity to club rivalries between women’s teams as there is between their men’s counterparts, but as the game grows that is changing. Increasingly, there is animosity from fans if a player leaves for a rival side.

Victoria Pelova’s move from Arsenal to Tottenham firmly bucks the trend, though. Despite arguably having her best years ahead of her, the 27-year-old departed with a lot of well-wishes and love.

Another Chelsea outgoing could be Dario Essugo to Strasbourg on loan. But that would see Chelsea use up their last international loan slot. If that happens it would end any chance of Jamie Gittens going to Roma on loan.

Roland Marshall emails: “With a lot of talk about Joshua Zirkee’s possible move paving the way for an incoming left-back, or the lack of it meaning one is not coming in, could the club do worse than actually invest some confidence in Harry Amass as an understudy to Luke Shaw? And similarly, Chido Obi as an understudy to Sesko (and possibly Zirkzee)? It’s not as if the club don’t have a good record with bringing youth through into the first team (Mainoo and Rashford for current examples in the team and I won’t patronize you with detailing past illustrations of this fact).

“Or now with Ineos partially at the reins, is the academy now seen as a cash cow to make money from sales to other PL or EFL clubs (though with many former United academy players having plied their trade to varying levels of success across the divisions since ‘You can’t win anything with kids’, there is the argument that thus it ever was, though I can’t seem to remember them wanting to make as much filthy lucre from it in the past).”

Doug Fenner gets in touch to say: “I realise the world, or the universe, revolves around the Premier League, but who on Earth thought it was a good idea to have transfer deadline day on a day where there is almost a full slate of EFL fixtures (or vice versa)?

“L1 and L2 clubs in particular aren’t overburdened with support staff and so are those that are available supposed to be in two places at once, getting points and players at the same time?

“Fans will be scouring the team sheets before kick-off tonight to see which if their favourites are strangely missing from line-ups, perhaps for ever.”

It does feel like a naive decision but at least everyone has had plenty of time to plan.

We are beyond 11am BST, so there are fewer than 12 hours to go of this rollercoaster window. Anything can happen [in the next half hour].

The Art of the Transfer Deal, thanks to the incomparable David Squires.

Billy Munday is on La Liga duty today, with plenty of transfer-related notions.

If Raphinha has any misgivings about playing as a makeshift No 9 for Barcelona, he is doing a good job of hiding it. Julián Álvarez would have been proud of the Brazilian’s two neat finishes that inspired the Spanish champions to a 5-2 victory against Rayo Vallecano on Monday night, 24 hours before the transfer deadline. Lamine Yamal scored two wonderful goals of his own in a performance that reassured everyone he is back to his best. Add Anthony Gordon to the mix – impressive again in his link-up play – and you have a fluid, fearsome front three.

Yet after the departures of Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford this summer, there is no doubt Barcelona not only still want a centre-forward but require one – at least one. Hansi Flick was very happy to see Gabriel Jesus, an £8.6m arrival from Arsenal, in the stands. “He’s a top striker,” the coach said. But Atlético Madrid’s Álvarez is the ultimate prize.

Kevin Wilson writes: “Crazy amounts of money spent by the three promoted clubs. They’ve outspent most of the other established clubs outside of the Champions League clubs (and Spurs!) A huge gamble, least of all as most of the signed players have no experience of English football. I suppose they will sell or loan them out if the worst happens.”

I think it is the nature of the modern game, namely because the difference between the Championship and Premier League is growing. Without spending, there is zero chance of staying up.

I believe Monaco are not keen to sell Camara at all this summer, especially after offloading Aladji Bamba to Newcastle. Folarin Balogun’s move to Everton will also bring in plenty of cash, so if Chelsea really do want Camara, then it will cost them more than €45m, I suspect.

Defender Zach Abbott is set to depart boyhood club Nottingham Forest to join Southampton on an initial loan deal, which could become permanent in the summer.

Tottenham have confirmed the departure of the Brazilian Souza to Porto on loan for the season.

I would advise Burnley to go out and sign a replacement, otherwise their Championship season could be in trouble.

Your friend and mine Tom Garry has previewed Manchester City’s WSL season. Why not have a gander?

An update from Hull …

In what will be a very busy day for the Tigers, they are aiming to sign Brooke-Norton Cuffy from Genoa, Tim Iroegbunam from Everton and Robinio Vaz from Roma.

Cody Drameh, meanwhile, is set for Genoa.

Andy Flintoff emails: “Your current picture at the top of the feed (@ 9.55am) obviously shows that Enzo Fernandez was a dab hand at the intra-squad Give Us A Clue competition and would be a big loss if he left Chelsea.”

A man of many talents.

Leeds are closing in on a sixth summer signing with the left-back Melvin Bard set to swap Nice for West Yorkshire in a one-year deal featuring an option to buy next summer.

Meanwhile Wilfried Gnonto’s hopes of starting a new life in Florence with Fiorentina look contingent on Daniel Farke being able to sign a replacement wide attacker by the end of today.

Crystal Palace are adamant that Ismaila Sarr will not be leaving in this window after rejecting an offer from Liverpool for the Senegal forward. With Cody Gakpo now expected to stay at Anfield, it remains to be seen whether they or anyone else make another approach for Sarr, who is understood to have been unsettled by the interest and has deleted all references to Palace from his social media accounts.

The Conference League winners are no strangers to a frenetic final day of the window and there could be plenty of movement again with teenage defender Honest Akanor set to sign on loan from Atalanta and Palace also eyeing up a new central midfielder. Celtic have made an approach to sign Justin Devenny on loan, while Borna Sosa, David Ozoh, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Romain Esse are other potential departures.

No further incomings are expected at Liverpool following the £123m arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain on Monday. There could be several outgoings, but none from Andoni Iraola’s first team plans after bids for Cody Gakpo and Trey Nyoni were rejected from Manchester City and Nottingham Forest, respectively. Anfield departures are likely to all be loans too – Harvey Elliott to Valencia, with no obligation to buy, is the main one while the fit-again Jayden Danns has offers from several Championship clubs.

Arsenal look set for a busy final day of the window with Gabriel Martinelli expected to complete his move to Al Hilal for a club record £56m and Gabriel Jesus on his way to Barcelona. With Fabio Vieira also departing for Hamburg on a permanent deal and Ethan Nwaneri poised for a season-long loan at Borussia Dortmund, the Premier League champions are looking to add another attacker before the deadline. But while Julian Alvarez is still not so keen on a move to north London, Mikel Arteta’s side have been offered Lyon’s Malick Fofana and are understood to be exploring other options. One to watch in the coming hours…

Jack Grealish, the former Manchester City and British record 100m signing, in 2021, is expected to be loaned to Everton again. The 30-year-old forward was at the Merseyside club on a temporary basis last season, too.

Everton are likely to be one of the busiest clubs on deadline day as they attempt to move on from the Harrison Armstrong saga and flip a troubled window into a decent one.

Jack Grealish is currently undergoing a medical ahead of rejoining David Moyes’s team on another season-long loan. The Manchester City midfielder has had numerous offers this summer but, having forged an excellent relationship with Everton last season, where he continued his rehabilitation from a fractured foot rather than return to his parent club, the 30-year-old was set on a return to Everton.

The deal for Grealish is separate to City’s £65m purchase of Iliman Ndiaye. Not exactly the “absolutely outrageous bid” that Moyes said it would take to prise the Senegal international – who has three years left on his contract – away from Everton.

Talks are advancing well over a £40m deal for Monaco and USA striker Folarin Balogun, who will replace Beto in the squad following the centre forward’s £15.5m move to Fiorentina. Balogun’s arrival would confirm the pursuit of Richarlison is over.

Nathan Patterson is also bound for Serie A having been given permission to undergo a medical with Torino. Everton have agreed a permanent fee for the Scotland international plus a sell-on fee. Patterson has been blighted by injuries since his £12m transfer from Rangers in January 2022. Everton could finally fill their right back vacancy with Fulham’s Kenny Tete for £9m.

Midfielder Tim Iroegbunam is set to complete his move to Hull for an initial £12m.

On a day fuelled by a billion rumours, Dominic Booth has kindly boiled them down.

West Ham are closing on a loan deal for Nottingham Forest centre-back Morato. Soungoutou Magassa is still trying to find a way out of West Ham - Crystal Palace are interested in the former Monaco midfielder - but he’s being denied an exit at the moment.

The first done deal of the day came at League One Burton Albion, who have confirmed the permanent signing of Caylan Vickers from Brighton.

Not sure why Joshua Zirkzee wants to stay at United because he is clearly below Harry Maguire in the pecking order for who plays up top.

The relentless Jamie Jackson has been in touch after his eighth coffee of the day …

Joshua Zirkzee is not pushing to leave Manchester United, is the understanding, with the proposed loan deal to Fiorentina having not materialised. The Dutch forward, who was signed in July 2024 as Ineos’s first acquisition for €42.5m, could still leave on a temporary basis - Juventus are thought to be interested. If he does stay this may point to why there is scant budget for a left-back of a higher price.

We knock social media but it does allow us an insight in footballer’s lives. Sam Edozie has released a statement saying he wants to leave Southampton after receiving numerous offers in recent windows.

Manchester United’s Harry Amass is wanted by Burnley - primarily as a permanent signing for around £3.5m - yet despite discussions between the clubs in recent days these need to speed up/reach an agreement soon if any deal is to be done for the young left-back.

One outgoing from Manchester United will be teenage Australian defender James Overy who is returning to his homeland to sign for Sydney FC. All is agree but the paperwork needs signing.

Joe Worrall has completed his medical and agreed to join Wrexham from Burnley for £2m. The centre-back has signed a three-year deal and could be joined by Callum O’Hare of Sheffield United, with the Welsh side willing to pay £7m for the midfielder.

Andy Barton emails: “Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye were both shown on Sky last night sitting in the same Villa exec boxes watching the Arsenal game. I’d like to assume that both will go through today. I am actually pretty excited about the rebuild; buy youth and sell at their peak is a good way to survive, ideally they wouldn’t all go in the same window though ...

“Buendia, Mcginn, Mbaye, Alysson, Garnacho ‘could’ be decent behind a good striker. You never know Leon Bailey might have his one good season out of every three ...

“We were looking stale upfront for most of last season, we had that 10-week spell in the middle of just scoring worldies from range. That was the reason for finishing where we did.”

Shall we run through the current state of play down at Everton?

They are working on bringing in Jack Grealish, Folarin Balogun and Kenny Tete.

On their way out Iliman Ndiaye (Manchester City), Beto (Fiorentina), Tim Iroegbunam (Hull) and Nathan Patterson (Torino).

I hope they’ve had their fax machine serviced.

Check out our transfer interactive to see all the latest deals!

Manchester United may - only may - have done all of their major incoming business which means no left-back. If a last minute dot com opportunity arises then this will be considered so let’s see but for the moment it seems likely that Carlos Baleba was the club’s last signing of the summer window.

A lot of people are highly invested in people moving companies and changing jobs. You do not get this with accountancy or waste management.

In case any players do not get a move today and are desperate to get out of their club, there are options. Not all country’s celebrate deadline day on 1 September, so there is still hope of heading off to Turkey or Portugal.

Here are a list of deadline days, according to Fifa.

• England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain – 1 September

• Argentina, Netherlands - 2 September

• Scotland - 3 September

• Turkey - 4 September

• Russia - 10 September

• Brazil - 11 September

• Portugal - 15 September

• UAE - 28 September

• Saudi - 12 October

Manchester United’s Jack Moorhouse is expected to leave the club on loan today. He has interest from a few League One clubs, most notably Plymouth, but is also wanted by Scottish Premiership side Dundee.

With Iliman Ndiaye, seemingly, on his way to Manchester City, Everton have quickly lined up a replacement from … ermmmmm… Manchester City. Jack Grealish is set to return to Hill Dickinson Stadium to replicate his season-long loan with the Toffees.

What deadline day is really about is livebloggers tenuously finding links to old articles they have written. On that note …

Iliman Ndiaye has already played for a Manchester club … Hyde.

The window will be calmly closed and pulled to at 11pm BST. The fun, however, does not stop there because teams can be permitted an additional two hours to complete deals as long as a deal sheet, confirming a deal is agreed, was submitted before the cut-off.

I did get a message from someone last night suggesting that Iliman Ndiaye could end up signing for Chelsea. I may as well put that out there in case I look like a genius come 11pm.

Here is a quick run through the state of play via the latest overnight from our reporters.

Iliman Ndiaye is, currently, off to Manchester City after deciding against a Roberto De Zerbi reunion at Tottenham.

Bradley Barcola is now a Liverpool player, as is Cody Gakpo, who will not be sold to Manchester City.

Can Arsenal get a deal for Julian Alvarez over the line?

Some striker movement.