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The Premier League transfer window has now closed but there’s still time for clubs in the Middle East and Turkey to strike late deals

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Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has emerged as the subject of an epic transfer battle in Saudi Arabia, with giants Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr both expressing an interest in the England international.

Maguire joined the Red Devils from Leicester City six years ago in a deal worth £80m - a world record fee for a defender at the time. His performances since making that move have often divided opinion but it’s worth noting that the Sheffield-born defender has racked up 249 appearances for the Old Trafford club, scoring 16 times while also contributing eight assists. He was handed the captain’s arm band just six months after joining the club and held the position until 2023 when Erik ten Hag decided to swap the leadership position over to Bruno Fernandes.

Maguire, who has helped England reach a World Cup semi-final in 2018 and a European Championship final in 2021, has just one season remaining on his contract with United and it remains to be seen whether the club will offer him an extension beyond the summer of 2026. The former Leicester City ace has played three matches across all competitions this season. He appeared as a substitute in league games against Arsenal and Fulham, and played the full 90 minutes in a shock defeat to Grimsby Town in the League Cup - in a game which only was decided on penalties due to Maguire’s late headed equaliser.

What does the future hold for Harry Maguire?

According to Caught Offside, both Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli are weighing up 15 million euro offers for Harry Maguire, which equates to around £13m. That figure, while modest by Premier League standards, could be enough to persuade United to offload a player that’s amongst the highest earners, and one that’s struggled to produce in Ruben Amorim’s system.

Maguire hasn’t represented England yet in 2025 and currently faces an uphill battle to get back into the Three Lions setup despite his exceptional performances in past tournaments at international level. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who worked under Gareth Southgate, criticised United for failing to play to Maguire’s strengths at times and claimed for England that the Yorkshireman is a ‘proper leader’.

In an appearance on The Overlap earlier this week, the former Chelsea man said: “We missed Harry Maguire [at Euro 2024]. He’s a top lad, always positive, will always put himself forefront even when he makes mistakes. He’s there, he doesn’t hide has a voice everybody respects him.

“The thing at Man United is that we all know what what what Harry Maguire is. At Man United, if you’re going to play open, yeah, he’s going to get in trouble. But if you protect him at the right ways, he’s going to be a proper proper leader. He’s going to be there. And whatever you say, he’s done brilliant for England.”

The 3AM verdict: While it’s fair to say that Harry Maguire has never truly lived up to his hefty price tag at Old Trafford, it has to be said that there’s a lot of truth to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s comments that his weaknesses have been exposed due to the team’s playing style. However, Maguire remains one of the best remaining leaders in the club’s dressing room and a player that’s capable of helping the team climb the table. He’s an experienced head, one that knows the club well, and still has a habit of chipping in with important goals on occasion.

At this stage, Maguire should be kept by United, and it’s also worth noting that staying in Manchester is best for the player’s short-term future as it gives him a better chance of breaking back into the England setup ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Yves Bissouma could still leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer. Football Insider understands the Mali international is no longer a part of Thomas Frank’s plans and claims a sale is ‘expected’ soon amid reports of interest from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Bissouma joined the Lillywhites in a £35m transfer from Brighton in 2022 but struggled with injuries in his first campaign as the team finished in eighth position. He produced a much stronger second season when Ange Postecoglou first arrived and helped the club to finish fifth. Last term was Bissouma’s worst in a Spurs shirt as the club finished in 17th position but he did play the full 90 minutes in the team’s Europa League triumph over Manchester United as the club finally ended their 17-year-wait for silverware.

Bissouma is yet to make an appearance following Frank’s arrival, with the Dane explaining that he left the midfielder out of the club’s UEFA Super Cup final squad due to persistent lateness. The midfielder has not appeared in the matchday squad since that incident and also been left out entirely of the club’s Champions League squad.

The 3AM verdict: Tottenham are blessed with options in the middle of the park, including new-signing Joao Palhinha as well as other names such as Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur. All are younger and more likely to feature under Thomas Frank while they also have the added bonus of not having clashed with the new boss. The writing seems to be on the wall for Yves Bissouma after his Champions League omission, and a move to the Middle East or Turkish Super Liga could well prove to be the best solution for both parties at this stage.

The biggest new Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Liverpool, Spurs, Newcastle and more.

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The transfer window may have closed but there are still plenty of teams who are planning ahead for future deals – and as such, we’re still here with our regular morning round-up and review of all the latest Premier League transfer rumours to keep you in the loop.

Today, we start with a story for Liverpool supporters who want to know if the club is going to be get their hands on Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guéhi when his contract expires at the end of the season – and they’re facing a bigger battle than they’d like, at least if TeamTalk have their facts straight.

Following the late collapse of Guéhi’s £35m move to Anfield, it seems clear that the centre-back will “reject any and all offers” that his current club make to extend his deal, but that doesn’t mean Liverpool will get him on a free transfer, with several major European clubs also keen.

Bayern Munich are said to have “joined the race” alongside Barcelona and Real Madrid, who are “circling” Guéhi ahead of next summer. Liverpool are still the favourites, apparently, but Guéhi will have plenty of offers to choose from when the time comes.

The 3AM Verdict: An inevitable situation, really, and much will depend on whether Guéhi himself fancies a move abroad or not – and this article doesn’t make any claims as to his preferences. Liverpool have the advantage given that they’ve already sold the project to the player, but don’t expect it to be easy for them to make this deal happen.

Spurs to ‘try again’ in January for £44m winger

Tottenham Hotspur could be gearing up for a second crack at a young winger that they failed to buy over the summer, according to Caught Offside – and are “expected to try again” come January.

Spurs are allegedly “continuing to show a strong interest” in Lyon winger Malick Fofana, and apparently saw a late bid rejected because the French side didn’t have time to find a replacement. Apparently Lyon value the 21-year-old Fofana at €50m (£44m).

While Spurs are showing “strong interest” in the Belgian, they may not be alone in making a move over the winter – Liverpool, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and a number of continental clubs are also mentioned as having been linked with Fofana at some stage of the summer.

The 3AM Verdict: We were surprised Fofana didn’t leave over the summer and unless hid form dips quite dramatically, we’d expect a bidding war to break out sooner or later, and Spurs may very well be at the front. Whether Spurs’ opinion on a bid changes now that Daniel Levy has been sacked remains to be seen.

Newcastle set for second striker bid in next transfer window

Another of the many deals that fell through on deadline day was William Osula’s proposed move from Newcastle United to Eintracht Frankfurt – but Bild (via Sport Witness) report that the German side “haven’t given up” on signing the striker just yet.

Frankfurt are “planning a January transfer window attempt” to get the deal over the line at the second time of asking – apparently, the deal collapsed because Newcastle demanded too much money, both for the up-front loan fee and for the purchase clause, which would have totalled up to €25m (£22m), less than reported by the British media.

The gap in valuation has “not ended their interest”, however, and it is “likely” that they line up a second bid over the winter. It’s suggested that Osula himself is happy enough to make the move, and it’s just a matter of negotiating the fee.

The 3AM Verdict: Given that January transfer fees tend to be inflated, we’re not sure what will change to make it easier to arrange a deal, but perhaps the initial loan fee being lower (given that they’d be borrowing him for less time) would make it all more palatable? We’ll likely find out in January.

The latest England team news and predicted line-up ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Andorra.

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England’s World Cup qualifying campaign continues this weekend when Thomas Tuchel’s side welcome Andorra to Villa Park this Saturday – and fans are likely to see a somewhat unfamiliar Three Lions side.

With key starters including Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer all unavailable through injury and a potentially crucial game against Serbia in Belgrade on the near horizon, Tuchel is likely to name an experimental side which could feature as many as three debutants.

We’ve got all the latest team news ahead of the game against Andorra below, along with a predicted starting XI for the first international match of the new campaign.

John Stones & Adam Wharton join England injury list for Andorra match

England had already been affected by the withdrawals of several key players before Tuchel named his latest squad, with Cole Palmer (groin), Bukayo Saka (hamstring) and Jude Bellingham (shoulder) all out of action, with Bellingham also a doubt for the October international break. Phil Foden was also left out with the winger recovering from an ankle injury.

Tuchel’s plans were further spoiled when Adam Wharton was forced off with an adductor injury during the second half of Crystal Palace’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend. The young midfielder is expected to be injured for around three weeks and did not report to St. George’s Park for training.

In his stead, AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek was handed his first call-up in seven years and could add to his 10 caps in what looks likely to be a double pivot alongside either Jordan Henderson or Elliot Anderson. Declan Rice is available but likely to be rested prior to the Serbia game.

Since then, Manchester City centre-back John Stones has also become an injury victim, leaving the England camp with what was described as a “muscular issue” that will rule him out of both matches during the international break. It is not reported as being serious and with Jarell Quansah already in the squad as a late call-up, it is unlikely that a replacement is named.

Elsewhere, Tuchel is likely to be cautious with the health of key starters save, perhaps, for captain Harry Kane, who also started in the reverse fixture against Andorra and scored the only goal of a disappointing game.

James Trafford, Elliot Anderson & Djed Spence could earn first caps

Nottingham Forest midfielder Anderson is among three players who could make their first ever appearances for the Three Lions, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence likely to be handed a start ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly. Spence is set to become the first Muslim to represent the senior men’s team.

In goal, James Trafford may finally see one of his call-ups turn into a cap as he competes with Dean Henderson for the gloves. The Palace goalkeeper was given the starting role against Andorra last time out but Trafford could be given a chance to impress in the battle to be England’s number two behind Jordan Pickford.

Up front, Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen are the presumptive starting wingers for the Serbia match based on Tuchel’s previous selections, suggesting that Marcus Rashford or Eberechi Eze will play on the left, while Noni Madueke should start on the right flank. Morgan Gibbs-White and Morgan Rogers are the options at number ten.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Spurs, Manchester City, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and more.

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While the transfer window may have closed for another three months, top flight teams are still scouting and building their shortlists ahead of the January transfer window – and to keep you abreast of all the latest news, we’re back with our regular morning round-up of all the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours.

Let’s start with a story for the Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City supporters amongst you. According to Caught Offside, Spurs are “considering” a second attempt to sign defender Nathan Aké in the new year after failing to secure a deal during the summer.

It’s said that Spurs see Aké as a useful rotational option, but they aren’t the only team keeping tabs on his situation at City – apparently both Everton and Nottingham Forest “are also keen” on the Dutchman, while it’s noted that West Ham and Newcastle both looked at him earlier in the summer, presumably before deciding against a bid.

The article doesn’t claim to know how much City might charge for Aké or whether they would be prepared to let him leave at all after the departure of Manuel Akanji, but it speculates that his value is likely to be close to £20m.

The 3AM Verdict: Aké does feel likely to leave City at some point over the next year, but in terms of the specific links to Spurs and other teams, we can only note that this article appears to be very speculative with little of it based on anything especially solid. That doesn’t mean that it won’t prove to be a good guess come January, of course.

Manchester United linked with surprise midfielder move

When you combine the club’s failure to sign a much-needed central midfielder in the summer with their worrying recent form, there’s bound to be a lot of articles published which speculate about Manchester United signing some January reinforcements – and one such story from Fichajes caught our eye.

They claim that United have been “attentive” to the situation of 32-year-old Italian midfielder Marco Verratti, currently plying his trade in Qatar after his departure from PSG back in 2023, and a player that is supposedly viewed as being an “ideal” addition to Ruben Amorin’s squad.

Apparently the idea of a return to Europe “appeals” to Verratti himself, meanwhile, although there’s no word about what his current employers, Al-Duhail, make of the notion. It’s also worth noting that a separate report from Football Transfers yesterday also claimed that Amorim was “furious” with the club’s failure to sign his favoured target – Conor Gallagher. Another one to watch in January, perhaps.

The 3AM Verdict: In our opinion, Fichajes’ track record doesn’t make them the best source for such stories and we haven’t seen the link between Manchester United and Verratti corroborated anywhere else – we suspect a younger signing is more likely, whether in the winter or next year. As for Amorim’s interest in Gallagher, we’ll wait to see if the manager is still in charge next time United can buy players before wondering how likely that one is.

Nottingham Forest stars set for triple Saudi deal

While the transfer window may have closed for most major European leagues, it remains open in several countries, notably including Saudi Arabia – and according to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest could be doing some business there in the coming days.

No fewer than three of their players are linked with a move to the Pro League. First up, Jota Silva, whose hopes of a move to Sporting fell apart towards the end of the transfer window, “is a target” for Neom SC, with an initial loan deal with an option to buy said to have “been discussed between the two clubs”.

Alongside Silva, there is said to be “interest” in striker Taiwo Awoniyi while back-up defender Morato “could be targeted by Saudi clubs” as well, although there’s no concrete information on which teams might take them on.

The 3AM Verdict: The Silva link is based on reporting from The Telegraph’s John Percy and is likely solid, while the Awoniyi and Morato stories aren’t at all fleshed out and feel quite speculative – if perfectly plausible.

Everton have a problem at full-back with Vitalii Mykolenko injured - could a free transfer fix the issue?

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Everton’s season has started rather brightly – better, perhaps, than many had anticipated. For all the doubts surrounding their summer recruitment, they have two wins on the board already, Jack Grealish looks like a player rejuvenated, and it’s all going rather smoothly so far. Except at full-back.

The club were linked with a host of wide defenders over the summer and saw a deal for Kenny Tete collapse, but never got the signing they needed over the line. As it stands, their full-backs are either old (Séamus Coleman), young (Adam Aznou) or simply incapable of staying fit (Nathan Patterson). The result has been a centre-half crow-barred in at right-back and an over-reliance on Vitalii Mykolenko on the left – and now the Ukrainian is injured.

Given that the transfer deadline has already passed, of course, there isn’t much that Everton can do – but there is one option left open to them should they feel the need for some reinforcements along the back four, in the form of a player who’s played for Spain, Real Madrid, Manchester United and others besides...

Why Everton can still sign the full-back they may need

Mykolenko was sent home by his national side after a scan revealed a muscular injury sustained while playing for Everton. The extent of the damage isn’t fully clear but the left-back immediately becomes a doubt for the Toffees’ game against Aston Villa next weekend, and perhaps even for the Merseyside derby which follows.

That leaves Everton without a fully fit full-back save for the 36-year-old Coleman. Summer signing Aznou is working his way back from an ankle injury and Patterson’s latest problem is a hernia. Jake O’Brien’s temporary role on the right is starting to look like a very small sticking plaster placed over a rather substantial wound.

Fortunately for Everton, while we’re past the point at which Premier League clubs can make new permanent or loan signings, they can sign players on a free transfer – and there’s one full-back with plenty of quality who surprisingly remains on the market.

Sergio Reguilón may have fallen out of favour at Tottenham Hotspur prior to his release by the club this summer, but the 28-year-old is not so far removed from a point at which he was considered one of the best left-backs in the top flight following his transfer from Real Madrid.

There are a number of factors behind his relative fall from grace, with fitness problems popping up at inopportune times acting alongside the damage down by being a traditional overlapping wing-back playing for teams that wanted to move away from that style of player. In many ways, his career path has almost exactly mirrored that of Ben Chilwell, a player who has failed to find a place in the new tactical order that wants full-backs to take up narrower supporting positions instead of bombing on down to the byline.

David Moyes, however, still likes his full-backs to stick to the flanks, even if he doesn’t necessarily encourage them to push too far forward. There is every chance that his methods suit Reguilón’s style of play – and with such a thin defence increasingly beset by injuries, it may make sense to give him a chance.

Sergio Reguilón could be just what Everton need to maintain momentum

Everton were supposedly in the bidding to sign Reguilón all the way back in 2020 ahead of his eventual move from Spain to Spurs – and the club and player have remained connected on the rumour mill this summer, with some sources occasionally suggesting that the Toffees might have made a bid for him back in July.

Clearly, none of those stories have amounted to anything as yet, and nor have any of the more reliable sources available to us suggested that a deal is likely – but with Reguilón still available and no move for him imminent, this could be a rare occasion on which the speculative stories floating around made a sensible point.

It may have been a while since we’ve seen Reguilón at his very best, but the class is there and his weaknesses – his poor passing, for instance, which made him a poor choice for a team who wanted him to operate on the underlap – should be less of an issue in Moyes’ direct system than they were at Spurs or Manchester United, for instance.

Reguilón may not have ended up being a truly great player or an especially versatile one, but he is still a strong defender who has consistently contributed high volumes of tackles, interceptions and turnovers throughout his career, and a player who can make a difference going forward.

He has had his own intermittent fitness issues, too, but there aren’t quite as chronic as they are in the case of Patterson and he is still only 28. A short-term contract would be a very low-risk move with a relatively high ceiling – and at the very least, it would increase the odds that Everton actually have one fit and available full-back for any given game.

Moyes’ teams have always been sturdy defensively and Everton have been no exception since he returned – but there’s only so much that his disciplined style of management can do to keep clean sheets if he doesn’t have any players to choose from. Perhaps signing Reguilón may not be inspiring, but it would move the club closer to the day that James Garner and Jake O’Brien don’t have to operate as emergency full-backs at the same time.

An early round-up of injury news and potential return dates for Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Tottenham’s perfect start to the new Premier League season came to an abrupt end last time out following a home defeat to Bournemouth. The Cherries needed just five minutes to take the lead through Evanilson but that would prove to be the only goal of the game as Andoni Iraola’s side held on for all three points.

Despite the 1-0 defeat, Spurs remain in fourth place as we head into the international break. Tottenham banked six points from their opening two fixtures and kept a clean sheet against both Burnley and Manchester City.

Thomas Frank will be looking to bounce straight back to winning ways once the Premier League returns, and West Ham will be the ones waiting. Spurs currently have a lengthy list of injury issues already and a new issue was raised ahead of the Bournemouth clash with Dominic Solanke.

We’ve gathered the latest fitness information for Tottenham so far to bring you an early injury round-up, including potential return dates:

How long will Dominic Solanke be out for?

Solanke was not included in the squad to face Bournemouth last time out after the striker felt a setback with an ankle issue he has been struggling with. However, fortunately for fans and the Lilywhites, Frank doesn’t believe Solanke will be out for a significant amount of time.

“Yeah, got a minor issue with his ankle. That’s been a little bit grumbling also in the pre-season,” the manager said. “It’s just too much for this game and now we have international break so hopefully he can be ready after that.”

James Maddison and Radu Dragusin ACL injuries

In a significant blow to Spurs, they are expected to be without James Maddison for most, if not all of the 2025/26 season. The England international suffered an ACL injury during pre-season and will need a lengthy amount of time to recover following his surgery.

Radu Dragusin is in a similar situation, having torn his ACL back in February. The defender suffered the injury in the Europa League last season and has since had surgery and been focusing on his return. Frank has confirmed that Dragusin ‘is on the way back and has been running for a while’ but the club remain cautious over his expected return date.

“When you've been out of football for nine months, you know, you need to get in. It's not enough to have a six-week pre-season. You need to take a little bit more time, but it's positive and and some surprise and come back quicker, of course,” the manager said.

While there is a big concern Maddison may not be able to play this season, Dragusin could return before the year ends if all goes to plan.

Yves Bissouma and Dejan Kulusevski injury latest

Dejan Kulusevski underwent knee surgery in May and former manager Ange Postecoglou stated he would be out for ‘at least a few months’. Frank hasn’t placed an estimated return date on Kulusevski, with reports suggesting he may not be back until 2026.

“No Kulusevski, he's out. That's a longer one, I don't want to put a timeframe on it,” the boss said prior to their win over Man City.

Yves Bissouma still hasn’t played his first game of the season either, having picked up a muscle injury ahead of Tottenham’s opening clash with Burnley. Frank has provided few in depth details regarding Bissouma’s injury, other than confirming ahead of previous games that he would not be available. As things stand, there are no expected return dates for either Kulusevski or Bissouma.

Bryan Gil and Kota Takai injury latest

Neither Bryan Gil nor Kota Takai have an expected timeframe regarding their potential returns. Gil’s loan spell with Girona last season was cut short after suffering a knee ligament injury. Following successful surgery, he is back with Tottenham to recover.

Takai missed a bulk of Spurs’ pre-season action before Frank confirmed he had picked up a plantar fascia (foot) injury with no confirmed timescale regarding his absence.

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The transfer window has closed and now the fax machines have fallen silent, the agents have put down their phones, and all is quiet on the rumour mill at last – except, of course, it isn’t, because this is football and there are always deals to be done sooner or later and as such, we’re back with our latest round-up of the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours.

We start with a story for supporters of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United, the three teams said by Caught Offside to be showing continued “interest” in Brentford centre-back Nathan Collins despite the fact that they didn’t make bids before the transfer window closed on Monday.

While Collins is described as having made a “long-term commitment” to the Bees, Spurs in particular are still apparently “serious contenders” for his signature in the future, with Thomas Frank keen to secure a reunion with the 24-year-old defender in the near future.

Liverpool apparently have a “more measured” interest in Collins but still have him on their shortlist of future defensive targets, while Manchester United are apparently “expected to keep a close eye on developments”. It would allegedly take a bid of around €50m (£43.5m) to make Brentford give “serious consideration” to a sale.

The 3AM Verdict: All three sides were linked with Collins over the final weeks of the transfer window but none made a formal offer so far as we’re aware – not that that precludes one being made in the future, but we doubt that such an expensive deal is likely to get done in January. Collins will probably be a Brentford player for at least another year, and we’ll have a clearer picture of which clubs are interested next summer as much will no doubt change.

Aston Villa given crucial update on Emi Martínez’s future

While Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez may ultimately have failed to secure a last-gasp transfer to Manchester United (seemingly despite his best efforts) there is no guarantee that he won’t still leave Villa Park, as the Turkish transfer window remains open and Galatasaray remain interested.

Fortunately for any concerned Villa fans, however, it doesn’t look like the double Yashin Trophy winner will be going anywhere this summer – at least, according to Fabrizio Romano who claims that the Argentine is “not keen” on a move to the Süper Lig and is “prepared to stay” with his current club.

“No exit is expected” as Romano puts it, and it is anticipated that Martínez will retake his starting place from Dutchman Marco Bizot despite his flirtation with a transfer. The rambunctious shot-stopper is going nowhere.

The 3AM Verdict: The key question is whether there is an issue between club and player, because Martínez has an escape route to Turkey if he wants it – but assuming Romano is right, all seems to be well enough at Villa Park. Likely a relief for Unai Emery.

The failed Fulham move that could be resurrected in January

While much of the attention of Fulham fans was focused on the club’s failure to get a late deal for Chelsea’s Tyrique George over the line on Monday, they quietly missed out on a deal for Feyenoord midfielder Hwang In-Beom as well, according to Sport Witness.

Apparently, the Cottagers were “shown the door” by the Dutch club after making an enquiry for the 28-year-old South Korea international even though they were “willing to offer a substantial fee” for his services.

Hwang was supposedly considered too central to Robin van Persie’s plans to sell in the summer window and as such Feyenoord “sent Marco Silva’s side packing”, but Sport Witness speculate as to whether Fulham could come back to the table in January.

The 3AM Verdict: Speculation is all it is, and it isn’t presented as anything else, but it’s still interesting to note Fulham’s apparent interest and may be one to keep an eye on come the winter transfer window – but there’s a lot of time for things to change between now and then.

Tottenham are on the verge of adding a 31-time France international to their ranks

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Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on a deadline day move to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani on a season-long loan deal until the end of the season. David Ornstein has revealed that the 2022 World Cup finalist is joining on a straight loan deal, with no obligation or option to buy permanently in the summer of 2026 at this stage.

The Athletic reporter also adds that personal terms between the 26-year-old’s representatives and Tottenham have already been agreed, with the striker now travelling from the French capital to North London to complete the deal.

Kolo Muani is expected to become the eighth signing of the window under Thomas Frank after successful deals for Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic, Kota Takai and João Palhinha.

Randal Kolo Muani’s career so far

Randal Kolo Muani came through the academy at French side Nantes and made his professional debut in 2018. He scored 23 times and contributed 16 assists in 87 appearances for his boyhood club and helped the struggling side avoid relegation and win the Coupe de France in 2022.

He joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer and became a massive player for Oliver Glasner’s side as they climbed four places in the Bundesliga table to finish seventh and reach the round-of-16 in the Champions League. The France international shone that season with 26 goals and 17 assists in 50 matches to earn himself a blockbuster £76.4m transfer for PSG, which remains one of the top 25 most expensive deals in football history.

Kolo Muani never hit the heights expected of him in the French capital due to competition from the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Goncalo Ramos, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele among others. He scored 11 and contributed seven assists during his first 18 months in France and spent the second half of last season on loan at Italian side Juventus, scoring 10 and making three assists in 22 matches.

He had been heavily linked with a return to the Turin-based outfit throughout the summer and had even been considered a potential target for Newcastle United. However, he’s set to link up with Thomas Frank’s side this season in a huge statement of intent ahead of a challenging Champions League campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur strike gold with signing of World Cup finalist - opinion

Tottenham Hotspur have pulled off a shrewd signing by bringing Randal Kolo Muani to the club on a straight loan deal with no risks attached. Kolo Muani is an extremely pacey footballer, with tremendous strength, aerial ability, great dribbling skills and the ability to play all across the front three.

Over the course of the last decade, he’s proven he can score goals with 86 across his club career while he’s also a huge source of creativity with 52 career assists. At 26-years-of-age, he’s still in the prime of his career, making him an exciting proposition and one that should slot seamlessly into Thomas Frank’s set-up.

Three forwards that Newcastle United could sign on transfer deadline day as Alexander Isak prepares to leave for Liverpool.

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The biggest transfer saga of the summer window seems to be reaching a conclusion on deadline day – after weeks of rancour, Liverpool have reportedly lodged their long-awaited second bid for Alexander Isak, and the Swede finally seems set to get his wish to leave St. James’ Park.

Fabrizo Romano is among the journalists who claim that an offer of £130m had been accepted by Newcastle United, with Isak heading to Liverpool to complete a medical ahead of a British record transfer.

For Newcastle, the transfer generates both a sudden injection of cash and an urgent need to spend it. With Callum Wilson also departing for West Ham United, Eddie Howe’s side will only have one recognised striker – new signing Nick Woltemade – on the books. The arrival of another on deadline day seems like a certainty. But who will they sign? These are Newcastle’s options before the window closes at 7pm on Monday.

Yoane Wissa - Brentford

Newcastle’s efforts to sign the Brentford forward have been almost as tortuous as Liverpool’s attempts to buy Isak – Wissa has made it equally clear to his current employers that he wants to move, going as far as to make a rather brusque public statement outlining his determination to force the transfer through.

The issues are twofold: First, Brentford won’t sell Wissa unless they can find a replacement, and initial offers for Borussia Dortmund strikes Max Beier have failed to take off. Second, the simple matter of money. Newcastle have had offers in the region of £40m turned down flat, with the Bees demanding £60m despite the fact that Wissa only has one year remaining on his contract at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Wissa still appears to be Newcastle’s top target and with the Isak funds fresh in their bank account, they may decide to meet Brentford’s valuation in order to force a deal through, but dominoes need to fall for this one to take place. This is the most likely of the deals that Newcastle might make on Monday, but not one that’s by any means guaranteed.

Jørgen Strand Larsen - Wolves

Another player that Newcastle have already tried and failed to sign – three bids worth between £50m and £60m have been made and turned down by Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the deal may not be dead just yet.

Strand Larsen was left out of Wolves’ matchday squad for the 3-2 defeat to Everton this weekend, and while there were some attempts to play his absence off as injury-related, few believe that it wasn’t linked to negotiations with Newcastle.

Wolves have been adamant that they have no plans to sell the Norwegian (who only signed from Celta Vigo permanently in July) but the striker himself has equally made it plain that he would like to make the move. It appears that Strand Larsen remains, like Wissa, a priority signing for deadline day and Newcastle may well make attempts to buy both. With Wolves holding firm, however, it remains to be seen what manner of transfer fee would be sufficient to twist their arm.

Randal Kolo Muani - PSG

Should efforts to sign either Wissa or Strand Larsen prove to be fruitless, don’t be surprised if Newcastle find a deal out of left field, much as they did when they suddenly sign Woltemade just a couple of days ago – a deal that nobody knew was coming until the eleventh hour.

Newcastle have debated a move for Porto’s Samu Aghehowa but he appears to have been deemed to be overpriced, while Nicolas Jackson was already some way down the shortlist even before Chelsea decided to scupper the Senegalese striker’s loan move to Bayern Munich so that he could provide injury cover for Liam Delap.

A last-minute offer for either isn’t out of the question, but an intriguing alternative is PSG and France forward Randal Kolo Muani. For much of the summer, Juventus have been in negotiations to sign the 26-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan in Turin – but the result so far has been no deal and a transfer saga which has made Isak’s look short and sweet by comparison.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday morning that if Juventus can’t make a belated breakthrough then Kolo Muani will become an option for other clubs – and suggested that Tottenham Hotspur have already made an enquiry for the striker, who is valued at at least £60m by PSG. Don’t be shocked if Newcastle ask the question as well should it prove impossible to get deals for Wissa or Strand Larsen over the line.

Tottenham could splash £169 million on three more stars this summer transfer window

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Thomas Frank could barely have hoped for a better start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium especially given the off-field issues he’s faced already, but Spurs still have work to do in the transfer market to ensure they can capitalise on such a strong start to the season.

Last-minute high-profile snubs from Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze combined with James Maddison’s horrific knee injury threatened to derail Tottenham’s season before it had even got going but the arrival of Xavi Simons who could potentially be the best number 10 out of all four of those players has helped quell unrest from the stands.

The other key ingredient to the positivity has been Thomas Frank’s arrival as coach with the Dane managing to get Spurs looking more cohesive in four games than Ruben Amorim has had Manchester United playing in 45 - and for less money.

But with depth required at both ends of the pitch, who could Tottenham add in the final days of the transfer window?

Ademola Lookman - Atalanta

Tottenham’s reworked attack of Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison and Brennan Johnson has been a revelation so far, helping Frank’s side net multiple goals in their first three competitive games of 2025/26 against Manchester City, Burnley and PSG (though the Welshman didn’t feature in Udine) - Liverpool are the only other Premier League side to match that feat.

The addition of Simons should only add to that threat going forwards but even after the Dutchman’s arrival, Tottenham only have six primary wingers and attacking midfielders without long-term injuries, so further reinforcement is needed.

The Savinho deal looks dead in the water but don’t worry - there’ll be more than enough Premier League and even Mancunian representation in this list. Instead, bringing London-born Ademola Lookman home would be a smart piece of business from Daniel Levy and Tottenham are interested in the 27-year-old according to Fabrizio Romano.

Lookman has played for four English clubs (can you guess which?) but a late bloomer, his career only caught fire after moving to Atalanta in Serie A. There he’s recorded back-to-back-to-back seasons of over 10 goals and 20 goal contributions and last campaign he scored five in the Champions League.

He’s thrived as an attacking midfielder or second striker in Lombardy but has made 100 career appearances on the left flank and 64 on the right so possesses the versatility to thrive under Frank too if Spurs can meet the €55m (£47.6m) asking price or negotiate The Goddess down.

Morgan Rogers - Aston Villa

While Simons’ ceiling in the Premier League is higher than either Eze or Gibbs-White’s, his lack of experience in England is cause for concern with Florian Wirtz currently showing a period of adjustment can be needed even after lighting up the Bundesliga.

Signing Rogers would alleviate that worry and bring one of the most exciting attackers on the planet to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - if they can overcome Aston Villa’s £100m valuation.

Rogers lit up Villa Park last season with 30 goal contributions in claret and blue across the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League earning him an England call-up and there’s nothing to suggest he couldn’t translate that to similar or improved output under Frank’s tutelage.

Another option is Aston Villa’s proposed replacement for Rogers - Lucas Paqueta with the Brazilian perhaps a more realistic compliment to Simons. After a shaky pre-season and Premier League opener against Sunderland, Paqueta’s shown he could return to the player that Manchester City were set to pay £80 million for.

He backed up his confident long-range strike against Chelsea with a diving League Cup header against Wolves that showed his striker’s instinct is returning, and West Ham are prepared to part with Paqueta for at least £55m.

Nathan Ake or Manuel Akanji - Manchester City

Tottenham have expressed interest in both sky blue centre backs, as they look to make last-minute additions to a promising but thin defensive unit.

It’s thought that Manuel Akanji would cost at least £15m and Spurs would have to battle Galatasaray for his signature while GIVEMESPORT report Thomas Frank has been a long-time admirer of Nathan Ake who is valued at €25m (£21.6m) on Transfermarkt.

Lilywhite fans will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last season’s struggles at the back when the talented Archie Gray was shoehorned in at centre-back and looked like one of the worst players in the Premier League, but the cupboard remains bare behind first-choice pairing Cristian Romeo and Micky van de Ven.

Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai remain injured and unproven while Ben Davies turns 33 this season so Kevin Danso is the only reliable backup in the team right now, and adding either Ake or Akanji would be a real coup.

Both quality operators who’ve joined forces for two Premier League titles plus Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield triumphs, each player turned 30 this year and has two years remaining on his contract.

Neither player started Manchester City’s opening two domestic fixtures so given Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov, John Stones and Josko Gvardiol’s continued presence at the Etihad Stadium plus Pep Guardiola’s preference for running with a tight squad, there’s a strong case to be made for the Citizens cashing in on one of this pair while they still can.