Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal feels like the biggest jigsaw-completing signing in history, but it is a strong summer for clubs sorting their transfer pictures.<\/p>\n
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GOALKEEPER: Mike Maignan (Chelsea)<\/strong> Liam Delap might finally provide an answer to the latter conundrum but there is no sign of their situation between the sticks being solved.<\/p>\n Chelsea took the decision in March to let their ludicrously expensive and bloated goalkeeper\u2019s union sort things out themselves<\/strong><\/a>. That was undermined somewhat when the availability of AC Milan shot-stopper Maignan was undoubtedly explored up to the closure of this summer\u2019s first transfer window.<\/p>\n They treated that as an absolute summer deadline and seem content not to resurrect that move, but another season of Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen playing hot potato with the gloves feels like a curious thing to embrace when expectations will be high.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n RIGHT-BACK: Tino Livramento (Manchester City) The perennial suggestion is that the Spaniard would rather cut than bulk out of sheer desperation to work with fewer players, even if that exposes them to injury crises as debilitating as last season.<\/p>\n Their options in attack are varied and bountiful, while the midfield is similarly stocked. Ederson, the final piece of an old Etihad jigsaw, should be able to pull through at least one more season. But Manchester City remain vulnerable defensively.<\/p>\n Rayan Ait-Nouri has addressed issues on the left, allowing Josko Gvardiol more freedom to cure ailments in the middle. But the right-back cupboards are almost entirely bare so it is useful that Newcastle \u2018plan to accept\u2019 an \u00a380m Livramento bid<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CENTRE-HALF: Bafode Diakite (Bournemouth) Bournemouth sold Milos Kerkez to Liverpool soon after and that is likely conclude their player sales, with the Cherries determined not to lose more than two of their excellent starters in any summer.<\/p>\n Adrien Truffert arrived from Rennes to fill the Kerkez gap even before it had been vacated, but more deliberation is needed over the identification and procurement of Huijsen\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n Iraola and his recruitment team can afford to be patient and consider multiple avenues, with versatile Lille defender Diakite among the most desirable.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CENTRE-HALF: Ousmane Diomande (Crystal Palace) The Eagles are awaiting confirmation of their European fate to know where they stand in terms of both keeping the players they currently have and attracting a different calibre of targets. Who said The Magic of the FA Cup was dead?<\/p>\n Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi could complete World Cup-winning moves<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 while Adam Wharton stays precisely where he is \u2013 but in any event Oliver Glasner needs at least one new centre-half.<\/p>\n Diomande was earmarked long ago but it turns out \u00a345m talks can be quite protracted even without John Textor sticking his cowboy hat in.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n LEFT-BACK: N\/A \u00a0<\/p>\n RIGHT-WINGER: Anthony Elanga (Newcastle) Simply by virtue of being their first first-team signing in about 700 days,\u00a0it will be a significant move for the Magpies<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n And with Newcastle\u2019s club motto over the past couple of years basically becoming the Latin translation of \u2018they have a starting line-up capable of beating anyone but squad depth is lacking,\u2019 the signing of a younger, better and more versatile alternative to Jacob Murphy raises the floor and ceiling at St James\u2019 without changing the counter-attacking gameplan.<\/p>\n MORE TRANSFER COVERAGE FROM F365<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: Josh Brownhill (Burnley) That individual being a 29-year-old midfielder who left Burnley upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season does sum up some of the inevitable issues the Clarets may face in their latest assault on the Premier League.<\/p>\n Brownhill has offers from far, wide and West Ham but Burnley have been sufficiently busy and ambitious in their dealings so far to convince their erstwhile captain he is better off at Turf Moor.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: Harvey Elliott (Brighton) Few clubs have signed as many players. The Seagulls have added three defenders, two wingers and a centre-forward to a squad of burgeoning young talent. But if there is an area of potential weakness it is in midfield.<\/p>\n It would require some delicate negotiation with Liverpool and likely the acceptance of a buy-back clause which could leave them vulnerable in the future<\/strong><\/a>, but Elliott offers versatility and experience which betrays an age able to fit in with the general squad profile.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n LEFT-WINGER: Samuel Mbangula (Fulham)<\/strong> Even if the decision is taken that Harry Wilson and Adama Traore comprise what would be a thrilling, hilarious and uber-effective right wing, the issues on the left could be exacerbated soon.<\/p>\n Alex Iwobi attracting admiring glances from Atletico Madrid is a problem. Fulham have rejected a \u00a321.5m bid but they know from experience how these circumstances can spiral into an unavoidable sale.<\/p>\n Whether Iwobi leaves or not, at least one more player is needed down that side and Juventus forward Mbangula is on the radar.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n CENTRE-FORWARD: Alexander Isak (Liverpool) It is not even really a transfer Liverpool desperately need to chase. The champions were comfortably the highest scorers in the Premier League last season, with Golden Boot winner Mo Salah also leading the way for assists.<\/p>\n
It remains impressive that Chelsea have invested about \u00a31.5billion over three years in a playing squad which continues to boast neither an elite goalkeeper nor a world-class centre-forward.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Pep Guardiola following an absurdly lavish January transfer window with a burst out of the blocks in terms of summer spending has left precious few gaps in his Manchester City squad.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Andoni Iraola conceded that Bournemouth \u201cwill not find the same player\u201d as Dean Huijsen, but his predestined departure for Real Madrid handily came \u201cvery, very early, even without starting the market\u201d.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Lyon and Nottingham Forest playing particularly silly beggars has thoroughly stunted any plans Crystal Palace might have had heading into this summer.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Roberto Carlos could hawk the image rights of his preposterous thighs for a limited edition 1,000-piece work of boxed art and still no left-back-based jigsaw puzzle worth doing would have\u00a0ever existed.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>A less conventional jigsaw completion, Elanga will represent the first rather than last move of Newcastle\u2019s transfer window but a crucial and necessary step in their next phase of squad-building nonetheless.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc49\u00a0The most \u2018laughable\u2019 transfer add-ons that were dismissed out of hand, including weird Spurs obsession<\/a><\/strong>
\ud83d\udc49\u00a0Transfer rumour power ranking: Two in, one out at Newcastle; Arsenal deal done<\/a>
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<\/strong>If Scott Parker is ever going to achieve his defining career goal of managing consecutive seasons in the same division, it might be an idea to keep his top scorer.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Tony Bloom has admitted that Brighton \u201chave already got slightly involved in the transfer window\u201d as one of Europe\u2019s biggest spenders<\/a><\/strong>, with doubt that\u00a0\u201cwe will be doing a huge amount more between now and the end of the window\u201d.<\/p>\n
Until they abandon the pretence and decide to simply phone Willian again as soon as the transfer window closes, there is a clear need for Fulham to reinforce in wide attacking areas soon.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>The volume of monotonous updates has changed nothing: Newcastle will almost certainly not sell Isak and Liverpool are vanishingly unlikely to table the sort of sums which might persuade them otherwise.<\/p>\n