This article is long but detailed, so enjoy it all \u2014 or search for the club or player you want to read about.<\/p>\n
David Ornstein\u2019s One To Watch<\/p>\n
As the striker jigsaw continues to form, the football world is watching closely to discover how the various pieces will eventually fall into place.<\/p>\n
The likes of Liam Delap and Viktor Gyokeres have made their moves, but the futures of players such as Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko are yet to be resolved.<\/p>\n
On Monday night, The Athletic revealed that Newcastle United have increased their offer for Sesko as they battle Manchester United to secure the 22-year-old<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whoever misses out will need to find an alternative recruit \u2014 unless they stick with existing personnel \u2014 and there is not a huge array of candidates on the market.<\/p>\n Whether it is for those two clubs or others also looking to strengthen up front, that will naturally increase the consideration given to the market\u2019s remaining options.<\/p>\n High among them is Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, owing to his suitability and availability.<\/p>\n Jackson playing for Chelsea at the Club World Cup (Luke Hales\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n The Stamford Bridge side are not desperate to trade the 24-year-old, especially given they require depth ahead of contesting Champions League football next season.<\/p>\n But the arrival of Delap and Joao Pedro provides competition and puts Jackson at risk of not being the primary forward, and after scoring 30 goals across 81 games in west London, he will want to be the main man somewhere.<\/p>\n That explains why Chelsea are open to sanctioning the Senegal international\u2019s departure if an acceptable proposal arrives.<\/p>\n Interest stems from suitors in both the Premier League and Europe. Some of them want Jackson only if their key target cannot be obtained, or someone leaves; others in addition to what they already have.<\/p>\n Either way, there is a growing expectation that he will exit, and developments on that case are anticipated in the coming days.<\/p>\n It would continue a remarkable sequence of sales completed or agreed by Chelsea, which means they will have accumulated more than \u00a3200million ($265m) in the current transfer window. They are forecasting another \u00a3100m to \u00a3150m before the deadline.<\/p>\n Why top clubs would benefit from signing Jackson<\/p>\n In an increasingly transitional league, Nicolas Jackson\u2019s devastating ability on the break is a highly sought-after resource. Last season saw a seven-year high of 112 Premier League goals scored from counter-attacks, and few players were as central to those moves as Jackson.<\/p>\n His ability to collect the ball in deep areas and surge up the pitch sets him apart. According to advanced data provider Footovision, he led the division for counter-attacking involvements via ball carries.<\/p>\n Jackson is electric in transition, but his finishing and final-third choices remain raw. Yet few strikers possess the relentless desire and movement to reach those advanced areas in the first place: Jackson made 60 sprints in behind the defence \u2014 defined by SkillCorner as off-ball runs of at least 25km\/h \u2014 nine more than any other Premier League player.<\/p>\n Jackson specialises in specific traits that make him an appealing profile for a host of Premier League clubs. And for all the noise around his performances, it\u2019s easy to forget that Jackson has hit double figures for league goals in both of his two seasons at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n Conor O\u2019Neill<\/p>\n What else we\u2019re hearing<\/p>\n Stuttgart are working on a deal for Vieira (Warren Little\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Who has spent the most in the Premier League so far this window?<\/p>\n A look at Premier League spending by club so far this summer throws up few surprises at the top end. Using figures sourced from Transfermarkt<\/a>, Liverpool\u2019s big summer puts them top of the tree with over \u00a3250m spent on new players; add in \u00a325m on Giorgi Mamardashvili (deal agreed last summer, but only joined Liverpool officially this season) and expectations of agent fees and the four per cent transfer levy payable by clubs on incoming transfers and you land beyond \u00a3300m.<\/p>\n Behind Liverpool sit Chelsea, again offering little surprise. Indeed, of the seven clubs to have spent over \u00a3100m to date, all but one form part of England\u2019s \u2018Big Six\u2019. The exception, Sunderland, have spent heavily as a result of past prudence and out of necessity as a newly promoted club<\/a>. The Wearside outfit are expected to spend even more before the season commences.<\/p>\n Of greater note are those clubs who haven\u2019t spent much yet. Between Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Fulham, less than \u00a310m has been laid out on new players, which looks pretty stark when set against the backdrop of the rest of the division\u2019s spending.<\/p>\n Premier League clubs have spent over \u00a31.8billion on players so far this summer, though plenty of that has been among themselves<\/a>, with the division\u2019s net spend standing at around \u00a3865m.<\/p>\n Even so, Premier League spending continues to dominate the world transfer market. That net spend figure is far and away the most in football this summer, with only the Saudi Pro League also reaching nine figures (\u00a3185m). The Saudi league\u2019s gross spend is just \u00a3280m so far, though there are expectations that will soon rise.<\/p>\n Chris Weatherspoon<\/p>\n ArsenalWhat happened this week?<\/p>\n After a flurry of activity, it has been a quieter week at Arsenal.<\/p>\n Arsenal\u2019s recruitment drive continues at academy level, although the club missed out on 17-year-old Salford City striker Will Wright<\/strong>. Despite agreeing on a fee of \u00a3200,000 plus add-ons with Salford, Arsenal never reached an agreement on personal terms with the player. Wright preferred to remain in the north west, and that allowed Liverpool to steal in and secure a deal.<\/p>\n The club are still looking for a striker to complement Andre Harriman-Annous, who toured with the first team in Asia, at Under-21 level. Arsenal have had a second bid rejected for 17-year-old Blackburn Rovers striker Igor Tyjon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n They have managed to secure the signing of 16-year-old goalkeeper Remi Lupinski<\/strong> from MK Dons. Lupinski, who will be part of Arsenal\u2019s U-17s next season, has signed a two-year scholarship deal.<\/p>\n Arsenal had a second bid rejected for Tyjon (Christof Koepsel\/Getty Images for DFB)Which youngsters impressing on pre-season could fill gaps in the squad?<\/p>\n Last summer, the performances of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri in pre-season forced them into first-team contention. Arsenal adapted their transfer plans accordingly, loaning out Vieira to provide Nwaneri with opportunities to develop.<\/p>\n This year, it\u2019s 15-year-old Max Dowman who has captured the imagination with a series of impressive cameos. It is unclear how regularly he will be involved with the first-team once the competitive season starts.<\/p>\n Thus far, left-footed Dowman has featured on the right wing. That\u2019s a position where Arsenal have more experienced alternatives. Bukayo Saka is one of the first names on the team sheet, and Arsenal have also welcomed Noni Madeueke to Colney in recent days. Madueke cut short his holiday in order to start training with Arsenal ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n The 2025-26 season is the first campaign in which Dowman will be eligible for either the Arsenal first-team or their Under-21s. It is expected he will feature for both teams across the course of the campaign.<\/p>\n What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/p>\n If Arsenal are to make a significant addition to the first-team squad, it is most likely to be on the left wing. Any acquisition may be connected to the futures of Gabriel Martinelli<\/strong> and Leandro Trossard<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Arsenal hold a long-term interest in 19-year-old Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet<\/strong>. The France Under-21 international was discussed as a potential signing before Arsenal moved ahead with a deal for Cristhian Mosquera<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Departures of defenders such as Oleksandr Zinchenko<\/strong> or Jakub Kiwior<\/strong> could lead Arsenal to revisit their interest \u2014 but Jacquet signed a new deal with Rennes as recently as May, tying him to the Ligue 1 club until 2029.<\/p>\n Arsenal hold an interest in Jacquet (Olivier Chassignole\/AFP via Getty Images)Which players could be leaving?<\/p>\n Kiwior<\/strong> has been the subject of interest from FC Porto.<\/p>\n The Polish international defender enjoys life at Arsenal, but at 25, he is interested in exploring opportunities to join clubs where he would be regarded as a first-choice player.<\/p>\n Arsenal are not in a hurry to move Kiwior on, but as with most players, there is a number at which a deal would make sense for all parties.<\/p>\n A number of other players on the fringes of the first-team squad could be allowed to leave before the transfer deadline. There is interest from Fulham in Reiss Nelson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Arsenal also hope to find buyers for Zinchenko, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Karl Hein.<\/strong>\u00a0Vieira <\/strong>is being targeted by VfB Stuttgart. The 25-year-old was loaned to Porto last season but Stuttgart\u2019s interest is over a permanent move. An agreement has yet to be reached, but talks are ongoing.<\/p>\n A number of academy players may also be permitted to leave permanently if a suitable opportunity arises.<\/p>\n James McNicholas<\/p>\n ChelseaWhat happened this week?<\/p>\n It has been a busy one. As far as incomings go, Chelsea completed the purchase of Netherlands international defender Jorrel Hato<\/strong><\/a> for a fee in excess of \u20ac40m. They also won the race to sign highly-rated England Under-19 midfielder Jesse Derry<\/strong>, who chose to run his contract down at Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n More work has been done on the departures front. Joao Felix<\/strong> joined Al Nassr as expected for an initial \u20ac30m with add-ons potentially taking it to \u20ac50m.<\/p>\n Burnley have beaten off competition from teams across Europe to buy midfielder Ugochukwu<\/strong>. They also agreed a fee with Chelsea for striker Armando Broja<\/strong>. As reported in The Transfer DealSheet last week, Chelsea\u2019s asking price was \u00a325m. The final sum is unlikely to be made public.<\/p>\n Everton are in talks over the signing of midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall<\/strong> for an initial fee of \u00a325million, and discussions are ongoing<\/a>. There is also interest from other Premier League clubs. The Transfer DealSheet revealed last week that several Premier League teams had made an enquiry and that Chelsea\u2019s asking price is around \u00a330m.<\/p>\n Sunderland are close to finalising a season-long loan for striker Marc Guiu<\/strong>. The negotiation has included inserting a clause akin to Broja\u2019s loan to Fulham last year, where a penalty fee will have to be paid if the forward does not play a certain number of games. Sunderland sources are comfortable with the situation and do not see such a clause being problematic.<\/p>\n There has been a lot of activity with sister club Strasbourg, too. Midfielder Kendry Paez<\/strong> and goalkeeper Mike Penders<\/strong> joined them on a season-long loan, while Under-21 defender Ishe Samuels-Smith<\/strong> moved permanently for an undisclosed fee.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Under-21 midfielder Leo Castledine<\/strong> left on loan for Huddersfield Town and another talented member of the development squad, Alex Matos<\/strong>, is nearing a permanent departure.<\/p>\n Chelsea have confirmed the arrival of Hato (Alex Bierens de Haan\/Getty Images)Do Chelsea have what they need to compete on four fronts?<\/p>\n Chelsea believe they have improved the squad from the one that finished fourth in the Premier League and won the Conference League.<\/p>\n The two wingers that have left \u2014 Jadon Sancho<\/strong> and Noni Madueke<\/strong> \u2014 have already been replaced by Jamie Gittens<\/strong> and Estevao Willian<\/strong>. The attack has been strengthened too with the arrival of Liam Delap<\/strong> (Ipswich Town) and Joao Pedro<\/strong> (Brighton & Hove Albion), plus extra midfield cover has been provided with the additions of Dario Essugo<\/strong> (Sporting CP) and Andrey Santos<\/strong>, who has returned from Strasbourg on loan.<\/p>\n Hato\u2019s purchase has also filled in a major gap in the group as Marc Cucurella finally has cover from someone who actually naturally plays in the position rather than switching right backs Malo Gusto or Reece James across.<\/p>\n More departures are expected, particularly higher up the pitch and that will leave space for more arrivals to come.<\/p>\n The only area they will not add to, which will come under scrutiny from the fanbase, is in goal. They have no intention to buy another \u2018keeper now, despite pursuing Mike Maignan earlier in the window. Chelsea are happy with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen as their two main choices. Indeed, they turned down an offer from a Champions League club for the latter.<\/p>\n In terms of the overall picture, head coach Enzo Maresca will have the opportunity to rotate due to the amount of options at his disposal.<\/p>\n What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/p>\n The primary areas are another winger and a creative player, which is why the names Alejandro Garnacho<\/strong> and Xavi Simons<\/strong> will not go away. Both players depend on exits. Chelsea are in informal discussions with Manchester United over Garnacho, but that is as far as it has gone.<\/p>\n The same can be said for Simons. No formal bid has been made to RB Leipzig yet. Chelsea do have other players on their wishlist for these roles, including Aston Villa\u2019s Morgan Rogers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Chelsea want another winger and creative player like Garnacho (Ben Roberts Photo\/Getty Images)Which players could be leaving?<\/p>\n As my colleague David Ornstein reports, Chelsea are not desperate to sell Nicolas Jackson<\/strong> but would be open to sanctioning his departure if the right proposal arrives.<\/p>\n The Transfer DealSheet revealed last month that Chelsea are open to loaning out winger Tyrique George,<\/strong> but the situation has developed since then.<\/p>\n Chelsea are talking with George\u2019s representatives to figure out the best option going forward. A straight loan is still a possibility, but Chelsea will not consider any proposals including an option to buy. Like Guiu, the club want some kind of conditions in place regarding playing time if there is a loan.<\/p>\n A permanent sale is being discussed too, but Chelsea would like to include a buy-back clause and a sell-on fee. A number of teams in England and Europe have registered their interest in both scenarios.<\/p>\n Christopher Nkunku<\/strong>, who is valued at \u20ac50m, has been given permission to miss the start of pre-season training. He is the subject of enquiries from a number of clubs in England, Italy and Germany. Two teams that looked like possible candidates to sign him earlier in the window \u2014 Manchester United and RB Leipzig \u2014 are now deemed unlikely.<\/p>\n Jackson is the subject of approaches from multiple clubs in England and Europe too. Chelsea do not see him as untouchable but will demand a high fee similar to what other starting centre forwards have cost when transferred to other clubs this summer.<\/p>\n Chelsea are still working on the sales of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga<\/strong>, Carney Chukwuemeka<\/strong>, who is of interest to Borussia Dortmund,\u00a0and Axel Disasi<\/strong>. They want to get their situations resolved before entering the final week.<\/p>\n Alfie Gilchrist<\/strong> is still hopeful of joining a Championship side, but he may have to wait until the end of the month. Defender Aaron Anselmino<\/strong> is highly rated at Chelsea after integrating into the camp during the second half of last season and will be sent on loan. Teams in Europe have made an enquiry.<\/p>\n Simon Johnson<\/p>\n LiverpoolWhat happened this week?<\/p>\n Liverpool\u2019s pursuit of Alexander Isak<\/strong> continued, but there were no signs of a breakthrough.<\/p>\n A \u00a3110m bid for the Sweden striker was rejected by Newcastle United, who value their prized asset close to \u00a3150m and will not consider selling unless an offer is too good to turn down and they source a suitable replacement.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, after Luis Diaz<\/strong> completed his move to Bayern Munich, another Liverpool forward edged closer towards an exit as Saudi Pro League side, Al Hilal, identified Darwin Nunez<\/strong> as their priority target. Milan have also shown an interest in the Uruguayan, although it\u2019s unlikely they will be able to afford him as the cost of the total package is deemed too expensive.<\/p>\n On the pitch, Arne Slot\u2019s side wrapped up their pre-season friendly schedule with a double-header against Athletic Club on Monday night at Anfield.<\/p>\n Al-Hilal have identified Nunez as their priority target (Kenta Harada\/Getty Images)Is it Isak or bust up front?<\/p>\n Slot has consistently reiterated that he is only looking for players who can immediately improve the squad, and clearly Isak fits the bill.<\/p>\n Landing the 25-year-old striker would supercharge an attack that won the title last season and also boost the options ahead of further expected outgoings.<\/p>\n Yet there\u2019s no intention to stockpile players for the sake of it, should a move for Isak not progress. Liverpool have new signings Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz alongside Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah already in the attacking department, while Jeremie Frimpong is an attack-minded right-sided player. There\u2019s no intention to block Rio Ngumoha\u2019s pathway, either, so it would take a standout market opportunity for Liverpool to consider a different attacking option.<\/p>\n What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/p>\n Centre-back is an area that remains a little light following Jarell Quansah\u2019s<\/strong> exit to Bayer Leverkusen.<\/p>\n Ideally, Slot would like another defender so he has strong competition for places, and a number of young players have been considered.<\/p>\n The alternative is turning to either Ryan Gravenberch or Wataru Endo to fill in if Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate or Joe Gomez are not available.<\/p>\n Quansah\u2019s exit has left Liverpool light at the back (Carl Recine\/Getty Images)Which players could be leaving?<\/p>\n Tyler Morton<\/strong> is on the verge of moving to Lyon for a fee of \u00a315m, inclusive of add-ons.<\/p>\n Federico Chiesa<\/strong> is still weighing up his options ahead of a likely exit this month, while Kostas Tsimikas<\/strong> debates his future with two years remaining on his contract.<\/p>\n A number of clubs have shown interest in Ben Doak<\/strong> but Liverpool are waiting for any offers to sign the winger on a permanent deal before deciding what happens next. James McConnell<\/strong> and Luca Stephenson<\/strong> are expected to go out on loan but there is growing interest in both players from clubs who are considering a permanent move.<\/p>\n Gregg Evans<\/p>\n Manchester CityWhat happened this week?<\/p>\n Goalkeeper James Trafford<\/strong> officially rejoined from Burnley, two years after leaving. City sold him for \u00a314m and bought him back for \u00a327m, which means the value of the deal in book value is \u00a313m.<\/p>\n Leaving the club on loan was 19-year-old winger Joel Ndala,<\/strong> who joined Hull City. He spent a year at PSV Jong (their second-tier side) and the last four months of last season at Nottingham Forest, which he mainly spent with their Premier League 2 side. They did not take up the option to sign him permanently.<\/p>\n Trafford has returned to City (Molly Darlington\/Getty Images)Are we getting to the stage where City might cut any of their unwanted players loose?<\/p>\n Numbers certainly have to come down with now less than a month remaining of the window. They have yet to make headway on that, though, with Jack Grealish, Kalvin Phillips<\/strong> and James McAtee<\/strong> all still City players.<\/p>\n Other possible departures are being narrowed down as players commit to staying. John Stones<\/strong> is not leaving in the final year of his deal, while the plan is for Abdukodir Khusanov<\/strong> to stay.<\/p>\n The Uzbek defender\u2019s first six months have been seen as a period to adjust to a new culture, league and language. The fact he can operate at right-back as well as centre-back is also useful.<\/p>\n There could be several players heading out on loan, though.<\/p>\n What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/p>\n Trafford represented the final bit of proactive business in terms of incomings.<\/p>\n The priority is now sorting the futures of the players who are surplus to requirements, unless an opportunity arises in a position that improves the team and adds value.<\/p>\n Echeverri\u2019s future is yet to be decided (Alex Grimm\/Getty Images)Which players could be leaving?<\/p>\n Claudio Echeverri\u2019s<\/strong> future is still to be decided as he is highly thought of internally, but a spot in Argentina\u2019s World Cup squad next summer is on his mind.<\/p>\n He has yet to be capped by the senior team, but sources close to the player believe that a loan move is needed to ensure he plays enough. A move to fellow City Football Group club Girona is not on the cards, with the preference being a loan to a Premier League side, if he does leave.<\/p>\n Brazilian defender Vitor Reis<\/strong> is also in discussions about leaving on loan for the season, potentially to Girona, with his international ambitions also playing a part.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, many European clubs have registered interest in acquiring Sverre Nypan<\/strong> on loan. Bundesliga clubs are in the race, but conversations are ongoing to identify the best destination for his development.<\/p>\n At the top end of the academy, Watford and Swansea City are battling for the signature of defender Max Alleyne<\/strong>, who is in talks to extend his contract before heading out on his first loan. Several European clubs have also shown interest.<\/p>\n Jordan Campbell<\/p>\n Manchester UnitedWhat happened this week?<\/p>\n United\u2019s summer-long striker search narrowed to a single, priority target: RB Leipzig\u2019s Benjamin Sesko<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Informal club-to-club talks have taken place with Leipzig, as have discussions with Sesko\u2019s representatives over prospective personal terms. Competition from Newcastle United is fierce \u2014 they made an improved offer for the striker on Monday night. An opening bid worth \u20ac75million plus \u20ac5million in add-ons\u00a0was deemed insufficient by Leipzig<\/a>, leading Newcastle to raise that to at least \u20ac80m.<\/p>\n Christopher Vivell, United\u2019s director of recruitment, served in the same role at Red Bull Salzburg when Sesko joined from Slovenian club Domzale in 2019 and has been a driving force behind United\u2019s pursuit. But a proposal has yet to arrive from Old Trafford and as The Athletic\u2019s David Ornstein reports the figures they have indicated a willingness to pay are presently lower than those of Newcastle.<\/p>\n Omar Berrada, United\u2019s chief executive, told MUTV before Sunday\u2019s 2-2 draw with Everton in the United States that a recruitment team, including Vivell, is \u201cworking around the clock\u201d back in Manchester to further strengthen the squad.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to do a lot of multitasking,\u201d he said. \u201cThere has been lots of late calls and early morning meetings to make sure we stay on top of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Elsewhere, academy players Ethan Wheatley<\/strong> and Jack Moorhouse<\/strong> both secured loans to League One clubs, joining Northampton Town and Leyton Orient respectively until the end of the season.<\/p>\n Why did Man Utd decide on Sesko as their first-choice?<\/p>\n United had previously whittled their striker shortlist down to Sesko and Aston Villa\u2019s Ollie Watkins<\/strong>, who would offer valuable Premier League experience, like new arrivals Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.<\/p>\n Sesko is a rawer and riskier alternative to Watkins, but also far from an unknown quantity in the corridors of Carrington and Old Trafford. United previously explored a move for him when he was just 16 years old, before he had left his native Slovenia.<\/p>\n United revived their interest during Erik ten Hag\u2019s first summer in charge, but Sesko committed to swapping Red Bull Salzburg for their stablemates in Leipzig. He was a target early last summer, too, before attention turned to Joshua Zirkzee.<\/p>\n Sesko\u2019s record in the Bundesliga of 27 goals in 64 appearances over the past two seasons is solid without being spectacular and raises questions over whether he is capable of making an immediate impact.<\/p>\n But at 22, he is significantly younger than the 29-year-old Watkins, and his rare blend of speed and stature with a powerful strike has made him one of the most highly-rated young centre-forwards in Europe.<\/p>\n Spending north of \u20ac80m on Sesko\u2019s potential would represent a gamble. But should he realise that potential, United would have a striker capable of leading the line for years to come.<\/p>\n What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/p>\n Other than up front, United have been assessing their options in midfield. Amorim is keen to add more dynamism in the middle of the park.<\/p>\n A goalkeeper signing has also been considered, although with Andre Onana<\/strong> expected to stay, any further addition will likely depend on whether understudy Altay Bayindir<\/strong> departs in search of regular minutes.<\/p>\n Any goalkeeper arrival will likely depend on Bayindir\u2019s future (Julian Finney\/Getty Images)Which players could be leaving?<\/p>\n The Sesko pursuit brings Rasmus Hojlund\u2019s<\/strong> future into question, despite him making no secret of his desire to stay and fight for his place.<\/p>\n While there is interest in the 22-year-old, United will almost certainly need to swallow a loss on his book value of around \u00a340m to let him go. Offers of \u00a330m will be considered.<\/p>\n Garnacho<\/strong> is the subject of interest from Chelsea, and Real Betis hope to sign Antony<\/strong> on a permanent basis after his successful loan spell in La Liga last season, but neither move is advanced.<\/p>\n United are also eager to offload\u00a0Sancho<\/strong>, are open to offers for Tyrell Malacia<\/strong>, and could allow Toby Collyer<\/strong> to leave on loan.<\/p>\n Mark Critchley<\/p>\n Newcastle UnitedWhat happened this week?<\/p>\n Blimey, where to begin?<\/p>\n They finally received \u2014 and rebuffed \u2014 an offer for\u00a0Isak<\/strong><\/a>, with Liverpool\u2019s formal bid of \u00a3110m some \u00a310m less than their unofficial expression of interest last month and a great deal less than Newcastle\u2019s \u00a3150m valuation. Isak, who has not been on the club\u2019s pre-season tour to East Asia, instead trained alone at Real Sociedad<\/a>, his former club, before returning to Newcastle\u2019s training ground on Monday<\/a>.<\/p>\n After suffering a series of high-profile rejections this summer, Newcastle identified Sesko<\/strong> as their leading target to replace Isak or \u201cin an ideal world\u201d play alongside him.<\/p>\n They followed that up with a bid worth \u20ac80m to RB Leipzig<\/a> but that fell short of the German club\u2019s demands<\/a>. Newcastle are working flat-out on Sesko, with Jamie Reuben, one of the club\u2019s co-owners, taking a personal interest and heavily involved, but they are aware they are competing for Sesko with Manchester United<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Monday, Newcastle made an improved offer. This leaves them in a strong position as things stand, following a day of positive talks held by Reuben with Leipzig and the striker.<\/p>\n Their pursuit of Brentford\u2019s Yoane Wissa<\/strong> is ongoing<\/a>.<\/p>\n They completed their second senior signing of the window with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale<\/strong>\u00a0joining from Southampton<\/a> on a season-long loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.<\/p>\n The 18-year-old winger, Antonio Cordero<\/strong>, newly arrived from Malaga, left for Westerlo in Belgium on a season-long loan, while midfielder Isaac Hayden was released from his contract.<\/p>\n Ramsdale signed from Southampton on loan (Dan Istitene\/Getty Images)Is the slow-moving nature of Newcastle\u2019s business becoming a problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n The slow-moving nature of everything Newcastle do (or don\u2019t do) is a concern. Almost 11 months after Darren Eales announced he would be stepping down as chief executive after a diagnosis of blood cancer, the club still have not confirmed his replacement, with Eales now on medical leave. Nor do they have a sporting director after Paul Mitchell saw out his notice and left at the end of June.<\/p>\n Both of these things, to put it mildly, are sub-optimal. It means, for the second summer in succession, there is a huge flux at the top of the club.<\/p>\n In terms of the bigger picture, there has been no tangible movement on a new stadium or training ground; while these are huge, complex projects, it has become difficult for Howe to point to progress is other areas of the club.<\/p>\n Rewind to the end of last season, when Newcastle sealed qualification for the Champions League and Howe said: \u201cWe have to be ready to conclude things very quickly because good players don\u2019t hang around for long.\u201d<\/p>\n That, clearly, did not happen. Was this a failure of preparation, which should have taken place on Mitchell\u2019s watch? Was it because Howe wanted, where possible, oven-ready Premier League players? Was it a combination of both, plus less-than-perfect circumstances?<\/p>\n Whatever the case, the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, James Trafford and Hugo Ekitike have all ended up moving to traditional \u2018Big Six\u2019 clubs.<\/p>\n What positions\/players are they still looking at?<\/strong><\/p>\n For obvious reasons, centre-forward towers above everything else. With Callum Wilson<\/strong> leaving Newcastle at the end of last season and subsequently joining West Ham United, some form of back-up for Isak was already required.<\/p>\n There has been a glimpse of what life without Isak would look like during pre-season fixtures. William Osula, the only established centre-forward available to Howe, started three matches in succession; the Denmark Under-21 International is yet to start once in the Premier League. Against Tottenham Hotspur, Anthony Gordon began up front. Neither is a long-term solution.<\/p>\n Right-sided centre-half is another longstanding requirement. Mitchell spent weeks attempting to sign Crystal Palace\u2019s Marc Guehi<\/strong> a year ago, and he remains of interest, but is Newcastle still of interest to the England defender? Atalanta\u2019s Giorgio Scalvini<\/strong> and Marseille\u2019s Leonardo Balerdi<\/strong> have featured during transfer discussions, but other European-based players are under active consideration.<\/p>\n Having sold Sean Longstaff<\/strong> to Leeds United, Howe\u2019s options in midfield are skinnier, particularly with Joe Willock now out for between four and six weeks with a calf injury. Ideally, there would be reinforcements here, too, although little has been ideal about this summer.<\/p>\n Which players could be leaving?<\/p>\n All roads lead back to Isak.<\/p>\n Newcastle have been careful to leave escape routes open for their most important player. There has been no criticism of him in public, although there were some pointed general remarks from Howe on Sunday when he told reporters: \u201cNo player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.\u201d They still believe he can be reintegrated, but this will, in part, be determined by the player\u2019s attitude, as well as Liverpool, whose interest remains.<\/p>\n As Isak\u2019s situation shows, Newcastle cannot take anything for granted, but they are determined to hold on to their other prize assets like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Gordon<\/strong> and Tino Livramento<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Beyond that, Burnley are talking to the club about signing Martin Dubravka<\/strong><\/a>, the goalkeeper, while Odysseas Vlachodimos<\/strong>, another \u2018keeper, is also available, most likely for a loan.<\/p>\n Newcastle would not stand in the way of full-backs Matt Targett<\/strong> or Harrison Ashby <\/strong>leaving.<\/p>\n Which Premier League clubs could do with selling players this window?<\/p>\n There are four weeks remaining in this summer\u2019s transfer window and, though eyes will inevitably be drawn to incomings, it\u2019s a natural byproduct of modern football \u2014 profit and sustainability rules (PSR), cash flow, and squad sizes \u2014 that some clubs will be in greater need of selling than others.<\/p>\n Chelsea provide perhaps the most obvious example, their Settlement Agreement with UEFA last month dictating that to register new players to their Champions League squad list<\/a>, they need to ensure a \u2018positive transfer balance\u2019. In other words, outgoings need to outweigh the cost of those newly registered players.<\/p>\n In truth, Chelsea\u2019s business model has long relied on player trading, and they\u2019ve been effective sellers for years. Their need to sell is not a sign of desperation, more a fact of Stamford Bridge life.<\/p>\n As reported by David Ornstein, Jackson\u2019s exit could represent another big sale for Chelsea.<\/p>\n Manchester United might not be desperate, but their desire to sell players this summer is heightened, not least because they\u2019ve been such poor sellers in the past. Already this window, they have benefited from significant sell-on fees via moves involving Alvaro Carreras, Anthony Elanga and Maxi Oyedele.<\/p>\n Chelsea reached a Settlement Agreement with UEFA (Alex Grimm\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n United haven\u2019t sold anyone themselves yet, though the savings on Marcus Rashford\u2019s wages for a year are sizeable. United\u2019s financial concerns are more cash-focused than based on any ongoing PSR worries, as they owed significant transfer instalments even before the signings of Cunha and Mbeumo. Outgoings, with Garnacho and Antony the prime candidates, might not be financial necessities, but United need to get better at selling, and there\u2019s no time better than the present.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, several clubs have already been active sellers of talent. Bournemouth, Brighton and Nottingham Forest have each banked over \u00a3100m in sales this summer. Wolves and Brentford aren\u2019t far behind. West Ham\u2019s sale of Mohammed Kudus pretty much offsets their spending on new faces.<\/p>\n Arsenal are the Premier League\u2019s highest spenders on a net basis currently, committing around \u00a3200m in fees while only recouping small sums on Nuno Tavares and Marquinhos. They had a lean year in terms of transfer spending last season, giving them scope to splurge this time around, but it wouldn\u2019t be a surprise if they sought some sales this month.<\/p>\n Likewise Liverpool. The Athletic has detailed how they can afford their big spending<\/a>, but the desire to land Isak looks a stretch without a departure, if only because of Fenway Sports Group\u2019s continued desire to run the club sustainably. Nunez leaving would have the benefit of freeing up a striker spot and, most likely, generating a decent fee.<\/p>\n Chris Weatherspoon<\/p>\n Tottenham HotspurWhat happened this week?<\/strong><\/p>\n The biggest story was Son Heung-min<\/strong> playing his last game for Tottenham Hotspur<\/a> after 10 glorious years. Negotiations are currently ongoing for a move to LAFC, and Son played 66 minutes of the friendly against Newcastle before he was taken off to huge applause.<\/p>\n It remains to be seen when Son\u2019s move to LA will be confirmed, and whether Spurs will be straight into the market for a replacement. But the other major development from Sunday was James Maddison being taken off on a stretcher<\/a> with a worrying-looking knee injury. If it was as serious as it looked, then Spurs may have an issue with creativity in the middle of the pitch.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2224156622-scaled.jpg\")
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United have narrowed their search to a single priority striker \u2014 Sesko (Maja Hitij\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2193574006-1024x688.jpg\")
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