The summer transfer window is reaching a crucial stage, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham all involved in some massive deals in the Premier League
There are now just 29 days until the start of the Premier League season and squads are far from complete, with several massive transfers still in the pipeline.
With the Club World Cup concluded, the focus is now on pre-season, with teams jetting around the world to build up their fitness. But for supporters, there is still the question of who will be playing for their side in the 2025/26 season.
We have seen a few sagas develop over the past few months – we’re looking at you Viktor Gyokeres – while other stories have emerged more recently. Clubs have until September 1 to complete deals, but managers desperately want them done before the season starts, so the race against the clock is on.
Here Mirror Football casts an eye over the most high profile potential transfers across the Premier League, both sales and acquisitions, and gives you the latest on their progress. Strap yourselves in, here goes.
Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal
The Swedish striker is closing in on a move to the Premier League – finally.
Gyokeres has been desperate to leave Sporting Lisbon and move to a bigger league to test himself this summer. At the age of 27, he wants to make the jump, just two years after leaving Coventry City for Portugal. "What I managed to do at Sporting, I am convinced I can achieve anywhere,” he has said. “You haven't seen the best Gyokeres yet."
Arsenal turned their full attention away from Benjamin Sesko to Gyokeres and sporting director Andrea Berta has gone through somewhat fractious negotiations with the Portuguese club.
But now, after strike threats and presidential fury, a deal has been agreed between the two clubs, personal terms with the player are sorted, and it’s a matter of time before his £63.6million deal is all ticked through and he becomes an Arsenal player.
Alexander Isak to Liverpool
A story that exploded and then seemingly faded in equally quick time.
Like Arsenal before them, Liverpool declared their interest in signing Newcastle’s goal machine. They approached the Magpies over the subject on Tuesday, floating the idea of a blockbuster £120m transfer.
Having already spent around £170m this summer to sign Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and co, there was understandable shock among rival fans: How would Liverpool afford such expenditure in the age of profit and sustainability rules?
The Reds believed a deal would be viable, with the sale of Darwin Nunez offsetting the cost, but the bigger stumbling block proved to be Newcastle’s stance: Isak is not for sale. And that has led them to the next player on our list.
Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool
Newcastle and Liverpool are joined together in their transfer business this summer. Eddie Howe’s side bid £70m for Ekitike earlier this week, only to see the offer rejected – and now Liverpool are not just chasing the Frankfurt striker, but are fast closing in.
The Reds have sounded out the German side, telling them they are ready to bid, knowing where the bar is set thanks to Newcastle’s rejection. And Mirror Football understands that the 23-year-old favours a move to Anfield over St James’ Park and that personal terms have already been agreed with the Frenchman.
Liverpool have come to this conclusion after determining that Newcastle won’t budge over Isak. The fact that their alternative also happens to have been a top target for the Magpies is a coincidence, which makes the whole situation more intriguing.
Darwin Nunez to Saudi Arabia
Liverpool want to sell Nunez, who has not lived up to his billing. The Uruguayan had been set to join Napoli, having agreed to the move, but things ground to a halt over the transfer fee, with Liverpool holding out for £70m, while the Serie A champions would only pay £50m.
That could still change, but with Napoli signing Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese, that avenue may be closed. Instead, it could be Saudi Arabia for Nunez, with sides pushing for his services. It's been claimed that new Al-Hilal boss Simone Inzaghi has identified the former Benfica star as a target if they fail to sign Victor Osimhen.
Marcus Rashford to Barcelona
Rashford isn’t wanted by Manchester United and has been placed in the bomb squad by Ruben Amorim while he tries to find a new club. The problem is that Rashford only has eyes for one club : Barcelona.
He has rejected approaches from Saudi Arabia, despite their lucrative nature, and is waiting for Barca. There are many hurdles though: Rashford is paid £325,000 per week at United and is under contract until June 2028. He is willing to lower his wages, but United want a sale and Barca want a loan deal, due to their financial situation.
It looks like this one could rumble on for some time, with a compromise needing to be reached.
Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho is in the same boat as Rashford, training separately from their United team-mates while they await a transfer elsewhere. He attracted interest from Napoli, but is understood to prefer a move to a Premier League rival.
Aston Villa, Chelsea and Tottenham have been monitoring his situation, but United’s £70m valuation is an obvious barrier to a deal, while his attitude towards the end of last season may have put off some suitors. The 21-year-old is under contract until June 2028 with United, but doesn’t appear to have any future under Ruben Amorim. United have so far failed to shift any of their unwanted players – a group which includes Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia – and will get increasingly desperate as September 1 approaches.
Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United
One of the reasons they want Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho and co gone is so there is space in the squad, and further funds, to sign Mbeumo. Brentford are standing firm over their valuation for the Cameroon international, who banged in 20 goals in the Premier League last season.
United have seen two bids rejected by the Bees, with the last around £60m. Mbeumo wants to move to Old Trafford and there is a sense that the deal will happen, because Brentford are loathed to keep players who don’t want to be there. But they are also more than happy to drag their feet and get the very best deal possible.
Brentford's director of football Phil Giles is the man holding up the process – and it will take a third improved bid from United to land their man.
Marc Guehi to Liverpool
Guehi is no stranger to a transfer saga, having been the subject of interest from Newcastle last summer. That ended when Crystal Palace rejected a £70m bid for the England centre-back, but the rumours are back this summer.
Liverpool want a centre-back after letting Jarell Quansah leave for Bayer Leverkusen and amid rumours of Ibrahima Konate leaving for Real Madrid. Guehi has entered the final year of his contract with Palace and reports suggest that he is willing to wait it out. Palace now value Guehi at £40m and the ball is in Liverpool’s court.
Morgan Gibbs-White to Tottenham
Things have become ugly here. Tottenham bid £60m for the playmaker, only for Nottingham Forest to react by considering legal action over what they believe may be an illegal approach.
The £60m bid triggered Gibbs-White’s release clause and Spurs tried to line up a medical for the England star. Tottenham are understood to still be confident they will get their man, having opted for Gibbs-White over Palace star Eberechi Eze.
Forest are perturbed that Spurs knew the exact details of their star player’s release clause and could complain to the Premier League, potentially holding up his exit.
Nicolas Jackson to Manchester United
This one has come out of the left field. The idea that Chelsea might sell Jackson is not surprising, given they have signed Liam Delap and Joao Pedro this summer, but the potential destination is intriguing.
Chelsea are said to value Jackson at £100m after hearing of interest from AC Milan – and now United are sniffing around. United could sell Rasmus Hojlund back to Serie A and are not convinced by Joshua Zirkzee, meaning they could move for another striker to complement Matheus Cunha and, hopefully, Mbeumo.