The summer transfer window closes on Friday, August 30. Premier League clubs have until 11pm BST (6pm EST) to make a transfer, and the clock is ticking for some big-name stars whose futures are uncertain.
Finding a new team can be tricky for both the player and the club trying to sign him. There are contractual issues, wage demands and transfer fees, but there is pressure to get things done in the coming week.
So who are the top European players looking for a new team before the transfer window closes? And who could they join?
Raheem Sterling, FW, Chelsea
New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has told Sterling he has no first-team future at Stamford Bridge and could leave the club this month. But with the 29-year-old still three years into his £300,000-a-week contract, finding a new club could be easier said than done.
After signing Sterling from Manchester City for £47.5m two years ago, Chelsea’s only viable option for getting their money back for the former England winger is for him to join a Saudi Arabian club. However, Sterling has already ruled out a move to the Saudi professional league as his family is settled in London.
Juventus and Aston Villa have shown some interest, but Sterling’s wages and transfer fee are likely to rule out a permanent deal. A loan move seems the only realistic option, but Chelsea are unlikely to find a club willing to pay his full salary.
Jadon Sancho, FW, Manchester United
United and Sancho had a season-long feud between the winger and manager Erik Ten Hag last year, but the situation was resolved through a reconciliation in the summer. The feud led to Sancho’s six-month loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.
But despite Ten Hag and Sancho calling a truce and the 24-year-old returning to the first-team squad, United are set to offload the player this month after paying £73m for him to Dortmund in 2021.
Sancho’s outstanding performances for Borussia Dortmund last season, which helped the Bundesliga side reach the Champions League final, have attracted some interest, with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea all linked as possible destinations.
United would like to see Sancho’s move permanent rather than another loan move, but would face a significant financial hit if another club were to pay the transfer fee and shoulder the player’s £250,000-a-week wages.
Ivan Toney, ST, Brentford
Saudi Premier League side Al Ahly have made a lucrative offer for Toney, but it is yet to match Brentford’s £50m asking price for the 28-year-old.
Toney’s contract expires at the end of the season, so Brentford need to work out a deal during this period to avoid getting him for nothing or losing a fraction of his value in January. But while the club are keen to complete a move before the end of the month, Toney is considering a move as a free agent at the end of his contract.
Tony, who helped England reach the Euro 2024 final this summer, knows a move to Saudi Arabia could ruin his hopes of playing at the 2026 World Cup. Previous interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United failed to materialise this summer, but Tony has several top clubs to choose from in 2025 if he holds off on a move. He must now consider whether the money on offer from Saudi Arabia is too good to turn down.
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Victor Osimhen, ST, Napoli
Chelsea are leading the race for Osimhen, but only if Napoli are prepared to accept a season-long loan deal with an obligation to make the move permanent next summer. PSG are still interested in Osimhen, with manager Luis Enrique saying at the weekend that Gonzalo Ramos’ long-term ankle injury will not keep the Ligue 1 side in action, but the club are yet to replace Kylian Mbappe, who has moved to Real Madrid.
With Napoli still waiting for the club to trigger Osimhen’s £113m release clause, a move for the 25-year-old Nigeria international looks unlikely at this point. But with Napoli sidelined from European football this season, a creative bid from Chelsea or PSG this week could be key to getting the move done.
Mark Guehi, CB, Crystal Palace
Newcastle have made four failed bids for the Crystal Palace defender and the club are now considering a fifth. Palace chairman Steve Parish said earlier this month that clubs interested in signing the England defender would have to offer “superstar money” to convince the Selhurst Park board to sell the 24-year-old.
Indeed, Palace are demanding £70m for Guéhi, and Newcastle could now be forced to sell their own players to unwind their finances. And with England full-back Kieran Trippier looking to leave St James’ Park — Everton want the 33-year-old — there could be another bid for Guéhi if Trippier moves.
Jared Brathwaite, CB, Everton
Manchester United made two unsuccessful bids for the Everton centre-back earlier this summer, but the £20m valuation gap between the two clubs meant they looked elsewhere. Since United pulled out of the Branthwaite deal, however, they have added Bayern Munich defender Mathis de Ligt and Lille youngster Lenny Yoro, but Everton’s precarious financial situation has left the player’s future uncertain.
Everton value Branthwaite at £70m but his former club Carlisle United are entitled to 15% of any future transfer fee after negotiating a clause in the youngster’s £1m move to Everton in 2020.
United are unlikely to re-sign Branthwaite during this transfer window, but if Everton need to raise funds quickly next week, Newcastle and Liverpool could renew their interest in the 22-year-old.
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Scott McTominay, CM, Manchester United
McTominay’s situation at United is central to the club’s transfer strategy in the final weeks of the transfer window. Fulham and Napoli are both keen on the Scottish midfielder, with United demanding at least £25m for the 27-year-old. If United were to sell McTominay, his status as a homegrown player would significantly increase the club’s ability to book any fee as net profit and reinvest the money in new signings.
Ten Hag has revealed that McTominay is happy to remain a member of the Old Trafford squad, but with his contract expiring next summer, United need to cash in on the transfer fee now and could be willing to reduce his valuation to get the deal done.
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho, who gave McTominay his United debut, is interested, but a move would be impossible at that fee unless United lower their demands.
Manuel Ugarte, DM, Paris Saint-Germain
The PSG midfielder has been a long-time target for United, but uncertainty over McTominay’s future has frozen a deal for the Uruguayan international. PSG, who signed the 23-year-old for £51m from Sporting CP last summer, are keen to recoup their outlay, but United are reluctant to make such a big offer.
A loan deal with an obligation to buy next summer is the most likely option, but United would be in a position to negotiate a permanent deal this window if they can offload McTominay.
There is still a chance that McTominay will stay and Ugarte will be brought in on loan, but United would prefer to lose one before adding one.
Frenkie de Jong, CM, Barcelona
De Jong is United’s plan B if a deal for Ugarte fails to materialise, but they have already found it difficult to lure the Netherlands international to the Camp Nou. Ten Hag wanted the former Ajax midfielder as their first signing at Old Trafford two years ago, but the summer saga ended when the player decided to stay in Spain.
De Jong is happy to remain at Barcelona, but the club’s financial woes have forced Ilkay Gundogan to return to Manchester City for free this week, meaning there could be more big-name players leaving in the final weeks of the transfer window.
De Jong will not push for a move, but if United fail to sign Ugarte, they could test Barcelona’s resolve with a late £50m move for the 27-year-old, who is currently injured and could be out for at least a few more months.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, RB/CM, Liverpool
Alexander-Arnold is unlikely to leave Liverpool next week, but it is not impossible given his contract situation. The 25-year-old’s contract expires in June next year and he has not yet negotiated an extension. That leaves Liverpool facing the possibility that the England international could talk to a non-Premier League club on a free transfer in the summer on January 1.
Real Madrid have been interested in him for a long time and are willing to wait until he becomes a free agent, but can Liverpool afford to risk losing such a valuable player for nothing?
If Alexander-Arnold shows no intention of signing a new contract, Liverpool will have no choice but to let him go now simply to collect the fee.
