The Premier League is in for the most hectic week of the season with the summer transfer window set to come to a close on Friday evening.
It has been a busy window up and down the table, with every club besides Liverpool having made a first-team signing.
With the transfer window open for just three more days, there is plenty of business still yet to be finalised. Here is the state of play at each of the big six ahead of the deadline…
Arsenal
As it stands, Ricardo Calafiori remains Arsenal’s only new first-team incoming of the summer, with David Raya also making last season’s loan spell permanent. But with Mikel Merino also set to join, it must be asked whether more signings are really necessary. The Gunners have cruised through the first two matches of the season and look to have the requisite depth for a strong campaign.
Arteta is clearly happy with his squad, which has been fine-tuned over the course of five years and has very little in the way of fat to trim. Eddie Nketiah looks set for a move to Crystal Palace and Fabio Vieira is set to re-join Porto on loan but once they are tied up, Arsenal look set for a stress-free close to the window.
Chelsea
It has been a characteristically chaotic transfer window for Chelsea, but the squad is still lacking despite the eye watering sums of money invested into it. A striker remains high on the list of priorities, with the club in the hunt for Victor Osimhen, while they have also reportedly made an approach for Brentford’s Ivan Toney. Despite the wealth of attacking option at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, the Blues are also reportedly interested in Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho, and a surprise signing before the window shuts can never be ruled out given their recent transfer windows.
But outgoing will require a huge amount of attention over the next 72 hours. Big names such as Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell need new homes after being deemed surplus to requirements by Maresca, while a swath of outcasts training apart in the ‘bomb squad’ will also want solutions. Among them are Trevoh Chalobah, Djorde Petrovic, Carney Chukwuemeka, and various youth prospects. Failing to find solutions for these players might result in problems.
Liverpool
For reasons best known to Arne Slot and the Liverpool higher-ups, Liverpool are yet to see a new player arrive this summer. Straightforward wins in opening league fixtures against Ipswich and Brentford might suggest that no changes are needed, with Salah in typically clinical form and the well oiled machine left behind by Jurgen Klopp still backing him.
But Slot will want a notable signing to mark the start of his reign on Merseyside, and that could come in the form of Juventus winger Federico Chiesa. A versatile forward able to play across the front four with 55 goal contributions from 131 appearances in Turin, his signature would help to settle supporters and kick off Slot’s reign. The Reds have also been focused on long-term planning, with the expected signing of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili as Alisson’s future replacement.
Manchester City
Already working with one of the best squads in the world, Pep Guardiola has little need to spend more money. Savinho, the first City signing of the summer, has proved an astute purchase and has hit the ground running, while Ilkay Gundogan’s surprise return is a big boost for his team. With the world’s best striker and midfielders at his disposal, Guardiola is not in need of major additions but perhaps a back-up striker following the departure of Julian Alvarez and in the case of a Haaland injury is an area that needs to be looked at.
With certain key players starting to age, namely Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne, and even the newly added Gundogan, City will soon have to refresh the squad and usher in a new generation of talent, though the issue likely will not need to be addressed until next summer. Out of favour Joao Cancelo looks set for a move to Saudi Arabia while Matheus Nunes could depart on loan.
Manchester United
United remain a team with big issues. Despite winning the FA Cup at the end of last season and retaining manager Erik Ten Hag, the squad still has notable weaknesses as showcased by the defeat to Brighton and injuries, including to big summer signing Lenny Yoro, Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund have not helped matters.
There is plenty of work to do. Manuel Ugarte looks set to sign from PSG to provide more tenacity and aggression in midfield and Raheem Sterling has also been linked to a move, but would likely not be a popular addition with supporters given his history at City and his recent struggles. The lack of a top striker has been an issue for the club but it does not appear that anything is imminent when it comes to attacking additions.
Incomings aside, some unsettled players need to be offloaded, particularly Jadon Sancho, who earns £350,000 a week to sit on the bench, while Scott McTominay looks set for a move to Napoli.
Tottenham
It has been an efficient window for Tottenham, adding one of the Premier League’s most sought after strikers in Dominic Solanke alongside highly rated talents Wilson Odobert, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall. Ange Postecoglou now finds himself with quite a well-rounded squad provided he can keep players fit, a problem already presenting itself when it comes to his new star striker Solanke.
Tottenham as a club tend to struggle for consistency though, as evidenced by their opening results, a stuttering draw away to Leicester and a home rout of Everton, and the club could look to strengthen its options in terms of depth. The back-line could be an area worth looking into, with a group of just four centre-backs posing a potential problem should injuries come later in the season. Midfield is also an area that makes sense to add to before the deadline following the departure of Oliver Skipp, as well as a back-up for Destiny Udogie at left-back.
FEATURED IMAGE: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP VIA ONE FOOTBALL
