The Transfer DealSheet: Latest on Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid and more

Welcome to the 10th summer 2026 window edition of The Transfer DealSheet.

Our team of dedicated writers will take you inside the market to explain the deals being worked on in what promises to be an extremely busy few months. This includes the players who could arrive and the ones on their way out across the Premier League.

The information in this article has been gathered in line with The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Unless stated, our reporters have spoken to more than one person briefed on each mooted deal before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment. Those responses, when they were given, have been included. Sources were granted anonymity to protect their positions.

In this edition, we have Seb Stafford-Bloor’s One To Watch and updates on Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

We aim to bring you analysis you can trust on what is happening at Europe’s leading clubs and the latest information we’re hearing from across the market.

This article is long but detailed, so enjoy it all — or search for the team or player you want to read about.

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One To Watch

With their midfield and defence already improved, Tottenham are expected to make several attacking additions before the window closes on September 1. Asked about his club’s recruiting plans ahead of the friendly against Chelsea in Australia over the weekend, head coach Roberto De Zerbi said that he was hoping for “two, maybe three” more players.

Who are they likely to be?

Manchester City winger Savinho has been a Spurs target for more than a year. The two clubs have maintained contact regarding the player, but City would want to secure a replacement before considering a sale.

Tottenham have also registered their interest with Cody Gakpo’s representatives, but have yet to make contact with Liverpool or begin a formal negotiation. Liverpool have no intention of selling the midfielder, but would judge his value relative to other deals this summer, including Elliot Anderson’s move to Manchester City and Morgan Rogers’ transfer to Chelsea. In addition, the club are eager to add to their attacking strength rather than to reduce it, and are mindful that Andoni Iraola, their new head coach, has not had a chance to work with Gakpo yet.

Spurs have also expressed an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jean-Matteo Bahoya and spoke with the French winger’s representatives before the window began. The player has never been seen as a primary target, though, and there has been no club-to-club contact to this point. Bahoya is now attracting interest from Saudi Arabia.

Rafael Leao, Milan’s Portuguese forward, is in a similar situation. While there was contact between the club’s recruiting department and the player’s representatives before the World Cup, nothing has materialised since, and Leao is not currently considered an active target.

Seb Stafford-Bloor

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Would Gakpo’s arrival help Spurs — and would his exit hurt Liverpool?

Though Gakpo was a frustrating watch at times throughout last season at Liverpool, his nose for a goalscoring opportunity cannot be denied. Only seven wide players averaged more touches in the opposition penalty area than his 2.2 per 90 minutes in 2025-26, while he also ranked inside the top 10 for chances created and shots from open play. Crucially, he was comfortably ahead of every Spurs player in all three of those metrics.

Gakpo would add firepower to a Tottenham forward line that is technically gifted, but lacks a killer instinct in front of goal. He strikes through the ball cleanly, and though his finishing was a little wayward last season, he generally scores more than the quality of his chances suggests that he should.

But most importantly, Gakpo will make that forward run into the penalty area, gamble on the ball reaching him at the back post, and get into promising positions with more frequency than most wingers do. That is reflected by his player pizza wheel below, where he scores highly on box threat, shot frequency and advanced involvement.

Losing both Gakpo and Mohamed Salah in the same window would remove a large chunk of Liverpool’s threat from wide areas. This is clearly why they are not interested in doing so. Some fans felt that Gakpo was too predictable, frequently choosing to cut inside onto his right foot, but he showed at the World Cup for the Netherlands that he is capable of mixing his game up.

For De Zerbi, the skill is getting into those positions in the first place. And Gakpo offers a solution both on the wing and through the middle, should injuries plague Spurs’ centre-forwards again.

Thom Harris

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What Else We’re Hearing

• Real Madrid and RB Leipzig are still to reach an agreement for Yan Diomande, as has now been confirmed by Marcel Schaefer, the latter’s sporting director. More talks are scheduled between the two clubs on Tuesday, with the hope of completing a deal before the weekend. Seb Stafford-Bloor and Mario Cortegana
• Alex Scott’s situation remains unchanged. Chelsea had an offer for the 22-year-old midfielder rejected in the middle of June and they are yet to return with an improved bid. Scott, who was a training member of England’s pre-World Cup squad, has two years left on his contract and has so far resisted Bournemouth’s offer of an extension. Nevertheless, the club insist he is not for sale this summer, regardless of whether he accepts that new deal or not. Seb Stafford-Bloor
• Everton have continued their interest in Celtic’s Alistair Johnston as they look to strengthen at right-back. Merseyside sources have played down suggestions of a formal bid for the Canada international, but talks have taken place between the two clubs. Celtic’s valuation is expected to be around £15million. Everton have explored other targets for the priority position, with RB Leipzig’s Germany international Ridle Baku another who has been considered. The £7m move for Arsenal’s Christian Norgaard, first reported by The Athletic over the weekend, could lead to departures in midfield, with Hull City having enquired about Tim Iroegbunam. The 22-year-old has also been monitored by clubs in Italy. Everton are also looking to strengthen their under-21 setup, and have discussed a move for young Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley. Patrick Boyland
• Tottenham and West Ham United are in negotiations for the permanent transfer of Manor Solomon. Solomon joined Spurs in 2023, but has appeared in just five Premier League games for them, having suffered an injury in his first season and then spent time on loan at Leeds United, Villarreal and Fiorentina. Seb Stafford-Bloor
• Club Brugge are in advanced negotiations to sign Crystal Palace’s England Under-21 forward Romain Esse. Seb Stafford-Bloor

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With a month to go, what does the Premier League’s net-spend situation look like?

Seven weeks down, four to go. With a little under a month remaining in the transfer window, Premier League club spending is down almost £200million, both gross and net, on this time last year.

Of course, 2025 didn’t have the all-encompassing men’s World Cup getting in the way, so a dip shouldn’t be surprising. And even with a recession to date, English teams’ spending is hardly in terminal decline and still trounces that of all other nations.

At the end of Monday, this season’s 20 Premier League sides had committed a total £1.652billion on new players this summer, and £680m net. That is just the reported transfer fees, too, so does not include agent fees or the league’s transfer levy applied to incoming deals. The true cost to clubs is even higher.

Of the 20, 13 are in a net-spend position, and some likely suspects top the charts: Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are all into nine figures. Both Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United have shelled out over £100million on new players but each, and particularly the latter, have recouped plenty too.

Chelsea’s £217million net spend so far is remarkable given they are up against a UEFA settlement agreement and have no Champions League football to bolster revenues this season.

Last week’s capture of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace took their spending on new players beyond £300million, and even if we remove fees paid for Geovany Quenda, Emmanuel Emegha and Denner, a trio signed previously but who only officially joined this summer, Chelsea’s net spend is less than £10m behind that of Tottenham, who are having their own summer of splurge. The imminent sale of Trevoh Chalobah to Como will, though, bring their net spend down further.

At the other end of the scale, Palace are one of just two clubs not to have spent a penny — Sunderland being the other. It was much the same at Selhurst Park a year ago, when Palace were also in the bottom two spenders on new players at the beginning of August. Sunderland’s big and worthwhile post-promotion outlay last season has reduced their scope in this one.

Unsurprisingly, following the huge moves of Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are the biggest net sellers to date, and divisional gross sales of £972million are a little ahead of a year ago.

Now, as then, the division’s richest are feasting on the rest. Those richest — the oft-referred-to ‘Big Six’ — occupy the top four spending spots currently, just as they did by the time last year’s summer window closed.

The Premier League’s collective wealth is abundant relative to the rest of the world but the ability to spend big year after year is concentrated in the hands of the few.

Chris Weatherspoon

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Arsenal

What has happened this week?

Perhaps last week will come to be seen as the calm before the storm.

Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior are Arsenal’s top targets to strengthen midfield and attack respectively.

Guimaraes flew to Spain yesterday to join his Newcastle team-mates at their La Manga training camp. Vinicius, meanwhile, reported back to Real Madrid after his post-World Cup holiday.

Sources at Arsenal and Newcastle suggest that the protracted pursuit of Guimaraes is now entering its end game. While Newcastle have never wanted to sell the midfielder, the growing feeling on both sides is that a transfer may now be inevitable.

As for Vinicius Jr, Arsenal’s hopes of signing the 26-year-old still hinge on the outcome of his contract-renewal talks with Madrid.

Is Vinicius Junior a statement signing or one with the potential to revolutionise the squad?

There is a clear football logic to Arsenal’s pursuit of him. They want a left-sided attacker, and have been looking for an upgrade in that position for some time. Vinicius Jr is one of the best in his position. If there is a chance he comes available, Arsenal are determined to be at the front of the queue.

Of course, it’s a deal which would come at enormous expense. Arsenal feel that cost could be partially offset by the commercial windfall prompted by landing a genuine global star. Moreover, they believe that being at the negotiating table for a player of Vinicius Jr’s stature is indicative of the club’s progress.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Aside from Guimaraes and Vinicius Jr, Arsenal’s focus is also on adding another defender to cover for the injured William Saliba.

Which players could be leaving?

Christian Norgaard will undergo a medical soon, ahead of joining Everton for £7million. The likes of Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Jesus remain available for transfer should an appropriate buyer be found.

James McNicholas

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Chelsea

What has happened this week?

Chelsea officially announced the signings of Maxence Lacroix, Danny Welbeck, Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson.

Lacroix completed a £52million move from Crystal Palace. The central defender signed a six-year deal. Welbeck’s move from Brighton for an undisclosed fee was done in time for him to join up with the squad in Hong Kong, which is the second stop of the club’s pre-season tour. The 35-year-old striker’s deal runs until 2028.

The Transfer DealSheet has reported for several weeks that midfielder Barco was joining from Strasbourg. He has now arrived for an undisclosed fee. Midfielder Henderson’s move was always a matter of time after Brentford announced an agreement had been reached for him to leave as a free agent.

Mykhailo Mudryk was given permission to resume his football career at Chelsea after his doping case with the Football Association was resolved. The Ukraine international has also travelled to Hong Kong. There have been multiple enquiries from clubs elsewhere, now that he is able to play again. A decision on whether the winger will have a chance to be involved in the first-team squad, loaned out or sold, has yet to be taken by the club.

Meanwhile, the Football Association has fined Chelsea £10million and given them a suspended two-window transfer ban for rules breaches connected to agents and third parties during the Roman Abramovich ownership era. The wrongdoing took place between 2011 and 2018.

Can we realistically expect any further incomings after the recent flurry of signings?

Well, we already know they want to acquire left-back Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano, so that is at least one more that could be added to the group.

Other arrivals will probably depend on exits, which is the main priority right now. For example, new manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed he wants a maximum of four or five centre-halves to work with, and they currently have 10 senior pros who play in that position — a number that will drop with Trevoh Chalobah’s impending exit to Como.

Selling is also important to comply with financial rules. Chelsea are confident they will make over £300million in outgoings come the deadline next month.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Chelsea remain in talks with Rayo over Chavarria. There are other options being considered, but the 28-year-old full-back has been their main target for several weeks. The two clubs are still to agree a fee.

An enquiry was made for Bayer Leverkusen winger Kerim Alajbegovic, but he has opted to join Juventus instead. The 18-year-old was being earmarked as a signing for Strasbourg rather than Chelsea, though.

Reports of their interest in Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa have been downplayed. Teddy Sharman-Lowe, who started both of Chelsea’s pre-season friendlies in Australia, and USMNT international Gaga Slonina remain contenders for the third-choice ’keeper role.

Which players could be leaving?

Chelsea now have six strikers in the senior squad following Welbeck’s transfer, and they intend to have half as many going into the season.

Joao Pedro is going nowhere and is being given a new deal, as The Athletic reported. Liam Delap is one of the players most likely to go. He joined from Ipswich Town for £30million last summer, but the club are looking for a fee in excess of that. Nicolas Jackson is valued at £65m and is liked by Aston Villa, while the asking price for Marc Guiu is £25m. All three have interest from clubs in England and abroad. Emmanuel Emegha, currently recovering from a hamstring injury, is not assured of his role yet.

Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen left the pre-season tour early to formalise a move away. A loan to Strasbourg is being considered.

Como have agreed a deal to buy Trevoh Chalobah. He will join them for €36m.

Pedro Neto, Malo Gusto (priced at £75m) and Enzo Fernandez (£120m) are all appreciated by the club but have been left off the ‘not for sale’ list.

Alonso’s revelation that Chelsea intend to have a maximum of five centre-backs for 2026-27 means at least five must go. Benoit Badiashile is up for sale at £30million, and there are clubs keen in England and Europe. Axel Disasi can go for £25m. The plan is to loan Mamadou Sarr to an English club. Aaron Anselmino is another contender for a loan away.

USMNT international Caleb Wiley has loan options in England. Strikers Deivid Washington (loan or permanent) and David Datro Fofana (permanent) will be leaving, and Genesis Antwi has been sent to Strasbourg for the season.

Omari Kellyman, Reggie Walsh, Shumaira Mheuka and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen are all discussing loan moves.

Simon Johnson

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Liverpool

What has happened this week?

Liverpool began preparing a formal approach for Bradley Barcola, the Paris Saint-Germain winger who is their top transfer target. The wheels are in motion, and Liverpool want to do the deal at around £100million. PSG have indicated they value him at around £145m.

Elsewhere, the team rounded off a busy three-match tour in the United States and will continue preparations ahead of the new Premier League season back on Merseyside.

Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch were all given a first run-out of the summer, while a number of youngsters continued to impress. Joe Gomez picked up an injury and will miss the start of the season, while Inter informed Liverpool they would be prepared to pay €35million for Curtis Jones, who only has a year left on his deal.

If Liverpool can get a deal done for Barcola, is the squad in a good place?

Bringing in the Frenchman would certainly be a statement signing, and significantly boost an attacking line that is depleted following the exit of Mohamed Salah and the long-term loss of Hugo Ekitike to injury. The priority all summer has been to strengthen the wide positions and Barcola, who typically plays on the left, would certainly do that.

There are other gaps that need filling, though.

A durable and versatile right-sided defender would be useful, as Conor Bradley is also out for a lengthy period and Gomez has struggled to stay fit for years. Centre-backs Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are also recovering from injuries and need time to settle in. The midfield area could also do with a boost unless Trey Nyoni is given more first-team game time.

What positions/players are they looking at?

As well as Barcola, midfield and defensive options are being considered. If Jones leaves, a new midfielder must be signed to boost that department.

Liverpool also continue to scour the market for the next batch of emerging talent and are continuing to assess a number of players around the ages of 16 and 17.

Which players could be leaving?

There are the curious cases of Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa. Both say they’re happy at the club, but unless Andoni Iraola sees something others have missed, they’re likely going to struggle for game time and may need to move on to further their careers.

Inter’s desire to bring in Jones is growing, and Cody Gakpo is admired by several clubs, including Tottenham, although there’s no intent at Liverpool to sell.

Elsewhere, many of the younger players who joined the pre-season tour are expected to leave on loan.

Ifeanyi Nduwke will be one of those, after failing to qualify for a UK work permit. Luke Chambers, Callum Scanlon, James McConnell, Lewis Koumas and Kieran Morrison all have plenty of interest, but goalkeeper Harvey Davies will stick around until at least January as cover and is expected to see his contract extended.

Gregg Evans

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Manchester City

What has happened this week?

Not a lot! Director of football Hugo Viana has joined their pre-season trip to Hong Kong, and there had been some expectation within the club that some transfer activity would have happened by now, but it is yet to materialise.

City have been anticipating this will be a busy summer for them and that could yet be the case, but so far there has been little to go at since the signing of Elliot Anderson. Geronimo Rulli of Marseille is being targeted as a replacement for backup goalkeeper James Trafford, though, with the England international set to join Leeds.

Are City in a good position if Rodri leaves or do they need additions?

They could really do with reinforcements in Rodri’s midfield area, and are trying for Ayyoub Bouaddi. Even if they can sign the 18-year-old from Lille, it would be a big ask to expect him to make a huge impact immediately, especially if being compared to Rodri.

City could spend around £200million combined on Anderson and Bouaddi, but it could still be argued that they need an additional midfielder, especially if anyone comes in for Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and/or Mateo Kovacic.

What positions/players are they looking at?

The priority areas heading into the summer were right-back, central midfield and winger, but other areas would be strengthened depending on outgoings, like Rulli to replace Trafford.

Which players could be leaving?

The big question mark is around Rodri, who is wanted by Real Madrid and has only one year left on his contract. New manager Enzo Maresca suggested that Kovacic’s future is still up in the air recently, although the expectation is that he will stay, while Savinho is being courted by Tottenham.

There are some doubts around the futures of Omar Marmoush and Reijnders, as well as Nico and Rico Lewis. Ruben Dias has also been of interest to Madrid, although he is preparing for another season in Manchester.

Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish will be moved on if the right options come along.

Sam Lee

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Manchester United

What has happened this week?

United beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in a friendly in Stockholm, coming from behind through two Bryan Mbeumo goals.

JJ Gabriel played for the senior side for the first time, aged 15 years and 299 days old. He came off the bench for the final eight minutes.

Senne Lammens and new signing Youri Tielemans reported early from their summer breaks after playing for Belgium at the World Cup, with Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, Matheus Cunha and Noussair Mazraoui due back this week following theirs.

Did United ever consider going for Danny Welbeck?

Much to the disappointment of those fans who hoped to see Welbeck wear United’s shirt again, the club never showed any indication of pursuing him this summer. They did explore a move in 2024 and then, more significantly, last year, but ultimately the length of contract potentially on offer did not appeal to Welbeck, who effectively had terms until 2027.

This time, with the player now aged 35, United did not pursue a move, leaving Chelsea to agree a two-year deal for a striker with 23 Premier League goals in the past two seasons.

United are still weighing up the striker market, although a deal is not expected for Ollie Watkins, another player who has been linked. The Aston Villa front man was of interest to United last summer before they signed Benjamin Sesko, but they are not set to revisit that situation a year on.

What positions/players are they looking at?

It had been anticipated that United would bring in a third new midfielder to supplement the signings of Tielemans and Andrey Santos, but staff are considering where to next put their resources. It is now not certain that another player arrives in that position.

Mason Mount has started all three pre-season fixtures in a deeper role, which could mean United have four to rotate in those two spots, with Kobbie Mainoo completing the quartet. Mount has been one of United’s best performers in these initial friendly games, but staff are conscious he needs to stay fit after an injury-hit time since joining from Chelsea three years ago.

United might decide to target their focus on other positions, with left-back being a prime consideration. Lewis Hall is well liked, but a deal looks highly complicated. Sources say Newcastle are now privately insisting the 21-year-old will not leave. Newcastle have already sold Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this summer, while Arsenal are pursuing Bruno Guimaraes, their captain.

Which players could be leaving?

Everton are eyeing Ethan Wheatley, United’s 20-year-old striker who had productive loan spells at League One sides Northampton Town and Bradford City last season. There is interest in Joshua Zirkzee, and goalkeepers Radek Vitek and Altay Bayindir. Harry Amass and Toby Collyer are younger players who could leave.

Laurie Whitwell

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Newcastle United

What has happened this week?

Where to start?

Eddie Howe has stepped down as head coach after a glorious, frenetic, exhausting five-year spell at St James’ Park in which Newcastle were transformed from relegation fodder into trophy-winning legends.

After telling the club at the end of last season — which was long and bruising — that he wished to carry on, Howe reconsidered not long after players returned to training. After some high-profile departures, a couple of rejections in the transfer market and with Bruno Guimaraes, the captain, expressing a desire to join Arsenal, Howe decided he could give nothing more and that it was time for a fresh start for Newcastle.

Matthias Jaissle will be the public face of this fresh start, a 38-year-old German who Newcastle are hiring from Al Ahli, the Saudi club who have won the past two Asian Champions League titles, for a big release fee. This cements the sense that the club are heading into a new era, with a young manager leading what will be a young and energetic team, stocked with players who actively want to be on Tyneside.

Newcastle have also completed their fifth senior signing of the summer, with Lukas Hornicek joining on a five-year contract from Braga for a fee of €30million (£25.7m; $34.5m), the value of his release clause. Hornicek, 24, has been described by Ross Wilson, Newcastle’s sporting director, as “one of Europe’s top young goalkeepers” and he is expected to be first-choice this season.

There remains continuing uncertainty around the position of Guimaraes. The Brazil midfielder has expressed a desire to join Arsenal, but Newcastle did not want to sell him this summer and have been perplexed by the lack of direct contact from the London club. Howe last week described the saga as “unhealthy” and a “distraction,” and Newcastle are keen for a resolution.

Do Newcastle have the right players for Jaissle’s style?

On the face of it, there are stylistic similarities between Howe and Jaissle. Both men favour hard running and pressing. In an interview with The Athletic from earlier this year, Jaissle described his approach like this: “I want stress on the opponent as soon as possible. And when we win the ball, I want to go as quickly as possible towards the opponent’s goal. I’m very vertical in that approach.”

In this sense, the appointment of Jaissle is very deliberate. “We had a very clear set of criteria for the type of football that suits this squad because this is a squad that Eddie’s had a hand in building,” says one senior source, speaking anonymously to protect relationships.

At Red Bull Salzburg, where he won two league titles and the Austrian Cup, Jaissle’s age helped him connect with a youthful team; four of Newcastle’s five signings this window are 20 or under.

The bigger picture, of course, can only be a little unfocused because there are so many unknowns.

Newcastle have lost experience and huge quality in Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali. If Guimaraes follows them out of the club, they will also have lost their captain and talisman, without whom they were effectively unable to win in the Premier League under Howe. They have more work to do, and they definitely require a dash of leadership.

There was plenty of positional fluidity under Howe, but his go-to system was 4-3-3. At Al Ahli, Jaissle has often used a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-1-2 shape. It will be fascinating to see how he accommodates Nick Woltemade, who was signed at great expense in the desperate aftermath of Alexander Isak’s contentious exit to Liverpool last summer, but who struggled to find a consistent position in Howe’s XI.

The Athletic’s Anantaajith Raghuraman has taken a closer look at Jaissle’s tactical approach.

What positions/players are they looking at?

As of last week, Newcastle were not aggressively pursuing a Guimaraes replacement, but since Howe’s departure there has been a growing feeling that the situation cannot drift on. All clubs have succession plans and Stuttgart’s Germany midfielder Angelo Stiller and Victor Froholdt of Porto, a Denmark international, are among the players to have been scouted intensively.

Howe also wanted at least one more full-back, while other positions may be strengthened later in the window, partially depending on outgoings.

Which players could be leaving?

Again, Guimaraes is the big one — a melodrama which is still being played out.

Hornicek’s arrival, plus the earlier signing of Ewen Jaouen, the young French goalkeeper, means that Nick Pope will be allowed to leave, although on this, as with everything, Jaissle will surely have his own ideas.

Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy have both entered the final year of their contracts and bids for them will be considered.

George Caulkin

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Tottenham Hotspur

What has happened this week?

Roberto De Zerbi teased that Tottenham were working on a ‘bomba’ attacking signing. Spurs have already spent nearly £250million on upgrading their midfield and defence this summer, but their attention will turn to further up the pitch in the final month of the window.

They are confident of completing a move for long-term target Savinho from Manchester City, but the ‘bomba’ signing is understood to be a separate deal. De Zerbi slightly backtracked on his comments the next day by saying “bomba in Italian is different from bomba in English” but did add that he expects “two, maybe three” more arrivals.

That ‘bomba’ signing could be a backup striker to Dominic Solanke, as Richarlison’s future is uncertain. The Brazil international scored a stoppage-time winner against Chelsea on Saturday in the final game of Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand. De Zerbi revealed afterwards that he “does not know” if the 29-year-old will stay because “sometimes he wants to leave”. Richarlison only has a year left on his contract.

Does this Spurs squad need a ‘bomba signing?’

Tottenham’s squad desperately needs an injection of quality in the final third. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are both recovering from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, Dejan Kulusevski has not played in over a year due to a complicated issue with his patella (kneecap), and Mohammed Kudus is working back to full fitness after a hamstring problem. Solanke struggled with ankle and muscle issues last season, while that campaign’s top goalscorer Richarlison could leave. James Maddison went on the tour to New Zealand and Australia but did not play in any of the three games because of a “small problem”, according to De Zerbi. He will need to be managed carefully after only returning from two ACL injuries in May.

Spurs are light on numbers, and none of their attacking players have consistently impressed over the past couple of seasons anyway. Savinho would be a great addition because of his ability to play on either wing, but they still require more. The Athletic has tried to identify who the ‘bomba’ signing could be.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Tottenham have struggled in the final third ever since Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich three years ago. It did not help that Son Heung-min’s output dropped off during his final two seasons in north London.

Mathys Tel has shown a few moments of brilliance on the left wing, but De Zerbi needs somebody capable of delivering on a consistent basis. Solanke has only scored 12 goals in 42 Premier League appearances for the club, although in the England striker’s defence, he has played under four different head coaches since joining from Bournemouth in August 2024.

Spurs need multiple first-class attacking options to keep up with their rivals. As my colleague Seb Stafford-Bloor reports above, they have made contact with Cody Gakpo’s representatives. Liverpool do not want to sell the Dutchman.

Which players could be leaving?

At the beginning of last week, De Zerbi said he planned to talk to Lucas Bergvall about the midfielder’s future. The Athletic reported earlier this summer that the 20-year-old expressed a preference to move on after two years in north London. Nottingham Forest and Newcastle’s offers for the Sweden international have been rejected.

However, De Zerbi said he understands Bergvall’s best position now and “would like” him to stay. Bergvall started the pre-season friendlies against Sydney FC and Chelsea. In the latter, he forged a solid partnership with new record signing Sandro Tonali. Bergvall faces a lot of competition in midfield, though, from £85million signing Mateus Fernandes, who was rested on tour as a precaution, Rodrigo Bentancur, who was granted a slightly longer break following the World Cup, Archie Gray and Conor Gallagher.

Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario are expected to leave. It would be a drain of experience and leadership, but selling them would help finance any ambitious attacking signings.

Mason Melia, 18, is expected to go out on loan to a Championship side, and Lincoln City are a strong contender for his signature. Mikey Moore, who spent last season on loan with Rangers, is attracting interest from German top-flight side Koln.

The only other piece of business is that Randal Kolo Muani has joined Juventus in a deal worth up to €50million. The centre-forward spent last season on loan at Spurs from Paris Saint-Germain and only scored once in 30 league games.

Jay Harris

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Barcelona

What has happened this week?

Barcelona announced their third signing of the summer: Jesse Bisiwu. They paid Club Brugge an initial fee of €8.5million for the 18-year-old left-winger, and the Belgian club will retain a 20 per cent sell-on clause.

Bisiwu is rated as a top prospect by Barcelona’s sporting director Deco, and the club saw this deal as a market opportunity, with the player’s contract running out next year. The plan is for him to stay close to the first team, with the possibility of getting some minutes with reserve side Barca Atletic, who play in Spain’s fourth tier.

On the departures front, Marc-Andre ter Stegen joined Barcelona’s training camp in England but left on Friday as he is finally set to join Ajax on loan for this season. That deal is expected to be completed in the coming days. Barca sources say they will be paying around 90 per cent of his wages, although the Dutch side might end up paying a larger share, depending on his involvement and success.

Will Barcelona’s pursuit of Alvarez be hurt by Atletico’s report to the Spanish FA?

Barca sources believe that the report Atletico filed to the Spanish FA regarding Julian Alvarez will not have any significant consequences for them. The club maintain that their stance with Alvarez has not changed, although that does not mean there has been positive progress for them.

Officials insist they submitted, in early June, a first formal offer to Atletico for Argentina striker Alvarez of around €100million. Atletico sources denied that at the time. Barca say their offer has not been responded to, but their interest remains. However, their position is that they will not stay in the mix forever, and nor will they drastically increase their valuation.

With all that taken into account, there is growing pessimism at the Barcelona end over their chances of signing Alvarez by the end of the window. He is expected back at training with Atletico on August 10. It is around this time that the Catalans are expected to make a final decision in their chase for the player.

If Barca were to withdraw their interest in Alvarez, club officials have told The Athletic they might not add anybody else this summer. They also say the signings of fellow forwards Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi offer versatility, and that other players within the squad could perform as central strikers.

One of those is 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim, who joined in January from Cairo’s Al Ahly and played for Egypt at the World Cup. After scoring two goals in the friendly with Birmingham City on Friday, he is expected to stay around the first team as backup for the No 9 role — which needs to be filled following Robert Lewandowski’s departure on the expiry of his contract in June.

What positions/players are they looking at?

The No 9 spot is still their biggest priority, but senior Barca officials admit that the pool of strikers suited to their requirements is very limited, and that it might be hard to find the right player if Alvarez cannot be signed.

Barcelona have also been eyeing defensive reinforcements, but the chances of moves being made here have cooled. Some senior club figures believe a left-footed centre-back would improve the team, but manager Hansi Flick is happy with the options he has. Gerard Martin is expected to be fully regarded as a centre-back from now on, and for a new defensive signing to come in, Barca would need to sell from that area of the squad — something which looks unlikely right now.

Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde have no intention of leaving, while Alejandro Balde — another player the club were open to selling — confirmed this week he won’t be moving in an interview with Diario Sport.

Which players could be leaving?

Ferran Torres is arguably the hottest topic in that department. The scorer of Spain’s World Cup-winning goal is entering the final year of his contract, and no extension has been agreed.

There have been reports in Spain of interest from Paris Saint-Germain in the 26-year-old. The Athletic has not verified this. Those close to the forward insist that all scenarios are open, and that talks will take place as soon as he returns from his post-World Cup holiday. All of Barca’s world-champion Spain internationals are expected back at work by August 12.

In an interview with NBC in New York on Monday, Torres was asked where he will be playing in the coming season. “I have a contract at Barcelona, but in football you never know,” he replied. “I’m just waiting to make the right decision, but I don’t know yet.”

Then there are Marc Casado and Roony Bardghji.

Both know they will have very limited roles under Flick in 2026-27, and all sides involved are exploring the best options available. Casado, now 22 and a boyhood Barca fan, has always been very keen on staying, despite the club sanctioning his sale. In the case of 20-year-old Bardghji, a loan where he could gain more regular minutes is seen as the most likely scenario.

Pol Ballus and Laia Cervello

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Real Madrid

What has happened this week?

It has been a busy week, with transfer news on Yan Diomande, Rodri, Carlos Espi, Gonzalo Garcia, Cesar Palacios and more.

After a standstill that lasted several days, Madrid made progress over the weekend with RB Leipzig regarding the signing of 19-year-old Diomande. The Ivory Coast winger was not part of the German side’s pre-season friendly on Saturday, with Leipzig saying that he was unwell. There is a general expectation that a deal will be sealed this week, with talks to take place today (Tuesday).

Meanwhile, work continues on the signing of Rodri. Personal terms with Spain’s World Cup winner are not an issue, but talks with Manchester City over a fee have not yet been completed.

Espi‘s arrival was announced on Thursday, with Madrid and Levante agreeing a lightning-fast transfer for the 21-year-old Spanish striker in a deal worth around €25million.

That move was finalised following an agreement for the sale of Garcia to Fulham for around €40million. That transfer has now been confirmed. Madrid will also retain 30 per cent of any future sale, a right of first refusal and exclusive buy-back clauses from the second season onwards. The 22-year-old striker was a key target for new Fulham coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who worked with him at academy and senior levels at Madrid.

The same is true of Palacios, another former Madrid youth-teamer. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has also joined Fulham in a similarly structured deal, this one worth around €10million.

Two other Madrid academy graduates have also moved on. Goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez, 21, joined Sevilla for €3million and defender Victor Valdepenas, 19, signed for Fiorentina for €8m. Madrid inserted 50 per cent sell-on clauses in both cases.

Does it feel like the Vinicius Junior situation needs to be resolved soon?

Yes, and proof of this is the meeting scheduled for this week between Madrid and the player’s agents to discuss a contract renewal, with his current one expiring in June 2027.

The Athletic revealed that Arsenal are exploring the possibility of a move for the Brazilian if he does not re-sign, and that the anticipated figures for what that deal would entail have been approved by the club’s ownership.

Vinicius Jr is open to lowering his demands to Madrid, having previously asked for a package approaching but not quite reaching €30million a year, comprising a base salary, performance-related bonuses and, in what would be an unprecedented move at Madrid, a renewal bonus. This is the main point of contention between the parties. Madrid have shown no willingness to accept this condition, out of fear of creating a knock-on effect among the squad.

Key figures at the club are in favour of a sale this month if no agreement is reached on an extension, in order to prevent Vinicius Jr potentially leaving as a free agent next summer.

The 26-year-old returned to pre-season training on Monday under Jose Mourinho. The new head coach has been in contact with him and likes his profile, but the decision over his extension or sale will rest with the club. In this regard, president Florentino Perez will have the final say.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Mourinho is still keen to sign a centre-back, but is aware that a first-team player would have to leave for this to happen, and that any deal must be considered financially viable.

Which players could be leaving?

Madrid and Mourinho are open to the departures of Raul Asencio and Eduardo Camavinga, both 23. However, neither player has shown a sign of wanting to seek a new club.

Spanish centre-back Asencio suffered a muscle injury last week that will keep him out of action for at least a month, which complicates any potential move. He is under contract until 2031. Camavinga’s deal expires in 2029.

Franco Mastantuono is expected to leave on loan. The 18-year-old Argentine, signed in 2025 from River Plate for €63.2million, has failed to impress during pre-season, and Madrid and his agents are looking for a club where he can get regular playing time, following a disappointing debut campaign.

The Athletic reported that Mastantuono’s preference was to return to River, but that is an option that Madrid are not considering. The club had an approach from a Saudi Arabian team, but rejected the idea as they want him to stay in Europe, with a preference for Spain. Italy is also on the table, though. My colleague James Horncastle reports that Fiorentina have shown concrete interest and they consider themselves the right team and Florence the right city for him. However, there is an acknowledgement it will be an uphill struggle and that there is a lot of competition.

Several other Italian clubs have also contacted Madrid, and a resolution is expected this week. Mastantuono was not part of the squad for their 2-2 friendly draw against, ironically, Fiorentina in Austria on Saturday.

There have been rumours of another possible departure for Endrick following Espi’s signing. However, sources with knowledge of the situation say the Brazilian striker, who got loaned to Lyon in last season’s winter window, wants to stay, and Mourinho has been impressed by his efforts.

Mario Cortegana