Ah, the heady combination of the first international break of the season and the period directly following the closure of the summer transfer window. You know what’s coming up, don’t you. That’s right! Not much is what’s coming up. But we’ll try our best.
Barcelona, having offloaded Pedro to Chelsea, plan to replace the wee man with Riyad Mahrez. The in-form Leicester City winger is also a target for Arsenal, who are considering purchasing a player in 2016 or 2017, though no promises, let’s not get over-excited yet.
Arsenal might additionally be interested – potentially, perhaps, maybe, though at this stage it’s best not to get carried away on a flight of fancy – in 19-year-old Real Betis midfielder Dani Ceballos. However there’s competition from Liverpool, who are also past masters at identifying young talent from the continent, plonking them in the reserves for a year, sending them out on loan, plonking them in the reserves for another two years, then dispatching them on loan again with an option to buy at a vastly reduced price.
Arsenal are also keeping tabs on £10m-rated Basel attacker Breel Embolo. Where was all this giddy transfer activity when the window was open?
Neighbours Tottenham Hotspur are actually willing to spend some of their money, but are finding it hard to do so. They’re very interested in bolstering their midfield with Victor Wanyama, but Southampton, with a view to making a tidy sum, are holding out for the involvement of some more big clubs who can’t be bothered to do their own scouting. Who can blame them? It happens.
And James Wilson is a target for Derby County. They’re apparently one of 20 clubs trying to get the young Manchester United striker on loan. The other 19 go unnamed, members of a queue stretching all the way down the A56, as far as Wilson’s agent’s mind’s eye can see.
