Time is money, it’s said, but money doesn’t buy time for Premier League clubs. Despite getting ample notification of the transfer deadline date, most clubs always wind up scrambling to fill holes in their teams and often fail. Just look at Chelsea. They were given the clearest possible demonstration last season that big purge and renewal was needed at Stamford Bridge but they bought only two new players and are now banging frantically on doors as they seek more.
But apparently they’re banging on all the wrong doors because they still can’t find anyone who’ll sell them a top centre-back: their latest plan is to offer Paris Saint-Germain nearly £50m for Marquinhos, but PSG will tell them where to go. Actually, they won’t: because where Chelsea and every other club looking for a tip-top centre-back should go is Southampton, but so far this summer there have been no offers for Virgil van Dijk. It seems that by giving the Dutchman a new six-year contract in May, Southampton made the Premier League signing of the summer. So Southampton, for one, know how to get things done on time. Which makes the state of their frontline a bit of a puzzle.
Still, at least Southampton have kept things secure at the back, helped by the fact that, according to today’s reports, they have convinced José Fonte to remain at the club despite interest from Manchester United. Now there are whispers that José Mourinho will turn his attention to, yes, Marquinhos. The Portuguese is also interested in Monaco’s Fabinho, but Chelsea aren’t, so getting him wouldn’t be quite as satisfying. But at least Valencia seem set to give United some satisfaction by offering good money for Marcos Rojo.
Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, has a cunning plan for strengthening Tottenham Hotspur’s defence: relieving Manchester City of Eliaquim Mangala. There’s a reliable player in there somewhere and Pochettino reckons he can coax him out. The same is true of Wilfried Zaha, whom Spurs want to prise from Crystal Palace, who are adamant that they have no intention of selling. And that’s just as well, since selling both Zaha and Yannick Bolasie after splashing out a record fee for Christian Benteke would be like buying a life-time supply of tinned beans before selling your tin-opener.
Joe Hart is trying to make himself as attractive as possible to Liverpool, going so far as to let it be known he would accept a huge wage cut to move to Anfield now that he is unwanted at Manchester City. But Jürgen Klopp is said to be uninterested. Perhaps what Hart needs is a Simon Mignolet mask.
How are Leicester City coping without their acclaimed bargain hunter Steve Walsh? Well, they’re reportedly lining up a £25m offer for Steven N’Zonzi, the Sevilla midfielder formerly of Stoke City.
Having successfully rehabilitated Hatem Ben Arfa last season, Nice fancy trying their luck with Mario Balotelli.
Everton are keeping a beady eye on Napoli’s striker Manolo Gabbiadini. Napoli are willing to sell because they’ve already pegged a replacement, Nikola Kalinic of Fiorentina.
Santos striker Gabriel Barbosa, meanwhile, has announced that he is considering all the offers that he has received and will decide soon how to respond to the advances of Manchester United, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Leicester and Atlético Madrid.
Jay Rodriguez, on the other hand, has to choose between going to Hull or West Bromwich Albion or playing infrequently at Southampton.
Finally, Watford are poised to sign a tidy midfielder from Gent before loaning him straight out to Udinese. In other words, as soon as Sven Kums he will go.
