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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jacob Steinberg, Rob Smyth, David Hills, Barry Glendenning, Paul Doyle

Transfer news: Chelsea sign David Luiz; Moussa Sissoko, Jack Wilshere, Islam Slimani – as it happened

David Luiz set to rejoin Chelsea in £38m deal

That's a wrap

Let’s end this circus with a round-up of the main late moves:

Updated

Chelsea have confirmed the return of David Luiz, who told the club’s website: “I’m delighted to return to Chelsea. We had a fantastic story during my first time at the club and I want to help the team and Antonio Conte achieve a lot of success. I always had a wonderful relationship with the fans and I am looking forward to wearing the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge once again.”

David Luiz looks chuffed to be back at Stamford Bridge.
David Luiz looks chuffed to be back at Stamford Bridge. Photograph: Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Updated

After hooking up with Mario Balotelli, Nice have signed Younes Belhanda from Dynamo Kiev.

Rickie Lambert has flown the West Brom coop to join the bluebirds of Cardiff City.

Everton have consoled themselves by borrowing Enner Valencia from West Ham.

Here’s that confirmation. Sissoko’s phone wasn’t working earlier, when Ronald Koeman was trying to get in touch to welcome him to Everton, but now he’s tweeting like billyo.

The transfer window has shut

But we eagerly await confirmation of several moves - notably Sissoko to Spurs -, and perhaps even some late surprises. But most of all, we want to go to bed.

Strange rumblings from Sunderland, where Yann M’vila’s mooted transfer is said to have broken down, much to the player’s anguish. Stay tuned for more. At some point.

The David Luiz deal to Chelsea has been completed, according to Sky. I can’t remember whether we already knew that or not.

The Scottish speedster Ikechi Anya has left Watford for Derby County.

“I am not a West Brom fan, I barely know who Hal Robson Kanu is, but the league table tells me that, contrary to what you said, West Brom are not in a relegation fight, unless Arsenal are too,” carps Greg Easter. Check that table again at the end of the season, Greg.

Hull have signed Dieumerci Mbokani on loan Dynamo Kiev. He’s a slightly lumbering striker but can be a useful fulcrum if given the right support.

Everton have withdrawn their bid for Sissoko, having been told by the player’s representatives that he’s off to Spurs. “With news that Everton have apparently withdrawn their bid, you know Levy’s now gonna turn around to Newcastle and say £30m? Nah, I meant 25,” parps Ben Overlander.

Bolton’s renaissance is taking shape: they’ve confirmed the signings of James Henry, Keshi Anderson, Ben Alnwick and Sammy Ameobi.

Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic, a Brendan Rodgers signing unused by Jurgen Klopp, has joined Sporting Lisbon on a season-long loan, reports Paul Wilson.

Bastian Schweinsteiger received a rapturous send-off from his compatriots on his final appearance for Germany tonight, a 2-0 friendly victory over Finland. And soon he’ll head back to Manchester, where Jose Mourinho may or may not acknowledge his existence.

Bastian Schweinsteiger of Germany is thrown in to the air by team mates after his last international match
Bye bye Bastian. Photograph: Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images

Updated

According to Sky, Moussa Sissoko has backtracked on a verbal agreement with Everton and is on his way to Spurs.

Jason Denayer has completed his season-long loan to Sunderland from Manchester City, according to Jamie Jackson.

A Wilshere ripple effect: Eunan O’Kane has left Bournemouth to become Leeds United’s 11th signing of the summer.

Transfer tug-of-war is on!

Word is Tottenham have matched Everton’s £30m bid for Moussa Sissoko. The two clubs now have an hour to convince the Frenchman that they’re the club for him. Spurs can offer Champions League action, Everton can offer the attraction of not being in London. Both, presumably, can offer gigantic piles of cash. So which would you opt for, readers?

What with Giorginio Wijnaldum going to Liverpool and Darryl Janmaat returning to the Premier League with Watford, Some Newcastle players have done very well out of performing terribly for most of last season. And there’s still time for Barcelona to come in with a £40m for Jonjo Shelvey.

Sky are claiming that Sunderland’s move for Steven Naismith is now unlikely to be completed. Perhaps David Moyes was shown footage of him in action for Norwich last season?

Lyon had their hearts set on signing Juan Iturbe but it’s not going to happen: Roma have definitively shooed them away.

Sky Sports’ pundits in the studio for the closing stages of deadline day are Paul Merson and Niall Quinn. According to Quinn’s autobiography there was a time, back when his former team-mate was battling drink and gambling addictions, that doctors forbade Merson from consorting with people who might be bad influences, primarily Quinn. Heartening to see their friendship flourishing again.

Confirmed: Hal Robson-Kanu has joined West Brom’s relegation fight.

“Is there any indications that Jurgen Klopp is going to sign a proper left-back tonight?” wails Alex Perry. Not so far, Alex, so it’s looking like Liverpool will have to make do with James Milner and memories of Alan Kennedy.

Here is some meat on the bones of two of today’s biggest stories:

Dominic Fifield on Jack Wilshere’s decision to plump for Bournemouth ahead of 21 other suitors.


And Ed Aarons on Islam Slimani joining the Premier League champions.

Updated

Here’s more from Louise Taylor: “James Weir, has swapped life as captain of Manchester United Under-21s for Hull. Lacks experience and bit of an underwhelming move for Hull fans but could be interesting. Meanwhile, Adam Reach has completed his move from Middlesbrough to Sheffield Wednesday.”

Bournemouth have confirmed the signing of Jack Wilshere. Assorted club officials have issued statements declaring their glee at such a prestigious acquisition. Wilshere, for his part, has yet to explain why he chose Bournemouth.

Updated

“Yes, it was probably Jason Denayer in that people carrier: he’s having a medical at Sunderland right now,” confirms our woman in the now, Louise Taylor.

Alvaro Arbelo is back in the Premier League, having joined West Ham from Real Madrid. First Michail Antonio gets an England call-up, then he gets news that he’ll probably not have to play at right-back again: it’s been a good week for him.

Alvaro Arbeloa looks pleased to be at the London Stadium.
Alvaro Arbeloa looks pleased to be at the London Stadium. Photograph: Arfa Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images

Updated

Here’s an intriguing one from our man in the know, Stuart James: Enner Valencia is joining Everton on a season’s loan from West Ham.

“We managed to capture some footage of a blacked-out people carrier arriving at the Stadium of Light”. With one quote Sky Sports’ man in Sunderland sums up the absurdity of what we’re all doing today. (For what it’s worth, they think Jason Denayer may have been in the people carrier)

Updated

Leicester confirm signing of Islam Slimani

The Algeria international has reportedly signed a five year deal for around £29m. And what a brilliant acquisition he is: he’s no technician but he’s a ferocious warrior who’ll fit right in at Leicester, who now have an armoury to strike fear into any defence. No defence is going to get an easy ride against Slimani, Vardy, Musa, Okazaki and Mahrez.

Updated

Aiden McGeady, who is a quarter of the player he might have been, has been ushered out of Everton and found shelter at Preston North End.

Mike Phelan has been dipping into his Old Trafford contacts book and, as a result, Hull have signed the 21-year-old midfielder James Weir from Manchester United.

Here’s a visual run-down of Jack Wilshere’s career high and lows so far.

The ups and downs of Jack Wilshere’s career so far

The intrepid Jamie Jackson has been in touch to let us know that although Pep Guardiola has greenlit Denayer’s move to Sunderland, the medical ahead of a season-long loan may not be done tonight.

Paul Wilson reports that Burnley are signing the Poland winger Kamil Grosicki from Rennes for £7m on a three-year deal.

Updated

David Moyes has made some very iffy signings at Sunderland so far. But at least you can se the logic in their interest in Manchester City’s reserve centreback Jason Denayer. He’s a Belgium international player with a lot of potential, but still raw. Sunderland are trying to nail down a loan deal for him.

Updated

Hal Robson-Kanu is reportedly on his way to the Hawthorns for a medical. The Welshman was terrific for his country throughout the Euro 2016 qualifiers and finals, but I’ll be surprised if he helps turn West Brom into the freewheeling attackers that Tony Pulis wants us to believe the Baggies are going to become. I’d say Pulis vacating the Hawthorns before the end of the season is far more likely.

“Never mind the transfers, I trust you are wearing a yellow and black combo in keeping with those on Sky Sports,” declares Mark Judd. Yes, of course I am, Mark. In fact, all of us at Guardian towers are. Here’s some footage of us doing a team bonding exercise during a brief lull in the blog earlier today.

Updated

“You do know that one of your colleagues posted the news about Balotelli earlier, don’t you? asks Jeremy Hunter. I admire your ambition, Jeremy, but if you’re on a quest to banish repetition on transfer deadline day, you’re doomed. This is what it’s all about. I said, this is what it’s all about.

By the way, one of Ireland other goals tonight has been scored by Jonathan Walters, who may be no Müller or Keane but is definitely a bona fide hero.

Robbie Keane = Gerd Müller!

The Irishman has helped put his country 3-0 up in tonight’s friendly against Oman and, in doing so, scored his 68th international goal, equalling the haul of the German maestro. Alright, it took Keane nearly twice as many matches to reach that tally and he benefitted from playing pipsqueaks such as Oman and San Marino, but that is slightly offset by the fact that Müller played for the mighty West Germany. And Keane was only a flat track bully in his later years, let’s not forget that he has also scored in important competitive matches against France, Holland, Spain, Croatia, Yugoslavia and, of course, Germany. Man’s a bona fide international star.

Robbie Keane fires home the Republic of Ireland’s second goal against Oman.
Robbie Keane fires home the Republic of Ireland’s second goal against Oman. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA

Updated

Two years ago Brendan Rodgers described Liverpool’s £16m acquisition of Mario Balotelli as a “calculated risk”. Today Balotelli has completed a permanent transfer to Nice for precisely zero pounds. By my calculations that risk resulted in a huge loss of money and face. But both parties will surely be thankful it’s all over. And let’s not rule out Balotelli getting back to his best: after all, Hatem Ben Arfa was reborn at Nice last season.

Here’s Peter Oh with a quip: “It looks like my advice to Jack Wilshere will have to be revised to ‘When in Bournemouth...’. Well go on, finish the quip: what are people from Bournemouth called?

Sissoko edges close to Everton

Sky Sports are reporting that Everton have agreed a £30m fee with Newcastle for the sometime-performer Moussa Sissoko. The Frenchman is now stripping off for a medical. Things are shaping up nicely at Goodison Park, where Farhad Moshiri certainly means business. They’re had an impressive summer of recruits, including Ronald Koeman: is it too soon for the Dutchman to lead them into the top four this season?

Updated

Pogba moves to Holland

No, not Paul, but his brother (and Guinea international) Florentin, who has quit Partick Thistle and run into the warm embrace of Sparta Rotterdam.


Hello, Paul Doyle at your service. Now, let’s quash this idea that PSG were deadset against selling David Luiz. Although they did not plan to flog his in this window, the club’s new manager, Unai Emery, made it clear in the summer that he intended to make Thiago Silva and Marquinhos his first choice partnership in central defence. So David Luiz was dispensable, all the more so after giving away a ludicrous penalty against Monaco last Sunday. He can be brilliant player and is a wonderful character but that goofy streak still runs through him. It’s going to be interesting to see how he gets on under Conte.

Almost done deal klaxon

I’ve just spotted TV footage Jack Wilshere has been pictured posing with Eddie Howe and a Bournemouth shirt. On Sky, Alan McInally has been scathing in his criticism of Wilshere for moving to Bournemouth, when he could have moved abroad instead.

Speaking of Jim ...

Recognise anyone here?

Support the Guardian ...

If you enjoy the Guardian’s football coverage please help to fund our journalism. Like the rest of the media, we are operating in an incredibly challenging commercial environment. Never have more people read our work. Never have fewer people paid for it. Producing in-depth, thoughtful, well-reported journalism is difficult and expensive. Become a Guardian supporter.

A quick recap ...

I’ll be handing over the reins of our Deadline Day blog to Paul Doyle, the Guardian’s answer to Jim White, in a few minutes. Thanks for your time, your interest and your correspondence and here’s a round-up of the day’s comings and goings thus far ...

  • Shani Tarashaj: Everton to Eintracht Frankfurt (loan)
  • Joe Hart: Manchester City to Torino (loan)
  • Wilfried Bony: Manchester City to Stoke (loan)
  • Samir Nasri: Manchester City to Sevilla (loan)
  • Gokhan Inler: Leicester to Besiktas (undisclosed fee)
  • Lee Grant: Derby to Stoke (loan)
  • Serge Gnabry: Arsenal to Werder Bremen (undisclosed)
  • Didier Ndong: Lorient to Sunderland (£13.6m)
  • Jeff Hendrick: Derby to Burnley (undisclosed)
  • Adama Traore: Aston Villa to Middlesbrough (undisclosed)
  • Albert Adomah: Middlesbrough to Aston Villa (undisclosed)
  • Luis Alberto: Liverpool to Lazio (undisclosed)
  • Bruno Martins Indi: Porto to Stoke (loan)
  • Philipp Wollscheid: Stoke to Wolfsburg (loan)
  • Marcos Alonso: Fiorentina to Chelsea (undisclosed).
  • Eliaquim Mangala: Manchester City to Valencia (loan)
  • Georges Kevin Nkoudou: Marseille to Spurs (undisclosed)
  • Mario Balotelli: Liverpool to Nice (free)
  • Andre Wisdom: Liverpool to Red Bull Salzburg (loan)
  • Pau Lopez: Espanyol to Spurs (loan)

Another departure from Liverpool ...

Mario Balotelli has left Anfield for Ligue 1 side Nice on a free transfer.

Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli spent last season on loan at AC Milan and has now signed for Nice on a free transfer. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

James Weir to Hull City ...

Young Manchester United midfielder James Weir, 21, is undergoing a medical at Hull City, with a view to moving there on loan.

David Luiz latest ...

Sky are reporting that it was David Luiz himself who forced through his imminent move from PSG to Chelsea and is going to sign a three-year deal, with an option for a fourth year. The fee is believed to be £30m, some £20m less than the French champions paid for him two years ago. For what it’s worth (the square root of sod all, in my opinion), the Brazilian defender has changed his Facebook profile photo to an image of him wearing the current Chelsea kit.

David Luiz's twitter page

Updated

Tottenham done deal klaxon

Tottenham have signed 21-year-old goalkeeper Pau Lopez on a season long loan from Espanyol. He becomes their second acquisition of the day, following the arrival of Georges-Kévin Nkoudou from Marseille.

Valencia to Everton or Swansea City

Enner Valencia is currently the subject of an unseemly tug-of-love between Swansea City and Everton. The 26-year-old Ecudorian held talks with Swansea yesterday, but Everton are understood to have ramped up their interest in the West Ham striker who is likely to head to one destination or the other on a season long loan. Everton are believed to have offered £1.5m for his services.

Speaking of personal terms ...

Fifa has finally disclosed Gianni Infantino’s annual salary as president is 1.5million Swiss francs (£1.16m). The Swiss lawyer was elected in February and among the promises made by football’s world governing body was transparency on the remuneration packages received by those in high office.
A Fifa statement read: “The Fifa compensation sub-committee and the Fifa president have agreed that the Fifa president’s gross basic salary will be Swiss francs 1.5 million per year plus benefits.”
Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s predecessor as president, did not declare his salary, but it was disclosed in Fifa’s accounts in March. Blatter was paid a gross salary of Swiss francs 2.96million (£2.29m) in 2015. Plus benefits.

Updated

More on Naismith going nowhere ...

Apparently Sunderland were unable to agree personal terms with Steven Naismith and it is for this reason that the Scottish international will not be travelling south from national team training to cough for the doctors on Wearside. Was it about money? Or were the staff in Sunderland’s training ground canteen not prepared to make his bacon crispy, just the way he likes it? We may never know.

Steven Naismith
Steven Naismith can’t agree personal terms with Sunderland. Photograph: Joe Toth/BPI/REX/Shutterstock

Naismith to Sunderland latest ...

The word around Guardian Towers is that Steven Naismith won’t be leaving Norwich City, despite interest from his old mucker David Moyes at Sunderland. Naismith had been linked with a move to Wearside, but it seems the two clubs are unable to reach agreement on a deal. They have exactly four hours left to rectify the situation.

Some more Liverpool news!!!

Cool your jets, folks - it’s an outgoing player: Andre Wisdom has signed for Red Bull Salzburg on a season long loan. It’s the fourth successive season the defender has been shipped out on loan.

Andre Wisdom
Andre Wisdom is off to Austria. Photograph: TGSPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

A new Spurs signing tweets ...

Tottenham’s courtship of Georges-Kévin Nkoudou has been a long and tedious process, but at least the subject of their ultimately successful overtures is now able to see the funny side.

Some news from Hull City ...

Sky have just shown footage from Hull City’s training ground, where a number of the club’s backroom staff, all wearing suits, are having a kickabout in the early evening sunshine. It’s probably not the news Hull fans were hoping to read, but one or two of them looked capable enough to do a job if any of Mike Phelan’s 13 fit senior players succumb to injury.

Jack Wilshere-watch

Jack Wilshere has arrived at Bournemouth, where he was greeted by various members of the club’s staff and ushered away to do a medical. Assuming he passes it (jokes to the usual address, please) he will almost certainly end the night as a Bournemouth player after signing a season long loan.

Chelsea and PSG agree terms on Luiz

The surprise transfer of the day is inching ever closer, with Chelsea having announced that they’ve agreed a fee with PSG to bring David Luiz back to Stamford Bridge. “The move is now subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical,” they say.

Going! Going! De Jong!

Galatasaray have signed Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong from LA Galaxy on a two-year deal. Don’t believe us? Here’s the proof.

Confirmation of Nkoudou to Spurs

Tottenham have finally announced the signing of Georges-Kévin Nkoudou from Marseille, more than a month after the France Under-21 winger passed his medical. Nkoudou has been in London ever since a fee of £13m was agreed with the French club, with his barber even announcing the deal on Instagram.

Tottenham chief executive Daniel Levy attempted to renegotiate the fee with Marseille’s new owners and the deal almost collapsed. But the impasse has now been resolved, with the 21-year-old signing a four-year contract. He will wear the No14 shirt next season. Clinton Njie will also move the other way on loan just a year after he arrived from Lyon for over £8m.

Corrections and clarifications

Clinton N’Jie will - repeat will - be moving to Marseille on loan from Spurs. More on that in just a second.

Tottenham done deal klaxon!!!

Spurs have signed Georges-Kévin Nkoudou from Marseille on a five-year deal for around £11m. The attacking midfielder will wear the No14 shirt. Despite talk of Clinton N’Jie going the other way, no deal is believed to have been done ... yet.

Georges-Kévin Nkoudou
Georges Kevin Nkoudou has signed a five-year deal with Tottenham Hotspur. Photograph: Romain Perrocheau/Getty Images

Email of the day from Richard Parkinson

“Is that tweet Crouchie’s way of saying he’s failed the medical?” he asks. For Crouchie’s sake, let’s hope not.

The latest on Jack Wilshere

Jack Wilshere is to undergo a medical at AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday evening after agreeing to join the south coast club on a season-long loan from Arsenal.

The England midfielder, who has been limited to two substitute appearances to date this season, had been granted permission to seek first-team football away from the Emirates stadium by Arsène Wenger after two injury-ravaged seasons having effectively fallen behind Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Santi Cazorla in central midfield. His availability had sparked interest from over 20 clubs from England and abroad, though Wilshere considered the offers from Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Roma and Milan at length.

While he was willing to move overseas and spoke with the former Tottenham Hotspur director of football, Franco Baldini, who is now working as a transfer consultant for Roma about a move, Arsenal rejected the proposal put forward by the Italian club. Regardless, it was the proposals from the two Premier League clubs which the 24-year-old considered the most appealing after talks with Eddie Howe and Alan Pardew respectively on Tuesday. Arsenal would not countenance his departure to a club they consider a direct rival for a top four finish.

Palace had appeared to be in pole position to secure the player, who has been omitted from Sam Allardyce’s first England squad despite being in Roy Hodgson’s party for Euro 2016. Yet, with Wilshere having not completed a full 90 minutes in a Premier League game since September 2014, it is understood the south London club were seeking to pay only a proportion of the player’s £90,000-a-week wages.

Bournemouth, in contrast, are to meet the player’s entire salary, making a move to the Vitality stadium more appealing to Arsenal. The player travelled down to the south coast club on Wednesday afternoon. Arsenal have sold Serge Gnabry to Werder Bremen, with the Germany Olympic player suggesting he was moving to the Bundesliga “to get playing time, to develop further and to help the team”.

Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere will sign on loan for Bournemouth, subject to passing a medical. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Some Celtic news ...

Celtic defender Emilio Izaguirre has failed in his efforts to find himself a new club and will be staying with the Scottish champions until January. Having lost his place in the Celtic side to Kieran Tierney under Ronny Delia, the Honduran left-back has failed to impress Brendan Rodgers and had been angling for a move elsewhere. Despite interest from Toronto FC and assorted Spanish clubs, he’ll be staying put in Glasgow for another few months at least.

Brahimi to stay at Porto

Reader Tiago Costa sends news - in tongues - that talks between Everton and Porto over the transfer of YAcine Brahimi have broken down and the player will not be moving to Goodison Park. You can read all about it here ... if your Portuguese is up to scratch.

Support the Guardian

If you enjoy the Guardian’s football coverage please help to fund our journalism. Like the rest of the media, we are operating in an incredibly challenging commercial environment. Never have more people read our work. Never have fewer people paid for it. Producing in-depth, thoughtful, well-reported journalism is difficult and expensive. Become a Guardian supporter.

Some Scottish fitba news ...

Former Arsenal, Fulham and Aston Villa defender Philippe Senderos has signed a one-year deal with Rangers, to become the club’s eleventh signing of the summer. Elsewhere, Juanma has left Hearts for a season long loan at Spanish second tier side Real Murcia. Greenmork Morton have rejected a bid from Doncaster Rovers for striker striker Jai Quitongo

Philippe Senderos
Expect to see Philippe Senderos in a similar pose holding a Rangers shirt in the next few hours. Photograph: Neville Williams/Aston Villa via Getty Images

Hopeful Liverpool fan Alex Smith writes ...

“With Man Utd bringing back Paul Pogba and Chelsea set to bring David Luiz back, it seems obvious that Man City will have to follow suit in order to keep pace with their title rivals,” says Alex. “Yes, I think it is time for Mario Balotelli’s triumphant return to Manchester.”

Sunderland determined to hog the headlines ...

Everton midfielder James McCarthy is currently in talks with the Wearside club, who will have to fend off interest from West Brom and Crystal Palace if they are get the Republic of Ireland international. Sunderland are also after Steven Naismith, who was training with Scotland just outside Glasgow this afternoon, but could be on his way south if Norwich allow him to leave on what is likely to be a season long loan deal.

Going! Going! Ndong!

Sunderland signing Didier Ndong may endear himself to Sunderland fans with these words: “Today is the most beautiful day of my life,” said the Gabon midfielder shortly after arriving at the the club’s Academy of Light training ground. Clearly nothing to beat a sunny day in Cleadon.

Didier Ndong (left)
Sunderland’s new signing Didier Ndong (left) has described his first day in Sunderland as “the most beautiful” of his life. Photograph: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

More on Sissoko to Everton

Everton are continuing to talk to Newcastle about Moussa Sissoko - but no bid accepted yet. With Tottenham understood to have withdrawn their interest in the France midfielder, the ball is in the Merseyside court ...

What news of Micah Richards?

This, from our chief football correspondent Daniel Taylor: “As it stands, Micah Richards to West Ham is off,” he says. “Aston Villa are insisting on a fee for a season-long move. West Ham have pulled out and Richards is almost certain to stay. Strange business from Villa when they could have saved a lot of money on the player’s salary.”

Micah Richards
Micah Richards will not be swapping the claret and blue of Aston Villa for the claret and blue of West Ham. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Jamie Jackson, our man on the Manchester beat, has been in touch to tell me that Sunderland are extremely interested in Manchester City’s Belgian defender Jason Denayer, but says that David Moyes has “some way to go to seal the deal”. You go, David! go all the way!

More news on Everton ...

Everton and Porto are still negotiating the fee for Yacine Brahimi, but the Portuguese side is unwilling to budge from their asking price of £34m. The issue is complicated by the fact that investment group Doyen Sports still own 50% of his economic rights. They are renowned to drive a hard bargain, as was the case with João Moutinho’s failed transfer to Tottenham in September 2012. Talks between the two clubs are ongoing, with Everton so far unwilling to raise their offer of an initial £35m plus add-ons amid reports that they have made an approach for Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko. Meanwhile, Everton’s search for a striker goes on after Napoli confirmed Manolo Gabbiadini will not be leaving.

Yacine Brahimi
Probably not the most flattering photo of Porto’s Algerian forward Yacine Brahimi you’ll see today, but it’s the nearest to hand. Apologies, Yacine. Photograph: DPI/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

A quick recap on today's Premier League deals ...

Warning: may upset hopeful Liverpool and Arsenal fans

Shani Tarashaj: Everton to Eintracht Frankfurt (loan)
Joe Hart: Manchester City to Torino (loan)
Wilfried Bony: Manchester City to Stoke (loan)
Samir Nasri: Manchester City to Sevilla (loan)
Gokhan Inler: Leicester to Besiktas (undisclosed fee)
Lee Grant: Derby to Stoke (loan)
Serge Gnabry: Arsenal to Werder Bremen (undisclosed)
Didier Ndong: Lorient to Sunderland (£13.6m)
Jeff Hendrick: Derby to Burnley (undisclosed)
Adama Traore: Aston Villa to Middlesbrough (undisclosed)
Albert Adomah: Middlesbrough to Aston Villa (undisclosed)
Luis Alberto: Liverpool to Lazio (undisclosed)
Bruno Martins Indi: Porto to Stoke (loan)
Philipp Wollscheid: Stoke to Wolfsburg (loan)
Marcos Alonso: Fiorentina to Chelsea (undisclosed).
Eliaquim Mangala: Manchester City to Valencia (loan)

Georges Kevin Nkoudou: Marseille to Spurs (undisclosed)

Updated

Done deal klaxon!

Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala has joined Valencia on a season long loan.

Exciting news for Everton fans ...

He had been strongly linked with Tottenham Hotspur, but now it seems that Moussa Sissoko is on his way to Everton from Newcastle. The big French midfielder was a source of almost constant frustration for Newcastle fans during his time at St James’s Park, but showed what he is capable of during Euro 2016, when he looked a completely different player. Everton fans will be pleased if it’s that version who rocks up at Goodison Park.

Moussa Sissoko
Moussa Sissoko is reported to be on the verge of signing for Everton. Photograph: Aflo/REX/Shutterstock

Big news for Wolves fans ...

Wolves have gone plundering Ligue 1 again to bring Monaco forward Ivan Cavaleiro to Molineux for £7million, a transfer record for the club. The fee takes Wolves’ summer spending to approximately £14m, with eight players coming in on permanent deals and another five turning up on loan.

Dominic Fifield is on fire!!!

Having scooped Sky by seconds with his sizzling hot Marcos Alonso-to-Chelsea news, our man in Sarf Lahndan has revealed that Crystal Palace have rejected overtures from Sunderland, who want to take Wayne Hennessy on loan. The Welsh goalkeeper has fallen down the pecking order at Selhurst Park, where he’s currently playing second fiddle to Steve Mandanda.

Marcos Alonso has signed for Chelsea
Chelsea have signed Marcos Alonso, seen here in action for Fiorentina against Tottenham HOtspur last season. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

Jack Wilshere is en route to Bournemouth

Sky Sports are reporting that Jack Wilshere is on his way to Bournemouth to sign a season long loan deal. The Arsenal midfielder had been courted by Roma, AC Milan and Crystal Palace, but appears to have had his head turned by Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, with whom he talked turkey yesterday.

Big news from Florence ...

Dominic Fifield has just steered me towards Fiorentina’s website, where the Serie A side are reporting they have sold Spanish left-back/midfielder Marcos Alonso Mendoza to Chelsea Football Club. At least I think that’s what they’ve done.

Updated

Craig Slater has bagged himself a scoop

Sky’s man in Turin to cover Joe Hart’s move to Torino has been broadcasting from outside a coffeee shop at which Celtic central defender Jozo Simunovic has just rocked up. Jozo is in town to sign for Torino, has done his medical and agereed personal terms. He’s now killing time while he waits for the two clubs to agree a fee, but says he’ll be happy to return to Celtic if talks break down. He seems a very nice young fellow.

Enna Cooper has a pertinent question

“I think Hull and Burnley need to confirm if these club-record undisclosed fees are record fees that they’ve not disclosed, or just the biggest amount they’ve paid for a player without telling any body how much it was (so potentially less than they’ve paid for someone whose transfer value was announced),” he writes.

Dominic Cork is keeping busy ...

The cricket legend is grappling with news of some big business at Stoke, who appear to be operating a strict one-in one-out policy. Dutch defender Bruno Martins-Indi has joined the Potters from Porto and will take up the soon-to-be-vacated parking space belonging to Philipp Wollscheid. The centre-back is off to Wolfsburg.

Dominic Cork
Dominic Cork in the days before he embarked on a career loitering outside fields in Stoke. Photograph: Graham Chadwick/Getty Images

Updated

An email from Jon Adams ...

Jon’s missive seems to have captured the tone of much of the correspondence currently clogging up my inbox: “Just got to work and tuned in for the TDD news, opened up the MBM and spat my first sip of coffee all over my laptop,” he says. “Chelsea in for David Luiz!?!?!? Isn’t there some sort of law against this?”

There most certainly is not, Jon. And I’m sure we can all agree the Premier League will be a far better place for his presence. Now go and towel down your laptop before your coffee destroys its innards.

Arbeloa to West Ham

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Arbeloa is on his way to West Ham, where Sky are reporting he will “act as a mentor” for Sam Byram. It’s good news for Michail Antonio, who admits it’s been hard work filling in at right-back in recent weeks.

Alvaro Arbeloa
Alvaro Arbeloa. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

More on Adama Traore to Boro

Adama Traore has completed his move from Aston Villa to Middlesbrough, signing a four year contract. His arrival completes a winger swap/part exchange deal as the popular Albert Adomah has moved in the opposite direction. Meanwhile two of Aitor Karanka’s fringe players are on their way out - Adam Reach is close to a £5m move to Sheffield Wednesday while Alex Baptiste is at Preston finalising a switch to Deepdale.

Some Liverpool news ...

Liverpool have just confirmed the sale of Luis Alberto to Lazio for a fee of £4.3m plus add-ons. The Anfield club paid almost £7m for the Sevilla midfielder in 2013, but the Spanish youth international never managed to hold on to a first team place and made only nine appearances for the club. He has spent the last two seasons out on loan at Malaga and then Deportivo la Coruna. Liverpool’s deal with Lazio includes a 30% sell on agreement for a player still only 23 years old.

Dominic Cork-watch ...

I can’t be the only person who did a double-take upon discovering that Sky Sports’ man outside Stoke City’s training ground is Dominic Cork. In fact I know for a fact that I wasn’t.

A club record undisclosed fee?

Really? Is this a thing now? There’s really not much point in bragging about the size of the fee you paid if you’re not prepared to disclose it.

Kanu to West Brom

No, not that one. Having wrong-footed the entire Belgian defence with his stunning goal during Euro 2016, Hal Robson Kanu looks to be on the verge of getting himself a new club. The 27-year-old has been granted permission to leave the Wales squad to finalise a switch to the Baggies.

Robson-Kanu is a free agent after leaving Reading in the summer and is not governed by the window so there is no time pressure on Albion to get the deal done on Wednesday. Watford defender Allan Nyom is also on the verge of a £3m move to The Hawthorns.

The Cameroon international made 32 Premier League appearances for Watford last season after joining from Granada but is being allowed to leave by boss Walter Mazzarri, who arrived in the summer. The Baggies are also looking at bringing Leonardo Ulloa in from Leicester while Callum McManaman and Rickie Lambert will be allowed to leave if they can find clubs.

Hal Robson-Kanu
Hal Robson- Kanu has left the Wales training camp to finalise a deal with West Bromwich Albion. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Updated

Further to Dominic Fifield’s revelation that David Luiz is definitely heading back to Chelsea: Sky Sports News are reporting that the bonkers central defender is in London undergoing a medical.

Bristol City sign Gustav Engvall

Bristol City have signed Sweden international Gustav Engvall from IFK Gothenburg for an undisclosed fee. The 20-year-old has inked a three-year deal and has the option of a further year with the Championship club.
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Gustav to Ashton Gate,” said City boss Lee Johnson. “This is another big transfer for us and it’s taken a lot of hard work from a lot of people. He’s a Swedish international who has excellent finishing ability. I’m sure he will adjust quickly to the pace and tempo of the Championship and when he does he’ll be really dangerous.”
Engvall began his career at Farjestadens in the Swedish third tier and in 2012 moved on to IFK, where he made his first-team debut aged 17 and scored a total of 16 goals in 64 appearances. He has made two senior appearances for Sweden and becomes the Robins’ 12th summer signing.

Gustav Engvall
Gustav Engvall has signed for Bristol City. Photograph: Thomson/JMP/REX/Shutterstock

This just in: Middlesbrough have signed Adama Traore. “We’re still looking for that jaw-dropper,” says excitable Sky Sports News man, who is apparently unimpressed with Middlesbrough’s acquisition of the former Aston Villa right-back.

Support the Guardian

If you enjoy the Guardian’s football coverage please help to fund our journalism. Like the rest of the media, we are operating in an incredibly challenging commercial environment. Never have more people read our work. Never have fewer people paid for it. Producing in-depth, thoughtful, well-reported journalism is difficult and expensive. Become a Guardian supporter.

Cheik Tiote to Lorient?

“Didier Ndong’s move to Sunderland has created a vacancy in the Lorient midfield and the French club have duly asked Newcastle about a possible loan move for Cheik Tiote. Rafa Benitez is keen to offload Tiote but ideally Newcastle want a permanent deal. The Ivorian has seen a few moves collapse this summer, most recently to Galtasaray and had been hoping for an 11th hour switch to Athens and Olympiakos.”

Updated

Done deal klaxon!!! Greetings all and let’s get straight off the bat with news of an actual transfer. Arsenal have sold Serge Gnabry to Werder Bremen for an undisclosed fee. The 21-year-old German had just one year left on his Arsenal contract and has gone to the Bundesliga side for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £8m. Gnabry passed his medical on Wednesday morning after being released by Germany’s under-21s to agree personal terms. “I’m looking forward to my time in Bremen,” Gnabry said on the Bundesliga club’s website. “It was important for me to come to a club who could give me the chance of getting some match practice. The management in Bremen have worked very hard on signing me and I am sure we can achieve something here.”

Frank Baumann and Serge Gnabry
Serge Gnabry poses with Werder Bremen sporting director Frank Baumann. Photograph: Carmen Jaspersen/EPA

“My goodness, we’re getting closer and closer to that deadline”, say Sky as their countdown hits 7hrs and 4 minutes left. So I’ll hand this over to the Guardian’s Jim White Barry Glendenning. Emails to barry.glendenning@theguardian.com.

Palace’s Wales midfielder Jonny Williams has gone on loan to Ipswich. Again.

Sunderland sign Ndong

It’s done. Sunderland have confirmed their deal for the Lorient midfielder Didier Ndong – understood to be worth €18m. He’s signed a five-year deal.

This from the Guardian’s Dominic Fifield:

David Luiz back to Chelsea is clearly going to happen. Remarkable signing.

Updated

Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado joined Chelsea last year for “an initial £23.3m”. Seems he won’t be triggering any top-up clauses.

Meanwhile: Posh player Tom Nichols shoots down transfer rumour – live!

Still no word from Jack Wilshere on whether he fancies Roma or Bournemouth. Matt Dony writes: “I’m not the first to say it, and I won’t be the last, but how can it be a difficult choice? I mean, sure, Bournemouth has a nice pier and all, and Eddie Howe is a fantastic coach, but, Rome! Come on, Jack. The culture, the different style of football, one of the greatest cities on Earth. Get over there! Rather than bemoaning the number of foreigners playing in the Premier League, restricting the development of British talent, British players should be spreading their wings and trying their hand in Serie A, La Liga, etc. If it doesn’t work out, come back. But if it does, what an adventure.”

Same could be said about Croydon, though? Pards hasn’t given up hope.

Updated

Yann M’Vila is to join Sunderland after all, with a fee agreed with Rubin Kazan. He’s apparently on a flight to Newcastle from Heathrow after arriving in London from Moscow this morning. No sign of him coming off the plane that landed at 2.30pm but there’s another one due in at 3.49pm… Sunderland fans will be mighty relieved.

Updated

“I’m fully in favour of Alan Johnson’s idea of paying transfer fees just to please fans (see 14:48pm)“, says Antony Rowlinson. “Arsène Wenger could win over the fans by splurging £65m on swimming pools for all of them, Alan Pardew could show intent by spending £35m on a sword made out of diamonds and Burnley could spend £200k on a graph showing their sensible financial management.”

Seems Leicester are ready to start burning through their winnings.

Deadline day summary

So here’s what’s happened so far today, not including the stuff that’s happened while I’ve been writing this. Eight hours until it all SLAMS SHUT.

• Chelsea are still in talks to re-sign David Luiz. PSG turned down £30m, but £38m should do it. If not, they’ll take Aymen Abdennour on loan from Valencia.

• Leicester have agreed to pay £30m for Islam Slimani, while Gokhan Inler has joined Besiktas.

• Manchester City are offloading. Wilfried Bony has joined Stoke for the season (who have also taken Lee Grant on loan from Derby); Samir Nasri is off to Seville on loan; and Joe Hart says he joined Torino for the humility. “The coach here wants humility and ambition. I like that. That’s how I want to be.”

• Spurs have made “discreet enquiries” about Manchester United’s Morgan Schneiderlin. The sort of “discreet enquiries” that everyone immediately knows about.

• Sunderland are close to signing £17m Lorient midfielder Didier Ndong, but their Yann M’Vila deal is in doubt, while Wonga-backed Newcastle will sell Moussa Sissoko to anyone ready to pay five instalments of £6m.

• Jack Wilshere still hasn’t decided between Palace, Bournemouth and Roma; Palace also want Charlton winger Ademola Lookman and Newcastle’s Paul Dummett.

• Everton have agreed a £1.4m deal with Sheffield United for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and are close to a £35m deal for Porto forward Yacine Brahimi.

• Swansea want West Ham’s Enner Valencia on loan – and West Brom fancy Watford’s £3m-rated defender Allan Nyom.

Updated

Well, that’s it from me. After seven hours of terrifying hype, the big news is that Manchester City have dumped Joe Hart, Samir Nasri and Wilfried Bony on Torino, Sevilla and Stoke respectively. David Hills will take over the blog for a while. Thanks for your company; good luck getting through the next eight hours.

“As a longtime suffering Sunderland fan the situation we find ourselves in today - with a far worse squad than the one that barely kept us up and only hours to remedy the situation - hardly surprises me,” says Alan Johnson. “The biggest achievement we can make today is in keeping Kone. The defence needs experience, we can fill attack with youth. In the middle M’Villa was superb the start of last season, faded majorly after xmas, yet he is a cult figure with the fans. We may get him for free in January but in signing him today the lift to the fans is worth a £5m fee alone.”

Guardian sources understand that Bastian Schweinsteiger is bathing in money.

“Nicky Shorey’s currently a free agent,” writes Alex Kouzarides. “He played against Brazil, y’know...”

Newcastle have turned down a bid from Crystal Palace for their left back Paul Dummett. Alan Pardew, Dummett’s former manager at St James’ Park, has long been keen on the defender. Meanwhile, with each passing hour, Moussa Sissoko looks increasingly likely to be playing Championship football for Newcastle this autumn.

“I think this may be Daniel Levy’s finest transfer window in quite some time,” writes Daniel Levy Evan Haas. “Spurs did sensible, effective business early on baiting fans into thinking they were going to be practical. Then rumors started trickling out over the course of the summer and all manner of players. Then there was a derisory bid for a player that seemed like an almost blatant attempt to unsettle him. And now it’s deadline day and who the hell knows what Spurs are going to do. Masterful work, Daniel.”

The FA have given Manchester City an extra 24 hours to respond to Sergio Aguero’s violent-conduct charge, because the people who usually deal with such matters are wearing their party hats and taking care of Deadline Day Business.

“Newcastle to accept five payments of £6m each for Moussa Sissoko, or is it six payments of £5m each or, hang on, now it’s 15 payments of £2m each,” says Kevin Ryan. “Can we get to 30 million payments of a quid each before the midnight deadline??”

If he isn’t eventually sold for 500,000 Le Coq Sportif tracksuits I’ll be very disappointed

On Sky Sports News, Dominic Cork is interviewing Wilfried Bony through a car window about his loan move from Manchester City to Stoke City. Just consider that for a second.

It’s official: The Samir Nasri Charm School has relocated to Seville for the rest of the season.

Here’s more on Chelsea’s surprising pursuit of freestyle defensive wizard David Luiz

Guardian sources understand that 81 per cent of the players signed today will eventually be loathed by the majority of fans at their new club.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure department Eliaquim Mangala is having a medical at Valencia as we type/read/speak.

Crystal Palace’s pursuit of the Charlton Athletic winger, Ademola Lookman, could see Hiram Boateng move to the Valley as a makeweight in the prospective deal. The 18-year-old Lookman, who has a £6m release clause written into his contract, is also attracting interest from West Bromwich Albion.

“That poor wee gadge from the video at 12:49 is actually my father, Graham Stuart, who still trembles at the very mention of Jock Wallace,” writes Robert McGowan Stuart. “He’s not a reporter anymore, so won’t be able to give us any updates, unfortunately.”

“Not wishing to bring any one down on this joyous day,” says Ian Copestake, “but your footage of Jock Wallace made me happy the Glenbuck greats are resting in peace, unsullied by the game’s greed and our own.”

Aye. That said, imagine Cloughie being told to set up a Twitter account. “But Brian, you haven’t put on any hashtags…”

Manchester United would reject any official move for Morgan Schneiderlin from Spurs today. It’s understood that Spurs have made discreet enquiries about him in the last week or so.

Updated

Chelsea are in advanced talks with Paris Saint-Germain aimed at bringing David Luiz back to Stamford Bridge after Antonio Conte, so eager to add to his defensive ranks, sanctioned the pursuit of the Brazil international.

An initial offer worth £30m was quickly rejected by PSG, who were initially adamant the player would not be sold in this window. Yet that stance has since softened as the deadline approaches with the French champions, apparently aware of Luiz’s willingness to leave Parc des Princes, making clear they want closer to £38m for the defender.

Updated

A complication with Yann M’Vila. He has signed a pre-contract deal to rejoin Sunderland in January - when his Rubin Kazan contract ends. But the Russians want £7m for him to return to Wearside now - and the question is can a compromise be reached?

The former France midfielder is currently at Heathrow, having arrived from Moscow. Sunderland fans are praying he gets the green light to board a connecting flight to Newcastle.

Meanwhile David Moyes’s striker search seems to be concentrating on a potential reunion with Steven Naismith, his former Everton forward, currently at Norwich. It looks like Sunderland have no chance of securing Jay Rodriguez on loan...

Updated

The Golden Age of Serie A, part 47

Updated

Roma and Bournemouth are not in London *taps nose*

“Robinho to Man City was a surprise,” says Mike Cormack. “His form wasn’t.”

It was certainly a surprise to him.

Here’s more news on Wilfried Bony’s move from Manchester City to Stoke

A summary of Deadline Day so far

  1. It’s been brain-meltingly manic.
  2. There have been no surprising transfers.

Updated

“Mesut Ozil’s transfer to Arsenal caught everyone by surprise,” says Ben McKenna. “In fact it’s safe to say several of North London’s bescarfed fans choked on their Roasted Quinoa with Olive Gremolata on that faithful deadline day back in 2013.”

I can’t remember that faithful day but I’ll take your word for it. My football memory stops at about 5.57pm on 5 April 2009.

Sky Sports News are suggesting that Newcastle will accept five instalments of £6m for Moussa Sissoko. It’s only a few weeks ago that he was rampaging through the first half of the Euro 2016 final; why does nobody want him?

Everton have already made their best signing of the summer: Ronald Koeman.

Updated

Guess Which?

Sunderland and Hull, both in need of attacking reinforcements, are very keen on taking Jay Rodriguez on loan from Southampton - but they are not the only ones...

Updated

“I don’t know any books on Balkans football in the 80s/90s but I did enjoy James Moor’s Grobar,” says Richard Gibbon. “It’s the story of an Arsenal fan who is sent over there for work and has to pick and follow a team to get his footballing fix. Foreword by Jonathan Wilson too I think.”

Now you mention him, Wilson’s first book was on football in eastern Europe as well.

Updated

“I might be late to the party on this one,” says Darrien Bold, “but I’ve just spotted tenacious midfielder Vinny Samways tucking into a sandwich in the window of Pret a Manger in Liverpool city centre whilst rumours of a £2 million deal between Tottenham and Everton continue to do the rounds...”

Can’t be true, he’s never eaten at Pret in his life, honk honk.

“What was the last big transfer that caught us by surprise?” wonders Gareth Aherne. “Every transfer now seems to be mooted before it goes through so that nothing is surprising. I can’t for the life of me think of one that caught us all off guard.” Good question. Tevez and Mascherano to West Ham? Sol Campbell to Arsenal? Wilfried Bony to Stoke?

Albert Adomah has just swapped Middlesbrough for Aston Villa. Boro fans will be sad to see the popular winger leave but Adomah and Aitor Karanka did not always see eye to eye. A very good signing for Villa though.

Updated

“Polish winger Kamil Grosicki is on his way to England,” writes Tom P. “Which club? You tell us.”

What’s this, a game of Guess Which? Good player though, I’ll give you that information for free.

Didier Ndong - the Lorient and Gabon midfielder set to become Sunderland’s £17m record buy - is now in the north east, having a medical. If he ends up signing, Ndong will miss Sunderland’s next game at home to Everton as he is currently suspended.

Meanwhile Yann M’Vila - a success on loan at the Stadium of Light last season and a Sunderland target throughout a summer in which Rubin Kazan have placed a high price on his head - has been pictured at Heathrow after landing on a flight from Moscow. Sunderland fans will hope he is connecting to Newcastle airport en route to a return to Wearside.

Sunderland had feared M’Vila might be set to join Sporting Lisbon instead today...

Confirmed: Stoke sign Wilfried Bony on a season-long loan

Won’t somebody think of Mame Biram Diouf?

“Sorry to bother you during your live transfer update,” says Ed Webster, “but I just wondered, would you be able to point me in the direction of any good books on football in the Balkans during the 80s/90s. As an era it produced some astonishingly good footballers and sides, all set to the backdrop of political upheaval and bitter enmity between teammates. I imagine it must be a fascinating story. Any help you can give me would be much appreciated!”

I don’t know of any but would be similarly interested. Anyone?

Updated

Here’s more on Chelsea’s move for Valencia defender Aymen Abdennour

Updated

Chelsea are discussing Sissoko with Newcastle. Not sure how desperately serious they are - they are one of the few clubs not to have been linked with him. Newcastle still want £30m. Might this force Spurs to up their bid, or will he simply end up back at St James’ Park after all?

Updated

“If Sky want to be creative and/or satirical,” begins David Hopkins, “maybe they could get Monty Brewster to report from Aston Villa, or perhaps Viv Nicholson from almost any Premier League club?” But David, one of them is a fictional character and the other died last year.

Joe Hart has either been reading a lot of poetry in the last 24 hours, or his translator loves Serie A.

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I wish Brian Clough, Bill Shankly and especially Jock Wallace were around for Deadline Day. Imagine some poor wee gadge chasing after Big Jock to ask him whether he can confirm or deny reports on Twitter that he is interested in Steaua Bucharest’s left-back.

Chelsea’s pursuit of central-defensive reinforcements has prompted them to open talks with Valencia over the signing of Aymen Abdennour, initially on loan with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

The London club have been frustrated in their pursuit of Kalidou Kouliably at Napoli and Milan’s Alessio Romagnoli, and had been linked heavily with an attempt to re-sign David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Yet, with the left-back Marcos Alonso set to complete his £25m move from Fiorentina later today, Chelsea have opted to revive their long-standing interest in Abdennour as they seek cover at the back.

The Premier League side had first attempted to secure the Tunisia international from AS Monaco a year ago, only to pull the plug on the deal when the French club hiked the price for the centre-half as the deadline approached.

Abdennour, who had apparently indicated his preference had been a move to London, joined Valencia instead but is prepared to leave the Mestalla after only one season. Manchester City’s Eliaquim Mangala is set to move to the Spanish club on loan as a replacement.

Updated

And this is a fine piece from Nick Ames on the unpopular mess that is the Checkatrade Trophy.

More lunchtime reading. Here’s Sid Lowe on why La Liga is literally laughing at the Premier League.

“On the subject of Brits in Italy, Lazio’s Ravel Morrison is rumoured to be keen on a move to Nottingham Forest,” says Nick Hughes. “Full credit to our chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi if he manages to pull off the double coup of selling our most exciting young player in decades, Oliver Burke, to a soft drinks brand without a sell-on clause and replacing him with the man who wrote the book on how not to fulfil your potential.”

Marcus Rashford is not going on loan to Vitesse Arnhem, as the grapevine o’ banter suggested earlier in the summer. But if you want to hear me get very giddy about how good he could be, this is for you.

“Despite acing their Brit rollcall with Souness, Francis & Platt (and, err Des Walker) it’s C4 matches of Sampdoria featuring Dichio & Lee Sharpe that live in the memory,” says Mike Murphy. “The surprise on my face gave me an affinity with the Samp fans in the lovely Luigi Ferraris stadium who were clearly similarly befuddled.”

Ah, Sampdoria in the 1980s and 1990s. Somebody should write a book on that era. Mind you, you could do a book on this game alone.

If you haven’t heard it, Graham Hunter’s podcast with Gianluca Vialli is predictably terrific, especially the Sampdoria stuff.

Jack Wilshere latest No news yet, but Sky are suggesting it’s not a three-horse race between Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Roma. It’s a no-brainer to go to Bournemouth, isn’t it?

Dominic Cork at Stoke is all well and good, but surely Sky can do even better. Any ideas? David Lloyd at Accrington? Wayne Mardle at Spurs? Kay Burley at Palace?

I know we’re not supposed to talk about actual football on a day like today, but your eyes might enjoy this.

Everton have agreed a £1.4m deal with Sheffield United to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has just been called up to the England Under-20 squad. Calvert-Lewin joined Sheffield United at the age of eight and made his debut for the club in April last year. He enjoyed an impressive loan spell at Northampton Town last season and has attracted interest from Manchester United as well as Everton. The 19-year-old forward is a Sheffield boy and grew up a few streets away from where Jamie Vardy lived, near Hillsborough.

Updated

“Never mind looking at the clock, Rob,” says William Hargreaves. “Just make sure there’s no one behind you with a rubber phallus.”

I wouldn’t know about that sort of thing.

Make that four: Stoke have signed Derby keeper Lee Grant on loan

Three stars of world sport have arrived at Stoke: Wilfried Bony, Bruno Martins Indi and Dominic Cork, who is covering today’s activing for Sky Sports.

This could be bad news for lovers of David Luiz’s freestyle defending

The latest from Sky Sports’ Deadline Day ticker WILFRIED BONY TWEETS: IT’S A NEW DAY & I LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW CHALLENGE.

So, what’s your favourite Brit-in-Italy moment? Here are two that come to mind straight away: Paul Gascoigne’s Spectrum goal against Pescara and Mark Hateley’s immense header in the Milan derby.

Just to show we really do care about the Championship, there are rumours that Fulham are going to grant Emmanuel Adebayor entry into the 484th Chance Saloon.

Updated

Lunchtime reading/viewing if you’re into the whole Joe Hart thing

British footballers who have played in Italy

Joe Hart joins Torino on a season-long loan

It’s official: Joe Hart’s pass-completion stats have packed their bags and will spend the next nine months in Turin.

Hello. “It just keeps ticking, doesn’t it!” - a grown man on Sky Sports a moment ago, looking at a clock. Happy deadline day!

Here’s where my stint comes to an end. Rob Smyth will be talking to you about Marcus Rashford for the next three hours.

With Derby set to sell Jeff Hendrick, they might dip into the market. Huddersfield’s Sean Scannell is a potential target. Sheffield Wednesday are also interested.

There are a few whispers about Chelsea looking at Angelo Ogbonna. But selling the Italy centre-back would leave West Ham with two senior centre-backs.

Look at the shiny interactive! Coo!

Jamie Jackson reports that Eliaquim Mangala is in Valencia for a medical. He also says that Samir Nasri’s move to Sevilla is almost done.

The word at Swansea is that Saturday’s chastening defeat at Leicester – anyone that was at the King Power Stadium will know that it was a 2-1 hammering – prompted genuine concern within the club about the strength of the squad. Hence the move for Enner Valencia, who is in talks with Swansea about a season-long loan from WHU. Whether Valencia is the answer, is another matter. Over to you for the verdict on that one, Mr Steinberg. Leo Ulloa was on Swansea’s list of targets earlier in the summer but I was told yesterday that he’s not being considered now. Understand Ulloa’s representatives held talks with Leicester about his future first thing this morning. Seems certain to go and has options in the Premier League (Sunderland) and in Spain.

To answer your question, Stu, Enner Valencia had a promising start at West Ham, scoring that stunner at Hull and linking up well with Diafra Sakho. But he looked lost whenever he played without the more muscular Sakho and suffered a bad knee injury last summer. He’s not recovered his confidence since then and has struggled in a wide role under Slaven Bilic. He’s not scored since January and lacks nous on the ball. He often looks clumsy and has only scored 10 goals in all competitions since his move in 2014. The strange thing, though, is that he’s prolific for Ecuador. Maybe it’s all about confidence.

Our Manchester correspondent, Jamie Jackson, has been in touch. “Valencia have moved ahead of Porto in the great Eliaquim Mangala chase,” he says. “Those high up and who should know say nothing occurring at Manchester United today but the usual this is the never-say-never trade caveat applies... And big J Hart is back on these shores Ahead of the deal to Torino being made official.”

“Given the early hour, Sissoko should have time to get through both Dickens’ Great Expectations and Janyre Tromp’s That Sinking Feeling,” parps Toby Thatcher.

Dominic Fifield says that Jack Wilshere is veering towards Bournemouth. Working with Eddie Howe could be beneficial.

Ed Aarons reports that Everton are closing in on Porto’s Yacine Brahimi. They’ve quietly done some decent business.

Looks like Moussa Sissoko could be in serious need of that good book Dominic Fifield hopes accompanied him to London. Being given permission to leave his France team-mates and Clairefontaine behind is one thing but Newcastle actually agreeing a deal with Daniel Levy quite another. At the moment the Tynesiders are still holding out for £30m - a sum Spurs are extremely cool on.

Updated

Besiktas have signed Leicester’s Gokhan Inler. It never really happened for him, did it?

The word from our chief football correspondent, Danny Taylor, is that Micah Richards’s potential move to West Ham is likely to go to the wire. The two clubs are yet to reach an agreement.

Derby County’s Jeff Hendrik is going to have a medical at Burnley. He’d be a good signing.

“I’d like to suggest Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis for Moussa Sissoko,” says David John Knowles. “It’s full of bleached out LA bleakness and people who are unbelievably shallow and self centred. It should reflect the mood of the day for him and it’s short enough to get through in an extended sitting.”

Stephen Bell has a book suggestion for Moussa Sissoko: Down and Out in Paris and London.

Arsenal will have a say as to where Wilshere goes given that Palace don’t intend to pay his entire wage package, while Bournemouth are willing to pay it all.

It’s not a deadline day with Harry Redknapp, it’s not a deadline day without Emmanuel Adebayor. The big man is reportedly in talks with Fulham.

Derby County goalkeeper Lee Grant is apparently having a medical at Stoke. Is this the end for Shay Given?

More details on Didier N’Dong: a very defensive minded, extremely “physical” midfielder, N’Dong was on international duty with Gabon when Sunderland stepped up their interest on Tuesday. He met club officials in Paris late on Tuesday evening and underwent the first part of a medical to be concluded on Wearside later today. If he signs, Sunderland’s record transfer fee - the £13m paid for Asamoah Gyan – remember him? – will be eclipsed.

As for Chelsea, Marcos Alonso is currently undergoing a medical at Cobham ahead of the completion of his 27m Euros move from Fiorentina. The former Bolton and Sunderland defender will offer competition at left-back and, if required, centre-half. Ideally the club would like to add another experienced defender, potentially on loan, before the window closes. Paris Saint-Germain, for what it’s worth, are insisting David Luiz will not be permitted to leave Parc des Princes this summer.

There will be exits from Stamford Bridge. Juan Cuadrado could finally complete his return to Juventus, where he spent last season on loan, in another temporary switch while the likes of Christian Atsu (Newcastle) and Kenneth Omeruo (Alanyaspor) should complete their respective loan moves. They may be followed by Matt Miazga, Nathaniel Chalobah, Dominic Solanke, Islam Feruz and Lucas Piazon out of the club on temporary deals.

To think that we doubted Daniel Levy. There’s been a development in the Moussa Sissoko saga.

Louise Taylor reports: “Currently on international duty with France, Moussa Sissoko has left the France training camp after being given permission to fly to London for potential talks with Spurs.”

Wilfried Bony to Stoke is close to getting done. The player is undergoing a medical at the training ground with a view to a season-long loan. Stoke made it clear that Manchester City would have to heavily subsidise the player’s wages for the deal to work for them. They have agreed to pay a £2m loan fee. Manchester City would have preferred to sell Bony, but Stoke were not prepared to take on the Ivorian’s salary.

Bony’s arrival at Stoke raises questions about their pursuit of Saido Berahino and whether they will now abandon hopes to sign the West Bromwich Albion forward. Any move for Berahino was always conditional on West Brom bringing in another striker in the first place.

Alan Pardew’s attempts to refresh his Crystal Palace squad, and reinvent the team’s style of play, have already seen him given the leeway to shatter the club’s transfer record twice this summer, first to sign Andros Townsend and then Christian Benteke. Add Steve Mandanda, James Tomkins and Loic Remy to the recruitment drive and this is already arguably the strongest squad Palace have ever had.

Yet the club expect at least two more arrivals on deadline day, with Jack Wilshere’s potential loan move from Arsenal the most mouth-watering prospect. The England midfielder has offers from virtually half the Premier League to consider - Arsenal will not countenance him moving to a direct rival for a top four place - as well as Roma, Celtic and Valencia from abroad. But, with a young family, he may be more enticed by the prospect of moving to Palace, Bournemouth or Watford.

The south London club are privately hopeful a deal will be concluded today and, with Yohan Cabaye having withdrawn from the France squad with a knee injury which is still being assessed, he will be needed in a side desperately lacking in creativity. Palace are also hopeful of securing Charlton’s highly rated young winger, Ademola Lookman, and retain an interest in Tomas Rincon at Genoa.

There will be departures, too. Jordon Mutch could replace the outgoing Jeff Hendrick at Derby County, while Keshi Anderson is joining Bolton on loan and will be followed by other youngsters, Sullay Kaikai and Hiram Boateng, in seeking first-team football elsewhere. Luke Croll could also join Exeter and Jonny Williams could be heading back to Ipswich on loan.

Updated

Enner Valencia, who’s badly lost his way at West Ham, could be joining Swansea on loan. The Ecuadorian striker hasn’t scored since January and currently looks like he’ll never score again.

L’Equipe are reporting that Nice are trying to convince Liverpool to let them have Mario Balotelli on a free transfer. It’s understood that Liverpool want to pay Nice to take him off their hands. I’m being facetious.

Posted without comment.

Adama Traore, the Aston Villa winger, is booked in for a medical on Teeside today, thereby placing the Middlesbrough future of Albert Adomah in doubt. And will anyone bid for Jordan Rhodes, an expensive striker seemingly surplus to Aitor Karanka’s requirements? Calum Chambers is already signed and sealed as a Middlesbrough defender, having completed his season long loan deal on Tuesday night.

Thwarted in various attempts to sign assorted midfielders David Moyes - rebuffed by Sevilla’s Vicente Iborra and Tottenham’s Ryan Mason (who joined Hull instead) yesterday - could be set to break Sunderland’s transfer record by paying France’s Lorient £17m for their 22-year-old midfielder Didier Ndong.

A Gabon international, Ndong was scouted last week by Sunderland only to be sent off after 30 minutes but with time fast running out they could be set to gamble on his potential.

Meanwhile Moyes is in talks with John Ruddy – a goalkeeper he once managed at Everton – over a prospective transfer from Norwich. Ruddy has lost his place at Carrow Road and could be receptive to a move north.

Updated

Harry Redknapp might not be managing anyone at the moment but that’s not going to stop him from getting involved today. He’s just been asked about Tottenham’s pursuit of Moussa Sissoko on Talksport. “If Newcastle are asking for £35million Daniel (Levy) will bid £5m,” he said.

It’s being said that Wilfried Bony has turned up at Stoke’s training ground. No word on whether he’s brought his own stethoscope. It could be a busy day for the Stoke doctors. Porto’s Dutch defender Bruno Martins Indi is also supposed to be mooching around the place.

“I get there’s escalation in price,” says Michael Hunt. “I do. And it’s distasteful and scandalous and undermines memories of (as a Chelsea fan) just how bad 13 mil on Sutton (and no doubt in time 50 mil on Torres) was. And goals aren’t everything in this post-post-Heskey world. But there’s escalation and then there’s throwing 35m at a 26 year old striker who hasn’t even threatened double figures for league goals in his two seasons at one of the 3 massive clubs in Portugal.”

Isn’t Brahimi more of a wide player? He was brilliant against Chelsea last season. Then again, who wasn’t?

Emmanuel Riviere has finally found a new home. Unwanted at St James’ Park - where he was rarely seen - the French striker has joined Osasuna on a season long loan.

Meanwhile Tottenham’s £16m bid for Moussa Sissoko is way below Newcatle’s valuation. The possibility that the France midfielder may end up staying on Tyneside after all dictates that a move for West Brom’s Callum McMcManaman is on hold. But there will surely be improved offers for Sissoko – won’t there?.

Meanwhile highly rated young Newcastle defender Jamie Sterry has joined Coventry on a season long loan. Liked by Rafa Benitez, Sterry may well have a longer term chance of making it at Newcastle.

Benitez himself is at an elite club coaching conference in Switzerland today, leaving Lee Charnley, Newcastle’s managing director to play hardball with Daniel Levy over Tottenham’s Sissoko pursuit.

Has anyone seen Roll Up Man?

Here’s today’s Rumour Mill. Enjoy!

Not that this day has become a parody of itself, but Sky’s Andy Burton just spotted a bird flying around the Emirates Stadium and wondered if it was a sign that Jack Wilshere might be off to Crystal Palace. The Eagles, you see. One problem: it was a hawk. We did get an interview with the bird, though. A historic moment in television history.

What’s Wilfried Bony hinting at here? Could a loan move to Stoke be in the offing?

Alex McLeish is on Sky Sports News. No surprise. He’s one of life’s great entertainers, after all.

This is big.

There are reports of Tottenham offering Newcastle £16m for Moussa Sissoko. Newcastle want £35m. Daniel Levy, you clever so and so.

One of the biggest issues today is where Jack Wilshere’s going to end up on loan. The Arsenal midfielder has agreed with Arsene Wenger that he needs to find a place where he can play regular first team football, having fallen down the pecking order. He’s a terrific talent and he’s only 24. But, well, he’s a terrific talent when he’s fit. Bournemouth and Crystal Palace look like the front runners at the moment.

Updated

Everton are close to agreeing a club record deal to sign Yacine Brahimi from FC Porto, with the Algeria forward expected on Merseyside on Wednesday to complete a medical.

Despite signing Yannick Bolasie for an initial £25m from Crystal Palace, Ronald Koeman is still searching for more reinforcements to his attack and has targeted Brahimi and Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

But while progress in the move for Gabbiadini has so far stalled, negotiations with Porto for the 26-year-old are ongoing, with Everton offering a deal that could be worth up to £35m. The Portuguese club has yet to accept that, although it is expected an agreement will be reached and Brahimi will move to Goodison Park.

Born in Paris, he began his career at Rennes before moving to Spanish side Granada in 2012. Brahimi moved to Porto in 2014 for around £5m, although 80% of that fee was paid by investment group Doyen Sports.

Capable of playing on either wing or in the No10 role, Brahimi scored seven league goals in both of his two seasons in Portugal. He is currently on international duty with Algeria ahead of their African Nations Cup qualifier against Lesotho.

Despite reports in Italy on Tuesday that Everton’s had ended their interest in Gabbiadini, it is understood that a deal could still be reached for the Italy striker. An offer of around £16m was made earlier in the week, with Koeman also interested in signing Wilfried Bony from Manchester City.

Leicester agree Islam Slimani deal!

It’s early but one deal’s moving along smoothly, with Leicester closing in on Sporting Lisbon’s talented Algerian forward, Islam Slimani. Ed Aarons and Fabrizio Romano have the latest:

Leicester have agreed a club record fee of €35m (£30m) with Sporting Lisbon for Islam Slimani, with the Algeria striker due to fly to Italy today to complete his medical.

Negotiations appeared to have reached an impasse when the Portuguese side instead they would not sell last season’s top scorer for less than €40m.

However, with Claudio Ranieiri keen to add to his attacking options in readiness for their debut season in the Champions League, a compromise was reached on Tuesday night. Slimani, who scored 27 times in the Portuguese league last season as Sporting finished as runners-up behind Benfica, will now leave Algeria’s training camp as they prepare for their African Nations Cup qualifier against Lesotho to sign for the Premier League champions.

West Bromwich have also had a bid rejected in the past week, although it is understood that the Algiers-born player favoured a move to the King Power Stadium to link up with his international team-mate Riyad Mahrez.

Slimani, who moved to Portugal in 2013 from the Algerian side CR Belouizdad, scored twice for his country at the 2014 World Cup. Having already added the Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa in the summer, Leicester have been in the market for another striker for some time and also enquired after the Argentinian Guido Carillo of Monaco.

Preamble

Hello. What’s your favourite ever deadline day? Shut up, don’t be ridiculous.

Updated

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