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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Nick Ames (now) and Simon Burnton (earlier)

Transfer window closes: Everton land Mina, Bernard and Gomes – deadline day as it happened

Bernard
The Brazilian winger Bernard has completed his move to Everton. Photograph: Tony McArdle - Everton FC/Everton FC via Getty Images

That'll do for today, and this window

We await confirmation of a few late deals – namely Ings to Southampton, Zouma to Everton, Fosu-Mensah and Zambo Anguissa to Fulham. But the some of the highlights, otherwise, have been:

Any more news and don’t worry, we’ll bring it right to you. Thanks for all your company, and interactions, this week. We even managed a pleasant hour’s diversion of Philip Larkin riffs. Take care and see you soon!

Updated

For Villa, not Spurs ...

Never mind Hammers, you got Carlos Sanchez.

Another departure from Swansea: Jordi Amat has joined Rayo Vallecano.

As trailed by Jacob ...

Good source; sounds like Fulham have their man, whenever they announce it ...

Important to note that Football League clubs do have the loan-with-a-view-to-buy option until the end of the month – so the story, in some of these cases, might not be over yet ...

Updated

It’s the time of evening when things start to drag. Thank goodness, again, for the earlier-than-usual cut-off. In the Europa League, Burnley are drawing 0-0 at Istanbul Basaksehir.

Part of an interesting thread from Jacob on Quina and Reece Oxford. The Quina deal is done and will soon be announced.

Oh – Fosu-Mensah too. Has his switch to west London gone through in time?

Now ... the big ones we’re waiting to find out about are, as far as I can tell, Ings, Zambo Anguissa and Zouma.

It has been a good day for the Toffees.

Another done deal! Brighton have got their move for Martin Montoya over the line. The 27-year-old right-back comes on a permanent deal. Very nice move from them.

Done deal – Luciano Vietto to Fulham is complete, Dom Fifield assures me. I think this – a loan by the way – is quite a coup for the Cottagers.

Updated

It’s 7pm here in London – if any late deals have been done, they’ll have to have been done by now. And we’ll be hearing about them any minute ...

Sounds like Watford are signing Domingos Quina for £1m from West Ham. Bit of a surprise, but the young Portuguese winger had failed to agree a new deal with West Ham.

A nailbiter for Fulham here. High stakes – look at that fee!

Rafa Benitez and Tony Pulis may not exactly be soulmates but both ended the day in the same boat with hopes dashed – and ambitions blunted ...

Middlesbrough’s promotion-chasing Pulis had woken in the hope his club would sign around three of the following: Yannick Bolasie, Mo Besic (both Everton), Luke Freeman (QPR) and Jed Wallace and George Saville (both Millwall). Aston Villa’s Albert Adomah was also mentioned in dispatches, although that always seemed a little unlikely.

In the event Pulis landed none of them, a £6m move for Besic collapsing when it seemed virtually over the line.

The good news is that Championship clubs can loan players from the Premier league and abroad until August 31 so business can still be done with Everton.

There is talk that Boro’s Denmark forward Martin Braithwaite could head to Europe on loan but that would surely be a huge shame as the No 10 is immensely gifted and, with Patrick Bamford now at Leeds, surely remains the creator Pulis’s side craves.

Here’s Kepa the keeper, courtesy of Jacob Steinberg:

Federico Fernandez has become Newcastle’s seventh summer signing following the completion of his £6m transfer from Swansea to Newcastle transfer’s completion. The 29-year-old Argentine played for Rafa Benitez at Napoli and has 32 Argentina caps. He has signed a two year deal and, shortly afterwards said: “It’s been a long day but I’m really happy to be here. I’m really excited.”

Fernandez’s arrival finally brought a smile to Rafa Benitez’s face but Newcastle’s manager does have reason to wonder why he opted not to take a summer holiday in order to work on potential transfer deals ... back in June he couldn’t have believed his club would end up more than £20m in profit on transfers ...

He is left without the new No 10 and winger he wanted – and, crucially, cover for Paul Dummett at left-back. His tentative attempts to sign Stoke’s Erik Pieters and Liverpool’s Ragnor Klavan came to nothing after the club hierarchy turned their noses up at that pair ...

Oh, and talking of Wigan and Ipswich – it seems the Latics have done direct business with their Championship rivals in signing their striker Joe Garner. Reports suggest that one will get done in time.

Good signing for Wigan, who fended off Ipswich to do this:

Sky are reporting another signing for Leicester – Jamie Vardy has put pen to paper for four more years! He’ll be 35 when that’s done.

Done deals! Arter has indeed signed for Cardiff on loan, which I think is a great deal for Cardiff, and Fernandez has signed a two-year deal at Newcastle.

Yep, on balance I think yours has been good although I’m not sold on Ghezzal. Excellent depth at the back now, as you say.

Another one in the pipeline ...

Rodney Fernandes, who I strongly suspect supports Liverpool, has sent in a deadline day Haiku:

Deadline! Who art thou?

We drill pressing at Melwood

While fax machines whirl

Sounds as if Valencia’s Martin Montoya may be joining you in the next 40 minutes, too.

Happiness in Goonerland, while a Sky reporter inside Old Trafford adopts suitably funereal tones when dissecting United’s failure to add a defender.

Harry Arter’s loan move from Bournemouth to Cardiff should still go through, Sky tell us – despite late interest from Watford.

A bit more detail from Get French Football News on that Mbenza move to Huddersfield:

Local sources in Montpellier say that Issac Mbenza’s move to Huddersfield Town is a €2m loan with an obligation to buy worth around a dozen million Euros.

Done deal – Jordan Ayew is a Crystal Palace player. That man Dom Fifield with the information again.

Done deal – Leicester sign Caglar Soyuncu from Freiburg

The centre-back arrives for £19m. Leicester are well stocked at centre-back now with Maguire, Soyuncu and Johnny Evans ... but don’t expect any late Manchester United deal for Maguire.

By all means send in your – fairly pithy if you can – assessments of your club’s deadline day. Or just your club’s window overall. A good one for you all round? A frustrating one? Or does none of this really matter at all?

Thibaut Courtois says he would love Eden Hazard to join him at Real Madrid, the naughty boy. Story here:

I appreciate Fulham have a lot of these to get through but ...

Done deal: Stoke have signed Sam Clucas from Swansea. But Swansea don’t appear to have replaced him with Ryan Woods of Brentford, which gives them a big problem in midfield ...

Done deal: Fulham have sealed the arrival of Joe Bryan from Bristol City, Dominic Fifield tells me. Cracking signing, he’s a really good attacking left-back.

Ten of those “deal sheets” have been handed into Premier League HQ – so we could see a lot more between now and 7pm. Probably most of it involving Fulham ... although one of them, Andy Hunter has just told me, is Everton’s loan deal for Kurt Zouma.

Updated

It looks like the Mo Besic deal to Middlesbrough has fallen through – personal terms the problem apparently. That said, not impossible that he could end up back at the Riverside on loan before the end of the month ...

As Andy says below, clubs have til 7pm to get deals to done if the agreements were submitted in time ...

Southampton’s offer to Liverpool for Danny Ings is a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy next summer. Deal sheet submitted in time so have until 7pm to complete.

Harsh, they didn’t lumber you with Vida today.

Sergio Rico, the Sevilla keeper, has been confirmed at Fulham on a season-long loan, I’m told by Dominic Fifield. How many extra admin hands have they had to hire at Craven Cottage today?!

Federico Fernandez is on Tyneside now completing his move from Swansea so, given clubs have hour’s grace to sort paperwork, his move should happen.

Overall Newcastle’s squad is significantly stronger than last summer - but still not strong enough and, worse, any lingering trust Rafa Benitez had in Ashley regime surely extinguished now ...

More positively; Middlesbrough have completed Mo Besic’s transfer from Everton; he did well in midfield on loan at the Riverside last season.

And the good news for Boro is that while clubs like Crystal Palace and Burnley can no longer sign players, Championship teams can secure loans up until August 31st - so Tony Pulis could yet get his wish and borrow Yannick Bolasie from Everton ...

“Barcelona fans have gone out of their way to be kind to Andre Gomes, but will be not-so secretly delighted to wave him on his way,” writes Charles Antaki. “Not a bad player. but shot through with nerves, and never got over being signed for a mega-club. Everton will cure that.”

Further detail from Get French Football News on Fulham’s move for Zambo Anguissa:

“Negotiating took all afternoon because Fulham insisted on paying in instalments, according to France Football. Both clubs have compromised somewhere in the middle, so not all the money being paid at once, but not payments will not be as severely broken up as Fulham initially wanted.”

Updated

Are Southampton going to get their striker after all?

Essentially the last eight hours has all been shadow boxing, hasn’t it, and the real transfer blog starts now. I’m missing Larkin already.

Done deal – Everton agree to sign Andre Gomes from Barcelona

Wow. What a crazy afternoon at Goodison! Note that this one is a loan.

Updated

I think it is fairly safe to say, in the meantime, that Tottenham will not be signing anyone. What on earth must Pochettino be thinking?

Done deal – Huddersfield have signed the exciting forward Isaac Mbenza, a long-term target, on a seasons-long loan from Montpellier. They’re raining in now, aren’t they!

That Dan Burn move to Brighton from Wigan, then back on loan again, is confirmed. Still think it’s an odd one.

Carlos Sanchez has completed his move to West Ham, as per Jacob earlier. Seems a fairly low-risk move for the 32-year-old midfielder.

A case in point here ...

André-Frank Zambo Anguissa has completed his move to Fulham from Marseille for a club record £27m. The Cameroon international will sign a four-year deal worth around £65,000 a week. Fulham are also expected to announce the signing of Joe Bryan from Bristol City and have also been linked with a late loan move for Luciano Vietto from Atletico Madrid.

Updated

It's 5pm – the transfer deadline has passed!

But that’s not quite it ... expect a steady trickle of deals to be rubber-stamped over the next couple of hours, and perhaps a few we didn’t know about to sneak under the radar. I’m going nowhere – nor should you!

Done deal – Everton agree Mina deal with Barcelona

Looks like Everton have got this one done. Toffees – happy with the last few minutes?

Phil knew how we all feel as it ticks towards 5pm ...

West Ham will announce the signing of Carlos Sanchez soon. There’s not much time left before the window shuts, but that deal’s all done. The Colombian midfielder joins on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee and becomes West Ham’s 10th summer signing.

Updated

Bernard has completed his move to Everton, arriving on a lucrative free transfer and signing a four year contract. Says Marco Silva was influential in his decision to move to Goodison Park. “I chose Everton because of all the things I had heard about Marco Silva and after speaking to him I was happy with what he said to me,” said the Brazil international.

“The manager made me feel confident about playing here. He is a very good coach and he has achieved really good things at other clubs. Everton is a club with a great structure and a lot of tradition, historically the fourth most successful club in England. When I found out about this opportunity and what the manager wanted out of me I was happy. That is why I made my choice, because of the confidence both the manager and the club showed in me.”

Done deal – Everton sign Bernard

I’m giving this big billing as it’s a good one. And probably not their only one!

Manchester United might need a centre-back, but shouldn’t full-back have been more of a priority? They’re basically going in with Valencia, Young, Shaw and the untested Dalot aren’t they? Surely, much as I think Valencia is great, some quality upgrades were needed.

That’s Betjeman isn’t it? Very good though, you can have it.

Fulham’s late trolley dash gathers further speed – they’re in for Atletico Madrid striker Luciano Vietto on loan, and of course they’re still working on Fosu-Mensah, Bryan and Zambo Anguissa ...

Updated

Jordan Ayew should be announced imminently by Crystal Palace, and will be the only incoming before the deadline – according to a man who should know, our very own Dominic Fifield.

Who shall we do for the January deadline? Amis?

Looks like new Manchester City boy Daniel Arzani will indeed become new Celtic loan boy Daniel Arzani. Here’s Brendan Rodgers:

“He (Arzani) has completed on the Man City side, virtually most of it is completed on our side. He has been up here today so, like I say, we hope for that to complete over the next few days.

“He hasn’t done anything since his last game with Australia a little while back so he is going to have to come in and adjust and get up to speed before we can even consider him for a game”

These are all exceptional, while making me feel thoroughly ashamed at the amount of my degree I’ve forgotten.

A reminder that, although we’ve only HALF AN HOUR TIL THE DEADLINE, proceedings will in reality carry on a bit longer. Clubs can apply for an extension to file certain paperwork, I think. So the fun – or agony, if you support certain clubs – will rumble on ...

All kinds of stuff flying around now. Sky say Blackburn have bid £5m for Nottingham Forest’s young striker Ben Brereton, who is a great prospect, and it seems totally pie in the sky that Forest would let him go to a rival. Doesn’t it ... ?

The only Rafa one I’ve been sent, and it’s not a bad one. Newcastle should announce the Fernandez signing soonish, by the way.

If Larkin was a football fan, I wonder how he’d write the news that Timothy Fosu-Mensah looks to be off to Fulham from Manchester United. You don’t need any more defenders, United, do you?

I wish I could use all of these. Wasn’t Larkin more of a rugby man, as it goes?

The only footballer I know of who talks like that is Gigi Buffon.

Everton are reportedly set to announce the arrival of Bernard, which would be an excellent deal for them. He’s got his work permit and, apparently, passed his medical. We have 48 minutes to go!

Updated

Yes, I’ll take that one. Otherwise my Twitter mentions purely suggest that Larkin’s aim in life was to troll Tottenham fans. To be fair, I wouldn’t necessarily have put it past him.

Nothing much happening at Old Trafford as we near the witching hour ... although there are suggestions Everton still fancy their chances of nabbing Marcos Rojo, so would that start a dramatic chain reaction?

Done deal: Nottingham Forest have signed the Huddersfield defender Michael Hefele.

Funny, isn’t it, that most of these seem to be about Spurs. They’re not going to sign anyone, are they?

This Larkin thing is really catching fire. All we need now is a big signing or two for Hull.

They started the Championship season well on Saturday but, in the bigger picture, this is not good news at all for Swansea.

Not bad, not bad at all.

That exciting new Wolves signing, Leander Dendoncker, has been saying words:

“A lot of players from our [Belgium] team, they really wanted to win. It was like the game of the year to beat England, and we did it twice, so we were happy. They told me to come here and that I would become a better player. We will see. I’m very excited to start.

“I was the only player from the Belgian competition who was in the [World Cup] squad and now a move to the Premier League is also a dream, I think, for every young football player. I’m very happy to be here and I hope I can help the team as fast as possible.”

“Talking of Larkin,” writes David Hopkins – and I really didn’t think we would be going down this road an hour before the window shut – “I tend to think that:

‘And so it stays just on the edge of vision,

A small unfocused blur, a standing chill

That slows each impulse down to indecision.’

neatly sums up Arsenal’s annual search for a gamechanging midfielder.”

Couple of big lines now from Get French Football News:

  • Everton have agreed a loan deal with Chelsea to sign Kurt Zouma, but face a race against the clock to ensure all the formalities are in order, according to L’Équipe.
  • RMC confirm that Jordan Ayew has passed a medical with Crystal Palace successfully ahead of a loan move from Swansea. Deal is completely done.”

Happy, Palace fans? And is Zouma going to be Everton’s new defender?

Anders Eriksson thinks Philip Larkin summed up the transfer window quite well:

Rather than words comes the thought of short windows:
The sun-comprehending glass
And beyond it, the deep blue air, that shows
Nothing, and is nowhere, and is endless.

That’s from “High Windows”, of course. Me, I think Nothing, like something, happens anywhere (“I Remember, I Remember”) works equally well.

“Is there any Southampton news that I/ctrl+f have missed?” grasps Rory Downie.

I have nothing for you, Rory, but I *really* think you need a new striker.

Sounds like Rangers’ Josh Windass is on his way to Wigan, not Ipswich. If the Suffolk club still need a forward then there’s always his old dad.

“That photo of Courtois in the, er, black rubber of Real Madrid looks like he’s auditioning to be Catwoman’s boyfriend,” sniggers Steve Hoare.

“What do you think the chances will be of ins and outs at Arsenal this afternoon?” asks James Ball.

Slim, I suspect. There have been a few flickers about a late deal for Ousmane Dembele but at this stage I think it’d be a complicated one to do. Likewise Domagoj Vida was linked in some quarters but I don’t see it, not now, and that one would be a bullet dodged anyway in my view. Outs – could see Welbeck going, maybe even on loan, but no clear taker yet.

As expected Marlon Santos’s work permit application has fallen through so Newcastle will not be signing Barcelona’s Brazilian centre half on loan but Swansea’s Argentinian stopper Federico Fernandez should shortly be re-united with his old Napoli boss Rafa Benitez on Tyneside. Fernandez is joining for £6m.

Yes, you’re stuck with me for the next little while now – probably beyond 5pm, in reality, as late deals take some time to get done. I remember the glorious days of manning this blog til almost 2am while waiting for Arsenal to #AnnounceWelbeck. So today’s timing is an absolute gift, I shan’t lie.

Less than two hours remaining before the curtail falls, and I’m going to spend the next bit of it cooling off in a darkened room. Nick Ames will take you through to 5pm. Email him here or tweet him here. Bye!

Sky are reporting that Bournemouth’s Harry Arter is heading to Cardiff for a medical ahead of a loan move.

Here’s proof of the mild insanity that the transfer window can induce:

A couple of titbits: Islam Slimani is close to leaving Leicester to join Fenerbahce on a season-long loan, and Arsenal haven’t bid for Ousmane Dembele after all.

Chelsea have held a press conference to introduce Kepa. “I am incredibly happy to be here,” he says. “It’s a great step forward for my career. In terms of my price, it’s something I don’t think about. I will just try to be myself and do the best I can.”

Andy Hunter is also reporting that Sunderland are in for Wigan Athletic and former Tranmere Rovers midfielder Max Power.

Andre Gomes is undergoing an Everton medical in Barcelona today as well as Yerry Mina. The midfielder is injured at present but could sign on loan providing it is not too serious while a deal for the Colombia international defender is edging ever closer.

Done deal! Wolves have signed Leander Dendoncker from Anderlecht, on an initial season-long loan that will become permanent next summer for a fee in the region of £12m.

“Any rumours about Chelsea selling, to balance the purchase of Kepa?” wonders Josef Richter. “It may sound counterintuitive, but maybe the last chance to cash in on brilliant, but frustratingly unreliable Willian?” Not the last chance at all: they can’t sign anyone after 5pm today but they have until the end of August to sell players to clubs outside England, so Batshuayi, for example, need be in no hurry.

It sounds like Manchester United have been played like a fiddle by Diego Godin and his agent. The timeline of this curious story, according to Sky, started with United being approached by Godin’s agent last week expressing the player’s desire to play at Old Trafford, United immediately making contact with Atletico with a generous offer, Atletico responding to the possibility of losing the Uruguayan by offering him a massive bumper new contract, and Godin chuckling heartily to himself as he put pen to paper.

Ousmane Dembélé said earlier today that he would be staying at Barcelona, but according to one Spanish journalist Arsenal are intent on testing his resolve, having bid €100m for his services:

Done deal! Wolves have signed yet another footballer, though this time it’s one for the future: 18-year-old defender John Kitolano has moved from the Norwegian club Odds, signing a three-year contract. He played 21 times for Odds’ first team.

Swansea’s assistant manager, Billy Reid, has given an update on Federico Fernandez: “Fede has been here throughout pre-season and was excellent on Saturday, but he’s a player who sees his future elsewhere,” he said. “It’s not settled yet, but it looks like he will go to Newcastle.” Graham Potter was apparently too unwell to do media duties.

Mauricio Pochettino appears to be suggesting that Tottenham are at least trying to sign someone before the window closes. This is what he said when asked if there would be any incoming transfers:

It will be difficult. It’s not over until the game is over but with four hours to go it will be difficult.

Hello again! Here’s some early afternoon reading, in the shape of a Watford season preview by, um, me:

Simon’s back now, so I’ll see you again a little later ...

Away from the hullaballoo of done deal derring do, Paul Doyle has written a nice piece about the Premier League’s forgotten men – and how they hope to make an impact this season:

Rangers news. They have a big Europa League game with Maribor later but a number of their players are in demand.

Quick line from Mauricio Pochettino on the chances of Spurs doing any business – and it’s not great news if transfers are your bag:

“It will be difficult. It’s not over until the game is over but with four hours to go it will be difficult.”

It seems Newcastle and Swansea have now agreed a £6m fee for Federico Fernandez and he is now en route to Tyneside for a medical ... even if it goes through Newcastle will still be significantly in profit on summer transfer dealings, to the tune of around £20m ...

Isaac Mbenza’s Wikipedia page lists his height at 9ft 5in. Stick it in the mixer!

More fresh updates sent to us by the good people at Get French Football News:

  • Montpellier manager Michel der Zakarian has told RMC reports that Issac Mbenza will join Huddersfield Town today – fee is mooted at €15m.
  • Reliable French reporters suggest that Nantes have rejected a €14.5m offer from Watford for striker Emiliano Sala.
  • Brighton have been in regular contact in the last few days about a move for Amiens striker Moussa Konaté, but as of early this morning had not made a formal bid
  • We have been told that Adama Soumaoro, who was on Everton’s centre-back shortlist, will stay at Lille, which might be an encouraging sign for the Toffees in their pursuit of Yerry Mina.
  • Marseille right-back Bouna Sarr has wished team-mate André Frank Zambo-Anguissa the best with his future on his Instagram story, as he nears a €30m move to Fulham.
  • Newcastle are now unlikely to sign Valenciennes’ teenage defender Sikou Niakaté, because of confusion over what the Frenchman was being offered. His camp thought he would be in contention to fight for a first-team place, but it has now emerged that the project being offered by the Magpies is a place in the under-23 squad, which doesn’t appeal to the player.

Updated

A number of stories doing the rounds suggest Brighton are going to sign the Wigan centre-back Dan Burn for £4m and then loan him straight back – which is an odd one given than Burn is 26 and hardly some untested whippersnapper.

Preston have signed Manchester City striker Lukas Nmecha on loan – which is quite a coup for them. Half the Championship had been in for him.

Updated

Jimmy Briand hasn’t cut his ties with Guingamp very neatly after agreeing to leave for Bordeaux ...

Rafa Benitez’s mood is said to be darkening by the minute after he has been thwarted in repeated attempts to reinforce Newcastle’s squad.

A bad moment came when Swansea rejected a bid for Federico Fernandez, apparently well below their £10m validation. Benitez, of course, worked with the Argentinian centre half at Napoli.

Better news is that the deal could still be resurrected and a compromise reached but Newcastle’s manager is resigned to making do without the No 10/extra forward he craved and has also been frustrated in attempts to sign cut price left-back cover for Paul Dummett.

He wanted Stoke left-back Erik Pieters, among others, but the St James’ Park board told him Pieters and the other candidates did not fit their “profile”. Newcastle like to sign players aged 26 and under with decent sell-on potential. Could be an interesting press conference tomorrow.

Done deal! Cardiff sign Victor Camarasa, the Real Betis midfielder, on a season’s loan.

Fulham are close to completing a deal to sign André-Franck Zambo Anguissa from Marseille for around £26m, with the Cameroon midfielder due to have a medical in the south of France. That would take spending at Craven Cottage this summer close to the £100m mark having already signed Jean Michaël Seri, Alfie Mawson and Aleksandar Mitrovic, with Joe Bryan also expected to be confirmed today. It’s been an impressive window for the newly-promoted club, who have also managed to retain the services of teenager Ryan Sessegnon despite long-term interest from Manchester United and Tottenham.

Updated

Thanks Simon. Hotting up, isn’t it? Not outside though, I’ve just been drenched while scurrying outdoors to buy some sushi. At least two colleagues walked past smugly in proper rain apparel. Anyway, one brand new piece of info from Sky is that Wolves’ move for the Man City player Oleksander Zinchenko is off.

I’m going to take a short break at this point, and Nick Ames will take you through the luncheon period. You can email him here. Back in a bit!

Updated

Claude Puel has been speaking about Harry Maguire:

I am happy to keep Harry. He is our best player. I am a football manager and I want to keep our best players for the squad and for our season. We want to keep good ambition. We lost Riyad Mahrez, who was a very valuable player for us, so it was important to keep our best players and have good additions to the squad. We have to prepare for this season with good possibilities.

“As an Arsenal fan, is there anything for me to get excited about today? Dembélé from Barcelona possibly?” writes Samuel Jones. It looks like Dembélé isn’t going to happen: he was on Twitch this morning, where he chatted at length about Football Manager, and also said he was going nowhere.

In response to Edrianne Mathe’s question about Origi, Mignolet, Ings and Markovic, only Ings looks a possible departure today. The rest all have interest from European clubs and so have until 31 August to decide where to go, or indeed whether to leave. It is not certain Ings will do so either. He has been the subject of enquiries from the likes of Newcastle, Leicester, Southampton, Burnley and Crystal Palace this summer − and was left out of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the US to work on his fitness and discuss a move that suited − but not reached agreement with any. Newcastle, Southampton and Palace retain interest though. Sheyi Ojo is another who could leave today but otherwise all quiet at Anfield.

Leander Dendoncker has been filmed at Wolves’ training ground. He’s wearing a Wolves top and everything. A fine signing, I think.

Done deal: Here’s Thibaut Courtois signing on the dotting line at Real Madrid.

“I look forward, with PR numbed inevitability, to Villa describing Grealish’s remaining as ‘like a new signing’,” says Elliot Carr-Barnsley. “Personally I think he’s too good for us, and the league and should go.”

I like that one team has sat the entire window out, and think it shows Tottenham’s confidence in their squad and their manager as much as it reflects a stadium-based reduction in financial muscle. But clearly they wanted to sign Grealish, they assumed that Villa’s asking price would fall towards the end of the window, and their approach was very wrong. I assume that Grealish has been promised that he will be allowed to leave next summer if Villa aren’t promoted, and I think that is a very sensible conclusion to the whole affair.

Yerry Mina is having a medical in Barcelona currently ahead of completing a move to Everton.

“Any news from Merseyside regarding the potential exits of some fringe players like Origi, Mignolet, Ings or Markovic?” wonders Edrianne Mathe. Nothing as yet. If they are genuinely demanding £20m for Ings and £26m for Origi, as is the case according to press speculation, they haven’t exactly helped their chances of moving them on.

Spurs do, to be fair, have a very decent squad already. Whether it will be good enough to compete with their newly-strengthened top-four rivals, of course, remains to be seen.

Sky are reporting that United’s interest has not been welcomed by Atletico Madrid, and that the Spanish club are preparing to offer the Uruguayan a new contract.

This is our story on Diego Godin’s potential move to Manchester United: the club would be willing to trigger his release clause, but will he be willing to move?

“Land Yerry Mina and Everton look like having as brilliant a transfer window as they did last summer,” writes Gary Naylor. “That’s a good thing isn’t it? Isn’t it??” I’m really very optimistic about at least the first half of Everton’s season. They’ve strengthened well, have appointed a progressive manager and I think they’ll score goals, play good football, and be generally entertaining. Marco Silva does favour a very intense style of attacking overload, which may be difficult to sustain over a 10-month season, but they might just have the squad depth to make it work.

According to the BBC’s Simon Stone, Manchester United did indeed inquire about Diego Godin. But it wasn’t today, it was earlier this week. And they were told to do one.

Classic medical photogaphy from Real Madrid here:

Here’s a piece on Real Madrid’s long-term love of snapping up players who have just starred at a World Cup:

Also, Everton apparently dispatched a crack squad of transfer sorters to Spain yesterday, and they are in Barcelona right now working on the Yerry Mina deal.

According to Sky’s Adam Leventhal, whose connections at Vicarage Road are very good, Jake Livermore is top of Watford’s deadline-day wants list. A loan deal with an option is what they’re looking for.

“As a Spurs fan this window has been nothing but absolute torture,” sobs Kira Nelson. “We are used to Levy leaving it to the last nanosecond of the window and painful as it is to see us unable to compete financially with the big clubs, surely it would be nothing but an embarrassment to spend the entire summer chasing a player who, no disrespect to Jack Grealish, probably won’t get in the team? I’ve given up on us pursuing a Lewandowski or a Cavani but if you look at players like Bernard to Everton, Felipe Anderson and Yarmolenko to West Ham, even Seri to Fulham and Moutinho to Wolves. These are exciting additions and would be (mostly) affordable squad players if not first team regulars. Surely the board must want the club to push forward. If it does it needs to act fast because while I’m not suggesting those clubs will overhaul us, we are at risk of becoming outsiders rather than nearlymen. We’re falling behind. The fans want a squad able to compete for trophies and we want to keep our best players but the odds of both are dwindling with every passing window.”

I’m told that West Brom could send Sam Field on loan to Ibrox as part of a deal for Rangers captain James Tavernier. West Brom had a bid turned down for the right-back yesterday. Field is highly rated at the Hawthorns, but the 20-year-old midfielder needs to gain more experience and has found his first-team opportunities hard to come by in the past year.

According to the Birmingham Mail, Jack Grealish has accepted that he will not be leaving Aston Villa in this transfer window. His loyalty will be rewarded with a bumper new contract.

While we digest the rumour linking United with Diego Godin, here’s more on José Mourinho’s deadline day outlook. Incidentally, Mourinho is outrageously tanned, is he not?

Done deal! Ipswich Town have announced the signing of Kayden Jackson, a 24-year-old striker, from Accrington Stanley for an undisclosed fee.

Sky are reporting that Manchester United have submitted a bid for Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin!

Bad news for Victor Moses: a photograph of Kepa is currently being put on hoardings outside Stamford Bridge, and it’s Moses’s mug that has been removed to make room for it!

Done deal! Leicester have signed Filip Benkovic from Dinamo Zagreb. The 21-year-old centre-back has cost about £13m and penned a five-year contract. This is what he said about it:

I will give all my heart to this club, to all the fans, to everybody. Hopefully we’ll have a very good result this season. The ambitions of Leicester City are so big. I like the Club very much and I think it’s a very good step for me to the next level. I’m very happy to be here.

Updated

Fulham wanted two full-backs today, and it looks like they’re going to get them. Martin Montoya, the Valencia right-back, is the latest player in their sights.

There is increased confidence at Everton that a deal for Barcelona central defender Yerry Mina will get over the line before 5pm. As mentioned earlier, Everton have been trying to prise the Colombia international from Camp Nou for at least six weeks amid intense competition for his signature. A deal had not been agreed with the club or player as of yesterday but progress has been made in that time and Everton are hopeful that Mina will become the addition that manager Marco Silva has wanted from day one. Andre Gomes has been offered to Everton on loan during the negotiations with Barcelona. A deal for the former Valencia midfielder has not been ruled out by Everton but their priorities are Mina and finalising Bernard’s free transfer.

Middlesbrough are close to signing Mo Besic from Everton for £6m. The midfielder enjoyed a successful loan spell at The Riverside last season and, despite links with Leeds United, is in line to return to Boro on a permanent basis today.

Here’s a photo of Sam Clucas, recently linked with Wolves but currently at Stoke for a medical:

Done deal! West Ham have signed Lucas Perez from Arsenal. This is what he had to say about it:

I’m very happy to be here at such an historic Club. I’m very excited, as West Ham are giving me the chance to stay in the Premier League and I’m very happy to be part of this new project. West Ham have great fans and play in an amazing stadium, so to sign here brings me great joy. I’m very motivated.

I’m told that Watford are still seeking one midfielder, with a permanent deal for Southampton’s James Ward Prowse an option, but that they will not be bringing in a striker today. The Venezuelan forward Adalberto Peñaranda will be an option this season: his Spanish passport has not been received yet but the paperwork is due imminently and there is no concern that red tape will prevent him from playing.

Various sources are saying that the deal to take Lucas Perez from Arsenal to West Ham has been completed, but it’s not been announced quite yet.

Chelsea completed their incoming business, barring an exceptional opportunity, on Wednesday with the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga for £71.6m, a world record fee for a goalkeeper, and Mateo Kovacic on loan for the season. Thibaut Courtois will be unveiled as a £35m Real Madrid player at lunchtime today having flown to Spain to undergo a medical last night.

Unless Manchester United’s stance on Anthony Martial shifts or Lyon drop their asking price for Nabil Fekir − both highly unlikely scenarios − Chelsea will turn their attentions to shifting fringe players out on loan, with up to 15 expected to depart before the end of the month. Today’s exits are likely to include Kurt Zouma, who has interested Everton and, apparently, had been considered by United, while Milan are close to signing Tiemoue Bakayoko and Valencia have targeted Michy Batshuayi.

Jay Dasilva has agreed to move to Bristol City as a replacement for Fulham-bound Joe Bryan, while Tomas Kalas could move to Middlesbrough. The likes of Ola Aina, Michael Hector, Lucas Piazon, Izzy Brown, Charly Musonda and Kenneth Omeruo may secure season-long transfers to clubs outside the Premier League over the rest of the month.

Done deal we already knew was a done deal news: Chelsea have officially confirmed Mateo Kovacic’s season-long loan. This is what the player had to say about it:

I am really happy and excited to be here at Chelsea. It is an amazing feeling. I will try to do my best for this club. It is a new league for me, the beginning is always tough but I am sure the coach and my new team-mates will help me and I am looking forward to a great season.

What signings do fans want their teams to make today? Well, we asked them:

Our friends at Get French Football News have similar information about André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and add that Issac Mbenza was not in Montpellier training this morning, with his €15m move to Huddersfield Town said to be imminent.

Fulham’s increasingly frenetic yet impressive business could see three more new faces at Craven Cottage today ahead of their return to the Premier League, with reports in France suggesting they are to sign the Olympique de Marseille midfielder, André-Franck Zambo Anguissa, for around £26m. The 22-year-old Cameroon international is set to undergo a medical in the south of France before penning a four-year deal.

He is likely to be joined in south-west London by Joe Bryan, who pulled out of a £6m move to Aston Villa on Wednesday night in preference for a switch to the top flight for a similar fee. There is also strong interest in the Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico, who had been considered by Chelsea as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois, and the 24-year-old could follow on a season-long loan deal.

Fulham, who host Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace on Saturday, have already secured Jean Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle, Calum Chambers, Alfie Mawson, Maxime le Marchand and Fabri this summer, and seem well equipped for the campaign ahead.

There is some talk that Manchester United are interested not just in Paris St-Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa but in the midfielder Adrien Rabiot as well. But then Mourinho doesn’t expect them do buy anyone at all. We’ll find out the truth over the next seven hours (and a couple of minutes).

Looks like it will be a straightforward day for West Ham. The £4m deal to sign Lucas Perez from Arsenal should be announced soon, while Carlos Sanchez is in London before his move from Fiorentina. Edimilson Fernandes looks likely to head to the Italian club on loan.

Middlesbrough: Having completed the loan signing of Teessider Jordan Hugill from West Ham last night Tony Pulis is anxious to replace the trio of key players − Patrick Bamford, Ben Gibson and Adama Traore − he has lost this summer. A busy day is expected and negotiations include those involving a prospective double signing from Everton of the winger Yannick Bolasie and midfielder Mo Besic. The latter was on loan at Boro last season and would probably return under the same sort of arrangement.

Sunderland: There is talk of Lee Cattermole − remember him? − leaving for Hull but we shall see. Papy Djilobodji and Didier N’Dong failed to turn up for pre-season training this summer and both they and the club could do with them being somehow re-homed.

Updated

Crystal Palace are to secure the Swansea City forward Jordan Ayew on a season-long loan in a move which will most likely complete their incoming summer business. The Welsh club had originally hoped to raise up to £12m for the Ghanaian, who had failed to train at Swansea in recent days as he attempted to force a return to the Premier League, only to agree to the 26-year-old’s departure for the campaign ahead. He scored 11 goals in all competitions last term.

Palace are still open to offers for a number of their fringe players. Jairo Riedewald, who had rejected the chance to move to Swansea in part-exchange for Ayew, has interested rival top-flight clubs but could yet be loaned to a foreign side after today’s 5pm cut-off, while the Wales international Jonathan Williams is available.

Pape Souaré could be loaned to a Ligue 1 club later this month in search of greater game-time, with Roy Hodgson boasting alternative options at left-back, while Jason Puncheon is understood to have rejected the chance to join his former manager, Tony Pulis, at Middlesbrough. Sullay Kaikai could also be loaned out before the end of August.

Jose Mourinho has held a press conference this morning. Is he confident of defending the defender he’s been looking for?

I’m not confident. The market closes today so it’s time, at least for me, to stop thinking about the market because the market will be closed. So I will have to focus on the players I have. To focus on the players that are available. I’m not even thinking about the [injured players], I’m thinking about the players I have.

So no players either in or out today?

The information I have is no.

“A few weeks ago, I was thinking Wolves might mount a surprise challenge for the top half (at least) with their Portugal-on-Brum project,” writes Steve Hoare. “But now you’re telling me they’re buying two more today following the one more yesterday, is it too many? 11 new players? That’s some integration project. I’m not sure it’s particularly motivating for the players that got them to the Prem either... or have they sold all those already? What looked smart and ambitious is starting to look scattergun.” Frankly I am astonished that they’re still throwing money around, but the quality of their signings has been high. I’d be surprised if they were relegated, but there could be some teething troubles before things finally click into gear. A good team to play in August, I’d have thought.

Newcastle go into the final day of the window showing a profit of around £27m on this summer’s dealings. With centre-half Florian Lejeune out for the season with a ruptured cruciate cover is needed and a £1.5m loan fee has been agreed with Barcelona for the 22-year-old Brazilian defender Marlon Santos. He was on loan at Nice last season but the snag is that securing a work permit for him could be much easier said than done. A hearing is scheduled for today. Should that fall through, Newcastle retain an interest in Swansea’s Federico Fernandez and are also seeking left back cover for Paul Dummett. Benitez’s hopes of signing a no10 seem to have bitten the dust.

Another centre-back who could be packing his bags today is Domagoj Vida, the Croatian currently with Besiktas, who having been in the Croatia team that marched to the World Cup final has been linked with about half of the Premier League over the course of the summer. It sounds like Arsenal would be his most likely destination today.

“It’s so hard to know what a really good defender looks like these day,” suggests Gary Naylor. “Is Kurt Zouma a better centre-back than Dejan Lovren? I’d say yes, but Lovren has played in a Champions League Final and a World Cup Final, so who’s laughing now?” Zouma certainly looks like a really good defender when he’s not playing − a shade under 6ft 3in, a great wall of muscle − but a slightly less good one when he is.

Done deal! The Newcastle striker Ivan Toney has moved to Peterborough United.

Cardiff City have made a season-long move for Bournemouth’s Harry Arter. Frustrated in their attempts to re-sign Marko Grujic on loan from Liverpool, Neil Warnock has identified Arter as somebody who will add further bite to their midfield.

The club-record £25m arrival of Jefferson Lerma has beefed up Eddie Howe’s midfield options and Arter, who made 13 Premier League appearances last season, wants regular football. Bournemouth would be happy to keep Arter, a £4,000 signing from Woking in 2010. Howe is also keen on adding a centre-back, with Brentford’s Chris Mepham their long-term target. Brentford manager Dean Smith said earlier in the week he did not expect to lose the Wales international, or his coveted striker, Ollie Watkins.

Elsewhere, Southampton have been stubborn over Matty Targett, meaning Fulham moved on to Bristol City’s Joe Bryan, snatching the left-back from under the noses of Aston Villa, where he had undergone a medical. Chelsea’s Jay Da Silva is among the options as they seek Bryan’s replacement.

“Zouma’s one of these players you can never work out quite how good he is,” writes Kevin Wilson. “He’s just never really played enough football. A season at relegated Stoke might not help either. If Chelsea don’t ask for a crazy amount of money then he might be a reasonable buy given his potential, but is he really better than what they have already? If someone like Rojo goes, and United aren’t too much down on those deals, then it makes sense. But if United pay something like £40m, they’re idiots given that it’s not an area they really need to strengthen.”

I think he’s a decent player, certainly of Premier League quality, but United should I think be looking for something more. To spend all summer seeking a centre-back and end up with Kurt Zouma would be wildly underwhelming.

Bernard completed his medical at Everton’s Finch Farm training base last night and, barring any last-minute hitches, should be confirmed as the club’s latest signing this morning. The Brazil international is expected to sign a lucrative five-year contract having allowed his contract with Shakhtar Donetsk to expire at the end of last season. He is unlikely to be the only arrival at Everton today. The club have been trying to prise Yerry Mina from Barcelona for at least six weeks now and, despite interest from Lyon and links with Manchester United, negotiations to sign the towering Colombia international are continuing. Marco Silva is desperate for central defensive reinforcement and ideally would like another in that department alongside Mina. Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma is one option.

This from the BBC’s former Guardian trainee David Ornstein:

Cardiff City have been left very much in the shade by the wild spending of their two fellow promotees, but they do hope to add to their humble slate of signings by bringing the midfielder Victor Camarasa on loan from Real Betis today.

Having moved to Manchester City in the first completed deal of deadline day, Daniel Arzani could also be involved in the second: he’s expected to sign for Celtic on loan.

Done deal! Manchester City have completed the first move of the day. It won’t be the last...

So after Thibaut Courtois’ arrival at Real Madrid, where next for their ousted No1, Keylor Navas? “Let me spell it out for you,” he said yesterday, “I’d rather die than leave.”

According to Sky, the fee Leicester have agreed to pay for the Freiburg centre-back Caglar Soyuncu could rise to £19m.

Also in l’Equipe is the suggestion that Manchester United’s hunt for a centre-back might end with Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma, who is also wanted on loan by Everton.

Stefano Sturaro has apparently bid farewell to his Juventus team-mates, with a season’s loan to Watford said to be in the offing, though Genoa would happily take him back again.

Updated

Leicester are hopeful of completing a deal for the Freiburg centre-back Caglar Soyuncu, having agreed a fee with the club. He’s due to turn up for a medical any moment now.

Meanwhile the Gazzetta dello Sport report that Fiorentina will sign Edimilson Fernandes from West Ham, and that the Colombian midfielder Carlos Sánchez will head in the other direction.

According to l’Equipe, Manchester United are interested in the Paris St-Germain left-back Layvin Kurzawa. The Sun this morning that Wolves were keen on signing the player for £22m, but according to the French paper Thomas Tuchel wants him to stay in Paris as his first choice in his position, unless the player decides the Premier League is where he’d prefer to be.

Fulham are in line to make today’s first signing, having hijacked Aston Villa’s move for the Bristol City left-back Joe Bryan, who had already completed his medical at Villa when the Cottagers submitted their bid and he decided he’d prefer to be playing in the Premier League thankyou very much.

Birthday latest:

Here’s the front page of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, with news that Tiemoue Bakayoko’s move from Chelsea to Milan is “getting closer and closer”.

The front page of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport
The front page of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport Photograph: www.gazzetta.it

Hello world!

And so the day has dawned. Premier League transfer deadline day is here. Between now and 5pm we will find out the answers to the following key questions:

  • Will Manchester United actually sign a centre-back?
  • Will Tottenham actually sign a footballer?
  • Which of Chelsea’s promising youngsters will be on loan elsewhere by the day’s end?
  • Will Mike Ashley make the kind of investment in his team that might cheer up Newcastle’s supporters?
  • Can Watford sign the striker they need? Are they even trying?
  • Is there anybody left in Portugal, or have they all already moved to Wolverhampton?
  • Which other questions should have been on this list but aren’t?

Unexpected twists are practically guaranteed as 20 giant chequebooks roam the world with violent intent. Welcome!

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