OK, that’ll do for today. We were teased by the possibility of a couple of new Everton signings and perhaps even a Kevin de Bruyne announcement, but neither has materialised just yet. The main piece of news has been Spurs’ signing of Son Heung-min, while there has been some confusion around Manchester City’s sale of Rony Lopes to Monaco. It also seems likely that Chelsea will sign the Chinese defender Zhang Linpeng, while Sunderland have signed Ola Toivonen on loan from Rennes.
So your De Bruynes, your Stones, even your Pogbas and Benzemas....all will have to wait, although the picture is sure to move on rapidly over the weekend.
For now, have a great evening – if you’re in London it really does look lovely out there – and enjoy the Bank Holiday.
Updated
Couple of deals from the Championship before we go – Middlesbrough and Fulham have swapped loan defenders. James Husband joins the Cottagers on loan; Fernando Amorebieta returns to the Riverside similarly.
“So if you’ve got the Tuesday gig does that make you the Guardian’s Jim White?” queries Simon Joyce.
I suspect it’ll be a team effort actually – long old day. Although I do in fact have a yellow-ish tie left from university days, which surely gives me a gigantic advantage.
I know absolutely nothing, I’m afraid. Perhaps Sid Lowe or another of our Spain-based friends might be able to shed a little light, so keep your eyes peeled. Strikes me as one who might be ferried straight out on loan again, but perhaps I’m an old cynic.
The end is near. Although Nick Miller will be doing this on Monday and then – I think – I will on Tuesday, so you won’t be alone for long. What’s been your ‘Transfer Window News – Live!’ highlight of the week?
It’s never too late in the day to riff on this kind of thing though, as Adrian Lobb proves:
“And when the world’s two biggest bands circa early 90s considered switching guitarists: U2 Edge close to swap deal, but REM insist Buck stops here...”
Phil Grey has been daydreaming:
“I wish the music industry had transfer deadlines. It would be fun to read that Keane were on the lookout for a guitarist and had put in an audacious £23m bid for Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, whose agent has said he’s hoping to secure more playing time. Headlines: Radio Head Turned, Greenwood Keane on move etc.”
Oh Phil, Phil, Phil ... why couldn’t you have sent us this idea six hours ago?
Meat on the Denayer bones from down yonder:
Nick - the story with Denayer was that City refused to allow a clause that would let Galatasary have first dibs on a permanent move or a guaranteed purchase option after the year long loan. I assume Galatasaray backed down rather than City.
Paul McCroft asks: “How are Derby county getting on in terms of Ashley Cole and any other players they are interested in? Could do with a midfielder.”
Yes, that Ashley Cole one has gone quiet as far as I can tell. But Paul Clement has said he’s in for one or two players and, particularly with Will Hughes’ highly unfortunate injury, I’d be amazed if a couple of decent signings did not arrive.
The odds on Charlie Austin joining Norwich seem to have shortened significantly. I’m not going to encourage you to gamble on your school hols, kids, so no link here. It can sometimes just be a ploy to drum up business anyway. But Austin, who is quite clearly available at the right price, would be a realistic one for them to turn to. And in fact a very similar striker to Dean Ashton, who they signed from Crewe back in 2005. Would you pay whatever it took for Austin, Canaries?
Arsenal cynicism from Carlos Chiquete: “Slow Arsenal transfer window? Not so Nick. [UNKNOWN FRENCH 16-YEAR OLD] is surely on the way.”
In fairness they’ve gone one better with an East Anglian 14-year-old today, Carlos.
A good point from David Correia:
“I may be a little late to the party when it comes to Lopes moving to Monaco. It’s an interesting move given the fact that Monaco already have Moutinho, and Silva in their midfield. All three are attacking midfielders!”
No, no I didn’t – sorry. In fact, this has been as quiet a transfer window week for Gooners as I can recall.
Did I hear anything about that Benzema move to Arsenal...?
Confirmed: Belgian defender Jason Denayer (20) one year on loan to @GalatasaraySK. #MCFC
— Sven Claes (@svenclaes) August 28, 2015
Just seen suggestions on Twitter that Norwich have gone back in for Stoke’s Jon Walters for £2m, but with no luck. Is he the answer to their need for a striker, in any case? Norwich have looked tidy so far this season but there’s a clear requirement for someone to strengthen things up top and time is ticking now....
LOAN DEAL: @NabiAdil joins @DelhiDynamos for the duration of the @IndSuperLeague season #WBA #AlbionInIndia http://t.co/tDbUmi2f78
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBAFCofficial) August 28, 2015
West Brom’s Adil Nabi joins Roger Johnson, Chris Dagnall, Sanchez Watt and Peter Ramage in the new ISL, which kicks off in October.
I’m told this is a much, much better video of the Spurs signing Son Heung-min than the one I slung up here earlier. It certainly starts rather more impressively:
Any news on the rumour Sunderland might take McGeady on loan?
*crosses fingers* Please be true. Please be true. Please be true.
Is that one a goer again? He was certainly linked earlier in the summer. McGeady probably needs out of Everton, although he’s had a bad time with injuries. Sunderland need some more quality but I just wonder if they would be better served by signings who are on more of an upwards curve – which hasn’t exactly been a common factor in the incomings Advocaat had a pop at earlier.
This is good from Louise Taylor about how Steve McClaren has revitalised things around Newcastle.
Arsenal can expect to be greeted by a wall of noise on Saturday at a stadium that often fell eerily silent last season. Optimism reawakened, the Gallowgate End is smiling rather than sullen. This can be put down to a near £50m investment in new players – Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba and Florian Thauvin – which has largely silenced critics of Mike Ashley. It is also the case that behind the scenes much has been done to lift spirits at this most troubled of clubs.
Oh well. Doing anything fun tonight?
Chances of seeing anything else announced before 5? There’ve been murmurings that City might rubber-stamp Kevin de Bruyne’s arrival before the day’s out. There might be a certain amount of appetite for clubs to get things done before a Bank Holiday weekend kicks in.
Brendan on Brendan: "You never sign bad players - but it is how they then cope with playing and working with such big expectancy."
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) August 28, 2015
A few of his big buys have fallen by the wayside, haven’t they? Is there any way back for Lazar Markovic, who we mentioned earlier?
This is not only a Manchester City transfer blog, I hasten to add.
A bit of rancour below the line about Lopes to Monaco. Should he have been given a chance? Sometimes it seems as if big clubs get hold of promising young players just to guarantee themselves a decent resale fee, with nurturing into a genuine first-team prospect being an on-the-side bonus.
Remember that Jason Denayer to-ing and fro-ing? Sky reckon he’s going to Galatasaray on loan (and this one will be a loan!) after all.
Championship leaders Ipswich really are busy today – they’re signing the Australian international winger Tommy Oar, most recently of Utrecht. Interesting one ... he’s been very highly-rated for a while and started for them in the World Cup.
Transfer news from Bradford, courtesy of Nick Whiteside:
“Devante ‘son of Andy’ Cole has signed for Bradford City on a two year deal. Finally, could this be the Nakhi Wells replacement we have been waiting for? Yet more drama!”
It’s such a slow Friday afternoon that even the Italian rumour mills, an industry that has surely created billionaires, are pretty quiet. News that AC Milan’s Riccardo Montolivo, linked previously with Juventus and Arsenal among others, does not expect to leave the club are about as heady as it gets.
Some intra-Bundesliga action:
OFFICIAL: Pierre-Emile #Hojbjerg will spend the rest of the season on loan at @s04_en. #MiaSanMia
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) August 28, 2015
Updated
Here is Jamie Jackson on the mixed messages in the Lopes departure:
Confusion reigned at Manchester City on Friday after manager Manuel Pellegrini insisted young midfielder Marcos Lopes would not be sold for by the club only for City’s official website to announce he had been sold to Monaco for around £9m shortly after.
It's a shame to see Lopes go but that's a lot of money for someone with only a year left on his contract and who had barely played for the club. I hope he does really well. He certainly has the potential.
A view on that Lopes move. He went for, I think, about £9m. A funny one as he was attracting some big reviews a year or so back.
Hankering after pictures of an unimpressed-looking new signing posing moodily for club website pics? Hanker no longer:
CONFIRMED: #itfc sign defender Piotr Malarczyk for an undisclosed fee subject to paperwork http://t.co/iCWjlm7jrK pic.twitter.com/XtMTEqrBCh
— Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) August 28, 2015
Senegalese striker Moussa Sow – linked heavily with both Arsenal and Spurs once upon a time – is to join Dubai club Al-Ahli from Fenerbahce for a UAE league record fee. There, he will link up with former Liverpool and Stoke wing magician Oussama Assaidi.
Updated
Humble stuff from QPR manager Chris Ramsey, who has admitted that “the big-spending days are behind us”. Perhaps, but £6.75m on transfer fees this summer still seems like something of a luxury for a club that violated financial fair play so heavily.
Done deal
In further Manchester City news, Monaco have signed Rony Lopes on a permanent deal – which is rather contrary to Manuel Pellegrini’s claim that he was only going out on loan.
Thank you @AS_Monaco for the wonderful welcome and for believing in me! I'm honoured and eager to work hard!! pic.twitter.com/Fyzq7Q40kS
— Rony Lopes (@Rony10Lopes) August 28, 2015
Zhang linpeng is best Chinese player and maybe the only one who seems like have the ability to survive in major European leagues.@NickAmes82
— 王兆洋 (@andreywang) August 28, 2015
More on Zhang Linpeng, and this seems like the most interesting point. Chinese players have not always adapted well when heading westwards, although Fan Zhiyi had a good time of it at Crystal Palace for a while.
Here’s a wondergoal from probable Chelsea new boy Zhang Linpeng!
He is indeed promising, and here is one goal he scored from midfield. https://t.co/U1ctDwpZYl @NickAmes82
— 王兆洋 (@andreywang) August 28, 2015
Rumblings on Twitter, though, that Brighton may have beaten Watford and several others to the signature of Feyenoord winger Elvis Manu. Once again, if you have any insight we’re all ears.
We might now be approaching the stage where clubs are more interested in getting ready for the weekend than pushing any deals through. Which would be selfish. But they have matches to go to; do you have a match to go to? Tell us where you’re going and which NEW SIGNINGS!!!!! you might see.
A signing in Italy, where AC Milan have snapped up the Slovakian midfielder Juraj Kucka from Genoa.
Done deal – Ruben Sobrino to Manchester City
#mcfc sign a new striker... https://t.co/QaAnfjp4qj
— jamie jackson (@JamieJackson___) August 28, 2015
Ruben Sobrino is 23 and used to play for Real Madrid’s B and C teams. He scored five times in the Segunda Division for Ponferradina last season, which doesn’t seem great but I know little of how they set up. We shall see what fate awaits him.
Updated
@NickAmes82 zhang linpeng- can play rb or cb. Sven said he's best Asian player after managing him at Guangzhou evergrande. Great player!!
— Kingbee (@kingbee89) August 28, 2015
Sounds promising – the tweeter just sent an update, saying he meant Lippi not Sven.
Updated
Some fun transfer news from Europe...
A team from the 5th Italian League, Altamura, just signed 11 Romanian players.
— Emanuel Roşu (@Emishor) August 28, 2015
There is something in the Chelsea link with Chinese defender Zhang Linpeng, Dom Fifield tells me. He should sign before the deadline, and will be loaned out to a European club as he doesn’t qualify for a UK work permit yet.
Chinese fans, do tell us about this player. He has 44 caps for China so is clearly doing something right.
New £20m bid in for Everton defender! No, Chelsea haven’t tried the novel approach of lowering their John Stones bid – reports suggest PSG have offered that amount for none other than Seamus Coleman, but it’s apparently been rejected.
Updated
Oh, but here you go. The Europa League groups involving British teams are:
Group A – Ajax, Celtic, Fenerbahce, Molde
Group B – Rubin Kazan, Liverpool, Bordeaux, Sion
Group J – Tottenham, Anderlecht, Monaco, Qarabag
Tricky stuff all round. Any...errr...transfers needed to help our teams cope with that lot?
The Europa League group stage draw in full http://t.co/uXpHJbkCLG #UELdraw pic.twitter.com/qC96cupgob
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) August 28, 2015
Updated
Went down for a sandwich just now with the intention of telling you the completed Europa League groups upon return, took a good 10 minutes and only half a pot had been drawn out in that time. Next time I’m sacking it off and doing Raymond Blanc’s tasting menu at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in the time it takes, only I’m probably not actually going to do that because I’m a football journalist.
Updated
Our man Dominic Fifield has just sent some fresh-from-the-oven Jose Mourinho morsels:
On John Stones: “I don’t speak about players from other teams. I have a good squad. I’m happy with the squad I have. If I get another player before the end of the market, good. If not, I go with what we have and I have a good squad.”
On Paul Pogba: “He’s a Juventus player. The other day I did a little criticism to my friend, Allegri, because I didn’t like him during the summer speaking about Ramires and Oscar, I’d like, I’d like... Pogba is a Juventus player. I’m the Chelsea manager.”
Updated
It’s Press Conference Time up and down the country, because – and you’ve been too transfixed by hot transfer gossip to remember – there are matches over the weekend, you know. Hoping to ping you all some Jose Mourinho latest from our man on the scene shortly.
Apparently the Charlton winger Callum Harriott is to join Colchester on loan. Not sure what’s happened there, he always looked pretty promising whenever I saw him in the Chanpionship.
Manchester United in big-money move for Brazilian! It’s Monday all over again ... but this Brazilian is the Lazio attacking midfielder Felipe Anderson, whose last name may send a few shivers down the spine but who reports in Italy claim is the subject of a £21.9m offer from the Old Trafford eager beavers. New contract etc etc....
@NickAmes82 I am still looking for some Arsenal news
— Achintya Chakraborty (@achintya10) August 28, 2015
So you missed the fact – detailed in this blog – that they have signed a striker?!
We have officially entered a Lull. Has everyone nicked off down the pub for Friday afternoon? Is that what people with proper jobs do?
Four days, six hours and zero minutes until the window SLAMS SHUT, according to a garish yellow clock on my telly.
Philipp Mayer emails about that AFC/Champions League question: “I think Leverkusen might still be the top club for AFC players in the CL. They still have Australia’s Robbie Kruse and Son’s compatriot Ryu on their books, though I’m not sure the latter is in their CL squad.”
Daniel Coomber writes in about Brighton. The first paragraph is particularly important so I’ll reproduce the whole email:
“The club are making tremendous gestures for the memorial sponsored walk for the Shoreham airshow victims – laying on free stewarding for the event and free coaches to the match afterwards, as well as donating. See also shameless link for sponsorship – general fundraising page not mine.”
Not shameless at all, Daniel. And on transfers, he writes:
“On the transfer side what should they be doing? Explaining what the hell is going on, that’s what. Where is the usual disappointment, the expected deadline day panic buys and last minute below-par loan deals? Last year we had so many players on loan we couldn’t pick them all in the same match-day squad. All are missing – this year the club has been superb, signing players everyone is delighted with… and without splashing silly money on any of them, not even half an Andre Gray in sight. I don’t understand – and if this Vydra rumour turns out to be true I might showing symptoms of this ‘confidence’ thing I hear other fans mention.”
Updated
@NickAmes82 with Son leaving Leverkusen, now the only AFC player competing in the Champions League will be Valencia's Mat Ryan. Anyone else?
— Mario Rustan (@mariorustan) August 28, 2015
Asian/Australasian angle on the Son deal there. Anyone Mario or I have missed?
Can you handle two live blogs at once? Can you? Then follow Nick Miller’s Europa League draw blog here. But don’t comment under the wrong one; that’d be like inappropriately texting your partner and discovering you’d sent it to your dad, or something.
You win Son, you lose some
Spurs bought a player from Germany, but they've also lost one to Germany. Ismail Azzaoui, one of the most promising players in the academy, signed for Wolfsburg. Pretty gutted about it.
There are all sorts of deals going on down the leagues too. Tell us what your club should be doing. A very recent one: Ipswich have loaned the winger Cameron Stewart to Doncaster until January. Did you need a wide man, Donny fans?
Update on Jason Denayer: no Olympique Marseille on loan. French club don't play @ChampionsLeague this season. #MCFC
— Sven Claes (@svenclaes) August 28, 2015
Where will the Man City defender end up? Could a Premier League club step in?
Russell Slade says Cardiff are not signing Kevin Nolan. But that he does think Kevin Nolan is a very good player. Make of that whatever you will.
Nice suggestion by my colleague Dan Lucas for what might hit the airwaves if Son takes the road marked ‘Soldado’:
Updated
Cameron Yule writes: “If I’ve now reached the point where I get all the MBM in-jokes, such as determining players’ values using Andre Gray - for example, Son Heung-Min is worth about 2.5 Andre Grays - should that be taken as a sign I need to get out more? Or perhaps commit myself to a mental asylum?”
It means you’re cool, Yule.
The same sources say QPR are in for Daniel Tozser, the ex-Watford midfielder who was slightly surprisingly jettisoned upon their promotion.
‘Sky Sources’ say West Ham have gone in with £4m for Nottingham Forest winger Michail Antonio, but the Championship side have said no.
If it gets quiet later, I might tell you a tale about Sky Sources, Andrey Arshavin and a poached egg. But it might be even better left to your imagination.
Edit – I’m told that story has been going round the East Midlands press for a day or two.
Updated
More on that Toivonen deal – including how Advocaat slammed the club’s previous transfer dealings. It’s a sentiment that is difficult to argue with.
Advocaat told the Sunderland Echo: “We had a big past here and I know a little bit about the salary of players – average players, lower than average players – and that’s crazy.
“People who bought those kind of players for those transfer fees and gave them those salaries didn’t care about the club.
Thrilled for you, me and all this week’s transfer window bloggers that we’ve seen a couple of Done Deals already today. We’ve all worked so hard for this.
Perhaps Chelsea have a different centre-back in mind? There are stories linking them with Zhang Linpeng, a defender who plays for the Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande and is nicknamed...err....Zhangmos, in tribute to a certain newly-contracted former Manchester United target. The player says he has an offer from Stamford Bridge. Watch this space.
Done deal – Ola Toivonen to Sunderland (loan) from Rennes
Advocaat gets his man and now needs just 10 or so more. Always quite liked Toivonen, a creative number 10 who is a key member of the Sweden squad, although I’m not sure he’s a panacea for the Black Cats. Nevertheless, he’s there for the season now.
@NickAmes82 German newspapers reporting today that Wolfsburg will spend the money from the De Bruyne deal on Julian Draxler.
— Ian McCourt (@ianmccourt) August 28, 2015
Finger on the German pulse here from my colleague Ian. Interesting – wonder how much he’d cost. Wolfsburg have spent well in recent years and the De Bruyne money could be used to make them serious challengers if deployed wisely.
@NickAmes82 The last thing his ego needs is a terrace anthem, he already thinks the whole world revolves around him. pic.twitter.com/dXhbdreQYX
— Panini Cheapskates (@CheapPanini) August 28, 2015
Er, wow. And this is from what you never dared think it could be from – a Panini album entirely drawn by a husband and wife team. Who needs that Breaking Bad box set?
“Given that Son cost Spurs £22m – surely that means he is slightly better than David Bentley, but not quite as good as Roberto Soldado ...” opines Mark Cruise.
Or 2.44 times as good as Andre Gray. But maybe that was Monday’s joke.
To prep you on what we may be, may not be or definitely aren’t facing today, here is today’s Rumour Mill – freshly created by Paul Doyle.
@NickAmes82: It ain't me, ain't me, I ain't no military #son It ain't me, ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one Creedence Clearwater Revival
— Kartik Raj (@Kartik__Raj) August 28, 2015
Ok. Maybe they could also bring back another South Korean international from retirement and have Bad Choi Moon-Sik Rising.
“If we are going to sing Son Hueng-min songs,” says Bradley Heath, “surely “Carry on my Hueng Min-Son” to the tune of Kansas’ “Carry on my Wayward Son?”
Not bad, not bad. Any more?
So what’s your view of ‘The Son’, Bundesliga and South Korea aficionados? Certainly has a level of pace and trickery Spurs – a little predictable so far this season – have missed, in my view. And he was certainly his team’s shining light at the World Cup.
Here’s one of those compilation videos that take ages to get to the point but eventually show you some good things – although the first clip isn’t the most promising...
Ain’t that right, Spurs fans? Could actually work as a terrace chant, no?
Done deal!! Son Heung-min signs for Tottenham!
The 23-year-old forward joins from @bayer04fussball & signs a contract with the Club until 2020. #HereComesTheSon pic.twitter.com/cVOrvNmear
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 28, 2015
It’s a good day already, isn’t it? Especially with a hashtag like that.
Here’s something to get your teeth into from Barry Glendenning. The Joy of Six – Transfer Hijackings. Can you think of any others? Today would benefit from a good transfer hijacking.
There are reports elsewhere that John Stones has received threats from Everton ‘fans’ after requesting a transfer – and is considering moving house. It’s only football you complete and utter idiots.
More Liverpool news? Well it’s not news, really, but they still expect Fabio Borini to leave before the deadline. There are several clubs interested from England and Italy, and Liverpool are hoping they’ll take him off their hands for good.
Shame Markovic is being shipped off, showed some potential last season and I'd rather have him in the squad than Lallana. It does make me wonder why Liverpool keep buying players that Rodgers clearly doesn't trust enough to give a decent run of games.
Might as well kick off some Lazar Markovic chat. Strange one, don’t you think? He was on a bit of a hiding to nothing when deployed at wing-back last season, even if he didn’t shine. Big talent and I don’t think he has been used well thus far.
Arsenal have signed a striker! No, they have! They have signed 14-year-old striker Harry Clarke from Ipswich’s academy for £100,000. Proof, once again, that EPPP is designed transparently to benefit a select few clubs is going to create an inspiring, all-conquering England national team for us to be very proud of!
So what’s the biggest bit of news we can (perhaps) look forward to today? That Kevin de Bruyne deal looks very close now – could City spring that one upon us before the weekend? What’s your take on the likely £54m fee – and on the player’s potential usefulness to City?
Oh, and Everton also hope to complete the signing of Ramiro Funes Mori, the Argentinian defender, from THE River Plate today. Thanks, Everton!
Leandro Rodriguez signing to be announced later today, says Martinez
— Phil Kirkbride (@philkecho) August 28, 2015
An early Done Deal? Almost as remarkable as Roberto Martinez talking about a transfer. Cross your fingers, anyway – if you’ve been following this week, you’ll know Leandro Rodriguez is a Uruguayan forward who plays for River Plate....but not *that* River Plate.
Good morning
You won’t let us down now, will you? You’ve been here all week, patient as anything, perhaps chirping up with your tuppenceworth now and again, but it doesn’t alter the fact that not very much at all has happened.
Until now! Things are hotting up and you’ll get your reward, the unexpected crescendo at the end of the muzac in our great glass transfer elevator. Some big deals seem very, very close to being done now, so we’ll have plenty to chat about today and besides, they say the journey is the main thing. So whether Son Heung-min is your man or Lazar Markovic very much isn’t, stay close for another wild ride over the next eight hours or so and by all means let us know what you think of your club’s business, too.
Nick will be here shortly.
What do you know of Sobrino, Nick? I could claim to be a football hipster with a wealth of knowledge on the Segunda División, but I prefer to reserve my imagination for nights on the town with Scarlett Johansson.