The Transfer DealSheet: United right-back update, Arsenal post-Calafiori plans (2024)

Welcome to the latest edition of the Transfer DealSheet, your weekly guide to what is happening in the summer window.

Our team of dedicated writers, including David Ornstein — who is away this week — will take you inside the market to explain the deals being worked on, the players who could arrive and the ones who are on their way out across the Premier Leagueand beyond. Inlast week’s edition, we looked at Ivan Toney’s situation and David de Gea’s possible return to football.

The information found within this article has been gathered according toThe Athletic’ssourcing guidelines. Unless stated, our reporters have spoken to more than one person briefed on each deal before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment. Those responses, where they were given, have been included in the Transfer DealSheet.

This week, we examine the right-back situation at Manchester United, provide the latest update on Barcelona’s interest in Nico Williams and eye up Arsenal’s priorities after signing Riccardo Calafiori.

We aim to bring you analysis you can trust about what is happening at Europe’s leading clubs and the latest information we’re hearing from across the market.

This article is long but detailed, so enjoy it all — or search for the club or player you want to read about.

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One to watch: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Manchester United completed two major deals swiftly this summer, with Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro already through the door at Old Trafford.

They are now making moves at right-back. Manchester United are in talks with Bayern Munich for Noussair Mazraoui, who played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, while there has also been interest in Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries.

Any move would be contingent on Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future. Wan-Bissaka, 26, has previously turned down a move to West Ham United, but the situation could be revived before the transfer window closes. Wan-Bissaka has one year left on his contract at United, and the club are open to selling him, or trading him in a deal, rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer.

West Ham still need to agree a deal with Manchester United and Wan-Bissaka — there is no progress on either.

If Wan-Bissaka left, Diogo Dalot would be Manchester United’s only remaining senior right-back. Wan-Bissaka featured in 22 Premier League games last season for Ten Hag’s side, showing the need for reinforcements if he was sold.

Would Mazrouai be an upgrade on Wan-Bissaka?

As with Manchester United’s other business this summer, the answer to this question lies in how Ten Hag’s side evolve tactically from last season.

The open football they played last season made Wan-Bissaka’s one-versus-one defending valuable. Wan-Bissaka had solid outings against Manchester City in the FA Cup final (in which United had 26 per cent possession) and the 1-0 Premier League defeat to Arsenal in May.

There were also some improvements in Wan-Bissaka’s attacking game from previous years. He averaged 3.9 progressive passes per 90 in the league and provided three assists across all competitions, both of which were his highest since 2020-21 (when he managed 4.3 and four). But overall, Wan-Bissaka’s strengths are on the defensive end.

Should United shift to a more controlled approach, Mazraoui presents obvious offensive upsides. He outperformed Wan-Bissaka in the league last season in all the metrics in the graph below, including defensive stats. Among relevant statistical measures, Wan-Bissaka only enjoyed more success in tackling dribblers (73 per cent to Mazraoui’s 62), interceptions (2.1 per 90 vs 1.5), clearances (3.4 per 90 vs 2.0) and aerial duel success rate (53 per cent vs 48).

In addition to comfort on the ball and creativity in the final third, Mazraoui offers versatility as he can play at left-back. Wan-Bissaka played in that position last season too, but did not enjoy the same level of success. Left-back has been an issue for United, with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia’s injury worries, and Mazraoui provides a solid alternative.

However, Mazraoui brings his own history of injuries. The Moroccan has played only 38 league games for Bayern since joining in 2022, similar to Wan-Bissaka’s record of featuring in only 41 of United’s last 76 league outings.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

What we’re hearing

• Fulham have agreed a £34million deal to sign Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal. They will pay £27m up front with a further £7m due in potential add-ons. The 24-year-old is with Arsenal on their pre-season tour of the United States. David Ornstein and James McNicholas
• Fulham defender Ibane Bowat is increasingly likely to leave, with just a year left on his contract. The Scotland Under-21 international had loan spells in the Netherlands and Austria during the last two seasons. It’s unclear whether it will be another loan or a permanent switch, with options set to be reviewed by the club. One unnamed Serie A club has already enquired in the 21-year-old. Adam Leventhal
• Nottingham Forest are waiting for offers for striker Emmanuel Dennis, who is available for transfer. The Nigeria international was on loan at his former club Watford last season and still has two years left on his contract. Joe Worrall is likely to leave too, following the signing of Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic, but the situation is yet to advance. Worrall also has two years left on his contract. Adam Leventhal

• Orlando City are planning to extendDuncan McGuire’scontract by taking up an option for a further season this week. However, no formal notice has been served as of yet. The striker — who is at theOlympicswith the U.S. — is attracting interest from overseas clubs but theMLS side want to keep him. The 23-year-old has scored 23 goals in 59 appearances in the MLS and came close to signing for Blackburn Roversand Sheffield Wednesday in January butthe transfers fell through at the last minute.Adam Leventhal

Arsenal

What has happened this week?

Arsenal have completed the signing of Italy international Riccardo Calafiori. The 23-year-old defender arrives from Bologna for a fee that could total £42million ($54m) after add-ons — although the fixed part of the deal is substantially less.

Sporting director Edu has seen off competition from rival clubs across Europe to land one of the breakout stars of this summer’s European Championship.

Is there a particular role envisioned for Calafiori?

Calafiori can play as a left-sided centre-half but is most likely to be deployed as Arsenal’s starting left-back.

The club have been on the lookout for a left-footed full-back for some time. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu have all been absent with varying injuries.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Mikel Arteta would like to add a central midfield player, with Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad among his targets.

However, no headway has yet been made in negotiations with the Spanish club. Amid interest from several clubs, Merino also has an offer to stay with Real Sociedad and renew his contract.

On Monday, Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay said: “He has an offer to renew, for over a year, and if he has not renewed yet it is because he does not want to mislead the La Real fans, which speaks well of him. I’d like him not to leave, we all would but, if he tells us he accepts another offer on the table, and wants us to negotiate, we will. We know he has some, and what they are. But we still hope Mikel will stay at La Real, but if not we’ll negotiate the best outcome for La Real.”

Which players could be leaving?

Emile Smith Rowe has not been involved in either of Arsenal’s friendlies during their U.S. tour as he closes in on a move to Fulham. Fulham have agreed a £34million deal to sign him. Arteta and Edu decided to exclude Smith Rowe from the games as the deal reached its final stages.

The £34m deal would be one of the highest sales in Arsenal’s history.

James McNicholas

Chelsea

What has happened this week?

Chelsea finalised an agreement worth €24.5million (£20.7m, $26.6m) with Villarreal to make goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, 22, their seventh signing of this summer’s transfer window.

Jorgensen, who has signed a contract until 2030 with a club option to extend for a further year, will join Enzo Maresca’s pre-season tour squad in the United States.

A notable outgoing was also confirmed, with first-team exile Malang Sarr agreeing to terminate the final year of his Chelsea contract and join Lens as a free agent.

Chelsea instructed Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella and Conor Gallagher to begin training at Cobham in early August rather than travel to the United States for the tail end of the club’s pre-season tour, following their extended international commitments at Euro 2024.

In their absence, Chelsea’s pre-season got off to an underwhelming start, following up a 2-2 draw with Wrexham in Santa Clara by losing 4-1 against Celtic in Notre Dame.

Do Chelsea look short in any positions during pre-season?

Drawing firm recruitment conclusions from early pre-season games is perilous. The squad Maresca has taken to the United States is nowhere near full strength.

Chelsea should also get better as fitness levels and familiarity with Maresca’s system increase, but their first two performances in the U.S. against Wrexham and Celtic have offered little encouragement that a serious challenge for Champions League qualification is likely.

The team’s leaky defence is unlikely to be remedied by new signings since Trevoh Chalobah was left out of the tour squad in part because Maresca already has too many options. Midfield will be strengthened by the return of several familiar faces from holiday, coupled with new signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall completing his recovery from injury.

It is in attack in which Chelsea’s deficiencies have indicated a need for transfer activity, with modest returns from the wingers who took the field against Wrexham and Celtic and recent arrival Marc Guiu yet to find a clinical touch up front.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Chelsea are still looking to make one or two more first-team signings before the end of August, primarily to strengthen their attacking options.

A new striker is far from a certainty, but Chelsea are monitoring several No 9 options — including Atletico Madrid 20-year-old Samu Omorodion, who is in action for Spain at the Olympics.

Nico Williams is considered a highly attractive target to upgrade the left wing, but Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are the favourites if he decides to leave Athletic Bilbao.

Chelsea’s aggressive global youth recruitment drive is set to continue. Gabriel Mec, the widely coveted 16-year-old winger impressing at Gremio, is a serious target and 19-year-old Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu is regarded as an outstanding talent.

Chelsea are evaluating Genk goalkeeper Mike Penders, the 18-year-old Belgium youth international.

Which players could be leaving?

Several clubs have expressed interest in goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, whose future at Stamford Bridge has been thrown into question by the signing of Jorgensen. Chelsea are confident that the Serb’s value has increased since he was acquired from New England Revolution in a deal worth €16million plus €2m in add-ons a year ago.

Chalobah has been marked as surplus to first-team requirements after his omission from Chelsea’s pre-season tour squad, but his future may not be resolved for some time.

Chelsea will consider selling Ben Chilwell for the right price amid doubts over his suitability for Maresca’s style of play. Gallagher could still have his contract renewed or be sold if a suitable offer is received, though he will have a big say in how his situation is resolved as he enters the final year of his deal.

Romelu Lukaku’s potential move to Napoli is being held up by the lack of movement in Victor Osimhen’s situation. Chelsea remain determined to sell Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer despite rejecting an initial offer from Al Ittihad this month.

Armando Broja, Cesare Casadei and David Datro Fofana will be sold if Chelsea are presented with acceptable offers. Plenty of younger players are also waiting to finalise loan moves, including Lesley Ugochukwu, Alfie Gilchrist, Harvey Vale and Leo Castledine. Como’s interest in signing Gilchrist on loan has cooled.

Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson

Liverpool

What has happened this week?

Arne Slot explained why the wait goes on for the first signing of his Liverpool reign. “One of the reasons is me wanting to assess the players I have, which is difficult because most of them aren’t here (due to time off following the Euros and the Copa America),” he said on the club’s pre-season tour of the U.S.

“I’ve inherited a team that is really good so it’s not so easy to find players of the same standard or even higher. We are waiting for our players to come back and waiting for the right ones to sign.”

Liverpool rejected an offer of €14million from Marseille for midfielder Wataru Endo, who is also attracting interest from Bundesliga clubs. They also turned down PSV Eindhoven’s bid of around €10m for Sepp van den Berg. The Dutch defender is valued at around £20m, with Liverpool in no rush to decide his future.

Liverpool have also been fielding loan interest in 18-year-old winger Ben Doak, who is desperate to play regularly this season after missing most of 2023-34 due to injury. Leicester City and Southampton are among his suitors.

What would the right signing look like for Liverpool and Slot?

Liverpool are predominately looking at players aged 24 or under with a decent level of experience who Slot can help take to the next level through development. Sporting director Richard Hughes said he expected July to be quiet in the transfer market, with business cranking up in August once Slot has worked with his full squad.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Liverpool have been considering defensive options since the departure of Joel Matip. As well as a centre-back, there have been discussions over a holding midfielder and an attacking wide player. However, considering they have a youthful squad with potential, this was never going to be a busy summer.

One of the factors in turning down the offer from Marseille for Endo was that Liverpool believe there are a lack of suitable, affordable and available No 6s in the market.

Which players could be leaving?

Much depends on what kind of offers are forthcoming. Van den Berg has made it clear he only wants to stay at Liverpool if he’s going to get regular game time. If he pushes for a move and no club matches his £20million price tag, Liverpool will have a decision to make.

Similarly, it remains to be seen if more bids follow for Endo. Liverpool aren’t actively looking to offload the Japan international but an exit can’t be ruled out. Nathaniel Phillips, who was the subject of a £4million bid from Turkish club Trabzonspor, is expected to secure a permanent move.

Fellow centre-backs Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio are also set to leave. The duo have been training with the under-21s rather than Slot’s senior squad during pre-season. Williams is attracting interest from Turkey as well as several League One clubs, and there is interest in Koumetio from Scotland and France.

It remains to be seen if a club will test Liverpool’s resolve to keep £25million-rated backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who is desperate to become a No 1 after a long stint as Alisson’s deputy. There have been no offers for the Republic of Ireland international.

James Pearce

Manchester United

What has happened this week?

Manchester United have progressed talks with Bayern Munich over Noussair Mazraoui, and are aware of the financial package required to complete the signing, but must first offload Aaron Wan-Bissaka to balance the books and make space in the squad.

After signing Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, United are generally in a position of needing to make sales to comply with UEFA and Premier League spending regulations, and so adding a right-back is dependent on finding a new club for Wan-Bissaka. West Ham’s interest in him remains.

Inter’s interest in a swap deal in which Denzel Dumfries and Wan-Bissaka trade places has led to conversations happening. Wan-Bissaka is interested in moving to Italy.

Ten Hag is having daily discussions with United’s football leadership team about the health of his squad, with chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox, and Sir Dave Brailsford, director of sport for INEOS, all in Los Angeles with the team. Ashworth, Wilcox and Brailsford had an informal meeting with Ten Hag after the open training session at UCLA’s Wallis Annenberg Stadium on Friday.

Is right-back the main target area for United?

Ten Hag has wanted to refresh his right-back options since taking charge in 2022. Diogo Dalot’s improvements last campaign earned him the player of the year award and lessened the pressure on finding a new starter in that position, but Wan-Bissaka’s contract situation — he will be a free agent as things stand next summer — means the position is being looked at now.

Ten Hag worked with Mazraoui, 26, for four years at Ajax and despite the player experiencing some muscular injury issues over his time at Bayern, the United manager would like a reunion. Mazraoui’s adaptability to play on the left, where he has featured before in his career, appeals.

Dumfries is an alternative option, and there is a proposal for a swap deal where Wan-Bissaka would go the other way. United have looked at the experience Dumfries has in winning last season’s Serie A with Inter and reaching the Champions League final the year before, as well as his versatility.

What other positions/players are the club looking at?

Cover on the left side of defence remains on the agenda, with Tyrell Malacia unable to join United on pre-season tour while he works back to full fitness a year after suffering a knee injury. But Harry Amass, the 17-year-old left-back, impressed against Arsenal and may lessen the need if he convinces Ten Hag of readiness.

United have held extensive talks on Matthijs de Ligtand Manuel Ugarte, but such signings would depend on departures.

Which players could be leaving?

Victor Lindelof has been absent but the club insists that it has nothing to do with transfer plans and is purely a small injury. United have fielded offers for Scott McTominay, with Fulham and Galatasaray interested, but well below his valuation. The Saudi market, a potential destination for Casemiro, is yet to spark.

Laurie Whitwell

Manchester City

What happened last week?

Pep Guardiola first said City would only bring in players if others leave — although he did not completely rule out a new face regardless of outgoings — but then, a few days later, he made it sound like the business is done, barring any exits.

When discussing Ederson’s future, he said “1.5 players” could leave, with Ederson presumably being the one due to his desire to leave and the strong offers to him, and Julian Alvarez the 0.5 given the slightly decreased chances of him leaving.

But that scenario may have flipped since then, with Al Ittihad believed to be pursuing alternative options to Ederson. Atletico Madrid may sell Joao Felix, which would free up some funds to sign Alvarez. As previously reported by The Athletic, City have believed for some weeks that other clubs will struggle to meet their asking prices for Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Alvarez.

Why are City not spending?

There is no profit and sustainability issue at City, they simply believe that the squad is already strong, with two players for most positions and a good balance between youth and those 30 or over.

While they do have players who can play in Rodri’s position, they are aware they need an alternative who is comfortable playing the holding role by himself, but they have not found a quality option at a price they are willing to pay. That was the case with Declan Rice last summer and may be the case again with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes.

What positions/players are they looking at?

If Alvarez were to leave, they would move to replace him. This is the same for Matheus Nunes — if there were to be any interest, most likely from Saudi Arabia.

Guimaraes is a player City like but it appears that a few things would have to change for a move to happen.

Which players could be leaving?

City are still looking to move on Joao Cancelo, who is on his summer holiday after the European Championship, and Kalvin Phillips, who is with the club in the United States for pre-season.

Loan deals are regarded as more realistic than permanent sales, however.

Sam Lee

Newcastle United

What has happened this week?

Eddie Howe held “positive talks” with Darren Eales, the CEO, and Paul Mitchell, the new sporting director, in which he reiterated his plea for “collaboration” on transfers, even if he may no longer hold the “final say”.

Following the summer restructure at St James’ Park — Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi have departed as co-owners, while Mitchell has joined and James Bunce has been appointed as performance director — Howe went public with his concerns about “boundaries” and how much influence he would still hold, including over recruitment.

But, following his media briefing in Germany earlier this month, Howe has held encouraging discussions with his superiors.

Even so, no further signings have arrived, with Newcastle’s most recent additions being announced on July 1.

Transfer discussions have been taking place on a daily basis but, despite fevered speculation in Italy that Newcastle have made bids for Malick Thiaw, the AC Milan centre-back, and Nico Gonzalez, the Fiorentina winger, they have yet to lodge firm offers for anyone else. Both players have featured on target lists, but no decision has been taken on whether Newcastle will pursue either, even if they do admire Thiaw.

Claims in the Spanish media that Newcastle made a €30million bid for Ferran Torres, the Barcelona forward, bemused club officials. There were claims Newcastle made an offer last month, too, but they have not made a move for the 24-year-old.

Is any business expected while Newcastle are in Japan?

That is certainly what Howe hopes, with the head coach pushing for reinforcements. He would have preferred further additions before Newcastle flew out to Japan, given he had to name a bench full of under-21s for the 2-0 friendly victory over Hull City on Saturday, due to the limited resources he has available.

But Newcastle are yet to ramp up their incoming plans, having reassessed their strategy since Mitchell arrived on July 4. They continue to operate from largely the same list of long-term targets but, although there were rumours of bids for Thiaw and Gonzalez, Newcastle have not made firm offers yet.

Key recruitment figures have travelled out to Japan, however, and transfer meetings will continue to be held. Howe is receptive to bringing in recruits from overseas and is not only seeking signings with Premier League experience.

Whether Newcastle will complete any signings while in East Asia is unclear — Howe admitted on Saturday he could not provide a definitive timescale on when additions would be made — but the head coach will continue to ask for additions.

Should Newcastle fail to make progress over the next few days, then Howe’s frustration levels are likely to increase. The Premier League opener against Southampton on August 17 is less than three weeks away.

What positions/players are they looking at?

A centre-back and a right-winger are Howe’s priorities while recruiting another goalkeeper is under consideration. Callum Wilson’s back injury increases the need for another forward, given Alexander Isak is the only fit front man — though any striker being brought in may first depend on the England international leaving.

Howe, Mitchell and Eales are unified in their desire to prioritise quality over quantity, with most additions intended to improve the first XI.

Newcastle want a right-sided centre-back and Milan’s Thiaw, a 22-year-old Germany international, and Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo are among those tracked.

Howe has been keen to bolster Newcastle’s right wing for several windows, with a significant portion of their budget expected to be spent on that position. Having missed out on top target Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, despite meeting his Crystal Palace release clause, Newcastle retain an interest in Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, while Noni Madueke of Chelsea has been discussed and Fiorentina’s Gonzalez has been watched.

Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin had been a striker target but, after a deal with Everton collapsed last month, Newcastle turned their attention to others. Lille’s Jonathan David has been watched for a long time.

Which players could be leaving?

Despite managing to comply with PSR by June 30, Mitchell is still looking to reduce their wage bill and the average age of their squad, so further senior players are expected to depart.

Kieran Trippier, who is into the final year of his contract, has fielded interest from the Saudi Pro League but no firm offer has arrived. The 33-year-old was photographed at Newcastle Airport on Friday, fuelling rumours of an imminent exit, but he was heading away to Dubai as he has been afforded an extended break after reaching the Euro 2024 final with England. Trippier posted a photo on Instagram over the weekend alongside Tom Spring, Al Ettifaq’s chief scout, with the caption “good meeting”, which has sparked further speculation.

Miguel Almiron and Martin Dubravka have rejoined the squad, but both can leave for the right price, while Emil Krafth is into the final year of his deal and an exit has been explored. Wilson’s injury complicates any potential exit, but the 32-year-old has less than 12 months remaining on his contract.

Newcastle hope to offload Jamal Lewis and Ryan Fraser, with the latter having agreed a deal with Southampton, though the details must be finalised with his club. While Lewis played in Newcastle’s friendlies against SpVgg Unterhaching and Hull City, Fraser remains banished from first-team training and Southampton manager Russell Martin has indicated that the deal needs to progress soon, otherwise they will move on to other targets. Isaac Hayden is also available for transfer.

Bruno Guimaraes’ £100million release clause expired in June and Newcastle are keen to keep hold of the Brazil midfielder, although Manchester City have tracked him, while they have no intention of selling Alexander Isak.

Howe is hopeful Anthony Gordon will stay, despite internal fears that his head was turned by an awareness of Liverpool’s interest.

Chris Waugh

Tottenham Hotspur

What has happened this week?

Earlier this year, Tottenham’s technical director Johan Lange spoke about them becoming “a destination for the best young talent out there”.

It is a transfer policy they have put into action with the arrivals of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and new signing Yang Min-hyuk, who are all 18. Yang will remain with South Korean side Gangwon FC until January, when he will officially join Spurs on a contract that runs until 2030.

The winger became the youngest K League scorer in 11 years when he netted his first goal for Gangwon in March. He has scored eight times in 24 appearances in total this season.

The Athletic reported last week that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was close to joining Marseille on loan with an obligation to buy and that move has now been confirmed. The total financial package for the Denmark international will be worth €20million.

Spurs seem to be focusing on the future — will they sign any experienced players?

Tottenham have signed three players this summer and two of them (Bergvall and Gray) are 18. The other is Timo Werner, 28, who has returned on another season-long loan from RB Leipzig. The starting XI needs to be upgraded but Postecoglou is not panicking, even though the new season starts in less than three weeks.

“We’re working hard to bring players in and it’s a process that you sometimes have to be patient with,” Postecoglou said. “But in terms of what we set out to do, that’s still the plan and you have to stay disciplined with that. Sometimes the timings don’t work out and it doesn’t happen as quickly as you want and you don’t get them (players) in at the right time but I think it’s really important you stay disciplined and not run off and chase other things.

“So, what we started with at the start of summer is still there. And I wouldn’t want to put timelines on it. A lot of that is out of our control and we just need to be patient. From where I sit at the moment, we’re still in that phase where what we identified is still what we’re after.”

What positions/players are they looking at?

Tottenham are long-term admirers of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher and Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey.

Richarlison is attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League and if the Brazilian leaves he would need to be replaced up front.

Which players could be leaving?

Sergio Reguilon and Bryan Gil were left out of Tottenham’s squad for their pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea so they could both focus on “exploring prospective transfer opportunities”. Reguilon impressed on loan at Brentford during the second half of last season but they are unable to pursue a permanent deal because of his wage demands.

Gil has joined Spanish side Girona on loan. It is the winger’s third loan move since he moved to Tottenham in July 2021.

Emerson Royal has featured in all three of Tottenham’s pre-season games but will be allowed to leave if a suitable offer comes in. A €10million bid from AC Milan was rejected.

Will Lankshear won the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award last year after scoring 23 goals to help Spurs’ under-21s win the title. He has been training with the first team throughout pre-season and scored in the 5-1 victory over Hearts of Midlothian. The 19-year-old striker signed a new five-year contract at the beginning of July but Spurs will review loan options for him, with interest already registered from Championship, League One and European sides.

Jay Harris

Barcelona

What has happened this week?

The Nico Williams saga is still dominating the headlines.

Williams is at the very top of Barcelona’s priority list for transfers. The club are willing to pay his release clause to sign him but they are still waiting for a definitive response from the player, who is well aware of the interest, as sources — kept anonymous like all of those in this section to protect relationships — from the player’s camp and executive sources at Barcelona confirm. However, those Barcelona sources feel pessimistic about the potential outcome.

There is a belief that if Williams rejects the chance to join Barcelona it will be to stay at Bilbao next season.

The wait over Williams’ final decision is putting every other major movement on standby — and that includes Dani Olmo.

Barcelona are in contact with the Spain international’s agents but no significant progress is expected before Williams makes a decision. A definitive communication from Williams’ side is expected to arrive in the coming days. This is why sporting director Deco decided not to join the rest of Barcelona’s board members who travelled to U.S. ahead of the team’s pre-season tour on Sunday.

Are Barcelona likely to sell Vitor Roque?

Some at the club would want that. The teenager has struggled to make an impact since his arrival last January. He scored two goals in 16 appearances but overall struggled to adapt to the Barcelona style of play.

At the end of last season, former manager Xavi believed a loan would be beneficial for Roque, as he was still not up to the standards he required for his team. The arrival of Hansi Flick brought a fresh opportunity but the current situation at Barcelona is complex.

Roque has not had a huge impact in Flick’s first few weeks. Barca played a behind-closed-doors friendly against fourth-division side UE Olot last Thursday, and Roque struggled to get going, according to sources present at the game.

But then there’s the financial dimension, once again. Roque still needs to be registered under La Liga rules ahead of next season. He was only eligible during the last term after Gavi’s long-term injury allowed Barcelona to register a new player.

The difficulties with registering him and possible interest in a young player of his talent have brought back the debate over his future.

Roque’s camp has said over the last months that, if he left, they would only sanction a permanent sale and not a loan.

He has been linked with Saudi Pro League clubs. Al Hilal are reportedly interested in Roque, but talks have not progressed. Al Hilal also have all of their foreign player slots occupied. Roque is a profile that could suit the Saudi League demands given his age, as he is still under 21.

This saga is expected to keep going.

What positions/players are they looking at?

As mentioned earlier, a winger and a holding midfielder were the positions to bolster according to their plans.

But the emergence of Nico Williams and Dani Olmo, who is seen as a market opportunity and a player who is willing to make an effort to wait for Barcelona, have taken over the pre-established targets.

Any other signings coming will depend on how many sales Barcelona can make.

Which players could be leaving?

The options are reducing. Ronald Araujo, who was a clear candidate for sale given his high profile and contract situation, suffered a long-term injury during the Copa America. It is unlikely any club will make a big offer for a player who’ll be sidelined until December.

If Williams ends up joining, Raphinha would be a player Barcelona would try to sell. The Brazilian winger is comfortable in the city and has no intention to leave — even more so with his contract lasting until 2027. But some club sources believe that adding another winger and showing him game time could be reduced might change his mind.

Another case to monitor is Mika Faye. The centre-back starred at the club’s second team, Barcelona Atletic, last season and earned his first international call-up with Senegal. A sale to a club where he gets a primary role could suit everyone — unless he manages to convince Flick during pre-season about his position in the current squad. Barcelona sources say they would like to get a fee of around €20million for the 20-year-old.

Inigo Martinez is another player who faces an uncertain future. He is still not registered to play in La Liga next season. Barcelona need to reduce their wage bill to sort those cases out.

Pol Ballus and Laia Cervello Herrero

Real Madrid

What has happened this week?

Madrid will play three friendlies in the U.S. after travelling on Sunday. Endrick is expected to make his debut.

The 18-year-old was presented, in Kylian Mbappe-style, on Saturday at the Bernabeu after more than a year and a half of waiting after his signing in 2022. This delay was due to regulations.

Endrick and Mbappe could be the only incomings this summer as the board considers Carlo Ancelotti’s squad strong enough to fight for major titles.

Will Madrid do any further business?

Wednesday’s farewell to Nacho Fernandez, who chose Saudi Arabia over renewing his contract before Leny Yoro moved to Manchester United, highlighted Madrid’s failure to sign the 18-year-old centre-back.

After another week of meetings, talks and analysis, the idea of Madrid not signing another player has become stronger.

Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and, in case of emergency, Aurelien Tchouameni will be the centre-backs, pending the return from injury of David Alaba (around November) and Jesus Vallejo, who wants to stay and has a contract until 2025.

Ancelotti has asked for a reinforcement in the position. It is not only a question of quantity, but also of profiles: Militao and Tchouameni (a midfielder) play on the right. For the left side, Ancelotti only has Rudiger, who also feels more comfortable on the right.

The club have told the Italian they have confidence in his ability to make the best use of limited resources and the situation will be reviewed after December, not least because of doubts about when and how Alaba will return. It is known the club are not looking to act in this transfer window.

What positions/players are they looking at?

Madrid wanted a centre-back, but this will not happen unless an opportunity arises that is more convincing than those who have been considered.

There is also the option of Alphonso Davies at left-back — but for that to happen, Bayern Munich would have to be willing to negotiate. If not, Madrid are comfortable with the idea that he could arrive as a free agent in 2025 if he does not extend with Bayern.

“We told him very clearly that: if he doesn’t renew his contract, we will let it expire. We are not going to offer him any more money,” said Uli Hoeness, the German club’s honorary president.

Which players could be leaving?

Andriy Lunin’s situation has not been resolved. He wants to have a more important role, which cannot be guaranteed because the first-choice goalkeeper is Thibaut Courtois. The Ukrainian has not recently discussed his intentions at Valdebebas. Previously, he would make it clear he wanted to stay. For Lunin to be allowed to leave, his agent Jorge Mendes would have to find a buyer able to make an offer of over €20million.

Some academy players, who have been called up for the pre-season tour, could leave if a financially convincing offer arrives for 50 per cent of their rights. This is most likely with Alvaro Rodriguez, and less likely with Mario Martin and Nico Paz.

Juanmi Latasa, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Getafe, has interested several La Liga teams and the best destination for him is being analysed.

Brazilian Reinier Jesus, back from another loan spell, has not joined the group for the tour and is expected to close a new loan deal in the next month. He has a contract until 2026.

Mario Cortegana

(Top image — design: Eamonn Dalton, photos: Getty Images)