Transfer deadline day is essentially the last day of term for the Rumour Mill, but instead of bringing in our favourite VHS videos and avoiding any work, we’re dialling today’s speculation up to potentially irresponsible levels before the window slams shut tonight.
The name of Álvaro Morata, the Spain international who is currently on loan at Juventus from Atlético Madrid, has emerged as a potential goal-getting option for Arsenal. The Gunners coach Miguel Molina reportedly got on the blower to Morata over the weekend to try and convince him to sign. Arsenal have not completely given up hope of taking Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, but the Spanish club remain fixated on the 22-year-old’s £75m release clause.
Mikel Arteta is also being linked with a late move for Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It seems unlikely the Merseyside club would part with a key player but as Arteta has told us, the world’s best definitely do want to join Arsenal. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, meanwhile, is still having a chat with crisis club Barcelona about leaving north London.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek of Chelsea, Dele Alli of Tottenham and Idrissa Gueye of Paris Saint-Germain are all targets for the new Everton gaffer Frank Lampard. Lampard is an admirer of Loftus-Cheek following his tenure at Stamford Bridge while Alli has failed to win over Antonio Conte at Tottenham. Gueye, who left Everton in 2019, progressed to the last four of the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal last night.
Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Aston Villa are all in the hunt for Brighton’s Yves Bissouma, but the Seagulls will demand north of £30m, in fact more like £35m, for the dynamic central midfielder.
The feature about Phil Jones ageing like a fine wine at Bordeaux would have written itself, but unfortunately the Manchester United defender’s potential loan deal to Ligue 1 has fallen through. Reports state the French club were not prepared to guarantee him the game time he wanted.
Eddie Howe wants to further bolster his Newcastle squad in the battle against relegation from the Premier League, and Aston Villa’s Matt Targett is on his radar. The Magpies had looked at Bayer Leverkusen’s Mitchel Bakker and Rogério of Sassuolo but are now firmly targeting Targett.
Heading further north, Rangers are close to signing Lechia Gdansk right-back Mateusz Zukowski. The 20-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and has been stalling on signing a new deal in Poland so the fee won’t be much. The Gers have also reportedly fought off a host of European rivals, including Arsenal, to sign Romanian teenager Kevin Ciubotaru.
Dejan Kulusevski flew to London last night to complete his move to Tottenham. Much is being made of the fact the Juventus attacker told reporters: “I had a very good time, I hope to return one day,” of his time at the Bianconeri. Mind you, he was asked if he had a message for Juventus fans by a dedicated Juventus reporter, so he was hardly going to say: “I hope you get relegated.” The Sweden international will have a medical today and is due to join on an 18-month loan with a mandatory purchase for about €40m, plus add-ons.
And finally: West Ham are close to signing the Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car, are being linked with Liverpool forward Divock Origi, having already had two offers for Leeds’s Kalvin Phillips rejected. Fax machines at the ready, people.
