Arsenal confirm Mikel Merino, Ivan Toney joins Man Utd – 10 transfers still on the cards

There’s still plenty of transfers to be done in the summer window, including the potential for some blockbuster deals to be finalised before Deadline Day. There have already been some headline-grabbing moves, with Kylian Mbappe’s free transfer to Champions League victors Real Madrid arguably the most eye-catching.

And the Premier League has also seen its fair share of significant moves. Tottenham broke their club record to sign striker Dominic Solanke for £65million, while Manchester United have bolstered their defence with the additions of Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been busy again, signing the likes of Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. As for what’s to come, Ivan Toney, Eberechi Eze, and Victor Osimhen are all names that could still be on the move as Express Sport delve into the transfer market to highlight some potential mega-deals in the pipeline.

Victor Osimhen

Nigerian forward Osimhen is being tipped as the final piece in Chelsea’s incredibly costly and crowded jigsaw. The 25-year-old has had a falling out with his current club Napoli, who slumped to a 10th-placed finish last season after clinching the Scudetto the previous campaign.

The main reason the striker hasn’t moved yet is his transfer fee, believed to be around £100million – only the Blues and PSG, it is suggested, are the interested parties who can afford him. Despite his goal-scoring exploits last season, current Blues first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson demonstrated during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City that an upgrade like Osimhen might be necessary after squandering several golden opportunities.

While it seems unlikely that Todd Boehly would be willing to part with an additional £100m, if Chelsea can manage to offload some players such as Romelu Lukaku – who is rumoured to be joining Napoli as a replacement for Osimhen – then Stamford Bridge could soon see a new star striker.

Mikel Merino

Merino’s move to Arsenal still appears to be on the cards despite a delay. The Spaniard was identified as the perfect midfield addition by Mikel Arteta, who is keen to find a partner to complement Declan Rice.

The main obstacle to overcome is the transfer fee, as personal terms have reportedly been agreed. The Spanish club are holding out for a £30m sum, but with the player’s contract expiring next year and him being 28 years old, Arsenal are hoping to pay slightly less.

The deal may also hinge on the Gunners raising funds by selling some players, with Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale both linked with exits from the Emirates. If the Merino deal goes through as expected, Arteta will have another asset to utilise in his quest for the league title.

Ivan Toney

An exit from Brentford seemed inevitable for Toney this window, with the Bees not wanting their star player’s contract to run down and him to leave for nothing next year. However, much to his disappointment, there has been minimal interest in him from Premier League clubs, sparking rumours of a potential move to the Saudi Pro League.

With Tottenham having already splashed out on Solanke, Chelsea potentially favouring Osimhen, and Arsenal sticking by Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, the responsibility of fulfilling Toney’s dream move to a top English club may fall on United. A speculated £50m bid and lucrative contract proposed by Saudi Arabian team Al Ahli might need to be matched by the Red Devils.

This could prove challenging unless there are potential departures. However, with Rasmus Hojlund sidelined for the start of the season, a swoop for Toney could still be on the cards.

Marc Guehi

Guehi’s high-profile transfer to Newcastle has evolved into a drawn-out saga. The Magpies’ defence, particularly in the centre-back position, has been severely depleted ahead of the new season.

With Sven Botman out until Christmas following an ACL tear in March and Fabian Schar receiving a straight red card in the team’s opening 1-0 triumph over Southampton, a player like Guehi is urgently needed.

The defender, who shone at Euro 2024 for England, has reportedly been the target of four bids from Newcastle, the most recent amounting to £65m, but Crystal Palace have remained firm. If Eddie Howe’s team are prepared to fork out the required fee, it seems they’ll secure their man.

Eberechi Eze

Guehi’s Palace colleague Eze is far less likely to be leaving this summer. Nonetheless, he could still end up making a significant move like another of his former team-mates, Michael Olise, who was snapped up by Bayern Munich for £47m in July.

While no Premier League club has made a firm move for Eze, Manchester City and Tottenham were rumoured to be interested over the summer. With Spurs having already splashed out on Solanke, this could leave Pep Guardiola’s City as the sole contender – and a bid for Eze would make sense.

Oscar Bobb is set to be out of action for several months after breaking his leg in training, and Julian Alvarez has left for a whopping £82m. Despite bringing in Savinho, City might still feel the need to find a replacement for Alavarez and target Eze.

A potential stumbling block for any deal is the expiration of the Englishman’s release clause. The 26-year-old had a £60m clause in his contract that would have allowed any club to pay the fee and start talks with the player – but it expired earlier this month.

Jarrad Branthwaite

Branthwaite seemed destined to become a United player this window after the Red Devils identified him as their latest centre-back signing. Unfortunately, disagreements over valuation with Everton saw the deal fall through.

The Toffees are reportedly holding out for closer to £70m, while United’s second offer of around £50m hasn’t yet been increased. In an unexpected twist, Branthwaite found his name linked to arch-rivals Liverpool, although there has allegedly been no contact between the two Merseyside clubs.

Despite the £58m splashed on 18-year-old centre-back Yoro and a further £42m on De Ligt, United’s pursuit of Branthwaite is not entirely off the table. Given that the former has recently undergone foot surgery and Lisandro Martinez’s injury record leaves much to be desired, United may still consider signing Branthwaite.

Viktor Gyokeres

If Arsenal do revitalise their search for a new striker, it could lead them to Viktor Gyokeres. The Sporting CP frontman, who previously led Coventry to the Championship play-off final in 2023, is reportedly available for less than his £86m release clause.

To fund a move for the 26-year-old Swede, the Gunners might need to part ways with both Nketiah and Jesus. That could fetch nearly £90m, more than enough to fund Gyokeres.

That scenario is highly unlikely. But in the madness of the final few days of a transfer window, you can never say never.

Federico Chiesa

Italy international Chiesa finds himself out in the cold at Juventus under new boss Thiago Motta, sparking interest from several Premier League clubs. Liverpool appear to be a potential suitor for him, having previously made an unsuccessful £82m bid.

However, the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa, United and Chelsea could also be in the running. Chiesa has been valued at around £20m, but it’s suggested that a lower offer of £15m might be enough to persuade Juventus to sell, especially as he only has one year remaining on his contract.

The main stumbling block for any interested parties is likely to be his high wage demands, which have reportedly deterred potential suitors so far. However, the situation is fluid and a club with deep pockets could still make a move for Chiesa.

Raheem Sterling

Sterling’s future at Chelsea looks very uncertain. Despite initial indications that he was part of Enzo Maresca’s plans for the upcoming season, his absence from the Blues’ opening match against City suggested otherwise.

Given his desire for regular first-team football and his recent comments, it seems increasingly likely that he will leave Stamford Bridge this summer. However, offloading the 29-year-old could prove challenging given his status as one of the league’s top earners and the fact that he still has three years left on his contract.

Turin has emerged as a potential destination for Sterling should Juve lose Chiesa. The Italian giants, who reportedly showed interest in him earlier this summer, could renew that, while Newcastle and Crystal Palace have also been mentioned in connection with the former Manchester City winger.

Ilkay Gundogan

Gundogan could be set for a shcok return to the Etihad after being left out of Barcelona’s opening La Liga match. The German midfielder, who spent seven successful seasons at City before moving to Spain last season, is reportedly being considered for a switch back to Manchester.

The 33-year-old’s current contract with Barca runs until 2026, but it remains unclear what transfer fee would be required to secure his services. Despite potential competition from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, re-signing Gundogan could bolster City’s title challenge and provide cover for Rodri, who had a busy summer following Spain’s Euro 2020 campaign.

Pep Guardiola never wanted him to leave and has struggled to replace his presence in the middle of the park, with Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes yet to fully convince the City boss.