January is a notoriously difficult month to do business and this winter, it has felt like many Premier League clubs have been more reluctant than ever.
Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) has tied the hands of Aston Villa, Newcastle and Everton – among others – but the deals are still rolling in on deadline day.
Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are both looking to be active at the 11th hour, for very different reasons. The Gunners are looking for the final pieces to get them over the line in the title race, especially after an injury to Mikel Merino, while Spurs are in the midst of an injury crisis of their own and aren’t totally out of the woods in the battle to avoid relegation.
Top-flight clubs have to register their revised squad lists by Thursday 5 February.
Stay tuned throughout the day for the biggest updates.
Tonali to Arsenal rumours are nonsense
Newcastle not expecting to do any major business today – the mantra of the month has been that there’s money to spend but the club will be responsible and any deals will have to make sense as part of the bigger picture of a summer rebuild.
Newcastle have mostly been monitoring defensive incomings but with less than 24 hours of the window left, it would take parts to shift for anything to happen.
Crystal Palace and Wolves race to solve striker issues
Crystal Palace and Wolves will almost certainly end the day with a new-look forward line, subject to Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jorgen Strand Larsen’s deals going through before the 7pm deadline.
Palace have gazumped Leeds into agreeing a £48m deal for Wolves wantaway forward Strand Larsen, with the move set to be completed in today.
The i Paper has been told that, at this stage, Strand Larsen’s move to South London is not dependent on Mateta sealing a switch to AC Milan, as the France international, if not sold now, will leave in the summer.
Mateta is described as “desperate” to secure his £30m move to Italy, with a medical to pass first before that can be completed.
As a replacement, Wolves are close to agreeing a deal for Southampton striker Adam Armstrong for an initial £7m.
Why Arsenal are racing back into the market
With a summer outlay of £250m and a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table, there hasn’t been much expectation for Arsenal to wade into the winter market.
That changed this weekend, with Mikel Merino requiring surgery on the foot injury he suffered in the recent 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates. Who will be able to replace his goals? Erling Haaland isn’t available.
The deals Nottingham Forest are chasing
Nottingham Forest have been the Premier League’s Deadline Day darlings since coming up, thanks to their own brand of transfer silliness. There’s every chance that that could continue today: Forest would probably like a striker, central midfielder and backup left-back, although it’s unlikely that all three will happen.
They have chased Celtic midfielder Arne Engels over the last 48 hours, but both of their offers have been rejected. Davide Frattesi of Inter also has an offer, but his delays would suggest that he’s not mega keen on swapping Milan for Nottingham. The fool!
Tottenham’s deadline day conundrum
Thomas Frank has promised Spurs will be “active” in the market on deadline day. He was speaking after his side’s remarkable fightback from two goals down against Manchester City.
However, being active and getting deals over the line are two different things – and here’s why that’s tricky.
There has been an internal shift in thinking at Tottenham. Their recruitment team are determined to now target more established names, making a break from ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s policy of prioritising youngsters with a high ceiling. Conor Gallagher was a solid addition, but the move for Andy Robertson fell through.
Spurs are having to strike a balance between “names” and players who are attainable. And despite long-term plans to overhaul the wage structure, new additions would have to sit within the existing framework.
Winger Moussa Diaby, formerly of Aston Villa but now based in Saudi Arabia, is one player being looked at. Yan Diomande was another who was monitored but looks unlikely with a number of other clubs in the running.
Newcastle captain to join Leicester
Newcastle are preparing to say goodbye to Jamaal Lascelles after more than 200 appearances for the club.
The defender is still club captain but has not made an appearance this season under Eddie Howe. Leicester City and Birmingham are among the clubs who have made enquiries and it looks like the Foxes have won the race.
It’s deadline day
Hello and welcome to The i Paper’s coverage of deadline day.
We’ll be across the major news of the day with comings and goings expected at Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle.
Raheem Sterling is the most high-profile free agent set to make a move after terminating his Chelsea contract – but there are plenty of other deals to watch out for.
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