Three High-Profile Deadline Day Signings We Could Expect From The Premier League Clubs
Transfer Deadline Day. A day when fans are nervous and excited in equal measures. Nervous to not see any players leave their club on the final day of the transfer window. Excited, to see new faces come through the doors.
Mostly though, it is a day filled with tense affairs for most clubs and the officials (except Daniel Levy of course) and players too. We are into the final month of the summer transfer window and the deadline day is approaching fast. While most Premier League clubs have done early business, action on deadline day is still very much expected.
And here we take a look at three high-profile deadline day deals that could go through in the Premier League this summer.
Ross Barkley – Everton to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur are the only Premier League club to dip into the transfer market this summer window, and it isn’t much of a surprise to be honest. Chairman Daniel Levy likes to leave it late in the window, as he believes that, it is the period when the players are available for the right price and not for a bloated transfer fee.
Ross Barkley has been on Spurs’ radar ever since he rejected a new contract with Everton, but till date, they have held back from making a move for the 23-year old. The Toffees were reported to be demanding as high as £50million for the player, who is in the final year of his contract. But lately it has been reported that the club have brought down the asking price to £35million.
Yet, it is unlikely to see Levy and Tottenham shell that much money on a player who has had an indifferent season last time around as the North Londoners reportedly value Barkley at only £15million. This one is definitely going to the deadline day.
Virgil van Dijk – Southampton to Liverpool
This saga has been going on for more than a month now. Liverpool have been chasing the Southampton defender since the end of the season, the Saints reported the club to the Premier League over illegal tapping up of the player and Liverpool issued a public apology and withdrew the interest; we thought we had seen the end of it.
However, as it turned out, a whole new storm was brewing. Van Dijk told Southampton he wanted to leave and was made to train alone all by himself, by new manager Mauricio Pellegrino. Things escalated earlier this week, as the 26-year old thrashed the club over his treatment and submitted an official transfer request to force through a move away from the St. Mary’s.
There has been interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City as well, but given that both the clubs have plenty of options in defence, Van Dijk is very much likely to choose a move to Anfield. Following the transfer request, things might speed up, but don’t be surprised if this one drags on until the deadline day.
Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal to Manchester City
It is no secret that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admires Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez greatly and is keen on joining forces with the Chilean again, after having worked with him at Barcelona in the past.
Sanchez entered the final year of his contract with Arsenal in the summer and the negotiations over a new deal have long hit a roadblock. Following his campaign with the Chile national team in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, the 28-year old revealed that he wants to be playing in the Champions League, which the Gunners cannot offer this term, after failing to qualify for Europe’s premiere footballing event. This development was supposed to be the final nail in the coffin on his time at the Emirates, with City lurking in the corners to swoop.
However, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been staunch in his stance that the Chilean will not be sold in the summer at any cost. The Frenchman has insisted several times in the media that the club don’t plan on selling Sanchez. But, as we have seen in the past, despite the firm denial, Wenger has gone on to sell important players. With the player wanting to leave and City ready to offer big money, there are good chances that this one could go through, probably after the North Londoners sign a replacement, which could most likely be Thomas Lemar.