Manchester City agree £125m deal to sign Fernández
Jacob Steinberg
Manchester City have agreed a £125m deal to sign Enzo Fernández from Chelsea, equalling the British transfer record. It is a fixed fee with no add-ons or performance-related clauses.
The Argentina international Enzo Fernández, formerly of Benfica and River Plate, will join Manchester City for a £125m fee. Photograph: Dennis Goodwin/ProSports/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 12.26 EDT
Key events
Niall McVeigh
And on that bombshell, time to hand back to Daniel Gallan for the home straight …
ShareIliman Ndiaye joins Manchester City
A big deal is now officially done: Manchester City have signed Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye in a transfer worth a reported £65m in total – £60m up front and £5m in add-ons.
“Manchester City is delighted to announce the signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Everton,” an official statement said. “The 26-year-old forward has signed a five-year contract, keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2031.”
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Jamie Jackson
Manchester United made a late enquiry to Manchester City for their left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, but the 25-year-old will not be leaving. This seems a little late, and a scattergun approach from United.
“Why does Malick Fofana need to come to England at all tonight?” asks Iain Chambers. “Can’t he just sign a contract of whichever club he eventually chooses, pop home for a kip, and make an early morning start on packing up his PlayStation & some autumn clothing choices?”
Yes, it’s one of those old-fashioned curiosities of the transfer deadline that players must be whisked off to sign the paperwork in an empty stadium, when the whole thing could have been a Zoom call.
More on Malick Fofana’s plane dilemma – Ed Aarons reports that “Palace manager Pierre Sage has also spoken to the 21-year-old on the phone again this evening, having made contact earlier on today. The pair previously worked together at Lyon.” Presumably, Sage talked up Croydon’s excellent transport links with Gatwick and central London.
Any Arsenal fans awaiting transfer updates: how about an entire baseball team? Stan Kroenke, owner of the Premier League champions and the NFL’s LA Rams, is poised to buy the MLB’s Los Angeles Angels, who are based in Anaheim.
There’s a striker merry-go-round on the continent; with Nick Woltemade joining Juve on loan, Jonathan David has left Turin for Madrid, signing for Atlético on an initial loan. Júlian Alvarez, meanwhile, is still an Atleti player with the clock running down.
Everton’s pursuit of Folarin Balogun has left Beto surplus to requirements, so he’s off to Fiorentina for €18m – with former Everton forward Moise Kean joining Como on loan. Another man leaving Florence is Albert Gudmundsson, who moves to Lazio, freeing up Boulaye Dia to join Ligue 1’s Rennes on loan. Keeping up with all that? Good.
“The Malick Fofana tarmac tension is really something else. Let’s face it, it might come down to which of the two planes is nicer,” writes Peter Oh. Sky are reporting that Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is on the ground in Lyon, trying to persuade Fofana to choose his side. Palace need to bring out the big guns – Ikea, Boxpark etc.
Patterson also becomes, by my reckoning, the eighth Scottish player currently on the books of a Serie A club – and joins international teammate Ché Adams at Torino.
The transfer window has closed in France, Germany and Italy – it’s open until midnight in Spain – and one headline late move sees keeper Robert Sánchez leaving Chelsea and joining Como on loan, following Emi Martínez’s move to Stamford Bridge.
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Andy Hunter
Nathan Patterson has completed his permanent move from Everton to Torino, becoming the second player from the club to move to Italy on deadline day after Beto. Everton will receive a modest sum for the Scotland international, plus a sell-on fee. The 24-year-old joined the club for £12m from Rangers in 2022 but struggled with injuries and to secure a regular starting role under a series of managers.
Don’t forget, you can keep tabs on the latest transfers in women’s football, with the WSL deadline still open until Thursday.
And if that has piqued your interest, the latest edition of our women’s football newsletter is here:
The Malick Fofana situation is quite something. Maybe he should just pick a plane without knowing the destination and let fate decide?
ShareSunderland sign Kevin Danso on initial loan
Louise Taylor
Kevin Danso has joined Sunderland on a year-long loan from Tottenham that should lead to a formal £25m transfer for the Austria centre-half next summer.
Meanwhile in the day’s maddest transfer, Lyon’s Malick Fofana has undergone a medical in France jointly commissioned by Sunderland and Crystal Palace as their tug of war to sign him continues.
Two private jets still wait at Lyon airport, waiting to transport him to either south London or the north east.
Updated at 15.14 EDT
Niall McVeigh
Thanks, DG. First up this hour – we need to talk about Kevin. Danso, that is – the Spurs defender is on the move …
Updated at 15.17 EDT
Eight chimes on the clock tower down the road and that’s my cue to take a breather for an hour.
I’ll leave you in the safe-as-houses hands of Niall McVeigh.
I’ll be back at 9.
Over to NMcV!
ShareIs this the end of Man United’s transfer business?Jamie Jackson
Sadly for Manchester United and fans the proposed deal to sign Leicester City’s 18-year-old midfielder Louis Page is off.
Barring something pretty leftfield occurring this would seem to be it now for incomings
Updated at 15.31 EDT
Jacob Steinberg
West Ham’s financial demands for Edson Alvarez expected to see the Mexican midfielder stay.
He is not in squad to face Wolves [tonight in the Championship]. Nor is Magassa. Club want to keep him. Have had bids but none met valuation. Meanwhile ownership hopeful Amanda Staveley is here as the battle for control for the club edges towards a conclusion.
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Ed Aarons
An update on Fofana and Palace.
Crystal Palace look set for another frantic end to deadline day as they await Malick Fofana’s decision over whether to pick them over Sunderland.
The Belgium forward is still said to be weighing up his decision, although Palace have lined Darío Osorio from Danish side Midtjylland if that falls through. The Chile forward would join on an initial loan with an obligation to make his move permanent for €30m.
Palace have also reopened talks with Marseille over a deal for Netherlands defender Quentin Timber after confirming the signing of Honest Ahanor on loan from Atalanta earlier.
As per our post at 19:19, Mammillaria Hahniana wonders where these cowboys would finish in a league.
double quotation markI think the bones of top end Championship/bottom end Prem. squad could be had there.
ShareWest Ham sign centre-back Morato on loanJacob Steinberg
West Ham, who are about to take on Wolves at the London Stadium, have completed the loan signing of Nottingham Forest centre-back Morato.
Updated at 15.12 EDT
Are you worried about Forest?
Chris Lyth is:
double quotation markForest have let a lot of players go out on loan, are they starting to look a bit thin. Glasner’s football is physically demanding. He wants intensity, running and aggressive pressing. You can’t really do that with all season without a bit of depth.
Got to say, so am I. Ever get a little inkling that a particular team with struggle/do well? I just have a sense that this might be a tricky campaign. But what do I know?
This, from Jason Grear, would make a great pub quiz question:
double quotation markFor all the $$ being thrown all over the place today and every year on transfer fees (which, whatever, clubs can spend what they want):
Lionel Messi’s career transfer fees are $0.
Unreal, actually.
Get a load of these big names who are all free agents:
🏴 Jadon Sancho
🇫🇷 Paul Pogba
🇫🇷 Karim Benzema
🇩🇿 Riyad Mahrez
🇪🇸 Dani Carvajal
🏴 Raheem Sterling
🇦🇹 David Alaba
🇲🇱 Yves Bissouma
🇨🇮 Wilfried Zaha
🇧🇷 Philippe Coutinho
🇺🇦 Oleksandr Zinchenko
Look, none of them are spring chickens. But surely there’s a club out there for them? We can’t be having these guys play in the local Powerleague.
Updated at 15.37 EDT
It it better to spend a lot or spend wisely?
double quotation mark£350m on Anderson, Bouaddi, and Fernandez versus £150m on Santos, Tielemans, and Baleba.
Nice to see United being sensible in the market nowadays – makes a nice change
It it sense, Joshua Keeling, or can United no longer attract players who cost a fortune?
How many Enzos could buy a fighter jet?
What?
“The Premier League clubs have now spent upwards of three billion pounds on players this summer. I realize this sounds like a lot, but in today’s world that barely buys you a modern aircraft carrier. Heck, you could only afford ten frigates for that money,” so says Kári Tulinius.
Hope that puts things into perspective.
We really have the best readers.
A couple of you have provided a helping hand.
First AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh:
double quotation markAs I said it before, Aston Villa needed to look at England U-21 defenders. They’re affordable and Aston Villa suit them. Here it is. Former England U-21 captain Taylor Harwood-Bellis is going to Aston Villa. That’s good for England if he is part of Thomas Tuchel’s England plan for the next Euro.
Then PG [just PG]:
double quotation markNot sure if you’ve seen this yet: Chema Andrés to Brighton – DONE DEAL. Verbal agreement reached with VfB Stuttgart over a transfer for 21 y/o talented midfielder. Up to €23m all-in + sell-on. Chema on his way for medical.
Cheers.
ShareLiverpool sign promising goalkeeperAndy Hunter
Liverpool have confirmed they have a deal in place to sign Genk’s teenage goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, with the 18-year-old due to arrive at Anfield next summer for a fee that could rise to £30m with add-ons.
The highly-rated keeper will remain at Genk on loan for the rest of this season. He has agreed a six-year contract with Liverpool, who have signed several young prospects this year as part of a strategy led by Matt Newberry at their global talent team.
St Etienne’s 18-year-old striker Djylian N’Guessan is expected to follow in a £4.3m deal. Brughmans, who impressed Liverpool’s scouts at the Uefa under-17 championship in Albania last summer, could come straight into the club’s first team picture next summer. Alisson is in the final year of his current contract and Giorgi Mamardashvili’s long-term future at Liverpool looks uncertain.
ShareAnother loan move from the Premier League to the Championship
Ben Fisher
Zach Abbott has signed a new four-year contract with Nottingham Forest and joined Southampton until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old academy graduate, who joined the club aged 11, made his top-flight debut last season and featured seven times as Forest reached the Europa League semi-finals.
“I had memorable experiences last year that have given me even more hunger to improve and continue my development,” said the defender, who is comfortable at centre-back and right-back.
“Laying out 225m on Bouaddi and Enzo doesn’t speak well to the 117m they spent on the (so far, unconvincing) Anderson. But what’s 350 million on midfielders in one window amongst friends?”
Another head scratcher, this one from Peter Mumola.
Reece James to Man United?
There’s no actual story here, but reader Roger Andrew poses a pretty interesting hypothetical:
double quotation markAs Chelsea seem to be having a massive clearout, I think we’d take a fully-fit Reece James at Old Trafford? Just to help them out?
Can’t see it happening. But I reckon Carrick would love it!
ShareLeeds secure French forwardEd Aarons
Leeds have agreed a deal with Eintracht Frankfurt to sign Jean-Mattéo Bahoya on an initial loan, with an option to make the France Under-21 forward’s move permanent for around £26m.
Daniel Farke’s side only have a few hours to complete all the paperwork but look to have got their man after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk when he joined Spurs instead.
Jean-Matteo Bahoya playing for Frankfurt. Photograph: Marvin Ibo Guengoer/GES Sportfoto/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 14.41 EDT
Ben Fisher
Coventry have allowed Liam Kitching to join Sheffield United on loan for the season.
The 26-year-old defender was a regular en route to promotion as champions last campaign but has fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of Aurele Amenda, Ethan Pinnock and Stephen Mfuni.
Kitching has not played a minute of Coventry’s opening two games in the Premier League, both of which ended in defeat. He started Coventry’s 4-2 win over Plymouth in the Carabao Cup and will now bolster Chris Wilder’s ranks in the second tier.
ShareWoltemade completes Juventus moveLouise Taylor
Nick Woltemade is bringing his unique fashion sense to Turin after completing a one year loan from Newcastle to Juventus.
The deal, which involves no obligation to buy, is costing the Serie A club around £3.5m.
Woltemade did not really fit into either Eddie Howe or Matias Jaissle’s high intensity style but the Germany forward – who cost Newcastle a record £69m this time last year – is immensely talented and Tynesiders will wish “Wolte-Wow” well.
Gary Naylor, an Everton fan and a good man, sets me straight on Beto:
double quotation markHi Daniel. Beto didn’t score many goals, but some were very important at a time when the club was fragile, tottering even. He is also a decent bloke who felt Everton in his heart and wasn’t afraid to show it. He goes with our best wishes and he’ll always be welcome at Hill Dickinson.
That’s lovely stuff. I hope you speak for all (or at least most) Toffee supporters.
Love this from Philip Midgley-Carver on the potential Fofana deal:
double quotation markAs a Palace fan, if there is a problem with the Sunderland plane then clearly Fofana should get on the Palace plane. Not our fault Sunderland sent a plane which hadn’t passed its MOT (or whatever the equivalent is for planes). Plus, I can assure him that the “Tasty Jerk” chicken place just outside Selhurst is, indeed, very tasty in case culinary options in South London might be the clincher for him.
I’ll get the word out, mate.
“Why do you think no miserable Premier League side has gone for Harvey Elliott? Would be a good fit for a Palace, wouldn’t you think?”
Good question, Kevin Wilson.
My guess is that Liverpool wanted to keep him in case he comes good over the year. A season eating paella on the Mediterranean coast could see an upturn in his performances.
I actually think he’d be a good shout at Villa.
I know this is nothing new, but these numbers really make my skin crawl. How much did that leftback from Uruguay cost?
Well, there’s method to the madness, apparently, as
Humphrey Elles-Hill (an Arsenal fan ‘proud of the club’s prudence) notes:
double quotation markHi Daniel. As much as it pains me, is the Blue Co business model starting to work? They seem to have inflated the market’s valuations of players so that they’re now seeing proper profits from wild buys like Enzo and poor performers like Delap?… are we going to see them sell Rodgers for £200m in a few years time, having won the premier league and mastered the Premier league’s flimsy economic structures? They were being written off as maverick charlatans who didn’t understand football not that long ago by this newspaper’s best writers!?
I don’t have them winning the title (still think Arsenal have enough to go back-to-back) but they are contenders, no doubt. Enough for second perhaps?
AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh has some advice for those clubs without serious title aspirations or immediate relegation fears:
double quotation markMiddle table EPL clubs should wait for the winter window. There is nothing wrong with that.