Liverpool's Winger Search and Arsenal's Left-Side Strategy
Liverpool’s frantic winger hunt, Arsenal’s left-side gamble and United’s £70m midfield bet are driving a feverish final week of the transfer window, even as the Premier League kicks off.
Liverpool crank up the search for a Salah heir
Andoni Iraola has been blunt: Liverpool are short of wingers. The market has answered back with a firm no.
Two bids for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh have been knocked back in quick succession, the latest a hefty £60m offer rejected after a previous £50m proposal was turned down. Brighton are holding their ground. Liverpool, who see Minteh as a key part of the succession plan to Mohamed Salah, are being forced to look wider.
They have already lost Curtis Jones, who has joined Inter Milan in a €30m deal that could rise by another €5m in add-ons, with Liverpool also inserting a 10 per cent sell-on clause. Jones was into the final year of his Anfield contract and, despite Iraola’s desire to keep him, made it clear he wanted to leave.
That departure has only sharpened the need for attacking reinforcements. Liverpool want two wide forwards. Minteh is one. Bradley Barcola is the dream second, but Paris Saint-Germain are demanding a staggering £145m for the France international, a fee that currently sits miles beyond Liverpool’s valuation.
So the gaze has turned to Spain. The Times report that Liverpool have made an enquiry to Real Madrid over Brazil forward Endrick. The 20-year-old spent last season on loan at Lyon and featured as a squad player for Brazil at the World Cup. With José Mourinho now in charge at the Bernabéu and Endrick’s role unclear, Liverpool are testing the water, trying to find any crack in Madrid’s resolve.
The pressure is building. The clock is ticking. And Iraola still doesn’t have his winger.
Arsenal reload on the left after Vinicius setback
At Arsenal, the plan is more targeted but no less ambitious.
Mikel Arteta has long marked the left side of his attack as a key area to upgrade. The ideal solution was obvious: Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian’s decision to stay at Real Madrid forced a rethink at the Emirates. The marquee move evaporated, but the need did not.
Arsenal are now exploring whether a deal for Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz is possible in this window. The 21-year-old Turkey international is high on their list as they look to arm Arteta for a tilt at both the Premier League and Champions League.
There is a longer game in play too. Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi would likely have been the move this summer had it not been for his injury. That option remains on the table for January, a potential delayed solution if this window proves too tight or too expensive.
One deal is already done. Ezri Konsa has arrived from Aston Villa for £51m, becoming Arsenal’s fifth signing of the summer and potentially debuting against his former club next week.
Konsa could not hide his excitement at working under Arteta. “I know he loves defenders who can really defend and defenders who are calm on the ball. His style suits me so I can't wait to get going,” he said. Calling it “a proud moment” for him and his family to join “one of the best teams in the world”, Konsa underlined his motivation: “I'm here to win. I'll do everything in my power to continue bringing success to this club.”
There is noise around the striker department too. Reports in France suggest Arsenal are considering Victor Osimhen, now at Galatasaray, as a possible target if his wage demands drop. It would be a spectacular move given Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus are already in the building, but the former Napoli forward has been linked with the Premier League for years and his all-action style would fit the division perfectly.
For now, though, the real heat is on that left flank and whether Yildiz becomes the next piece in Arteta’s evolving attack.
United close in on Baleba as Carrick era begins
At Manchester United, the story is about one big midfield swing.
On the day they open their Premier League campaign against Hull City at lunchtime, United have a £70m deal in place with Brighton for Carlos Baleba. A pursuit that started last summer is finally close to completion.
Baleba is set to undergo a medical this weekend, with Sky Sports reporting a five-year contract on the table. Brighton have secured a sell-on clause as part of the agreement, true to their model of maximising future value.
For Michael Carrick, the timing is ideal. A transformative midfield signing arriving just as the season begins sends a clear message about the club’s intent and his authority. The question now is how quickly Baleba can be integrated into a side trying to rediscover its identity.
Spurs, City and the next dominoes
Tottenham are not standing still either. They have agreed a deal to sign winger Savinho from Manchester City for an initial £75m, a statement of intent on the flanks. Omar Marmoush is tipped to follow the Brazilian to north London as Ange Postecoglou sharpens his attacking options.
City, in turn, have identified Brazilian winger Allan as a possible replacement, a move that would keep their wide areas stocked as Enzo Maresca reshapes the squad in his own image.
That links directly to one of the window’s most intriguing sagas: Enzo Fernandez. The Chelsea midfielder endured a bruising summer, ending with a red card and defeat in the World Cup final before being booed on his return to Stamford Bridge. He has previously indicated he would be open to leaving, and Maresca, who worked with him before, is a big admirer.
Chelsea had set a deadline of 5pm on Friday 14 August for bids. That time has come and gone, and the club now expect Fernandez to stay, with Xabi Alonso insisting the Argentine is “training really well” ahead of the new season. Yet City could still test Chelsea’s resolve late in the window, especially if they are prepared to go close to the £120m asking price.
If that domino falls, it will shake the market again.
Villa eye Jackson as striker market tightens
Aston Villa are preparing to move in the forward market. Chelsea are braced for a bid for Nicolas Jackson, with Unai Emery keen to add the Senegal striker to his squad.
Jackson, 25, impressed at the World Cup despite a disappointing loan spell with Bayern Munich. The Telegraph report that Villa are considering an offer close to Chelsea’s £65m valuation.
Atletico Madrid, who had shown interest, look to be out at that price point, even as they hold a lofty £150m valuation of Julian Alvarez. Barcelona and Arsenal are among the clubs monitoring Alvarez, but City’s stance and that figure make any deal complex in the short term.
Strikers are scarce. Prices are soaring. Villa’s move for Jackson could be one of the more realistic deals in a market where genuine No 9s are treated like gold dust.
Liverpool, Arsenal, City: the late-window power plays
With the window closing on 1 September, the biggest clubs still have major decisions to make.
Liverpool need at least one winger and want two. Arsenal are trying to nail down a left-sided attacker while keeping an eye on the centre-forward landscape. City are weighing up whether to go all-in on Fernandez and how to refresh their wide options after sanctioning Savinho’s exit.
All of it plays out against the backdrop of a new season that has already started, squads still in flux, managers juggling tactical plans with phone calls and negotiations.
The games have begun. The real question is which of these bold moves will still be on the table when the clock hits zero.
