It’s transfer deadline day and Premier League clubs have several hours to complete their business across January and the first few days of February.
Manchester City have been the biggest spenders, while Arsenal continue to pursue a striker and Manchester United have pushed Marcus Rashford out the door, with Aston Villa handing the England forward a lifeline.
There are still a number of moving parts as the deadline approaches tonight at 11pm, while Premier League leaders Liverpool look set to hold tight.
With the Champions League play-offs set before the last 16 round, clubs can now do business with a clearer picture of the remainder of the season.
Here are six players who could still complete a late move to change the trajectory of a number of clubs:
Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich to Manchester United)
The 19-year-old forward has been one of the biggest talking points of the January window, having told Bayern he wanted to leave for more playing time after becoming sidelined by manager Vincent Kompany in recent weeks. That news caught the attention of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, and both Arsenal and Manchester United are reported to have made contact with Bayern in recent days.
However, a report by Sky Sports in Germany on Monday morning suggested United’s talks with Bayern had collapsed, while there are conflicting reports on whether Arsenal’s interest remains. Tel is thought to prefer a loan move to Old Trafford until the end of the season, with a view to reassessing his options in the summer.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa to Arsenal)
A prime target late in the window for Arsenal, Villa then sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr for £71m, strengthening their resolve to retain the England forward.
The Gunners may still push for a move, having seen a bid rejected last week, with Joao Felix making up the numbers for Villa to directly replace both Duran and Watkins, having already acquired Marcus Rashford to fill the final third void.
An injury against Wolves might end any prospect of a deal, but Watkins, a known Arsenal fan, might be eager to make the move before the summer when Mikel Arteta can assess wider options.
Marco Asensio (PSG to Aston Villa)
After agreeing a loan deal for Marcus Rashford, Unai Emery looks set to strengthen his squad further on deadline-day with PSG playmaker Asensio.
The 29-year-old, who joined the French champions from Real Madrid in 2023, has featured just twice in PSG’s last eight Ligue 1 games and has failed to break into the starting XI under Luis Enrique.
A three-time Champions League winner, the Spanish international would give Emery further squad depth as Villa target a deep run in Europe’s premier club competition this season.
Ben Chilwell (Chelsea to Crystal Palace)
Completely frozen out under Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, Chilwell needs a fresh start – and looks to have got it a few miles south.
The left back has made only one appearance for the Blues this season – against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in September – but Palace boss Oliver Glasner is keen to bolster his defence on deadline-day.
In his prime years at 28, Chilwell has 21 England caps to his name and was a starter under Thomas Tuchel during the German’s tenure at Stamford Bridge. Could some minutes at Palace force an England return for Chilwell in March?
Nico Gonzalez (Porto to Man City)
Manchester City are hoping to close a deal for Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez, but the big sticking point is the transfer fee. Porto have so far insisted that City meet the release in his contract of £50m, but Etihad officials want to negotiate a lower figure.
City think Gonzalez could fill in for the injured Rodri in the centre of midfield. The 23-year-old came through Barcelona’s La Masia academy before joining Porto in 2023, and has football in his genes: his father is Deportivo La Coruna legend Fran Gonzalez and his uncle was also a professional player.
Leon Bailey (Aston Villa to Tottenham or Manchester United)
The Jamaican winger has emerged as a late target for Tottenham, while Spurs have also been linked with the Villa star.
With Marcus Rashford out the door, Bailey could represent much-needed depth for Ruben Amorim, as he battles across domestic and European competitions.
The Athletic report United are keen on the 27-year-old, while Fabrizio Romano reported Spurs have now entered the race after a season that has so far returned one goal and two assists from 20 Premier League appearances, while also featuring in six of Villa’s Champions League games so far.
