Deadline day: The biggest deals, those that didn’t happen and the ones that still could
Transfer deadline day is over (well, almost – more on that later) and while it promised so much, it didn’t quite deliver all the big deals some expected.
Here we round-up the biggest moves of the day, those that didn’t happen and the ones that still could.
THE BIGGEST DEALS…
Kylian Mbappe
Perhaps the most talks about player of the summer finally made his move with Paris St Germain signing the teenage strike sensation on loan. The deal includes an obligation to sign him for around £160million next summer (thus circumnavigating Financial Fair Play rules). He celebrated by scoring his first goal for the French national team, netting minutes after coming on in the World Cup qualifier against Netherlands.
Oxlade-Chamberlain
In the Premier League it was Oxlade-Chamberlain’s move from Arsenal to Liverpool that caught the eye. After he rejected a move to Chelsea the Reds moved in and agreed a £35million deal. With less than 12 months on his contract it was too good for Arsenal to refuse – not that Aaron Ramsey was happy about it.
MORE: Liverpool can pile misery on Arsenal and Arsene Wenger with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain signing – Tony Cascarino
Serge Aurier
Tottenham completed a £23m deal for PSG defender Aurier early in the day. The right-back, who was linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, is a direct replacement for Kyle Walker.
Fernando Llorente
Spurs were busy on deadline day and it saw them land Spanish striker Llorente. Having been linked with Chelsea for most of the summer he ended up in North London for a fee of around £12m.
Wilfried Bony
Swansea replaced Llorente with former striker Bony, who returns to the Liberty Stadium two-and-a-half-years after leaving for Man City. He cost around £12m.
Renato Sanches
Perhaps the biggest shock was Sanches joining Swansea. Considered one of the most exciting young players in Europe just a year ago after moving to Bayern Munich and ripping up Euro 2016 he now finds himself in South Wales. He’s there on loan for the season with Paul Clement’s relationship with Carlo Ancelotti understood to be behind the scalp.
Davide Zappacosta
Considering all the players Chelsea were linked with, Zappacosta was perhaps not the deadline day deal fans had hoped for. The full-back arrives from Torino.
Danny Drinkwater
Chelsea endured a tough day but a deal for Leicester midfielder Drinkwater was eventually completed. Drinkwater was reportedly waiting outside Chelsea’s Cobham training ground waiting to be given permission by Leicester to undergo a medical, however, they got it over the line at the 11th hour!
Mamadou Sakho
Liverpool and Crystal Palace finally agreed on a £26m fee for the France international. Having impressed on loan at Selhurst Park last season Eagles fans will be delighted with the deal.
Completed Premier League deals
Davide Zappacosta [Torino – Chelsea]
Fernando Llorente [Swansea – Tottenham]
Wilfried Bony [Man City – Swansea]
Aleksandar Dragovic [Bayer Leverkusen – Leicester] Loan
Nikola Vlasic [Hajduk Split – Everton] £10m
Ezequiel Schelotto [Inter Milan – Brighton] Undisclosed
Molla Wague [Udinese – Watford] Loan
Marvin Zeegelaar [Sporting Lisbon – Watford] Undisclosed
Nahki Wells [Huddersfield – Burnley] £5m
Renato Sanches [Bayern Munich – Swansea] Loan
Orestis Karnezis [Udinese – Watford] Loan
Serge Aurier [PSG – Tottenham] £23m
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain [Arsenal – Liverpool] £35m
THE DEALS THAT NEVER HAPPENED…
Ross Barkley
In one of the most bizarre stories of the day Barkley is understood to have changed his mind about moving to Chelsea midway through undergoing a medical. A £30m fee had been agreed with Everton but despite travelling to Surrey to finalise the switch, the England international decided his future was best served by staying at Goodison Park.
Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk had handed in a transfer request (Getty)
After so much speculation over a move to Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal the Dutcch defender remains a Southampton player. There was never much of a sniff of a deal on deadline day.
Thomas Lemar
Thomas Lemar was in action for France on Thursday night and scored twice (Getty)
Arsenal had a bid of £92m for Lemar accepted by Monaco but the thrilling youngster didn’t want to join the Gunners. He rubbed his decision in by scoring a worldly for France against the Netherlands.
Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez wanted to link up with Pep Guardiola (Getty)
That had a knock-on effect for Sanchez. Arsenal were prepared to let him join Man City for £60m – with a bid on the table – but only if they could sign Lemar.
Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez has publicly announced his desire to leave Leicester (Getty)
Having been given leave from the Algerian national team it appeared as though a deal for Mahrez was a certainty. He was linked with Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Roma. But he remains a Leicester player.
Jonny Evans
Linked with Man City and Arsenal, the Northern Ireland international remains a West Brom player.
Jack Wilshere
Despite much talk he would be leaving Arsenal this summer, Wilshere remains at the Emirates and will fight for a place in Arsene Wenger’s side.
COULD STILL HAPPEN…
The transfer window in Spain remains open for an additional 24 hours which means this transfer window isn’t quite over yet.
Those most affected by that are Liverpool talisman Philippe Coutinho and discarded Chelsea striker Diego Costa who are wanted by Barcelona and Atletico Madrid respectively. Both deals could go through before 11pm on Friday night.
