Liverpool Winger Hunt Sparks Late Transfer Scramble
The Premier League is back, but the transfer window refuses to slip quietly into the background. With just over a week left, the market is still crackling: Liverpool are scrambling for wide players, Manchester United have finally got their man in midfield, and Arsenal are reshaping both ends of the pitch.
Liverpool short of wingers and running out of patience
Andoni Iraola has been blunt from the start: Liverpool need wingers. The squad looks light in wide areas after Curtis Jones’ departure to Inter for €30m, a deal that could rise by another €5m and includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause. Jones had just a year left on his contract and, despite Iraola’s desire to keep him, made it clear he wanted to leave. Liverpool cashed in rather than risk losing him for nothing.
That exit has only sharpened the focus on recruitment. Two bids for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh – £50m, then £60m – have been knocked back in quick succession. The Seagulls are standing firm, and Liverpool’s urgency is starting to show.
The club want not just one winger, but two. Minteh is the primary target as they plan for life after Mohamed Salah. Bradley Barcola is another name high on the list, yet Paris Saint-Germain’s £145m valuation has created a huge gap between the clubs.
So Liverpool have widened the search. Over the weekend, Real Madrid’s young Brazilian forward Endrick has been floated as an option, and the Times report that Liverpool have now made an enquiry. Endrick, 20, spent last season at Lyon and was part of Brazil’s World Cup squad, though only as a squad player. With José Mourinho now in charge at Madrid and the player’s role unclear, Liverpool sense an opportunity in the final days of the window.
For Iraola, who has openly admitted he is “short of wingers”, the clock is ticking loudly.
Arsenal reshape the squad: Konsa in, Yildiz targeted
Across north London, Arsenal are trying to complete what Mikel Arteta views as the final pieces of a squad built to attack both the Premier League and the Champions League.
The headline arrival is Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa for £51m, the club’s fifth signing of the summer. The defender spoke with obvious pride after sealing the move.
“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,” Konsa said of working under Arteta. “It's a proud moment for me and my family to play for one of the best teams in the world… I’m here to win. I'll do everything in my power to continue bringing success to this club.”
Konsa could make his debut against his former club as early as next week, underlining how quickly Arsenal want him integrated.
Arteta’s attention now swings back to the left side of the attack. Vinicius Jr was the dream signing, the “ideal target” identified for that role, but the Brazilian’s decision to stay at Real Madrid forced Arsenal to rethink.
They are now exploring whether a deal for Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz is possible in this window. The 21-year-old Turkey international sits high on their list. Arsenal had seriously considered Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi before his injury; he remains an option for January, but Yildiz is the live topic now.
There is even talk of something more audacious. Reports in France suggest Arsenal could move for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, 27, if his wage demands drop. With Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus already in the building, it would be a dramatic play rather than a necessity, yet Osimhen’s long-standing links to the Premier League mean the story refuses to die down.
United finally close in on Baleba
At Old Trafford, Manchester United have moved with rare decisiveness. On the day they open their Premier League campaign at home to Hull, they do so buoyed by the news that a deal is in place for Carlos Baleba.
United will pay Brighton £70m for the midfielder, ending a pursuit that started last summer. Baleba is expected to undergo a medical this weekend, with Sky Sports reporting a five-year contract and a sell-on clause for Brighton as part of the agreement.
For Michael Carrick, who is trying to stamp his own identity on this United side, the timing could hardly be better. The new season begins with a marquee midfield signing finally in the bag.
City watching Enzo, Spurs raid City, Villa circle Jackson
Not all the drama is confined to Anfield, the Emirates and Old Trafford.
At Manchester City, attention has turned to Enzo Fernandez. The Chelsea midfielder endured a bruising summer – booed on his return to Stamford Bridge, sent off, and on the wrong side of a World Cup final defeat. He has previously indicated he would be open to leaving, and new City boss Enzo Maresca knows him well from their time together.
Chelsea, though, set a clear deadline: any bids for Fernandez had to arrive by 5pm on Friday 14 August. That came and went without an acceptable offer, and the club now expect him to stay. Xabi Alonso has spoken positively, saying Fernandez is “training really well” ahead of the new season. Yet City’s admiration lingers. A bid around Chelsea’s £120m valuation would seriously test that stance before the window shuts.
Elsewhere in Manchester, City are preparing for life without one of their own wingers. Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Savinho from City for an initial £75m. The Brazilian is seen as a key addition to Ange Postecoglou’s attack, with Omar Marmoush tipped as another forward target to follow. City, for their part, have identified Brazilian winger Allan as a potential replacement as they quietly reshape their wide options.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, are lining up a move of their own. Chelsea are braced for a bid for Nicolas Jackson, valued at around £65m. The 25-year-old arrives off a lively World Cup campaign despite a disappointing loan spell at Bayern Munich. Unai Emery wants more firepower, and Jackson fits the profile. Atletico Madrid, once interested, are thought to be out at that price, even as they hold a £150m valuation on Julian Alvarez – a figure that has not scared off Barcelona and Arsenal from monitoring the situation.
Liverpool, Brighton and the Minteh stalemate
Back on the south coast, Brighton’s refusal to budge on Minteh has become one of the defining sagas of this late window.
Liverpool’s second bid – £60m, just a day after a £50m offer – was also rejected. Brighton are under no pressure to sell and have shown once again they will not be hurried, no matter how big the name on the other end of the phone.
Liverpool’s need is obvious. Iraola has been open about wanting more wingers, and the club’s pursuit of Minteh and Barcola underlines the scale of the rebuild out wide. PSG’s £145m stance on Barcola looks immovable for now, forcing Liverpool to juggle multiple targets with time slipping away.
The pressure is rising. The season has already kicked off. The window closes on 1 September. And some of Europe’s biggest clubs still have major holes to fill.
Who blinks first?
