As the summer transfer window progresses, several prominent Premier League clubs are actively pursuing new signings. Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Liverpool are all engaged in discussions to finalise significant deals as pre-season preparations commence.
Arsenal are reportedly interested in Bruno Guimaraes and Morgan Rogers, with both midfielders said to be keen on a move. Guimaraes, the Newcastle captain, is understood to have agreed personal terms on a five-year contract. Additionally, Bradley Barcola is a potential target, with reports suggesting a valuation of £130million, and Christos Tzolis is also on their radar.
The club may now turn its attention to Manu Kone, Carlos Baleba, or Alex Scott, who is also attracting interest from Chelsea and Arsenal. Manager Michael Carrick is also said to be an admirer of Crysencio Summerville. United are also reportedly nearing deals for Andrey Santos and Karl Darlow, with an announcement for Santos expected imminently after he formally signed his contract.
Midfield and defensive targets
Chelsea are continuing their efforts to secure deals for Pep Chavarria and Maxence Lacroix. The club reportedly made a late attempt to sign Morten Hjulmand, who is set to join Atletico Madrid, but were unsuccessful as the player had already committed to the Spanish club. Xabi Alonso, reportedly interested in managing Chelsea, is said to want Eduardo Camavinga to be a key part of his team, with Real Madrid potentially open to offers for the French player.
Arsenal and Liverpool are both reportedly interested in Sunderland’s Lutsharel Geertruida as they look to strengthen their right-back options. Neither club has made a formal approach yet, but Geertruida could be a player to watch following the Netherlands’ early exit from the World Cup.
Tottenham are reportedly leading the race to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United. The forward is expected to return to Old Trafford after a loan spell at Barcelona, who reportedly did not make his stay permanent. Reports from Italy suggest Spurs are frontrunners for his signature.
The transfer market has seen significant activity, with clubs from the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ actively seeking to acquire talent from domestic competitors. An agreement has been reached for Elliot Anderson to join Manchester City from Nottingham Forest for £116m. Sandro Tonali is also set to move from Newcastle United to Tottenham Hotspur for a package that could be worth up to £100m, which would surpass Spurs’ earlier £85m signing of Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United.
Arsenal made a verbal offer to Newcastle for Bruno Guimaraes. Chelsea had an £8m bid for Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka rejected and are, along with Arsenal, interested in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is attracting interest from Manchester United and Arsenal.
Club financial considerations
Financial considerations are playing a role in clubs’ transfer strategies. Aston Villa, for instance, faces a UEFA settlement agreement that could lead to a one-year ban from European competition if breached. This agreement limits their 2026-27 losses to zero, with some allowance for headroom under a 2025-26 loss limit. Villa made a significant football earnings loss in 2024-25 and are expected to have lost a substantial amount in 2025-26, necessitating a significant profit in 2026-27 to comply with regulations.
Bournemouth is also navigating UEFA restrictions after qualifying for European competition for the first time. While they were profitable in 2024-25 and likely in 2025-26, they are now subject to UEFA’s squad cost ratio (SCR) rule. The club carried a £158million wage bill and £69m in player amortisation costs in 2024-25, making it challenging to limit squad costs to 70 per cent of income. Despite this, Bournemouth maintains that Alex Scott is not for sale and is attempting to secure him with a new contract.
Newcastle has also made player sales due to financial considerations, including Elliot Anderson’s move to Nottingham Forest in 2024 and Anthony Gordon’s transfer to Barcelona. These sales, along with Alexander Isak’s sale last summer and the impending transfer of Sandro Tonali, are expected to significantly improve their financial position. As Newcastle will not be in Europe for 2026-27, they only need to comply with the Premier League’s 85 per cent squad cost threshold, which is less strict than UEFA’s 70 per cent.
Crystal Palace has confirmed new backroom staff members under Pierre Sage, with Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa, and Sandy Guichard joining from roles in France. Nottingham Forest has also announced that three members of Oliver Glasner’s backroom staff from Crystal Palace—Michael Angerschmid, Emanuel Pogatetz, and Michael Berktold—will join him at the City Ground. Portugal has confirmed Jorge Jesus as the new head coach of the national team, replacing Roberto Martinez.
Joao Gomes’ transfer from Wolves to Atletico Madrid is reportedly uncertain, with talks having stalled despite a club-to-club agreement.
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Source: standard.co.uk
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As News-GB's Sports Reporter, Megan Sinclair reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name interviewing rising British talent. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Edinburgh and completed an NCTJ diploma. Megan lives in Edinburgh, where she plays club tennis and follows track athletics. “Give the athletes room and the story tells itself.”