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Transfer Deadline Day Live: Breaking down all the major deals, rumors

Published on

September 1, 2023

Transfer deadline day is in full swing. We’re providing live, quick-hit analysis of the biggest deals and rumors until tonight’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.

Liverpool reject monster Salah offer

Put simply, Al-Ittihad gave Liverpool an escape route, a chance to reinvest a substantial amount of money into defence and midfield. They chose not to take it. By rejecting a potential £150-million payday for a player over 30 with an onerous contract, Liverpool have missed an opportunity to truly kick-start a new era. While Mohamed Salah remains a sort of totem for Jurgen Klopp’s side, he’s reportedly on £350,000 per week, and they’d struggle to find another suitor who’d take on those wages and pay Liverpool a premium. As a winger who relies on pace, the 31-year-old isn’t going to be effective for much longer. There wouldn’t have been any need to scramble for a replacement, either. Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez are raring to go and deserve to start regularly.

Ten Hag getting his midfielder

Francesco Pecoraro / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It took long enough. Manchester United hemmed and hawed for months before finally landing the midfielder they always wanted: Sofyan Amrabat. Arriving on a loan-to-buy deal worth a reported €30 million, Amrabat possesses the ball-carrying ability and physicality United have long been missing in the center of the park. Scott McTominay isn’t that kind of midfielder, Christian Eriksen tends to drift out of games, and Bruno Fernandes is better served in an attacking role. Amrabat is the all-action midfielder head coach Erik ten Hag needs to carry out the high-tempo football he desperately wants to see. But if it weren’t for United’s penny-pinching tactics, Amrabat would’ve arrived earlier and earned precious minutes in preseason training. The Moroccan has a steep learning curve ahead of him.

DONE DEAL: Chelsea snatch Palmer ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth £40M (Read more)

What’s truly at the core of Chelsea’s transfer policy? Are they making bets on every youngster possible in the hopes at least one of them pays off? That’s not to say Cole Palmer is a massive gamble, but it’s worth asking whether Chelsea would’ve had any interest in the 21-year-old if he hadn’t had a great tournament for England at the Under-21 European Championship, or if he hadn’t scored in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup. It’s a move that screams recency bias. What Chelsea really needed was an out-and-out striker to replace the injured Christopher Nkunku and mentor 22-year-old Nicolas Jackson. Chelsea have to hope Palmer and the freshly inspired Raheem Sterling can keep up their recent scoring form.

DONE DEAL: Fati’s stunning Brighton move ?

Details: Season-long loan (Read more)

Finally, a move that makes complete sense for everyone involved. Ansu Fati, the injury-ravaged wunderkind who’s plateaued in the most devastating way possible, has a real chance to find his feet again at Brighton & Hove Albion, a club with a tremendous track record of promoting and developing talent. Brighton get a player on the cheap who embodies head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s attack-first ethos, and by avoiding an outright sale, Barcelona get to keep a hold of a prized academy graduate who has plenty of time to recapture the magic he showed in his teenage years. Fati, now 20, will fill the void left by another fleet-footed youngster, Julio Enciso, who’s out with a long-term injury.

DONE DEAL: Man City add Nunes ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth £53M (Read more)

Manchester City had to move quickly. After learning of Kevin De Bruyne’s injury-related setback and transfer target Lucas Paqueta’s potential betting-related violations, City homed in on Matheus Nunes, a midfielder Pep Guardiola described as “one of the best players in the world” just last year. Nunes is indeed an excellent player, a game-breaking midfielder who can handle quick transitions and make good decisions on the fly. While he’s not prolific, the 25-year-old is an exceptional dribbler and capable of progressing play. With De Bruyne out for several months, Nunes will get a lot of game time, and it’ll make the £53-million fee City paid look like money well spent.