The final few days of the transfer window could yet alter the balance of power in the Premier League. Title contenders have not wrapped up all their summer business as of August 18, with some teams still needing to address significant weaknesses.
A Champions League-winning goalkeeper is expected to head to the Premier League. One of the three best center forwards on the planet is trying to force a move to the champions. Other sagas could yet emerge before the window shuts at the end of the month.
Isak’s Desperation to Leave Newcastle
Alexander Isak is in a stalemate with Newcastle. The Sweden international wants to leave amid interest from Liverpool, who are clear title favorites at +170 with FanDuel.
Newcastle sit at +330 to finish in the top four, odds that will surely lengthen if Isak departs. He was one of the best players in world football last season, finishing the Premier League campaign with 23 goals and six assists. Losing him would be a huge setback for the project at St. James’ Park, especially after they missed out on Liam Delap, Benjamin Sesko, and Hugo Ekitike.
Liverpool adding Isak to Mo Salah, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, and new arrival Hugo Ekitike would elevate them to another level. Combined with the revamped full-back options of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, it would make them overwhelming favorites for the title.
Newcastle remain adamant Isak is not for sale. If they hold firm, does he refuse to play? If he does take the pitch, what sort of effort will he give?
This is the defining saga of the Premier League window. Any move for Isak could drastically change the season’s outlook, and if Newcastle receive their asking price, it will likely trigger a major spending spree from the Magpies.
Donnarumma Saga
Gianluigi Donnarumma is on his way out of PSG. Luis Enrique has moved on from the Italian, who is expected to join a Premier League club. Manchester City are considered frontrunners, but Manchester United and Chelsea are also believed to be in contention.
Chelsea need a new goalkeeper more urgently than City. United’s interest is understandable, but it is unlikely Donnarumma would move to a club without Champions League football.
The fit with City is curious. Donnarumma is not a natural sweeper-keeper and is mediocre with the ball at his feet. His reputation and presence might shorten City’s +300 title odds, yet it is not clear that he would represent a major upgrade over what Ederson has achieved under Pep Guardiola.
Spurs Pursue Eze
It looked like a goodbye from Eberechi Eze to Crystal Palace fans when he was substituted at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Eze has been linked with Tottenham all summer, and the Lilywhites are reportedly pushing for a deal after James Maddison was ruled out with a torn ACL.
Arsenal have pulled out of the race. Liverpool and Chelsea are not fits. Manchester City could conceivably swoop at the last minute after Jack Grealish left on loan, but that seems unlikely.
Spurs’ title odds of +4500 show they are not serious contenders. Their +450 top-four odds, however, could shorten quickly if they land Eze. That may not be the end of their business either, with interest also reported in Savinho and Piero Hincapié.
While Thomas Frank will not turn Spurs into title challengers immediately, these additions would significantly raise their ceiling. Champions League qualification would be a realistic target.
Liverpool’s Guehi Chase
Liverpool’s defense showed flaws in their opening night win over Bournemouth. Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk formed a solid partnership last season, but Arne Slot and his staff need to think long term, with van Dijk entering his age-34 campaign.
Marc Guehi has long been linked to Anfield. He would provide strong competition for Konaté and potentially form Liverpool’s center-back pairing of the future.
Guehi is a bigger immediate need than Isak, but there is a real possibility Liverpool could sign both before the window closes.
Chelsea’s Curious Ins and Outs
Nicolas Jackson is on his way out of Stamford Bridge despite contributing 34 goal involvements in 59 league starts across the last two seasons. He has been pushed down the pecking order by the arrivals of João Pedro and Liam Delap.
Chelsea have also been consistently linked with Alejandro Garnacho, even after signing Jamie Gittens, Estêvão Willian, Delap, and Pedro this summer. Since Todd Boehly’s takeover, Stamford Bridge has been a conveyor belt of attacking players arriving and departing. Garnacho is a puzzling target given the talent already on hand and the high fee Manchester United would demand.
Some tip Chelsea as a dark horse after their Club World Cup triumph, but their +1000 title price feels far too short given the uncertainty. Enzo Maresca has also admitted he needs another center-back after Levi Colwill’s injury, which left Trevoh Chalobah and Josh Acheampong starting against Crystal Palace.
Inactive Arsenal
Arsenal have prioritized sales rather than new additions in recent weeks, but are they missing a trick by being passive? They have already spent over £200 million this summer, yet questions remain about their squad depth to compete on multiple fronts deep into spring.
Viktor Gyökeres will need time to settle, as his debut showed. Christian Nørgaard is more of a backup option. Martin Zubimendi must hit the ground running as the long-term partner for Declan Rice in central midfield.
For all the money spent, how much better have Arsenal really become? The attack still does not look anywhere near as dangerous as Liverpool’s. There is a dependence on Bukayo Saka as a goal threat, and the left flank remains a weakness.
At +195, the Gunners are too short a price to win the league.
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