Key events
In case you missed it this morning, Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain. Jeremy Lee has emailed me and said:
I really hope Ugarte proves to be the player everyone seems to think he is – he certainly looks like the sort of player we have needed for a while. As various new players have come in, got injured, not been started even if fit, you do start to wonder what ETH is thinking?
Mind you, we buy a striker then don’t start him, buy a new centre back and don’t start him so I hope Ugarte is ready for a spell on the bench before he becomes the saviour of our season
Yes Erik ten Hag hasn’t started new players who he has signed this summer but they have still had impacts, Joshua Zirkzee scored against Fulham. It may be a bedding in issue, making sure the new signings are fitting into the system and the team? That’s just my guess, I wish I knew what Ten Hag was planning.
Cristiano Ronaldo has said he will “probably” retire in Saudi Arabia. He did not put a time frame on when he would hang up his boots but he said he was happy at Al Nassr. The 39-year-old Portugal international joined the Saudi club in 2022 from Manchester United.
“I don’t know if I will retire soon, in two or three years, but probably I will retire here at Al Nassr,” Ronaldo told Portuguese channel NOW. “I’m very happy at this club, I feel good in this country too. I’m happy to play in Saudi Arabia and I want to continue.”
Manchester City have agreed to sell Joao Cancelo to Saudi club Al-Hilal in a deal that is thought to be worth £21.2m.
The 30-year-old has spent time on loan to Bayern Munich and Barcelona in recent seasons. If the star agrees to go to Saudi the deal is understood to be three years long.
Bristol City women’s manager Lauren Smith has stepped down her role to pursue an exciting career opportunity. The west country side are said to be sad she is leaving but that she leaves on good terms. The new opportunity for Smith has not been revealed.
Loren Dykes is the interim boss for the Championship team who were relegated from the Women’s Super League last season.
I can’t quite wrap my head around Chelsea signing another goalkeeper and so while that news settles in let’s have a look at who you want to reunite. Jaivir has emailed and said:
Harry Kane back to Spurs. Happening in 2 years anyway.
That is a deal I could see happening but I think it could be hinged on if he wins a trophy with Bayern Munich.
Chelsea sign goalkeeper Penders
Chelsea have signed Mike Penders from Genk with the goalkeeper remaining at his former club on loan for the 2024/25 season. When he joins the Blues next summer he will have a deal until 2032.
Penders becomes the ninth goalkeeper on Chelsea’s books.
I would love to hear from you. The news is all abuzz about comebacks with Oasis reuniting and so who else would you like to see get back together? It could be a player and a club, a music artist or any other pairing. Get in touch via email or X (@rendellx)
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the women’s team will play three WSL games at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium this season. Those will be against Arsenal on 17th November, Manchester United on 2nd February and Chelsea on 4th May.
This follows announcements by other clubs including Arsenal and Man Utd already announcing women’s matches at their main stadiums.
Brighton’s Evan Ferguson has won the hearts of fans with his performances and he also seems to have attracted the interest of Arsenal.
Football Insider are reporting the Gunners may make a late move for the forward. It’s thought the initial move would be a loan.
Would you like a succinct article with many of the overnight rumours in one place? Of course you would. Here’s today’s rumour mill:
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso wants to sign Liverpool midfieder Tyler Morton on loan for this season.
Liverpool are thought to be open to allowing the 21-year-old out temporarily, according to the Times.
Man Utd agree Ugarte deal
Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain.
The deal is worth €50m (£42.3m) plus €10m in add-ons. If Ugarte comes as expected the 23-year-old will be Erik ten Hag’s fifth major signing of the market, after Leny Yoro, 18, a second centre-back, Matthijs de Ligt, 25, the striker Joshua Zirkzee, 23, and Noussair Mazraoui, a 26-year-old full-back. The club believe all have their peak years ahead.
Jacob Steinberg
Raheem Sterling plans to resolve his contractual situation at Chelsea before switching his focus to finding a new club this week. Sterling’s £325,000-a-week deal, which expires in three years, has been described as an obstacle to him moving after his exclusion from the first-team squad.
The winger would be open to joining Manchester United – there have been suggestions that he could be included in a swap deal with Jadon Sancho – but nothing is advanced.
Read more:
Hello and welcome to today’s live blog tracking all of the transfer moves as the deadline day comes ever closer. There are still a myriad of deals to be struck and the rumour mill is in overdrive for who could swap clubs.
One of the biggest rumours this morning is Raheem Sterling potentially moving to Manchester United. The Chelsea man has been told he is not a part of the first team plans at the London club and so may sign elsewhere. The latest report has detailed that Sterling is open to a move to United but wants further Chelsea discussions first.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace are closing in on a move to sign Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah. It is thought the deal is worth £25m plus £5m in add ons.
Another rumour swirling this morning sees Newcastle confident about bringing in Marc Guehi before the window closes. Palace’s Guehi has been a target for Eddie Howe all summer.
We will look at more rumours throughout the day and bring you any moves that are confirmed. Let’s get stuck in.