The summer transfer window closes today, with clubs in Europe scrambling to get deals finalized before the deadline. Follow along throughout the day as we dissect the biggest signings and rumors in the soccer world.
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Potential deals | Top signings | Grades
Deals completed today
Barca's backup plan
Barcelona tried, and failed, to pry Julian Alvarez away from Atletico Madrid this summer in a saga that turned nasty.
Atletico publicly accused their rivals of using manipulative tactics to sway the Argentine forward, while Alvarez himself looked totally despondent in the early matches of the season and drew the ire of Atleti fans for his failure to acknowledge them inside the stadium.
But Atletico stood their ground and refused to negotiate with the Catalan club. Barcelona eventually yielded, and have now turned to Gabriel Jesus as a low-cost backup option to help replace the scoring production that was lost when Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres left the club this summer.
If he can stay fit, Jesus should fit nicely with Hansi Flick's squad and tactics. But that's a very big question mark. Jesus, beset by injuries throughout his career, started just nine Premier League matches over the past two seasons as he spent time on the sidelines and fell down Arsenal's pecking order.
Is he really the guy that's going to push Barca over the line in the Champions League? It seems likely that Raphinha, who's been used as a makeshift No. 9 early in the season - to great effect, in fairness - will still be spending plenty of time playing through the middle despite the arrival of his compatriot.
Potential deals to monitor
Less than seven hours remain in the summer window, and there's still much to monitor. The Premier League has the latest deadline at 6 p.m. ET, while Europe's other top leagues will close for business slightly earlier in the day.
Here are the marquee moves we're tracking that could be completed today:
Late U-turns
An 11th-hour surprise is almost a guarantee on transfer deadline day, to the point where a hijacked transfer may no longer even constitute a "surprise."
The likeliest candidates for that type of U-turn on Tuesday appear to be Malick Fofana and Nicolas Tagliafico. The Lyon winger, one of Europe's most intriguing young attackers, seemed set to join Sunderland for around €30 million today, but Crystal Palace have reportedly arrived on the scene with a late offer that eclipses the Black Cats' bid.
Tagliafico, meanwhile, was in discussions with Juventus on Monday, but the Argentine left-back now looks destined to link up with several of his compatriots - and fellow Argentine Diego Simeone - at Atletico Madrid.
How many twists and turns will the day provide?
Will Man City land Enzo?
New Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has been trying to reunite with ex-pupil and namesake Enzo Fernandez for much of the summer, and those efforts have only intensified since Rodri departed for Barcelona.
Man City have already revamped their midfield by spending over £200 million combined on rising stars Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi, and Fernandez would complete the puzzle at the Etihad Stadium after several other sales.
The Argentine has his detractors, but that's largely down to his antics at international level - see this summer's World Cup, for example.
His on-pitch value has been impossible to argue since he made a then-record £106.8-million transfer from Benfica to Chelsea in 2023. A potential deal today could see him break the Premier League benchmark again - it's now £125 million - and catapult Manchester City's midfield to another level.
Fernandez has been left out of Chelsea's squad for the last two matches amid transfer speculation, and the Blues haven't missed a beat. It's in everybody's best interest that this deal gets over the line today, and Chelsea are already chasing potential replacements in Manu Kone and Lamine Camara.
The Alvarez saga
Alvarez, as outlined, isn't going to Barcelona. But he could still move elsewhere.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have been chasing Alvarez for over a year as they seek the final attacking piece to complete their already outstanding squad. The 26-year-old has reportedly been reluctant to approve a transfer to the Premier League champions, but convictions can change quickly on deadline day as the clock ticks down.
Gabriel Martinelli is on the verge of leaving Arsenal today for Al-Hilal, while Ethan Nwaneri is close to joining Borussia Dortmund. The Gunners aren't clearing out squad space and shedding wages for no reason. Someone is coming to bolster the attack.
It's also worth noting that Viktor Gyokeres hasn't played a single minute to start the new season. Is Arteta trying to send a clear message that he wants an upgrade up front?
Rebuilding careers
As always, deadline day offers many players a chance to escape unfavorable situations and get their once-promising careers back on track. And many, unwilling to sit tight for another five months until their next opportunity to move arrives in the January window, jump at the chance.
Canadian striker Jonathan David has totally lost his confidence at Juventus, and is on the way to Atletico Madrid to try and rediscover it. Towering striker Nick Woltemade was considered one of Germany's prized prospects when he joined Newcastle for big money last year, but after a challenging transition to English football, he's now on the verge of a loan move to Juve, where his skill set should be a better fit for Luciano Spalletti than David's.
Elsewhere, Jack Grealish appears set to rejoin Everton, where he'll get playing time that wasn't going to be afforded to him at Manchester City, and Valencia are chasing Liverpool's Harvey Elliott.
Top summer deals
Teams in England's top flight have spent nearly £3 billion on new players this summer, and the all-time record of £3.14 billion - established by the Premier League just last year - should be eclipsed with a flurry of late action.
Here are the biggest signings of the summer across European soccer so far:
