It has been over a fortnight since the summer transfer window opened and the Premier League‘s biggest clubs are all trying to get their business done early.
For the ‘Big Seven,’ their progress has been mixed so far with some clubs faring better than others as they try to build their squads for next season.
Though the transfer window doesn’t close until September 1 at 11pm, clubs who can get their business done early will have a marked advantage to those who wait right until later in the summer when they will have less time to prepare their new additions for next season.
The Premier League season starts in six weeks’ time and while the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham will have plenty of time to get additions settled in, Manchester United still have not made a signing and they will be determined to get their targets through the door as soon as possible.
Mail Sport looks at how Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Man United, Newcastle and Tottenham have fared so far this summer.
ARSENAL
The Gunners have not only improved on the pitch over the last 12 months, but they have shown signs of progress when it comes to the transfer market.
Big-name players like Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have all been a success after joining Arsenal in previous summer transfer windows.
After missing out on the title to Man City last season, it’s clear to see the Gunners are prepared to go one better in the next campaign and have already moved quickly to get Kai Havertz through the door from rivals Chelsea on a £65m deal.
No 1 target Declan Rice looks likely to be the next addition after the Gunners agreed a £105m deal in principle to bring the highly-coveted West Ham captain to the Emirates.
By doing so they would get one over Manchester City, who also launched a bid for Rice, but decided against matching or improving on Arsenal’s offer with the England international appearing to prefer a move to the Gunners.
The Gunners meanwhile are also in the running for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia and have verbally agreed a fee rising to £40.5m for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber.
A move for Lavia could cost the Gunners an extra £50m.
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Joel Ideho (Released)
George Lewis (Released)
Matt Smith (Released)
Tom Smith (Released)
The Gunners moved quickly to sign Kai Havertz from rivals Chelsea for £65m this summer
Arsenal are closing in on a move for Declan Rice after agreeing a £105m deal in principle
CHELSEA
Chelsea’s first port of call this summer has been to reduce their bloated squad following their record £600m spending spree last season under American owner Todd Boehly.
While clubs are normally hesitant to let top stars join rival clubs, the fact Chelsea have sold Havertz to Arsenal and Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City shows just how eager they are to get players out of the door.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have also benefitted from the Saudi revolution with Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and N’Golo Kante all making moves to the Gulf nation.
On top of those names, Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could also leave the club this summer.
That’s not to say Chelsea won’t strengthen this summer, already bringing in Christopher Nkunku on a £53m deal from RB Leipzig and Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal for £32m.
Another player they are keen to bring in is Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is rated at £80m by the Seagulls.
Their summer business could be affected by the lack of European football next season after their 12th place finish in the Premier League. The Blues were priced out of a move for Sporting’s Manuel Ugarte, who looks likely to join PSG.
Chelsea have been busy cutting their bloated squad in Mauricio Pochettino’s first summer
The Blues though have made the signing of impressive RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku
LIVERPOOL
No club has been more impressive in terms of getting their business done early over recent years than Liverpool in the Jurgen Klopp era.
They pulled off another masterstroke with the bargain £35m signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, which was announced on June 8.
Although they had been linked with the likes of Chelsea target Lavia, Khephren Thuram and Manu Kone – the Reds went quiet on the transfer front following the arrival of the World Cup winner.
That was until it was broken that they were in for RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Reds are on the verge of confirming a deal for the Hungarian international after triggering his £60m release clause – with the player arriving in Merseyside on Saturday for a medical before he signs his contract.
Despite their move for Szoboszlai, Jurgen Klopp could still look to make a third midfield signing this summer.
Nice midfielder Thuram has been the most strongly coveted out of the trio to make the move to Anfield, though progress could be slow due to his participation with France at the Under 21 European Championships.
Liverpool’s need for signings is strengthened by the exits of veterans Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, who all left as free agents.
Liverpool moved quickly to sign World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister for a bargain £35m fee
Liverpool have been linked with a host of other midfielders including French U21 international Khephren Thuram (pictured)
MANCHESTER CITY
The big question at Man City is how do you improve a side that has just won a Treble?
Pep Guardiola’s side wasted no time following the departure of their captain Ilkay Gundogan, bringing in Kovacic from Chelsea for £25m.
Gundogan might not be the only big name to leave the club this summer, with Bernardo Silva, Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez among those who could yet depart.
After pulling out of the race to sign Rice, City aren’t expected to have a busy summer, though they are working on a deal for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
City have yet to lodge a bid for the 21-year-old, regarded as one of the finest young talents in Europe, although remain keen on striking a deal with the Bundesliga side for the £86m-rated player.
Any further additions would likely depend on whether or not City lose any more of their key players this summer.
Mateo Kovacic has come in to replace captain Ilkay Gundogan, who left Man City for Barcelona
Pep Guardiola will hope not to lose any more of his key players, with Bernardo Silva (centre) among the names that have been linked with potential exits during the summer window
MANCHESTER UNITED
It appeared to be the same old story for Manchester United after they have been left behind in the opening weeks of the summer transfer window.
While all their rivals completed at least one signing, United are yet to make a single transfer.
United are not known frontrunners in the market – they haven’t completed a signing in the month of June since Aaron-Wan Bissaka from Crystal Palace in 2019.
But fans will be relieved after news of an agreement with Chelsea for Mount, in a deal that could rise to £60m, was announced on Thursday.
It is a step in the right direction for United, who waited until the end of the summer window last year to sign Brazilian pair Antony and Casemiro – while former star Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in late August 2021.
Their failure to bring in players last season hurt them early, with defeats to both Brighton and Brentford before the arrival of Casemiro.
United will not want a repeat and United will hope to get the majority of their business done before their opening Premier League game against Wolves on August 14.
They are also in the hunt with Chelsea over a move for Caicedo, though American Taylor Booth, currently at Dutch side FC Utrecht, is an alternative, cheaper midfield target.
United have also been in the race for a centre back, though they look set to miss out on Napoli’s Kim Min-jae who is closing in on a move to Bayern Munich.
They will also need to sort out their goalkeeper situation after David de Gea’s contract expired at the club. They could look to get the Spaniard to sign to a new deal, though Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is a potential replacement.
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Man United have not made a signing in the month of June since Aaron Wan-Bissaka in 2019
While that trend is set to continue, a package of £60million has been agreed for Mason Mount
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle’s business so far looks underwhelming on paper, only signing 18-year-old Gambian forward Yankuba Minteh – and he is expected to be loaned straight out to Feyenoord.
However, the Magpies are closing in on a £52m deal for AC Milan star Sandro Tonali, with the final details being ironed out.
Eddie Howe’s side are expected to conduct more business this window as they prepare for their first season of the Champions League football in two decades.
They could be set for a raid of relegated Southampton, as they are in pole position to sign Tino Livramento and also have an interest in Kyle Walker-Peters.
Newcastle are also in for a centre back with interest in Crystal Palace’s Danish international Joachim Andersen.
They have, however, missed out on James Maddison after the Leicester star’s £45m move to Tottenham.
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Yankuba Minteh (Odense, undisclosed)
Newcastle are closing in on a £52m move for Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali from AC Milan
Eddie Howe’s side are preparing for a return to Champions League football this coming season
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
It has been a busy end to the month of June for Tottenham, following the additions of Maddison from Leicester and keeper Guglielmo Vicario from Italian side Empoli.
Their arrivals, along with the permanent transfer of Dejan Kulusevski, will be an encouraging sign for new boss Ange Postecoglou, who has been brought in to turn around their fortunes this season.
One area of the pitch they still need to improve is defence, and they have been linked with Wolfsburg’s highly-rated speedy Dutchman Micky van de Ven, as well as Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba.
James Maddison is one of the biggest signings of the summer after joining Tottenham
Tottenham hope to keep Harry Kane who is being pursued by German giants Bayern Munich
The biggest story of the summer though might not be around their incomings, but whether or not they can keep hold of Harry Kane.
Bayern Munich are interested in the Tottenham star despite seeing their opening £60m bid rejected by Spurs – with chairman Daniel Levy reluctant to sell the striker despite his contract expiring next summer.
Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Kane in recent months and Spurs will hope uncertainty around their star player’s future won’t affect the start of their new era under Postecoglou.
