Arsenal confirm Mikel Merino, Ivan Toney joins Man Utd – 10 transfers still on the cards

There's still plenty of transfers to be done in the summer window, including the potential for some blockbuster deals to be finalised before Deadline Day. There have already been some headline-grabbing moves, with Kylian Mbappe's free transfer to Champions League victors Real Madrid arguably the most eye-catching.

And the Premier League has also seen its fair share of significant moves. Tottenham broke their club record to sign striker Dominic Solanke for £65million, while Manchester United have bolstered their defence with the additions of Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been busy again, signing the likes of Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. As for what's to come, Ivan Toney, Eberechi Eze, and Victor Osimhen are all names that could still be on the move as Express Sport delve into the transfer market to highlight some potential mega-deals in the pipeline.

Victor Osimhen
Nigerian forward Osimhen is being tipped as the final piece in Chelsea's incredibly costly and crowded jigsaw. The 25-year-old has had a falling out with his current club Napoli, who slumped to a 10th-placed finish last season after clinching the Scudetto the previous campaign.

The main reason the striker hasn't moved yet is his transfer fee, believed to be around £100million - only the Blues and PSG, it is suggested, are the interested parties who can afford him. Despite his goal-scoring exploits last season, current Blues first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson demonstrated during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City that an upgrade like Osimhen might be necessary after squandering several golden opportunities.

While it seems unlikely that Todd Boehly would be willing to part with an additional £100m, if Chelsea can manage to offload some players such as Romelu Lukaku - who is rumoured to be joining Napoli as a replacement for Osimhen - then Stamford Bridge could soon see a new star striker.

Victor Osimhen of Napoli is participating in day 2 of the preseason training camp of SSC Napoli at Stadio Patini in Castel di Sa
Victor Osimhen is open to leaving Napoli (Image: Getty)
Mikel Merino
Merino's move to Arsenal still appears to be on the cards despite a delay. The Spaniard was identified as the perfect midfield addition by Mikel Arteta, who is keen to find a partner to complement Declan Rice.

The main obstacle to overcome is the transfer fee, as personal terms have reportedly been agreed. The Spanish club are holding out for a £30m sum, but with the player's contract expiring next year and him being 28 years old, Arsenal are hoping to pay slightly less.

The deal may also hinge on the Gunners raising funds by selling some players, with Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale both linked with exits from the Emirates. If the Merino deal goes through as expected, Arteta will have another asset to utilise in his quest for the league title.

Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad haven't budged on Mikel Merino's asking price (Image: Getty)
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Ivan Toney
An exit from Brentford seemed inevitable for Toney this window, with the Bees not wanting their star player's contract to run down and him to leave for nothing next year. However, much to his disappointment, there has been minimal interest in him from Premier League clubs, sparking rumours of a potential move to the Saudi Pro League.

With Tottenham having already splashed out on Solanke, Chelsea potentially favouring Osimhen, and Arsenal sticking by Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, the responsibility of fulfilling Toney's dream move to a top English club may fall on United. A speculated £50m bid and lucrative contract proposed by Saudi Arabian team Al Ahli might need to be matched by the Red Devils.

This could prove challenging unless there are potential departures. However, with Rasmus Hojlund sidelined for the start of the season, a swoop for Toney could still be on the cards.

Ivan Toney of Brentford
The big move Ivan Toney's been hoping for hasn't yet materialised (Image: Offside via Getty)
Marc Guehi
Guehi's high-profile transfer to Newcastle has evolved into a drawn-out saga. The Magpies' defence, particularly in the centre-back position, has been severely depleted ahead of the new season.

With Sven Botman out until Christmas following an ACL tear in March and Fabian Schar receiving a straight red card in the team's opening 1-0 triumph over Southampton, a player like Guehi is urgently needed.

The defender, who shone at Euro 2024 for England, has reportedly been the target of four bids from Newcastle, the most recent amounting to £65m, but Crystal Palace have remained firm. If Eddie Howe's team are prepared to fork out the required fee, it seems they'll secure their man.

Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace celebrates
Marc Guehi remains Newcastle's top transfer priority (Image: Getty)
Eberechi Eze
Guehi's Palace colleague Eze is far less likely to be leaving this summer. Nonetheless, he could still end up making a significant move like another of his former team-mates, Michael Olise, who was snapped up by Bayern Munich for £47m in July.

While no Premier League club has made a firm move for Eze, Manchester City and Tottenham were rumoured to be interested over the summer. With Spurs having already splashed out on Solanke, this could leave Pep Guardiola's City as the sole contender - and a bid for Eze would make sense.

Oscar Bobb is set to be out of action for several months after breaking his leg in training, and Julian Alvarez has left for a whopping £82m. Despite bringing in Savinho, City might still feel the need to find a replacement for Alavarez and target Eze.

A potential stumbling block for any deal is the expiration of the Englishman's release clause. The 26-year-old had a £60m clause in his contract that would have allowed any club to pay Federico Chiesa has been training alone at Juventus (Image: Juventus FC via Getty )
Raheem Sterling
Sterling's future at Chelsea looks very uncertain. Despite initial indications that he was part of Enzo Maresca's plans for the upcoming season, his absence from the Blues' opening match against City suggested otherwise.

Given his desire for regular first-team football and his recent comments, it seems increasingly likely that he will leave Stamford Bridge this summer. However, offloading the 29-year-old could prove challenging given his status as one of the league's top earners and the fact that he still has three years left on his contract.

Turin has emerged as a potential destination for Sterling should Juve lose Chiesa. The Italian giants, who reportedly showed interest in him earlier this summer, could renew that, while Newcastle and Crystal Palace have also been mentioned in connection with the former Manchester City winger.

Ilkay Gundogan
Gundogan could be set for a shcok return to the Etihad after being left out of Barcelona's opening La Liga match. The German midfielder, who spent seven successful seasons at City before moving to Spain last season, is reportedly being considered for a switch back to Manchester.

The 33-year-old's current contract with Barca runs until 2026, but it remains unclear what transfer fee would be required to secure his services. Despite potential competition from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, re-signing Gundogan could bolster City's title challenge and provide cover for Rodri, who had a busy summer following Spain's Euro 2020 campaign.

Pep Guardiola never wanted him to leave and has struggled to replace his presence in the middle of the park, with Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes yet to fully convince the City boss.

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