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Written by Tasnim Chowdhury, Grace Wheeler, Alastair Telfer & Freya Sweet

  1. 'Time is running out' - Alvarez situation 'not ideal' for Arsenal

    Arsenal

    Julian AlvarezGetty Images

    French football expert Julien Laurens believes Julian Alvarez "still isn't opening the door" to Arsenal, despite Atletico Madrid insisting there is "0% chance" of selling him to "dream" destination Barcelona this summer.

    The 26-year-old has been the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer and, after being booed by Atletico Madrid fans on Sunday during their draw with Villarreal, he missed training on Wednesday because he was reportedly unwell.

    But has the transfer fiasco opened the door for Arsenal?

    "This situation isn't ideal, although Julian Alvarez's football qualities would fit this Arsenal team, and the way Mikel Arteta plays, so brilliantly," Laurens said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast.

    "They might be thinking: 'OK, he wants to go to Barcelona but if that doesn't happen then we are here. If he opens the door, we can make this happen.'

    "It is a move that could win him more trophies. Let's not forget, he has already completed football by winning everything possible - from the Premier League, to the Champions League, to the World Cup, to the Copa America and the Copa Libertadores.

    "But, if Atletico Madrid really want 150m euros for Alvarez, he isn't worth that. That isn't the right valuation.

    "If he was really keen to go to Arsenal, this would have evolved already. Time is running out now.

    "I think as soon as he felt Barcelona wasn't happening, he would have looked at what other interest he had, he would have seen Arsenal was still an option and he would have done that deal already.

    "The fact he hasn't shows me he definitely isn't opening the door to Arsenal."

  2. Chelsea in talks to sign Atalanta defender Ahanor

    Nizaar Kinsella
    BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

    Chelsea are in talks to sign Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor.

    The Blues expressed an interest in the 18-year-old Italian when they signed right-back Marco Palestra from the Serie A side in July.

    BBC Sport has been told Atalanta are willing to sell Ahanor if their 40m euro (£34.3m) valuation is met.

    Ahanor, who mainly plays at left-back, joined Atalanta from Genoa on a three-year deal last summer for a reported fee of 16m euros, plus 4m euros in add-ons.

    He made 28 appearances in Serie A for Atalanta last season, establishing himself as a regular starter for the Italian club. He also made his Champions League debut in a 2-1 win against Club Brugge in September.

    Honest AhanorGetty Images

  3. Most expensive Premier League signings this summer

    1. Morgan Rogers - Aston Villa to Chelsea, £117m
    2. Elliot Anderson - Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, £116m
    3. Sandro Tonali - Newcastle to Tottenham, £92.5m
    4. Mateus Fernandes - West Ham to Tottenham, £85m
    5. Ayyoub Bouaddi - Lille to Manchester City, £81.4m
    6. Bruno Guimaraes - Newcastle to Arsenal, £75m
    7. Savinho - Manchester City to Tottenham, £75m
    8. Carlos Baleba - Brighton to Manchester United, £70m
    9. Jeremy Jacquet - Rennes to Liverpool, £55m
    10. Maxence Lacroix - Crystal Palace to Chelsea, £52m

    The list does not included Liverpool's potential signing of Bradley Barcola for £120m.

  4. Get Involved

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    Missing from the Delap debate is the fact that Forest have a history of taking sidelined players from big clubs and making them great. See Elanga, Hudson-Odoi, Wood, Aina.

    Keith O, Nottingham

  5. New spending record incoming?

    The total spend in this summer's transfer window by Premier League clubs, as of 23:59 on Wednesday 26 August, is £2.7bn, according to Football Transfers.

    The record for a summer transfer window is £3.1bn from last season.

  6. Get Involved

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    Barcola for £120m is absurd. If Barcola was a starting player you could warrant that price tag. However, he’s often played second fiddle so £80m seems more realistic. However, you are buying a very good player from the back-to-back Champions League winners. Liverpool still don't feel quite like a team.

    Kurt, Wales

  7. Can Liverpool afford to let attacking threat Gakpo go?

    BBC Sport reported in June that a number of clubs including Spurs were monitoring Cody Gakpo's situation at Liverpool.

    Man City also reportedly joined the race for the Netherlands winger.

    The 27-year-old, who scored in Liverpool's draw with Newcastle on Sunday, is the Reds' starting left winger.

    Will Bradley Barcola affect his situation?

    Andros Townsend on Liverpool's attack

  8. Bradley Barcola scored three goals at the World Cup for France after forcing his way into the starting team.

    Didier Deschamps preferred Barcola to Desire Doue for France's semi-final defeat by Spain.

    Barcola 'emphatically' doubles France's lead over Sweden

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    A world-class talent, but whether it translates into the Premier League remains to be seen. Very optimistic Liverpool fan this morning. We are still crying out for a competent right-back, much more business needs to be done to compete against a ready-made team like Arsenal.

    Finn, Northampton

  10. Barcola would be Liverpool's third £100m signing

    Liverpool have twice paid more than £100m for players - midfielder Florian Wirtz and striker Alexander Isak - and look set to do so again.

    Paris St-Germain and France winger Bradley Barcola has been a main target for Liverpool since the start of the summer, with PSG holding out for somewhere near £145m.

    Liverpool, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, could eventually end up paying Bayer Leverkusen £116m for Wirtz, while they shelled out a club record £125m to sign Isak from Newcastle.

    And they could be about to break £100m again for 23-year-old Barcola, who was part of France's squad at the World Cup.

    He came on as a second-half substitute in both the past two Champions League finals, when PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 in 2024-25 and then in May when they edged past Arsenal on penalties to retain their title.

    Barcola moved to PSG from Lyon in 2023 for a reported £38.5m and has since also won three Ligue 1 titles, the French Cup twice, as well as the Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa Intercontinental Cup.

    He is right footed, although he prefers to play on the left wing, but can also play on the right or through the middle.

    Bradley BarcolaGetty Images

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    All this talk about Barcola being perfect… he's not a major upgrade on what we already have, and there are two positions which desperately need MASSIVE upgrades in - full-backs. We will win nothing with Kerkez and Frimpong in those positions

    Chris, Yorkshire

  12. Today's Premier League news conferences

    All times BST

    Premier League

    • 13:00 - Sergej Jakirovic (Hull City)
    • 13:30 - Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
    • 13:30 - Andoni Iraola (Liverpool)
    • 13:30 - Marco Rose (Bournemouth)
    • 14:30 - Frank Lampard (Coventry)
    • 18:00 - Matthias Jaissle (Newcastle)

  13. That's all from Enzo Maresca. It's been a busy morning. Here are the top stories of the day so far...

  14. 'Tough game' against Palace

    Crystal Palace v Manchester City (Fri, 20:00 BST)

    Manchester City

    Enzo Maresca on opponents Crystal Palace: "Palace away is always complicated.

    "They are a good team and a new manager has arrived. You can see from the games in pre-season and their opening Premier League game that it is quite clear what they want to do.

    "It's quite similar to the work of the former manager [Oliver Glasner].

    "It is going to be a tough game."

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    As an Evertonian, I like Grealish, but we shouldn’t sign him. Way too injury-prone.

    Jim B, Lancashire

  16. Guehi playing in midfield again 'is an option'

    Crystal Palace v Manchester City (Fri, 20:00 BST)

    Manchester City

    On Marc Guehi playing in midfield against his former club Palace, Enzo Maresca said: "We will see. It is an option.

    "The good thing about Marc, is that in this moment, he gives us one more option in the middle.

    "Tomorrow we will see. We have a session now and then in a few hours we decide the first XI."

  17. Everton Grealish's preference if he leaves Man City

    Shamoon Hafez, Nizaar Kinsella & Phil McNulty

    Jack GrealishGetty Images

    Jack Grealish's preference would be to return to Everton should he leave Manchester City in the remaining days of the transfer window, sources have told BBC Sport.

    The 30-year-old has appeared as a substitute in City's opening two games of the season, but new boss Enzo Maresca is open to letting the Englishman leave the club before Tuesday's transfer deadline.

    Grealish spent last season with the Toffees, scoring twice and providing six assists in 20 appearances, before sustaining a season-ending foot injury in January.

    Everton chief executive Angus Kinnear recently told BBC Radio Merseyside the club have "remained in contact" with the player.

    Grealish's former club Aston Villa are also believed to still be interested in re-signing their ex-captain, but City sources say there have been no concrete offers from any club so far this summer.

  18. Cherki 'a different player to the rest'

    Crystal Palace v Manchester City (Fri, 20:00 BST)

    Manchester City

    On RayanCherki and his role in the team, Enzo Maresca said: "He made an impact the other day. In terms of quality, he is a different player to the rest because he can give us moments when we struggle, particularly in the last third.

    "He has the quality that we need, but it depends also on the gameplan and the opponent that we play.

    "There's no doubt that he's going to help now and in the future. I am very happy with the way that he's working."

  19. Anderson's 'fully fit'

    Crystal Palace v Manchester City (Fri, 20:00 BST)

    Manchester City

    Giving an update on team news, Enzo Maresca said: "Elliott Anderson is fully fit. Last week was just for cramp.

    "No new [injuries]. Jeremy [Doku] is still out and Matheus [Nunes] we will see, as he's not 100% still."

  20. Bouaddi's 'mature and that's important'

    Crystal Palace v Manchester City (Fri, 20:00 BST)

    Manchester City

    More from Enzo Maresca on Bouaddi's characteristics: "He's quite calm and he doesn't look 18. He already looks mature and that's important.

    "We need to go slowly because he is very young and he's come from another country, so there's no rush for him.

    "For sure, he's going to help us now and in the future."