The summer transfer window closes today and late developments in the market could potentially shape Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers’ thinking.
This live blog will be rounding up the confirmed deals that could present FPL bosses with new targets or have a negative impact on existing assets.
Any prices you see in brackets are the players’ FPL prices but the ‘real-life’ transfer fee will also be reported on where possible.
TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY – AS IT HAPPENED
01:05 – Alex Iwobi (Everton to Fulham)
Alex Iwobi (£5.4m) has swapped Everton for Fulham in a deal worth around £22m.
In his ninth year as an FPL option, he’s only once got past 100 points in a single season.
That happened in the campaign just gone, when he contributed two goals and eight assists to the Toffees’ fight against relegation.
On a share of set plays, he finished just outside the top 10 Fantasy midfielders for chances created (64 in 38 appearances).
Capable of playing on the flanks or in ‘the hole’, he’s also been used in central midfield quite a bit during his time on Merseyside.
01:00 – Andrew Omobamidele (Norwich City to Nottingham Forest)
A frenetic day of transfer activity for Forest concludes with the signing of Republic of Ireland international Andrew Omobamidele from Norwich City.
The central defender has signed a five-year deal with Steve Cooper’s side.
Omobamidele scored two goals in 50 league appearances for the Canaries.
He looks like he’ll be back-up at centre-half, at least initially, given that Felipe (£4.4m), Murillo (£4.5m) and Moussa Niakhate (£4.5m) are already on the books.
00:40 – Divock Origi (AC Milan to Nottingham Forest, loan)
Forest have a new back-up for Taiwo Awoniyi (£6.6m) in the form of a Champions League winner who spent seven years on Merseyside.
Divock Origi has joined the Tricky Trees on loan for the season.
He’s never actually hit double figures for league goals in a single campaign, although part of the reason for that is a lack of starts.
A move to Milan from Liverpool ahead of 2022/23 was viewed as a chance to kickstart his career but the Belgian striker scored only two goals in 27 Serie A run-outs, 10 of which came from the start.
00:15 – Ibrahim Sangare (PSV Eindhoven to Nottingham Forest)
Yet another transfer involving Nottingham Forest, with this one being arguably the biggest of the lot.
Highly rated central midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré has arrived from PSV Eindhoven for a reported £30m, signing a five-year deal.
Very unlikely to be an FPL target in his own right, he nevertheless helps solidify the spine of a Forest side too often breached in 2022/23 and at the start of this campaign.
A physically imposing presence in the engine room and fond of a tackle, he’s actually contributed quite a few attacking returns over the last couple of years.
Five goals arrive from 29 Eredivisie appearances last season, while Sangare has also netted on nine occasions in 31 caps for Ivory Coast.
But an average of a shot in the box only once every 104.7 minutes in 2022/23 places his limited goal threat in context.
00:00 – Luis Sinisterra (Leeds United to Bournemouth, loan)
Waving goodbye to the Leeds-bound Jaidon Antony (£4.9m), Bournemouth have welcomed Luis Sinisterra into the fold.
The two wingers have exchanged clubs on season-long loan deals.
Sinisterra scored five goals from just 13 Premier League starts and six substitute appearances in 2022/23.
He ranked favourably for expected goals (xG), too:
Above: FPL midfielders sorted by minutes per xG in 2022/23
23:15 – Rob Holding (Arsenal to Crystal Palace)
Rob Holding‘s (£4.4m) FPL price is almost exactly what Crystal Palace paid to take the centre-half from Arsenal.
The stopper looks set to provide back-up to Marc Guehi (£4.5m) and Joachim Andersen (£4.6m) under Roy Hodgson.
Holding has also had a small bit of experience at right-back.
“Rob is a player who will bring tremendous quality, possessing considerable Premier League experience for his age. Rob gives us options in two positions at the back, and we warmly welcome him to Crystal Palace.” – Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish on Rob Holding
23:15 – Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Strasbourg to Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde looks very much like a Matheus Nunes replacement.
The 25-year-old from Strasbourg is as versatile as the City-bound Nunes, capable of playing not just in the engine room but also out wide or in attacking midfield.
He’s never scored more than two league goals in a top-flight season but had already reached that figure after three Ligue I matches in 2022/23.
Bellegarde also delivered nine assists for Strasbourg last season, his best-ever tally.
“He can play in three positions in our system, which is what Gary [O’Neil] likes to do. He will add creativity and he’s got good end product.
“With the runners that we have going forward, his athleticism from the middle of the pitch, as well as his strength and his ability to find that final ball – as he’s shown in France – will be really important to us.” – Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs on Jean-Ricner Bellegarde
23:15 – Neal Maupay (Everton to Brentford, loan)
The deadline-day equivalent of receiving Lee Carvallo’s Putting Challenge instead of Bonestorm at Christmas, Brentford fans woke up this morning dreaming of Johan Bakayoko and Brennan Johnson and ended up with Neal Maupay (£4.9m).
The 27-year-old Frenchman is back in west London at a club he previously spent two years with.
Now a much-maligned figure, it’s easy to forget that he was once a fans’ favourite at Brentford.
A total of 37 goals were plundered in two Championship seasons between 2017 and 2019 before Brighton and Hove Albion came calling.
Maupay never made it past 10 goals in any of his three seasons with the Seagulls but the worst was to come in 2022/23 when he scored just once in 27 run-outs for Everton.
He’s converted only 10.4% of his shots into goals as a Premier League player, which is on the very low side for a striker.
Maupay is likely to play back-up to Yoane Wissa (£6.2m), with Ivan Toney (£7.9m) not back until January.
23:05 – Mike Tresor (Genk to Burnley, loan)
Burnley fans like wingers – let’s sign more of them.
That seems to have been the blueprint of the Clarets’ board this transfer window; they’re now almost into double figures for wide-midfield options.
The latest is a loan signing from Genk, the 24-year-old left winger Mike Tresor.
He comes armed with some eye-popping numbers: last season he delivered a remarkable 24 assists in 39 league and play-off appearances in the Belgian top tier.
That was a new record for the Jupiler Pro League and twice as many as anyone managed in that division in 2022/23.
Ten of his 24 assists, and around half of his 109 key passes, came from set plays.
He also contributed eight goals to Genk’s title push.
23:00 – Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur)
One of the most significant bits of news of the day has come very late.
Tottenham Hotspur have bought Brennan Johnson (£5.9m) for a reported £47m, more than they paid for James Maddison (£7.7m) earlier this summer.
Still only 22, Johnson’s rise has been meteoric.
He had barely kicked a ball for Forest until around two years ago, his breakthrough coming in 2021/22 when he plundered 18 goals and 13 assists in the promotion-winning season.
An ever-present for Forest for a second successive season, his debut year in the Premier League saw him deliver eight goals and five assists. One of those strikes was from the spot, while he missed two further efforts from 12 yards later in the campaign.
He’s often operated as a wide forward in a front two at Forest, so it might be on the right of Spurs’ front three – Dejan Kulusevski’s (£7.0m) position – where he finds his home.
Above: Brennan Johnson’s touch heatmap in 2022/23
He’s another option to cover for Richarlison (£6.9m) through the middle, too, of course.
If Johnson can become a regular starter in Ange Postecoglou’s attack-minded side, he’ll soon attract suitors at less than £6.0m.
22:30 – Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina to Manchester United, loan)
Sofyan Amrabat has joined Manchester United on loan from Fiorentina for the rest of the season.
The Morocco international caught the eye in the FIFA World Cup last year, starring in his country’s run to the semi-finals.
He’s yet another deadline-day capture who is not directly of any interest to Fantasy managers.
Amrabat has never scored in 49 run-outs at international level, while he’s only registered four goals in over 200 career league appearances.
But his off-the-ball contributions could still be relevant from an FPL perspective – a fearsome double-pivot of Casemiro (£5.4m) and Amrabat does offer Andre Onana (£5.0m) owners more of a comfort blanket and potentially unleashes Bruno Fernandes (£8.5m) further forward.
As an example of his work ethic, Amrabat ran further in Qatar 2022 than any other player.
“I am a passionate player; I want to bring that energy to the squad, and I will put everything into every action I take for the team.” – Sofyan Amrabat
22:30 – Odysseas Vlachodimos (Benfica to Nottingham Forest)
This is a potentially significant move for the 13.9% of Fantasy managers who own Matt Turner (£4.0m).
Nottingham Forest have added to their goalkeeping ranks by signing Odysseas Vlachodimos from Benfica.
The 29-year-old Greece international kept 21 clean sheets in 34 league appearances for the Portuguese champions last season.
He previously had stints with Panathinaikos and Stuttgart before joining Benfica, going on to make over 150 league appearances in Portugal.
Vlachodimos had a positive expected goals conceded (xGC) delta in each of his last five seasons in Iberia.
“We are pleased to welcome Odysseas to Nottingham Forest. He is very talented and brings an abundance of experience with him, and he will add real competition to our goalkeeping department.” – Ross Wilson, Nottingham Forest’s Chief Football Officer
22:30 – Albert Sambi Lokonga (Arsenal to Luton Town, loan)
In the aftermath of their 2-1 defeat to West Ham United on Friday evening, Luton Town announced the loan signing of Albert Sambi Lokonga (£4.9m).
The 23-year-old midfielder is still looking to break his FPL duck, having failed to deliver a single attacking return in his two seasons as a Premier League player.
Neither priced cheap enough to be considered desirable bench fodder nor possessing any serious points potential, he’s one of the legions of midfielders destined for the Fantasy wilderness.
“He’s a midfielder who really looks after the ball, he gives us stability to play in a double pivot if needed, but he can also run on and play as a number eight.
“He’ll give us more control in the middle of the pitch during certain moments of games, but he’s someone who hopefully we can help develop as well.” – Rob Edwards on Albert Sambi Lokonga
21:45 – Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich to Liverpool)
Liverpool’s midfield overhaul has continued with the signing of Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich for £34.3m.
The Dutchman departs Bavaria having struggled for regular game time under Thomas Tuchel.
A versatile midfielder, he can play in both the no. 8 and no. 6 roles, but it’s doubtful he’ll ever become a serious FPL option, given that he failed to produce a single attacking return in 30 Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League appearances last term.
“He is super-talented, he can drive the ball, he can be really a box-to-box threat, he is going there. He has a good eye for a pass and a good pass. Really excited. It fits into our squad.” – Jurgen Klopp on Ryan Gravenberch
18:00 – Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea to Nottingham Forest)
If Steve Cooper can kickstart Callum Hudson-Odoi‘s (£4.9m) slightly stalled, once promising career, we will have a budget FPL gem on our hands.
The winger has signed a three-year deal with Forest, ending his 16-year association with Chelsea.
Never really given a sustained crack at the first team, he didn’t start more than 11 Premier League games in any season with the Blues.
An FPL attacking return every 192 minutes underscored the potential; that’s roughly the rate Morgan Gibbs-White (£5.9m) was operating at last season.
Hudson-Odoi arrives at the City Ground off the back of a disappointing, injury-hit loan spell in Germany, his 14 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen ending without a single goal and just one assist.
He is, at least, reuniting with a manager who knows him well: Hudson-Odoi was part of the England under-17 squad that won the FIFA World Cup under Cooper in 2017.
“It’s massive for me to be here and I can’t wait to get started. It’s a new chapter for me.
“I know a couple of the boys already which was a big thing for me, and I obviously know the manager well, so it’s nice to be here and see familiar faces around.” – Callum Hudson-Odoi
17:30 – Jonny Evans (Unattached to Manchester United)
We’d already seen Jonny Evans back in a United shirt in pre-season, the veteran stopper having featured in three summer friendlies.
He’s now officially returned for a year, although there’d have to be a serious injury crisis at the back for him to get anywhere near a Premier League starting XI.
17:00 – Nicolas Dominguez (Bologna to Nottingham Forest)
Yet another new arrival for Nottingham Forest, who have signed Argentina international Nicolás Domínguez from Bologna on a five-year deal.
He’s a tough-tackling central midfielder, so won’t be heading for an FPL team near you anytime soon.
The 25-year-old spoiler picked up almost three times as many bookings (27) as he did attacking returns (10) in his four years in Italy.
His capture could still turn out to be a positive from an FPL perspective if he helps shore up a backline playing in front of budget goalkeeper Matt Turner (£4.0m).
That’s if Turner is still Forest number one by the end of the night, of course…
Over the last year, Dominguez ranked in the 91st percentile of all central midfielders from the ‘big five leagues’ for tackling.
16:00 – Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham Hotspur to Manchester United, loan)
As advertised by Erik ten Hag earlier in the day, Manchester United have completed the loan signing of Sergio Reguilon (£4.4m) to help ease the club’s left-back crisis.
Both Luke Shaw (£5.4m) and Tyrell Malacia (£4.4m) are currently sidelined, with no sign of a return.
Reguilon flickered on the FPL radar back in 2021/22, delivering six attacking returns from 22 starts and three substitute appearances.
He was among the leading FPL defenders for expected goal involvement (xGI), too:
While the attacking potential is there, you do wonder how Manchester United’s clean sheet prospects will be affected. “Can’t defend for toffee” is the phrase that springs to mind, thinking back to his time at Spurs.
He’s out of match practice, too, having started just two games in an injury-affected season-long loan spell with Atletico Madrid in 2022/23.
15:40 – James McAtee (Manchester City to Sheffield United, loan)
Any FPL manager favouring a 3-4-3 will be rubbing their hands today at the prospect of more budget bench-fodder midfield options emerging from the pack.
James McAtee (£4.4m) is another contender as he swaps the peripheries of the Manchester City squad for more game-time opportunities at Sheffield United.
He returns for a second loan spell with the Blades, having been a success upon a similar switch in 2022/23.
And this is no mere number six like Marvelous Nakamba (£4.5m). McAtee has an eye for goal, having scored on nine occasions in Sheffield United’s promotion-winning campaign.
Our deputy editor, Tom Freeman, wrote this about McAtee in his Promoted article back in June, which is all the more relevant given that Tommy Doyle (£4.4m) has just been loaned to Wolverhampton Wanderers:
“If McAtee returns, realistically on loan, he looks like a better FPL option [than Tommy Doyle]… because he is the more attacking of the two.
“McAtee finished the season strongly, with five goals and one assist in his last nine appearances, and has a bit of Man City swagger about him, like Phil Foden. He is certainly one to watch if he is at Bramall Lane next season, although he will see much less of the ball in the top flight.”
There is plenty of competition for the three midfield spots at Sheffield United, it has to be said, while 16 of McAtee’s 37 appearances in the English second tier came from the bench. Starts did become more regular as the season wore on but he was never too far away from sporadic substitute duty.
13:20 – ANSU FATI (BARCELONA TO BRIGHTON, LOAN)
Lenglet has been joined in the Premier League by former team-mate Ansu Fati, who has completed a season-long loan to Brighton.
The 20-year-old had fallen down the pecking order at the Nou Camp, despite making 36 La Liga appearances last term.
In that time, he scored seven goals and assisted four.
Fati’s most natural position is on the left wing, where he can cut inside onto his stronger right foot, but he can also play centrally, which is perhaps his most likely starting point given that Kaoru Mitoma (£6.6m) is there.
Upon his arrival, Roberto De Zerbi said:
“This is a great deal for all of us. I am sure Ansu will help us to reach a new target and we can help him get back to the level he deserves to be.” – Roberto De Zerbi
11:45 – CLEMENT LENGLET (BARCELONA TO ASTON VILLA, LOAN)
Aston Villa have signed Clement Lenglet (£4.5m) on a season-long loan from Barcelona.
Unai Emery had been searching for another left-sided centre-back after Tyrone Mings (£4.3m) picked up a serious knee injury, with the Frenchman expected to provide cover to Pau Torres (£4.5m).
Lenglet had returned to Barcelona after a similar loan spell at Tottenham last season, where he made 35 appearances in all competitions, including 26 in the Premier League.
His only goal for the north London club came in a 2-1 away win against Marseille in the UEFA Champions League.
10:30 – MATHEUS NUNES (WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS TO MANCHESTER CITY)
City have their man: Matheus Nunes (£5.0m) has joined Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions for a reported £53m.
The Portuguese has shown glimpses of his quality since arriving at Wolves last summer but recorded just one goal and one assist in 30 starts, so it almost certainly isn’t worth wasting a City spot on him.
He will compete with Rodri (£5.7m), Mateo Kovacic (£5.0m), Phil Foden (£7.6m) and Bernardo Silva (£6.4m) for minutes in central midfield, plus Kevin De Bruyne (£10.3m) once he returns from injury.
The player himself said:
“I’m very energetic. I run a lot. The Premier League is very intense and is fast on the attack and counter-attack. It suits me in that way. City also play differently – they manage the ball and the game. It’s good for me to get used to that.
I want to score as many goals as I can. I want to give assists and help the team. I want to give my best all the time. It’s always good to score goals as it’s the ultimate part of football but I just want to help the team as best I can.” – Matheus Nunes
10:00 – NUNO TAVARES (ARSENAL TO NOTTINGHAM FOREST, LOAN)
There’s a £4.0m-rated defender on the move as Nuno Tavares (£4.0m) becomes the latest player through Nottingham Forest’s revolving door.
The attack-minded asset will compete with Ola Aina (£4.5m) for a start at left wing-back, so there are no game-time guarantees just yet.
There is some attacking potential there if he does make the spot his own.
Tavares ranked among the top five FPL defenders for minutes per expected goal (xG) in 2021/22:
Even more eye-catching were the six Ligue I goals he scored on loan for Marseille last season, those half-dozen returns coming from just 23 starts and eight substitute appearances.
10:00 – TOMMY DOYLE (MANCHESTER CITY TO WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS, LOAN)
Following Palmer out of the door at Manchester City is another youth product.
Tommy Doyle (£4.4m) is off to Wolverhampton Wanderers, signing on loan for the season. Wolves then have an option to buy him for £5m.
Doyle was on loan at newly promoted Sheffield United last year, making a total of 21 starts and 12 substitute appearances.
A central midfielder with minimal open-play goal threat, whatever appeal he may have in FPL terms – beyond his price tag – comes from dead-ball situations.
He was on a share of set pieces at Bramall Lane last season, with two of his three goals being direct free-kicks.
Two of his four assists came from corners.
09:30 – COLE PALMER (MANCHESTER CITY TO CHELSEA)
The first significant transfer of the day sees Cole Palmer (£4.9m) follow in the footsteps of Raheem Sterling (£7.2m) and swap Manchester for west London.
The midfielder has arrived in a deal worth around £40m and has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues, with the option of a further year.
We’ve got so little first-team experience to go off with the 21-year-old Palmer, who hasn’t even had a loan spell away from his boyhood club.
Only three of his 19 Premier League appearances have come from the start.
But he played a prominent role in the UEFA Super Cup and FA Community Shield last month, scoring on both occasions.
Palmer was also part of the England squad at this summer’s UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Capable of playing on the flanks or in attacking midfield, he even moonlighted as a false nine on his first-ever Premier League start against Everton almost two years ago.
The player himself has two preferred positions:
“I played left-back when I was under 10. Then I played midfield. Then later right wing, left wing, and striker. I made my first start at City as a striker. So I have played all along the frontline, but right wing and no. 10 are my best two positions, I would say.
“I played 10 most of the time in the academy, and in the past three years I’ve mainly played on the right wing. But I’m ready to help the team wherever I’m needed.” – Cole Palmer
The number 10 role would indeed seem to be the easiest route into the starting XI at present, with Conor Gallagher (£5.5m) deployed in that position in Gameweek 3.
He shouldn’t have too much trouble settling in, reunited with mentor Sterling and England under-21 buddies Noni Madueke (£5.4m), Levi Colwill (£4.5m) and Romeo Lavia (£5.0m).
“Raz has always looked after me, so I appreciate him. He was one when I was coming through at Man City who put his arm around me. That was amazing for me, for someone of his pedigree and international experience to do that.
“He saw the potential I had. He saw what I was doing in training. We started talking a bit more. I was asking him questions all the time and from there we have always kept in contact.
“I’ve played with him in games a few times, not loads, and now I’ve developed my game a bit more, hopefully we can do some good stuff together.” – Cole Palmer
Attractively priced in FPL, he’s one very much for the watchlist.
09:00 – ALTAY BAYINDIR (FENERBAHCE TO MANCHESTER UNITED)
We’re off and running with a signing that has been in the works for days.
Having allowed Dean Henderson (£4.5m) to move to Crystal Palace yesterday, Manchester United have bolstered their goalkeeping ranks.
Altay Bayindir has joined the Red Devils from Fenerbahce on an initial four-year deal, subject to international clearance.
Erik ten Hag’s side have reportedly paid £4.3m for his services.
The Turkey international has five caps to his name and made 116 Super Lig appearances for Fenerbahce before departing for England.
Don’t worry, Andre Onana (£5.0m) owners: he’s here to play understudy to the United number one.
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