What every Premier League club must do before Friday’s transfer deadline

The 2024 summer transfer window is days from closing and most Premier League clubs still have an awful lot to do. Chelsea, we are looking at you.

With that in mind, here is what each club should do between now and Friday’s deadline.

Every Premier League club’s priority before the summer transfer window closes

Arsenal: Sell and replace Aaron Ramsdale
A dream Arsenal signing would be a new forward. It would have to be an elite one as well – someone like Nico Williams. A sensible and more necessary signing would be Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, a 23-year-old goalkeeper from Spain. But the Gunners will only sign Garcia if Aaron Ramsdale leaves, and boy does he need to.

Ramsdale is unfortunate to have become a benchwarmer at the Emirates but the signing of David Raya has been a huge success after many initial doubts. Nevertheless, the Englishman should not be sitting on the bench every week. He wants to become England No. 1 and knows he is good enough for a top-half Premier League side. He probably won’t be playing for one this season but Wolves and Southampton are keen and would massively benefit from his arrival.

Arsenal want an obligation to buy included in any loan deal and prefer to sell the 26-year-old – ideally for £30million. The aforementioned Premier League pair might not cough up what the Gunners want, so we can expect a compromise or complete breakdown in negotiations. What is certain is that Ramsdale must move on and that is also in Mikel Arteta’s best interest. He doesn’t want Ramsdale’s dad getting upset again!

Aston Villa: Sign a striker – if they feel like it
Unai Emery has been very busy this summer, getting his business done early doors, leaving Aston Villa in the best position possible to start the 2024/25 campaign. This leaves us scratching our head. A new right-back wouldn’t go amiss. Neither would a holding midfielder. We guess they could do with another striker. It’s hard to say what Villa are desperate for, but there is obviously room for improvement.

We think the need for more depth in the middle of the park is quite pressing, but not as much as the need for a fresh attacking option.

Moussa Diaby left this summer and while Morgan Rogers looks brilliant, we do think the constant uncertainty surrounding Jhon Duran is a bad thing. With that in mind, Emery can not expect Ollie Watkins to start every match in the Premier League and Champions League. Surely the Spaniard has someone from one of his old clubs that can come in and do a job. Gerard Moreno maybe? Whatever happens, Villa will be alright. Though the Nicolas Jackson link is intriguing.

Bournemouth: Finalise Kepa signing
The Cherries are in decent shape. The only thing they are missing after replacing Dominic Solanke with Evanilson is a new goalkeeper. The idea of Giorgi Mamardashvili joining on loan from Valencia was enticing but that is unfortunately not happening. What a signing that would have been, even on loan. Chelsea outcast and the most expensive goalkeeper ever, Kepa Arrizabalaga, is now Bournemouth’s top transfer target and should be confirmed soon.

If a deal falls through, a new goalkeeper should remain Andoni Iraola’s priority. And when Kepa is inevitably announced two minutes after we publish this, then I guess Bournemouth can go and sign another striker just in case Evanilson is pants.

Brentford: Sell Ivan Toney and keep Yoane Wissa
Uncertainty is rarely a positive thing and the future of Ivan Toney has been uncertain for quite a while now. Brentford’s form without their talisman in the first half of last season was fine and amidst speculation at the start of 2024/25, Thomas Frank has been content with leaving Toney out.

One player Frank has played despite transfer rumours is Yoane Wissa. With all due respect, he will not command the same sort of fee as Toney, which makes selling him very silly indeed. Keep him at the club and get a decent fee for Toney, whether that is from Chelsea or Al Ahly in Saudi Arabia.

Brentford signed Igor Thiago to be Toney’s replacement but the striker will miss a wedge of the season through injury. The Toney money should probably be reinvested if there is time. The priority remains getting that money, though.

Brighton: Sign a centre-back while you’re at it
Brighton have spent a lot of money in Fabian Hurzeler’s first transfer window at the club, yet they haven’t really improved their defence. Ferdi Kadioglu is an outstanding signing but is better known for his ability going forward than defensively.

Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke is a decent centre-back partnership. They are both solid in possession and that is the Brighton way. Defensively, though, they are both there to be exposed. As is right-back Joel Veltman. Kadioglu is extra useful as he can play right and left-back, so that is less pressing than signing a new central defender. We can’t see Brighton doing it, but think they should. Trevoh Chalobah, maybe?

Chelsea: Sign a striker and sell a lot of players
Deals breaking down at the final stages has screwed Chelsea over a couple of times this summer and they are left in a real predicament with a couple of days left in the transfer window. They have so many unwanted players, some of which are on extraordinarily high wages and contracts with two or more years left.

Academy graduates Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja have to be offloaded and we can see the Blues being forced to settle for loan deals there. You’ve also got David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei and Djordje Petrovic who are surplus to requirements.

Then Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are on big money and out of Chelsea’s plans. Offloading both will be very tricky, especially Sterling and his £300k weekly wage. They have kind of shot themselves in the foot there and we have no idea what will happen. The ex-Man City forward doesn’t want Saudi Arabia and a move to Man Utd surely won’t happen. Surely?

With so much deadweight needing shifted, Chelsea’s pursuit of a striker could be curtailed, when it really can’t be. Victor Osimhen is available for a decent price – believed to be in the region of £50m – and Ivan Toney is also there for the taking, though he does reportedly have a big contract on the table from Al Ahly. Chelsea interest will be a big test of Toney’s character.

We think Osimhen would be perfect, which casts doubt in our minds because Chelsea aren’t very sensible in the transfer market.

Either way, nobody has more to do than Chelsea because of their ‘bomb squad’.

MORE CHELSEA FEATURES FROM F365
👉 Lukaku to Thiago Silva via Fernandez, Pulisic: Ranking last 50 signings made by Chelsea
👉 Ten Premier League players who could be begging for moves as transfer deadline day looms

Crystal Palace: Sign a centre-back
Wolfsburg’s Maxence Laxriox would be a downgrade on Marc Guehi but it will be pretty hard for Crystal Palace to upgrade on the England international – who could join Newcastle United this week for £70m. Nevertheless, it looks like he will be the centre-back Palace bring in following the departure of Joachim Andersen and potentially Guehi. Andersen and Guehi to Laxcroix and Chad Riad is quite the change in one summer.

But the Eagles have a lot of money to play with and another centre-back would be ideal.

Attacking-wise, Oliver Glasner has added Eddie Nketiah (awaiting confirmation) and the replacement for Michael Olise is Ismaila Sarr. We aren’t too convinced but as with Guehi, it is pretty much impossible for Crystal Palace to upgrade or match the ability of Olise. They could always delve back into the Championship market and hope a player can develop at the same rate as the Frenchman and Eberechi Eze. Have Ilias Chair, Jobe Bellingham, Gustavo Hamer or Tyrhys Dolan got that in their locker?

Everton: Improve their defence
Easier said than done. Everton’s start to the season shows there are some alarming issues in Sean Dyche’s backline. Granted, they have been without Jarrad Branthwaite, but f**king hell, it’s been bad.

Dyche only has ancient right-backs available and Nathan Patterson’s inability to stay fit – or adapt to the Premier League – means this is a position he must recruit in. We have no clue who, just that they need a right-back. A centre-back will only be needed if Branthwaite leaves and we can’t see that happening; unless Everton fancy hosting Championship football in their sexy new stadium.

On a positive note, the signing of Tim Iroegbunam looks like a good one and Ilman Ndiaye is still to replace Abdoulaye Doucoure in the starting XI. While the defence is the biggest issue, based on the 2024/25 evidence anyway, there is a lack of goals in this team. Dominic Calvert-Lewin can hit purple patches, Beto might yet spark to life, and Ndiaye could be brilliant. Still, the signs are not great.

Fulham: Absolutely nothing – well done, lads
Great window from Fulham, even if there are some fears following the sale of Joao Palhinha.

Ipswich Town: Pat themselves on the back
Keeping Kieran McKenna was an amazing way to start on Ipswich’s path back to the top flight and they have made some astute signings in the transfer window, building a Championship super team if it goes Pete Tong this term.

Excuse us for two cop-outs in a row. The damn alphabet has made us look especially lazy.

Leicester City: Sign a striker
Jamie Vardy doesn’t have the legs or goals in him anymore while Stephy Mavididi is more of a winger and unproven in Our League. We think Leicester need a frontman but if Steve Cooper thought the same, he’d have probably signed one by now. Regardless, he should listen to us. Who? Not a clue, Steve. That’s your job.

There are simply not enough goals in this team. We do like the signings of Premier League stalwart Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid but they are not going to score 10 or more goals and we think that is what Leicester are missing.

Liverpool: Sign a left-footed centre-back
Everton have been given a preview of life without Jarrad Branthwaite and it is very f**king bleak. They can’t sell him now. Not even for £70m. And definitely not to Liverpool. Nasty words at a train station will turn into sticks and stones if that goes down.

There are plenty of other options for Liverpool. You have Piero Hincapie at Bayer Leverkusen and Castello Lukeba at RB Leipzig. Both are young and already very good.

A No. 6 feels essential as well, though it was a case of all the eggs in one basket with Martin Zubimendi, who doesn’t want to leave Real Sociedad. It would be understandable if the Reds do not sign one now. It would not be understandable if they loan out Stefan Bajcetic. Obliterating your midfield depth is not a wise thing to do, even if Bajcetic has barely played any football this year.

READ MORE: Federico Chiesa to Liverpool is a desperate transfer for everyone involved

Manchester City: Sign an attacker
Pep Guardiola is reportedly happy with his squad after signing Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan, who returned to Man City after a year at Barcelona. We are not overly convinced by their depth up front following Julian Alvarez’s departure, especially given Erling Haaland’s injury record.

City surely have money to spend. They are nearly £100m in profit this summer and only 10th in the five-year Premier League net spend table. We are not saying they need to spend a huge amount of money on another striker, but it is something Guardiola should address. That is unless he wants to give Arsenal and Liverpool even more false hope than before. He is a sicko like that.

Manchester United: Get Manuel Ugarte in and Scott McTominay out
It really is that simple. Getting Casemiro out of his team was a clear priority going into Erik ten Hag’s third summer window at Old Trafford and signing Ugarte allows him to do that. The PSG man is hardly a prime Casemiro but Ten Hag will hope he can come in and do that sort of job: destroying opposition attacks, doing the simple thing consistently and very well, while chipping in with the occasional goal.

If Casemiro does indeed stay at Man Utd, he could be useful playing once a week or coming off the bench to secure victories. That is not the role for someone on £300,000 a week, but needs must.

Scott McTominay’s departure has been vital in the Red Devils’ pursuit of Ugarte and the Scotland midfielder is reportedly close to joining Napoli. Getting that transfer finalised will help avoid any hurdles in finalising the Uruguayan – who should be a bloody brilliant signing.

MEDIAWATCH: Man Utd in ‘TRANSFER MAYHEM’; is Manuel Ugarte as good as the world’s best?

Newcastle United: Sign a centre-back and right-winger
Newcastle have left things a little bit too late in the window for my liking, having predicted them to finish third in the Premier League this season. I felt confident they would get their act together and have Marc Guehi by now, with a new right-winger to follow.

A new centre-back has been one of Eddie Howe’s top priorities all summer, yet we are very close to the window being closed with Lloyd Kelly on a free and Lewis Hall – who was there last season – their only defensive reinforcements. Pretty worrying, that, especially with Sven Botman injured until 2025. We know profit and sustainability rules (PSR) exist but come on, top four is there for the taking.

Miguel Almiron is a player Newcastle supporters are desperate to leave and the thought of the Paraguayan and Jacob Murphy being the club’s only right-wing options is keeping them up at night. They explored Michael Olise at the start of the window and missed out on him. Since then, it has been very quiet. We have no idea why because the Magpies are desperate.

READ MORE: Five right-midfield options who could transform Newcastle United’s summer

Nottingham Forest: Offload the deadwood
It has been a more measured transfer window from Nottingham Forest this summer. They clearly think a new striker is desperately needed, though we aren’t so sure. Taiwo Awoniyi is pretty good, you know, lads? And Chris Wood has been damn decent for you as well. Let’s just focus on some outgoing deals, shall we?

It is mainly in attack that Forest are over populated. They still have Josh Bowler, who has turned out to be one of the most pointless signings ever, Emmanuel Dennis, and Hwang Ui-jo. Getting rid of players like these is a must. Greece is nice this time of year…

Southampton: Sign a goalkeeper
Aaron Ramsdale would be a top signing for Southampton and with all due respect to the south-coast club, Ramsdale will probably be a little bit downhearted that the summer’s strongest interest has come from a newly promoted side. The relegation memes are coming back, FFS.

Alex McCarthy is a decent goalkeeper but there are arguably 19 better in the Premier League. It is a position that needs addressed by the Saints and Russell Martin clearly acknowledges that. Even if it’s not Ramsdale, Southampton will surely sign a new ‘keeper this week.

Feyenoord’s Justin Bijlow looked set to join but failed a medical, which doesn’t come as a surprise given his injury problems over the last year or so.

Tottenham: More defensive depth, mate
Spurs are another team we reckon are done and dusted. They have signed three forwards, as well as a new attacking and holding midfielder. What they haven’t done is sign a defender. Guglielmo Vicario kept a clean sheet twice in the second half of 23/24, by the way.

An expensive centre-back addition feels unlikely with Radu Dragusin already providing cover for Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, while Ashley Phillips was rightly loaned out to Stoke City. The fact that Djed Spence and Ben Davies or Sergio Reguilon are one injury away from starting should worry Ange Postecoglou, though. While there is more quantity at left-back, that position should be a matter of urgency. In truth, if it had anything to do with us, Spurs would have signed three defenders for each position by now.

West Ham: Sign a centre-back
With Angelo Ogbonna gone and Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma likely to follow, Julen Lopetegui is a bit light at the back. The Spaniard has brought a lot of change to West Ham since his arrival but has kept the faith in David Moyes’ favourites at the start of the season, though we imagine Vladimir Coufal, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Michail Antonio will be warming the bench after the international break.

Should Aguerd and Zouma depart, Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman and Mavropanos will be the Hammers’ only senior centre-backs. If Spurs’ situation is nervy, then Lopetegui must be s**tting his briefs at that thought.

Wolves: Sign a goalkeeper, centre-back and forward
Not much then…

Wolves seem to be scared stiff of breaking PSR. They sold Ruben Neves last summer and Max Kilman and Pedro Neto this, yet have decided against reinvesting to improve a team that very much needs improving. If that wasn’t obvious before the season kicked off, two defeats out of two should be the wake-up call the Molineux bosses needed. They conceded six at home to this Chelsea team, for crying out loud.

Jose Sa is undoubtedly past his prime and Sam Johnstone would be an excellent and cost-efficient replacement. Aaron Ramsdale is also available if Wolves feel like going nuts.

Gary O’Neil’s centre-back partnership of Toti Gomes and Yerson Mosquera doesn’t fill us with confidence either. We aren’t sure who but at least one more is needed. Hello again, Trevoh Chalobah. Not replacing Kilman is a dangerous game to play, especially when he departed as club captain.

Pedro Neto is another player who needs to be replaced. We don’t expect Wolves to go out and sign someone on the same level or better as Neto but some X-factor in the final third will be necessary if they want to avoid a relegation scrap. Matheus Cunha is great but something fresh in the wide positions should be one of Wolves’ top priorities in the final hours of the 2024 summer transfer window. Let’s get moving, folks…

MORE: Premier League five-year net spend table | 20 biggest deals of the summer | 20 best players available on a free transfer