Manchester City completed a £125million deadline-day move for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, while Xabi Alonso’s side were left furious after Monaco abandoned an agreement for his intended replacement, Lamine Camara.
Fernandez’s transfer matches the British record fee Liverpool paid Newcastle for Alexander Isak last summer. The £125m package is a fixed amount with no add-ons, and the 25-year-old Argentina international had been Enzo Maresca’s priority target during the window.
Chelsea believed they had wrapped up Camara’s arrival from Monaco with fewer than two hours left before the transfer deadline, after agreeing a £47m fee. But the situation took a dramatic turn when Monaco withdrew from the deal as the 11pm deadline drew closer, leaving the Blues stunned and enraged.
Chelsea sources insist the clubs had reached a complete written agreement for Camara to move to Stamford Bridge. However, after Monaco renegotiated Folarin Balogun’s proposed transfer to Everton, Chelsea were informed that the Camara deal was being cancelled.
People close to Chelsea described Monaco’s conduct as an exceptionally unprofessional way to handle transfer negotiations.
Enzo Fernandez poses in a Manchester City shirt after completing his £125million deadline-day transfer
Everton’s proposed move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun has collapsed after the player changed his mind about joining the Premier League club.
Everton submitted a deal sheet to gain additional time after revising the terms of a £40m agreement with Monaco, but the United States international became increasingly hesitant about the transfer.
The negotiations initially stalled after an issue emerged during the 25-year-old’s medical. Everton subsequently explored alternative options while attempting to restructure the Balogun deal.
The club contacted Manchester United about a loan move for Joshua Zirkzee and also held discussions with Aston Villa regarding a temporary deal for Tammy Abraham.
Both approaches were rejected, with Manchester United and Aston Villa deciding there was not enough time left in the transfer window to complete negotiations.
Everton eventually reached an agreement with Monaco over a revised deal structure, and the transfer appeared to be moving forward before Balogun informed the clubs that he no longer wanted to make the switch.
Everton also granted Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s wish by keeping Jack Grealish for another year, as Premier League clubs set a new summer spending record of more than £3.2billion following a frantic deadline day.
The Toffees had already turned to a £4m deal for former Arsenal utility player Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who arrived from Lyon after Fulham blocked Everton’s attempt to sign right-back Kenny Tete. The Netherlands international had been set to move to Merseyside for £9.4m, but Fulham could not proceed because Rayo Vallecano were unwilling to sell replacement target Andrei Ratiu. Everton had also transferred Nathan Patterson to Torino.
Everton striker Beto completed a £15.4m move to Fiorentina, while Iliman Ndiaye fulfilled his ambition of joining Manchester City in a £65m transfer. The 26-year-old signed a contract running until 2031. “I’ve worked my whole life for an opportunity like this,” he said. “City are one of the best clubs in the world. To be able to write my own chapter in a story that special is the chance of a lifetime and I’m determined to grab it with both hands.”
Jack Grealish will spend another season at Everton on loan from Manchester City
Across Merseyside, Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott joined Valencia on loan until the end of the season. The Reds also signed 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Belgian club Genk in a deal that could eventually reach £30m.
Brughmans has agreed a six-year contract but will remain with Genk on loan for the rest of the campaign. He is due to move to Anfield next summer, when Liverpool No. 1 Alisson’s contract expires.
Arsenal failed to land the major attacking names they had targeted, although they did allow 19-year-old Ethan Nwaneri to leave on loan for Borussia Dortmund.
Lyon forward Malick Fofana kept Sunderland and Crystal Palace waiting for much of deadline day as his representatives pushed for improved offers from both clubs. The 21-year-old agreed to join Palace twice and Sunderland twice before finally choosing a move to Wearside, following a personal visit to Lyon from Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.
Palace turned to Midtjylland’s Chile international Dario Osorio. They also revived talks for Marseille midfielder Quinten Timber and Ben Chilwell returned, while Borna Sosa went to Cologne on loan.
Malick Fofana accepted offers from both Sunderland and Crystal Palace before joining the Black Cats
Tosin Adarabioyo joined Tottenham from Chelsea for £10m plus £2m in add-ons. His Chelsea teammate Mykhailo Mudryk also joined Spurs on loan saying he is ‘excited to be reunited’ with his old Shakhtar boss Roberto de Zerbi.
Leeds rejected an approach from Sunderland for Noah Okafor but allowed Willy Gnonto to join Fiorentina on loan.
Leeds agreed to loan speedy Eintracht Frankfurt winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya with an option to buy for £21m plus add-ons. They also added NICE left-back Melvin Bard on loan with an option to buy for £4.28m.
Man United’s proposed bid to sign 18-year-old midfielder Louis Page from Leicester City was called off. The clubs had been in talks over a deal worth more than £10m, with Leicester looking for £12m rising to a potential £15m and a sell-on.
United were offered Man City left-back Rayan Ait Nouri but their neighbours would only agree to a loan with obligation to buy and the Old Trafford side had no desire for a permanent move.
Newcastle signed forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille for an initial £51.4m and rejected further offers from Nottingham Forest worth up to £15m for 31-year-old winger Jacob Murphy.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo joined Newcastle from Lille in a deadline day deal
Forest defender Morato headed to West Ham on a season-long loan, with the option to make the deal permanent while Forest defender Zach Abbott signed a new contract then joined Southampton on loan.
Aston Villa completed the signings of Senegal winger Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, from Paris St-Germain for £47m and English centre back Taylor Harwood-Bellis, 24, from Southampton for £25m with £4m in potential add-ons.
Hull City agreed deals for winger Sorba Thomas from Stoke and Olympiacos midfielder Christos Mouzakitis. They also added Genoa wing-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy with Cody Drameh heading the other way while Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam signed too.
Brighton moved to sign defensive midfielder Chema Andres from Stuttgart for £18m and struck a deal with Millwall for Femi Azeez.
Sunderland signed Kevin Danso from Tottenham and agreed a £5m deal for striker Juan Riquelme Angulo, 18, from Ecuador talent factory Independiente del Valle.
Fulham added another Real Madrid player, £3m midfielder Manuel Angel, and moved for Elche defender David Affengruber and Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson.
Ipswich completed the £20m signing of Burnley forward Zian Flemming while Arsenal keeper Tommy Setford, 20, joined League One side Stevenage on loan.
