The La Liga transfer window doesn’t actually shut until 3am UAE time Saturday so it gives the likes of Barcelona an opportunity to push through late deals.
Our Spanish football expert Andy West breaks down the three likeliest moves to occur before the window slams shut.
Although Barcelona appear to be eventually giving up on their protracted attempts to sign Philippe Coutinho – perhaps finally realising that Liverpool’s “no” really does mean “no” – their transfer activity for the summer is unlikely to be over.
Earlier this week sporting director Robert Fernandez admitted he would like to secure two new players before the window closes, and one of those is widely thought to be Argentine international winger Angel Di Maria from Paris St Germain.
In many ways it would be an eminently sensible move: Di Maria is an experienced, talented, hard-working and versatile performer who would add quality to the squad in a variety of positions and already has a good relationship with key man and international teammate Lionel Messi.
However, it would also be a hugely controversial transfer considering Barca’s torrid recent history with his current club PSG and the fact that Di Maria also used to play for Real Madrid.
Those factors would ensure a mixed reception for the 29-year-old if the deal is completed, but after their wretched summer Barca’s board just need to sign someone, anyone, and then hope for the best.
Angel Di Maria in action for PSG this season
The only surprise about the Brazilian powerhouse heading back to the Spanish capital would be if the deal does not happen.
Costa leaving Stamford Bridge to return to Atletico is perhaps the most logical move of the entire transfer window: Atletico want him to come, Chelsea want him to leave, and Costa is desperate to rejoin his former club to the exclusion of anyone else.
So far, however, negotiations between the clubs have been painfully slow with Atletico hoping to pay the lowest fee possible while Chelsea do their best to ensure his mutually antagonistic exit does not run smoothly.
There’s just no way, however, that Antonio Conte would allow himself to be lumbered with the player for the next few months. And another rather forceful manager, Diego Simeone, would be absolutely seething with his club’s hierarchy if they didn’t make the deal happen.
It all adds up to make an obvious transfer that really should happen for everyone’s sake, and once the posturing from all sides comes to an end that’s surely what will happen.
The past few days have seen confusion over the future of 21-year-old Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, with differing reports emerging over the status of his proposed loan move to Valencia.
At the start of the week it was already being claimed that the deal had been confirmed, but that was hastily withdrawn when it became clear that neither club had yet made the move official.
United boss Jose Mourinho is happy to let the youngster leave so he can gain more first team experience, and Valencia owner Peter Lim – who has close links with United through his ownership of Salford City – is also pushing hard for the move to happen.
But the sticking point is the player himself, with Pereira’s preference being to stay at Old Trafford and fight for a place in the team.
Eventually, however, he will probably be forced to accept that won’t happen this season, and a year in La Liga awaits for this talented prospect.
Andreas Pereira in pre-season for Man United
