The summer transfer window is closed for the top leagues in Europe! After a summer full of international football, countless clubs waited until the last minute to pull off their transfers. See all the major deals here and check out how we graded the biggest signings. But just because the window is shut until January, that doesn't mean the rumours won't keep coming.
TOP STORY: Real Madrid join race for Sesko
Real Madrid have joined Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester City in the race to sign FC Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko, according to AS.
Sesko, 18, has attracted the attention of several top European clubs since gaining promotion to the first team this summer. The 6-foot-4 striker has scored six goals in 14 games in all competitions this season.
The Slovenia international, who has drawn comparisons in style of play to Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, is under contract with the Austrian club until June 2026.
Madrid are looking to sign Haaland, as well as PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, as they look for a long-term replacement for 33-year-old Karim Benzema. But Sesko would be available for a much cheaper fee in January.
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22.00 BST: Internazionale are hoping to find a new home for Alexis Sanchez, and Calciomercato suggests that the Scudetto winners will try to sign Cagliari's Joao Pedro as his replacement. It's reported that a positive relationship between the two clubs should help any negotiations.
21.27 BST: Getafe have announced the departure of Michel as head coach after just eight games in charge. The 58-year-old had also taken charge of the Azulones between 2009 and 2011, but hasn't lasted this time around, having taken just one point from eight this campaign.
20.54 BST: Everton director of football Marcel Brands has spoken to Dutch outlet NOS about Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek, whom the Toffees tried to sign during the summer transfer window.
"We had him on our list," he said of the Netherlands international. "At the beginning of the transfer window, we inquired at United, then it was impossible. At the end of the window, I received a call from Guido Albers, his agent, that he might be rented out after all. But at the last minute it was cancelled, stopped again."
When asked whether Everton could make another move, Brands added: "You always depend on whether a club wants to cooperate. And it is early October, so much can still happen with injuries. United are playing on various fronts, it's hard to say now."
20.21 BST: Thierry Correia has agreed a new contract to keep him at Valencia until 2026, the Spanish club confirmed on Monday. The 22-year-old right-back signed from Sporting Lisbon in 2019 and has so far featured 44 times across LaLiga, the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
19.48 BST: AS Roma have been working on contract renewals in recent times, but that doesn't mean Jose Mourinho has taken his eyes off transfers, as Calciomercato reports that he likes the look of Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez. The Uruguay international could ask to leave in January with Cagliari bottom of Serie A, having earned just three points from their first seven matches. Roma could have work to do, though, as the 25-year-old likes the idea of joining Internazionale.
19.15 BST: Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage has admitted that the West Midlands club could look to the free agent market in order to strengthen their squad before January, as has been reported by the Birmingham Mail.
The Wolves boss said: "We are looking for everything, but what I'm not looking for is for players just to come and fill the squad -- those ones I don't want. We need to bring two or three more players to have more competition, guys who come to help us."
18.42 BST: The Athletic reports that Brentford are among the Premier League clubs looking at Hull City's Keane Lewis-Potter, with others such as West Ham United and Southampton having been linked by various outlets in the past.
The Bees made an £8m move in the summer that was turned down, and the report states that the Championship side are demanding a transfer fee of £12m, with the 20-year-old having signed a contract renewal that can keep him there until at least 2023.
18.09 BST: AC Milan have reignited their interest in signing Julian Alvarez after the 21-year-old's brace decided the Superclasico in River Plate's favour, according to Calciomercato.
They have previously shown intrigue, but the €25m transfer fee required to sign the Argentina forward put them off. With his contract ending in 2022, there is said to be a feeling that they can bring him in for a lower price, although the Italian outfit is likely to face competition from Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, Sevilla, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa.
17.36 BST: Juventus are hoping to strengthen their midfield in January, and as mentioned earlier in the blog, AS Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni is an option, while Manchester United's Donny van de Beek is another one according to Il Bianco Nero. However, the report suggests that the Italian giants will need to offload players in order to bring any in, with Weston McKennie, Aaron Ramsey, Luca Pellegrini, Dejan Kulusevski and even Kaio Jorge all potentially available for the right offer.
17.03 BST: Watford have confirmed that Claudio Ranieri is their new head coach. This follows the dismissal of former boss Xisco Munoz, with the Italian coming in on a two-year deal. Read the full story.
16.30 BST: Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele is on the radar of Manchester United and Juventus, says Mundo Deportivo.
Dembele, 24, has struggled with injury since making a €105m move from Dortmund in 2017 and now an injury suffered at Euro 2020 with France has kept him out of this LaLiga campaign.
Barcelona want Dembele to sign a new contract until 2024 so they don't lose him for free next summer. But if he does, they will take any offers on the table.
15.32 BST: Former Tottenham defender Serge Aurier has signed for LaLiga side Villarreal on a free transfer.
💛 @Serge_aurier 💛
— Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) October 4, 2021
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¡𝗕𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗗𝗢 𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 💪! pic.twitter.com/Do7Qd0nFRj
The 28-year-old has signed a one-year contract with the option to extend it by two more years.
15.18 BST: Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni can move for €40m, according to Calciomercato.
Tchouameni, 21, has been tracked by Chelsea and Juventus but is under contract until 2024.
The France international has scored once in nine Ligue 1 games for Monaco this season but is highly rated by the French club.
14.45 BST: AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie has caught the eye of plenty of top clubs, especially as his contract expires in 2022.
Manchester United have now reportedly joined Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in the chase for the Ivory Coast international's signature.
Gazzetta dello Sport reckons United are keen to land the star on a free in 2022 and he could replace Paul Pogba if the Frenchman doesn't sign new terms.
14.04 BST: Inter Milan winger Alexis Sanchez is surplus to requirements, but the club may have a problem in moving him on, says Calciomercato.
Sanchez, 32, joined from Man United in 2019 but his €7.5ma-a-year wages will be tough to match.
The Chile international had been linked with a return to Arsenal and deleted a social media post which expressed his anger at being left on the bench for the 2-1 win at Sassuolo at the weekend.
13.31 BST: Wondering what is going on with Kylian Mbappe? Julien Laurens can explain.
12.40 BST: Kylian Mbappe has said that he informed Paris Saint-Germain of his desire to leave the club in July and rejects the claim he told them about his decision at the end of the transfer window.
The France international was linked with a move to Real Madrid after PSG sporting director Leonardo said the striker wanted to leave.
PSG refused to negotiate over a deal for Mbappe in August, despite the 22-year-old having just a year left on his contract. Sources in Madrid previously told ESPN that Madrid made bids of €160m, €180m and finally €200m on Aug. 31 before the transfer window closed.
Speaking to RMC Sport to clarify the situation, Mbappe said: "I asked to leave because from the moment I didn't want to extend [my contract], I wanted the club to receive a transfer fee to bring in a quality replacement.
"It's a club that's given me a lot, I've always been happy during the four years I've been here and I still am. I said it early enough so that the club could react. I wanted everyone to come out of this stronger, that we leave hand in hand, to make a good deal, and I respected that. I said, if you don't want me to leave, I will stay.
"People said that I had refused six or seven contract offers and that I no longer wanted to talk to Leonardo but that's absolutely not true. They told me 'Kylian now you talk with the president.'
When asked about Leonardo's failure to complete a deal, Mbappe replied: "That's not for me to judge but my position was clear. I said that I wanted to leave and I said it quite early on. Personally, I did not appreciate the idea that 'yes, he came in the final week of August' because that makes me sound like a thief. I said at the end of July I wanted to leave."
11.53 BST: Real Madrid want to sign RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku in 2022, according to Mundo Deportivo,
Nkunku, 23, has scored nine goals in 10 games so far this season and that form has attracted some of the biggest clubs in world football.
The France U21 international left PSG for Leipzig in July 2019 and has thrived in the Bundesliga since.
https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fichajes/mercado-fichajes/20211004/1001683530/mercado-fichajes-directo-ultima-hora-traspasos-cesiones.html
11.16 BST: Why haven't struggling Barcelona made a change yet?
10.32 BST: Dani Olmo and Raheem Sterling are January targets for Barcelona as they look to strengthen their attack, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Coach Ronald Koeman has bemoaned Barca's lack of firepower, with his team managing just 11 goals in nine matches in all competitions this season. Seven of those goals came in wins against Real Sociedad and Levante, while they have failed to find the net in four of their last six outings.
Koeman says the team needs players that can add width, with Olmo and Sterling both linked in the summer, too. Barca failed with a late bid for RB Leipzig's Olmo in August after Antoine Griezmann left for Atletico Madrid. Preliminary talks to sign Sterling from Manchester City, meanwhile, never advanced.
Mundo Deportivo claimS both remain on Barca's radar ahead of the winter transfer window opening in two months. The report says, despite being hit with a €97m spending limit by LaLiga, lower than six other sides in Spain's top flight, Barca will have money to make signings.
Memphis Depay is Barca's top scorer this season with three goals. Koeman, who's been handed a stay of execution by president Joan Laporta, is hopeful things will improve after the international break as players return from injuries. Ansu Fati came back recently, scoring against Levante, and Sergio Aguero and Ousmane Dembele are nearing the final stages of their recovery work.
09.55 BST: Talks between Barcelona and Sergi Roberto over a contract extension have stalled, the player's agent has told Mundo Deportivo.
Roberto, 29, is out of contract next summer and previous reports suggested he was close to signing a new deal to prolong his stay at Camp Nou until 2024. The reported agreement included a reduction to his salary, in line with previous pay cuts accepted by the club's other three captains, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
However, Josep Maria Orobitg says negotiations have been suspended, with ESPN revealing in September that several clubs have shown an interest in signing Roberto on a free next summer.
"Everything's stopped," Orobitg confirmed to the Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo. "But talks could start again at any moment."
Roberto has made eight appearances for Barca in all competitions this season, but despite scoring two goals it's been a difficult start to the campaign for the academy graduate. He was whistled by his own supporters during the 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich and was left on the bench as Barca were beaten by Atletico Madrid at the weekend.
09.13 BST: Valencia owner Peter Lim has no intention of selling the club and has reiterated his commitment to continue to manage the LaLiga outfit.
Former Valencia vice-president Miguel Zorio announced last week he had made a €368m bid to buy Valencia from Singaporean business magnate Lim.
But a club statement said: "Valencia CF is not for sale, not even a part of the shareholding package of its largest shareholder. Peter Lim reiterates his commitment and involvement as the maximum shareholder, an example of this is the capital increase proposal that must be approved at the next Ordinary General Shareholders' Meeting. Even in the hypothetical case that such offer existed, it would be rejected."
08.51 BST: In more FC Salzburg news, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are battling to sign forward Karim Adeyemi, says the Daily Mail.
Adeyemi, 19, already has 10 goals this season (including three in the Champions League) and scored on his senior Germany debut as well.
Salzburg reportedly want €20m for him, which doesn't seem a lot given his potential.
08.30 BST: Mohamed Salah starred this weekend but his contract situation at Liverpool remains unresolved, with the forward yet to agree a deal to replace his existing terms that expire in June 2023.
But sources told ESPN's Mark Ogden his focus and dedication amid the uncertainty have further enhanced his reputation among his teammates.
Salah and fellow forwards Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, who are all free agents at the end of the 2022-23 season, have yet to extend their contracts, but Salah's situation is the one that is likely to be the most challenging, according to sources, with talks ongoing.
The former Chelsea and Roma forward has previously refused to play down the prospect of a move to LaLiga, with both Real Madrid and Barcelona both linked with the 29-year-old in the past, but neither team are in a position to sign Salah in the coming transfer windows due to financial issues at both clubs and Real's primary focus on signing Kylian Mbappe. Paris Saint-Germain have also been admirers of Salah over recent seasons, but the summer signing of Lionel Messi appears to have closed the door on any possible move.
Liverpool are aware of the limited options Salah has in terms moving away from Anfield for a fee in 2022, but with the Egypt international set to turn 30 next June, sources said the club must also consider the financial implications of committing to a long-term deal for a player who would be in his mid-30s by the time it expires.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
- Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has been linked to pretty much every one of the world's biggest clubs ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich among the most prominent in these discussions. However, while speaking to Sport Bild on "Die Lage der Liga," Jan Aage Fjortoft suggested that the Norway international could still stay put for longer than many are expecting.
There has been plenty of discussion around the reported €75m release clause in his contract that comes into effect in the summer, while his deal comes to an end in 2022. Although that somewhat forces the Bundesliga side's hand, Haaland is still very much able to turn down any moves that come his way. Speaking on the show, he said: "I think the Haaland team and the family don't know where he's going either. Because the football world is changing. There are so many things that affect that. They don't know where he will play in the 2021-22 season. Haaland and his team are always looking for development. And if that is the case in Dortmund, then he will stay there."
- Free agent Serge Aurier is very close to joining LaLiga outfit Villarreal, as has been reported by L'Equipe. The Ivory Coast international has been without a club since being released from his contract at Tottenham Hotspur, but is said to already be in Spain to discuss the final details of a deal with last season's Europa League winners. Villarreal coach Unai Emery knows Aurier well, having managed him at Paris Saint-Germain in the 2016-17 campaign. "He is a player that I know and he is free," Emery said of Aurier after Sunday's 2-0 win over Real Betis. "We shall see."
- Fiorentina chairman Rocco Commisso is beginning to have concerns about whether star striker Dusan Vlahovic actually intends on extending his contract that comes to an end in 2023, as has been reported by Sky Sports Italia. The Serbia international has received plenty of interest from big-name clubs in recent months, but La Viola are doing all they can to keep him, offering a renewal of €4m-per-season and an €80m release clause. However, Vlahovic's agent has received higher requests than the initial agreement, putting doubts in the minds of Fiorentina bosses.
- Internazionale are willing to pay Ajax a transfer fee to sign goalkeeper Andre Onana in January so that he can settle in properly, rather than waiting until the end of the season to sign him for free, according to Calciomercato. The plan is for the Cameroon international to take over from Samir Handanovic, and while that won't happen straight away, the feeling is that a move to Italy could prepare the stopper ahead of next season. To make this happen, the Scudetto winners would need to find a new home for Ionut Radu, as well as coming to an agreement with the Eredivisie champions.
- Roma are looking to renew the contracts of Gianluca Mancini, Bryan Cristante and Nicolo Zaniolo, as has been reported by Calciomercato. All three of them already have deals that run until 2024, but after Tammy Abraham's arrival and Lorenzo Pellegrini's new contract, they are making a move to ensure that Jose Mourinho doesn't lose any of the trio after Roma have seen their stars leave in the past.