EPL Transfer Deadline: Man City Targets Fernandez, Arsenal Pursues Alvarez

As the transfer window draws to a close, English Premier League giants Manchester City and Arsenal are in a frantic race to secure key signings before the Tuesday 2200 GMT deadline. City is actively pursuing a major deal for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, while Arsenal is keenly interested in Atletico Madrid's striker Julian Alvarez. With no further player acquisitions possible until January, clubs are making last-ditch efforts to bolster their squads.

Manchester City's primary objective is to finalize the acquisition of Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea reportedly values the Argentine midfielder at approximately £120 million ($162 million), a figure City has yet to match. A potential reunion with City's former Chelsea coach, Enzo Maresca, could be a factor for Fernandez, who caused a stir last season by expressing a desire to join Real Madrid. Maresca is eager to bring in Fernandez following the recent sale of World Cup winner Rodri to Barcelona, alongside the exits of fellow midfielders Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez, and Tijjani Reijnders.

Speculation surrounding Fernandez's move to the Etihad Stadium has intensified, with Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso omitting him from the squad for the last two matches. In other City news, the club is also anticipated to confirm the signing of Senegal midfielder Iliman Ndiaye from Everton in a deal worth £65 million. Although Tottenham Hotspur had shown interest in Ndiaye, City appears to have secured the 26-year-old's signature.

Reigning champions Arsenal are poised to make a significant statement if they can successfully acquire Argentine forward Julian Alvarez. While Alvarez is believed to favor a transfer to Barcelona, Atletico Madrid is reluctant to sell him to a direct La Liga competitor. However, they might be persuaded to accept a £128 million offer from Arsenal. Alvarez has reportedly missed several training sessions and was absent from the Atletico team that triumphed over Sevilla last weekend. Securing the former City star would signal a strong ambition from Arsenal, who are aiming for their first consecutive English league titles since the 1930s.

Meanwhile, various other transfers are unfolding across the league. Arsenal striker Ethan Nwaneri is reportedly set for a season-long loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool completed a substantial deal on Monday, splashing out £123 million to sign French forward Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Despite this, Reds manager Andoni Iraola is still looking to add another winger as the club adapts to life without Mohamed Salah, who concluded his iconic Liverpool career by joining Trabzonspor in August. Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh are reportedly on Iraola’s wishlist. Should Liverpool acquire either of these targets, it could pave the way for Dutch forward Cody Gakpo to depart Anfield, with both Manchester City and Tottenham expressing interest. Additionally, Harvey Elliott is expected to leave Liverpool, with a loan move to Valencia reportedly arranged for the playmaker after a disappointing period at Aston Villa last season.

Tottenham, having missed out on Ndiaye, is now keen on bringing in Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk on a loan deal. On the other hand, City winger Jack Grealish is set to rejoin Everton on loan, having spent the previous season with David Moyes’s squad. Grealish’s playing time at City has diminished over the past two years, although he made a positive impression at Everton before a foot injury ended his season prematurely in January. Everton is also close to securing United States forward Folarin Balogun from Monaco in a £40 million transfer. Finally, Newcastle striker Nicolas Woltemade is slated to join Juventus on loan.