Transfer deadline day: The 10 high-profile players who could still move

After a busy summer filled with expensive player transfers, smart new signings, and uncertain contract situations, transfer deadline day has arrived at last.

It is still a significant day for all football enthusiasts. Will a team's scouting department be able to navigate the chaos of deadline day and discover the next standout player like Cole Palmer, Wayne Rooney, or Claude Makelele? Or will they give in to the pressure and sign a risky player in the eleventh hour who turns out to be a disappointment and a source of ridicule for years to come?

With sporting directors gearing up for a busy day of negotiations, The Athletic has identified 10 top players who may be switching teams before the transfer window closes at 11pm.

Jadon Sancho came back to Manchester United this summer after making it to the Champions League final while on loan with Borussia Dortmund. He had shown considerable improvement in rebuilding a reputation that had been affected during a tough time at Old Trafford.

Once the 24-year-old patched things up with Erik ten Hag, it looked like he would be staying at United for the 2024-25 season. However, Sancho has been excluded from Ten Hag's squad for the first two league matches. He can be signed by another club if they meet United's price.

United's first choice is for a player to leave the team permanently, with a price tag of approximately £25 million ($32.9 million). However, as the deadline approaches, they might still approve a temporary loan agreement.

In a recent update from The Athletic, it was mentioned that Juventus and Chelsea have shown interest this week. There is also a possibility of other teams joining the race in the final hours of the transfer window.

There is still a possibility that Sancho could transfer during this transfer window.

Raheem Sterling is not in Chelsea's future plans and has not been selected for Enzo Maresca's teams in the Premier League and Europa Conference League. His agents asked for more information about what this means for his career after he wasn't picked for their first game against Manchester City.

Sterling wants to sort out his contract before starting discussions with clubs that are interested in him potentially moving. His contract is worth over £300,000 per week and is set to last until 2027.

The 29-year-old player is practicing on his own, not with the main team. He no longer has his squad number, which has been given to Pedro Neto, a recent addition to the Chelsea team from Wolves.

There have been rumors connecting Sterling with Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and United, but Villa is not actively trying to sign him, according to the Transfer DealSheet.

If Chelsea were to pursue Sancho, they may have to look in a different direction. David Ornstein recently mentioned that Sterling could be the most realistic option among those considered. However, Manchester United will need to weigh up the potential financial and footballing benefits of such a move.

Despite the potential allure of clubs such as Arsenal based on their location, track record of success, and stable environment, there is currently no evidence of any movement towards Sterling potentially joining the team. Additionally, Sterling's existing relationship with Mikel Arteta, whom he worked with at Manchester City, does not seem to be a factor in any potential transfer.

Maresca is still searching for a dedicated striker as the transfer window comes to a close.

Chelsea want to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, but a recent report from The Athletic said they are only willing to bring him in on a temporary basis.

After hearing about rumors connecting Al Ahli, a club in the Saudi Pro League, with a potential offer, Victor Osimhen's agent, Roberto Calenda, hinted that his client is interested in playing for a team in Europe. Calenda took to X platform to express his thoughts, stating, "Victor is not just a commodity to be sent off to a distant location to make space for new talents. He was named African Footballer of the Year and finished eighth in the Ballon d'Or rankings; he still has a lot to achieve in Europe. It's important to show respect and maintain a sense of equilibrium."

Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson netted his first goal of the season in their dominant 6-2 victory against Wolves on Sunday. The recent acquisition of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid has bolstered their attacking options, but bringing in Osimhen would further elevate their offensive capabilities.

It is uncertain what lies ahead for Osimhen.

Ivan Toney was left out of Brentford's lineup again on Sunday because the team turned down an offer from Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. The 28-year-old is in the last year of his contract and has made it clear that he wants to leave the Gtech Community Stadium.

Toney, who made a significant impact as a substitute for England during the European Championship, doesn't seem to have a top choice for his next destination. However, clubs worldwide are likely to show interest in signing him.

This seems like an issue that must be addressed before the due date.

The possible transfer of Marc Guehi to Newcastle United has been one of the biggest talking points of the summer. The outcome will be decided today, bringing an end to the ongoing speculation.

Even though Newcastle was interested, he has still been a key part of Oliver Glasner's strategies. Guehi, who was appointed as club captain at the beginning of the season, completed the full 90 minutes in Crystal Palace's 4-0 victory against Norwich City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. This win marked their first victory of the season.

However, as the deadline day approaches, his future is still up in the air. Newcastle have shown strong interest in him, making multiple offers that have been turned down during the transfer window.

Nevertheless, Palace will only agree to let go of the 24-year-old player if their asking price is met, and Newcastle seems to have reached a point where they are giving up on the transfer. Despite Howe's interest in the player, it seems highly improbable that a deal will be reached.

Danny Ings was put up for sale by West Ham United when the transfer window opened, but a transfer deal has not happened yet.

Ings wants to stay in the Premier League, but there are no teams in England's top division that seem interested. There is a small possibility that West Ham might let the 32-year-old go if a suitable deal cannot be found for both the club and player, giving him the opportunity to look for a new contract as a free agent. However, they would rather organize a transfer on deadline day.

Ings is on the outskirts of the West Ham team (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

The forward only played a short amount of time as a substitute in West Ham's first game against Villa, one of his old teams. However, he did not get to play at all in the 2-0 victory against Palace. He was also not included in the squad for the 1-0 win against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

Just after making his decision to stop playing for his country, Kieran Trippier might depart from St James' Park as early as today.

Trippier wants to leave Newcastle because he wants to play more regularly. He was replaced by Tino Livramento in the first two Premier League matches and also lost his role as captain to Bruno Guimaraes. His main motivation for wanting to leave is not just losing the captaincy, but also his lack of playing time. This situation is still ongoing.

Everton has expressed interest in the current transfer window. Howe is determined to hold onto Trippier, but the 33-year-old's future is still up in the air.

The player who usually plays on the right side of the defense was in Newcastle's win in a penalty shootout against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. However, he was substituted for Livramento shortly after the hour mark. With the deadline approaching, Trippier may need to actively seek a transfer if he wants to leave Newcastle, but the situation is still uncertain as we head into the final day.

Another player who was not given much playing time under Maresca at Chelsea, Trevoh Chalobah, is looking for a new opportunity to jumpstart his once-promising career.

Chalobah made his debut for Chelsea in the 2020-21 season, playing in 20 league games and scoring three goals as a central defender. He played even more games in the next season, appearing in 25 league matches. However, his importance in the team decreased last season and he is now able to leave if a good offer comes in from another club.

According to The Athletic, Crystal Palace showed interest in signing him earlier this week. However, Chalobah might decide to remain at Chelsea if the club ends up selling Axel Disasi.

It has not been a very exciting year for Matheus Nunes, who signed with Manchester City on the last day of the summer transfer window from Wolves.

The 26-year-old joined the team for a hefty fee of £53 million after only playing for one season in the West Midlands. Now, just a year later, it looks like he might leave on deadline day. According to David Ornstein, Atletico Madrid has been looking into the possibility of loaning him this week.

Nunes might depart from City within a year. (Image Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Nunes played in 29 games across all competitions, but only started nine times in the Premier League. He made his first appearance of the season in the last few minutes of City's 4-1 victory against Ipswich Town last weekend. However, he may not get many chances to play in the starting lineup as Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri return to the team.

Considering Joe Gomez's significant involvement in Jurgen Klopp's team last season, playing in 51 matches across various positions, he likely anticipated a more central role under Liverpool's new manager, Arne Slot.

Yet, Gomez was not selected for Slot's first official team for Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town on the first day of the season and was on the bench but did not play in the win against Brentford. Even though he managed to earn a spot back on the England team during the Euros under former manager Gareth Southgate, the 27-year-old seems to be out of favor at Anfield and there is a possibility he might leave on the deadline day.

Newcastle wanted to sign him at the beginning of the transfer window as part of a deal to bring Anthony Gordon to Anfield. However, it seems unlikely that they will try again at this point. Many Premier League managers may be interested in Gomez's ability to play in different positions, so there could be a last-minute attempt to sign him before the transfer window closes.

(Top images: Getty Images) Rewrite the blog section in free English using other words (Top images: Getty Images)

Elias Burke writes about European soccer and player transfers. He used to write about U.S. soccer, West Bromwich Albion, and Derby County for The Athletic. He lives in London. You can find him on Twitter @eliasburke.