Seven Players Racing Against the Clock to Seal Last-Minute Summer Deals

Another busy summer transfer window hasn't fully closed yet, even if Europe's top divisions have shut their doors.

The Premier League, true to form, once again broke spending records, while the rest of the continent, major powers aside, focused on staying competitive by picking up players for relatively modest fees. The English top flight outspent all of its big-five rivals combined.

There's still room for significant money to change hands. The lack of a universal deadline means Türkiye's wealthy clubs and Saudi Arabia's PIF-backed sides have the opportunity to lure talent away from Europe's elite, including several very recognizable names.

Here are some notable players who could be on the move following the Premier League's transfer Deadline Day.

Which Transfer Windows Are Still Open After Premier League Deadline Day?

Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal's transfer window wrapped up without the signing of a marquee attacker, despite the club's attempts to land Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior, and Julián Alvarez.

Christos Tzolis arrived as a replacement for Leandro Trossard, but the Gunners will need to wait until 2027 to address Gabriel Martinelli's anticipated exit.

The Brazilian is set to become Arsenal's most expensive sale after the Premier League champions agreed a $75 million deal with Al Hilal. With the Saudi Pro League's window remaining open until mid-October, there's ample time for the transfer to be completed.

Given that no new attacker arrived beyond Tzolis, fans have urged the club to hold onto Martinelli, who hasn't progressed as expected since his standout 2022–23 season, though he did contribute usefully in domestic cup competitions last term.

However, Arsenal have received an offer too lucrative to turn down, and they'll look to Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke to support Tzolis on the left flank.

Alexander Sørloth

Some typical late-window transfer speculation linked Atlético Madrid's Alexander Sørloth with a move to Manchester United in the closing days of the Premier League's summer window. The Red Devils showed little appetite to strengthen their attack after last summer's heavy investment, with a midfield overhaul taking priority this time.

Sørloth, however, could be a name to watch in the Saudi transfer market.

While Diego Simeone has expressed his desire to keep Sørloth following the club's success in preventing Julián Alvarez from making his "dream" move to Barcelona, the arrival of Jonathan David from Juventus gives Atléti more flexibility should a substantial offer come in from the Gulf region or Türkiye.

Sørloth's numbers dipped last season, falling from 20 La Liga goals to 13, and he'll turn 31 in December. It may be the right moment to sell.

Jadon Sancho

Jadon Sancho's steep decline shows no signs of reversing. Clubs continue to take chances on the former Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund winger, yet none are willing to make a serious commitment.

He was among Europe's most thrilling players at his peak, but his $100 million transfer to the Red Devils in 2021 marked the beginning of Sancho's remarkable downfall. Erik ten Hag struggled to get the best out of the winger, and his time at Man Utd exposed weaknesses that had been concealed by the space afforded in the Bundesliga.

Sancho has since shown flashes of his pre-COVID brilliance, most notably during a loan return to BVB. A reasonably productive stint at Chelsea was followed by a forgettable spell at Aston Villa, though at least he's now free from that enormously costly Man Utd contract.

Now a free agent, what lies ahead for the 26-year-old remains uncertain.

Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema has several paths to consider following his mutual departure from Al Hilal, with retirement among the possibilities.

The iconic French striker joined the record Saudi Pro League champions at the beginning of the year and netted nine times in 10 league appearances. Despite his contributions, his presence wasn't enough to stop old friend Cristiano Ronaldo from claiming his first league title since arriving in the Gulf.

Al Hilal effectively chose Ollie Watkins over the 38-year-old, who has since attracted interest from Al Shabab in the SPL.

Richard Ríos

26-year-old Richard Ríos featured in a surprisingly limited capacity for Colombia at the 2026 World Cup, despite having made a name for himself at the Club World Cup the previous summer.

Ríos earned a transfer to Benfica on the strength of his impressive performances with Palmeiras, but the commanding midfielder is now departing the Portuguese club after just one season.

He ranks as Benfica's fourth-most expensive signing and had been loosely linked with a move to Everton earlier in the summer. Now, however, Ríos appears ready to leave Europe after a short stint and make the move to Saudi Arabia.

Al Ittihad have agreed to bring the midfielder in on loan for the 2026–27 season with no purchase option included.

Leon Bailey

Leon Bailey was a player to monitor in the final stretch of the Premier League's summer window, with newly promoted Hull City among the clubs keen on signing the unsettled Jamaican.

Bailey has been training independently throughout the summer after Aston Villa made clear he no longer features in their plans.

He delivered consistent performances at Villa Park over several seasons, but was another player whose reputation was ultimately weighed down by the high expectations set during a productive Bundesliga campaign.

A loan move to Roma failed to reignite his career, and he managed barely 700 minutes of action across all competitions last season. With his list of potential suitors shrinking, Al Ittihad and Diriyah Club appear to be the most realistic destinations for the 29-year-old.

Lamine Camara

Chelsea's last-minute push for a midfielder suggests they were nearly caught off guard by Manchester City's interest in and eventual agreement with Enzo Fernández.

The Blues explored a move for Manu Koné on Deadline Day but were turned away by Roma. Attention then shifted to Monaco, who appeared ready to sanction the $63.4 million sale of Senegalese international Lamine Camara.

The situation unfolded in dramatic fashion, with Monaco ultimately holding onto Camara and the Everton-linked Folarin Balogun, which in turn prevented them from pursuing Mexican international Erik Lira.

A move to the Premier League seems like a natural next step for Camara at this point in his career, though Galatasaray are reportedly showing interest.