Key events
Done deal: Lukaku joins Roma on season’s loan
It’s another loan for Lukaku, whose Chelsea contract still has three years to run though he has agreed to a pay cut to return to Italy. Roma are the 11th team he will have played for, and he’s had two separate spells at Chelsea and Inter.
Sheffield United sign Luke Thomas
Per PA Media.
Sheffield United have signed Leicester left-back Luke Thomas on a season-long loan.
The 22-year-old has not featured this season for the Foxes amid uncertainty around his future and has now sealed a return to the Premier League for the 2023/24 campaign. He becomes the ninth signing of the summer for the Blades, who still want to do more work before Friday’s transfer deadline.
Thomas, who won the FA Cup with his hometown club, says he turned down interest from other teams to move to Bramall Lane. “When United came in a few days ago, it was an easy decision for me. Coming back to playing Premier League football is obviously what I wanted to do,” he said. “Coming here is a great experience and I can’t wait to get started.
Manchester City agree deal to sign Nunes
Per Ben Fisher.
Wolves have commanded a club-record sale, surpassing the £47m departure of their former captain Rúben Neves to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal earlier this summer. City and Wolves came to the agreement, a deal containing no add-ons, late on Wednesday night and Nunes has travelled to Manchester to undergo a medical before completing the move.
Wolves will receive 10% of any profit City make on the future sale of the Portugal midfielder, who made clear his desire to move after failing to report for training since Sunday, after City’s first bid of £47m was rejected. Nunes joined Wolves from Sporting in a club-record £42m deal last summer and had four years, plus a 12-month club option, to run on his contract.
One of the odder deals of the summer though Palmer clearly fancies getting more playing time at Chelsea rather than City.
Will Unwin with more transfer talk: make that Aaron Ramsey, Cameron Archer and now Keinan Davis of former Villa youth products shipped out.
Keinan Davis has agreed to join Udinese from Aston Villa.
— Will Unwin (@Will_Unwin) August 31, 2023
Brighton move for Ansu Fati loan
Would Ansu Fati’s arrival at Brighton be the coup of the summer? And what will it mean for the likes of Solly March, Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso. Perhaps the latter’s injury forced the issue for Brighton.
Private flight scheduled around lunch time for Ansu Fati to travel to Brighton and complete move after agreement in place on Wednesday night 🔵🛩️
Brighton, waiting to complete the loan deal in 24h. #BHAFC pic.twitter.com/ONZXMKfRoR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2023
Preamble
Morning, morning, and there’s less than 48 hours to go until the window slams shut. You know the drill by now: Manchester United desperation and Chelsea signing everyone, and lots of other stuff besides. The latest news and reaction as the deals – and no deals – roll in.
Handily, Will Unwin has supplied the latest red-hot rumours. So, let’s get going.