Why Premier League clubs are attacking the final transfer week so aggressively

Manchester City’s agreement to sign Palmeiras winger Allan Elias has started a transfer chain involving several of the Premier League’s wealthiest clubs. The Brazilian is expected to arrive for around £34 million, creating space for Savinho to complete a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

The volume of late activity means supporters are moving between team news, medical updates and reports of changing transfer fees throughout the day. Deadline week now competes with live sport, streaming services and entertainment such as an online casino for attention, but one completed Premier League deal can still change the plans of several clubs at once.

City are also preparing to sell Nico González to Newcastle United, while Tottenham have pursued Omar Marmoush alongside Savinho. Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo has been linked with both City and Spurs, although his future may depend on whether Liverpool can secure another winger.

Allan Elias allows Manchester City to release Savinho

City have agreed a package worth approximately £32 million plus £2 million in possible additions for Allan. The 22-year-old is due to complete the remaining formalities before joining Enzo Maresca’s squad.

Allan developed through the Palmeiras academy and made his senior debut in January 2025. He has since established himself as a regular, operating mainly from the right but also moving into central attacking areas.

The deal has been completed at a much lower price than his reported release clause. City’s existing relationship with Palmeiras, strengthened by the earlier transfer of Vitor Reis, appears to have helped negotiations progress quickly.

His arrival matters because City had already agreed to sell Savinho to Tottenham. Spurs are expected to pay an initial £75 million, with a further £10 million linked to bonuses. At least part of those additions is considered achievable, making the deal one of City’s largest outgoing transfers.

Replacing Savinho for less than half the fee received gives City considerable room to make further changes. Allan is younger, has a different level of experience and may need time to adjust to the Premier League, but the financial difference can be directed towards other positions.

City are expected to assess Allan within the first-team environment before deciding how large a role he can take immediately. A January loan could remain possible if regular minutes are limited, although the current plan is for him to begin under Maresca.

Tottenham are building a new attack for Roberto De Zerbi

Savinho gives Tottenham a natural option on the right. He can receive the ball close to the touchline, attack defenders directly and move inside when the full-back overlaps.

His arrival forms part of a much broader rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi. Tottenham have already invested heavily in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, while several experienced players have joined on free transfers.

The club’s opening 3-0 defeat at Brentford added urgency to its attacking plans. Richarlison started through the middle but did not register a shot before being replaced. Tottenham struggled to turn possession into clear chances and lacked movement around the penalty area.

Omar Marmoush would address a different need from Savinho. The Egyptian can play centrally or move across the front line, giving De Zerbi more flexibility when Dominic Solanke is unavailable or when Spurs require additional pace behind a defence.

Personal terms have reportedly been settled, while Tottenham and City have continued working on the final structure of the transfer. Until the clubs announce the deal, it should still be treated as an advanced negotiation rather than a completed signing.

Adding both forwards would represent a major change to Tottenham’s attacking options. It could also affect Richarlison’s future and reduce opportunities for younger players who had expected to feature this season.

City are reshaping more than the forward line

The departures of Savinho and Marmoush could raise around £150 million or more. City are also close to receiving approximately £50 million from Newcastle for Nico González.

González joined City from Porto in January 2025. He has made 54 appearances but has not secured a permanent place in the starting side. Increased competition in midfield has made an exit more realistic.

Newcastle have agreed a reported initial fee of £47 million with another £3 million available through additions. The move would give them an experienced midfielder after losing Bruno Guimarães to Arsenal and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham.

City have already spent a club-record £116 million on Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and are close to adding Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. Those arrivals change the route into Maresca’s midfield and leave González facing fewer opportunities.

Selling him for a fee close to the amount paid to Porto limits City’s financial loss. It also releases another place in the squad while Newcastle gain a player who already understands Premier League football.

The sale may not mark the end of City’s midfield business. Enzo Fernández has been mentioned as a possible target, although Chelsea would demand a substantial fee and have little reason to make negotiations simple.

Newcastle need experience after losing two senior midfielders

Newcastle’s pursuit of González is driven by necessity rather than opportunism. Guimarães and Tonali were central to the side’s midfield, and losing both in the same summer removed leadership as well as technical quality.

Young players such as Lewis Miley, Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba can take on greater responsibility, but relying on them throughout an entire Premier League campaign would carry risk. González can help connect the younger group while competing for a regular starting position.

His time at City should also make him comfortable receiving the ball under pressure. Newcastle will need that quality if they want to maintain possession rather than becoming dependent on fast counterattacks.

The fee is significant for a player who was not always selected by City. Newcastle are paying partly for his age, Premier League experience and potential to take on a larger role than he had at the Etihad Stadium.

A move could suit both clubs. City no longer need to keep a well-paid midfielder as cover, while Newcastle cannot wait several months for their younger players to develop into dependable starters.

Cody Gakpo’s future depends on Liverpool’s incoming business

The most uncertain part of the transfer chain involves Cody Gakpo. Tottenham have considered the Liverpool forward as a left-sided option, while City have also been credited with interest.

Liverpool currently have little reason to sell. Gakpo is under contract until 2030 and scored in the opening draw against Newcastle. He can play from the left or through the middle, which makes him useful to new manager Andoni Iraola.

A transfer becomes more realistic only if Liverpool sign at least one replacement. Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola is among their targets, alongside Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and PSG youngster Ibrahim Mbaye.

Liverpool must decide whether selling Gakpo would strengthen the overall squad or simply create another problem close to the deadline. Even a large fee would offer limited value if there were too little time to complete the replacement deal.

The situation also affects Tottenham. If Marmoush and Savinho both arrive, Spurs may reconsider whether another expensive forward is necessary. They could instead concentrate on moving players out or reinforcing another area.

City’s position is similarly dependent on departures. Allan replaces one winger numerically, but he may not be ready to carry the same responsibility immediately. Gakpo would offer Premier League experience, though persuading Liverpool to sell to a direct rival would require a considerable bid.

Selling players is financing another round of recruitment

The figures involved can make late transfer activity look uncontrolled, but the clubs have clear financial reasons for completing these deals.

City can turn Savinho, Marmoush and González into a large combined income while replacing them with younger players. Tottenham are using their spending power to give De Zerbi a forward line built for his style. Newcastle are reinvesting after losing two valuable midfielders.

The order remains important. City needed sufficient confidence in Allan before releasing Savinho. Liverpool may need a winger signed before discussing Gakpo. Newcastle had to identify an available midfielder before allowing their rebuild to enter the season without enough experience.

That is why deadline week can move quickly after days of limited progress. Negotiations that appear separate are often connected by squad spaces, available funds and replacement targets.

Allan’s expected arrival in Manchester is therefore more than an isolated deal. It permits Savinho’s move, strengthens City’s ability to complete further business and affects Tottenham’s remaining priorities. If González and Marmoush also leave, the final week of the window will have changed the balance of three Premier League squads before Gakpo’s future is even decided.