Deadline Day Two: The players who could still move to the Premier League from the EFL
Written by News on 06/10/2020
Deadline Day has passed – but that doesn’t mean transfer business is over for Premier League clubs. They can still deal with EFL clubs until October 16. So which players could be on the move before that domestic window closing?
The extended opportunity for transfers, allowing Premier League clubs to buy, sell and loan players with clubs from the Championship, League One and League Two, offers top-flight clubs the chance to boost their squads.
Here, we pick out the players who could beat that second deadline to move to the Premier League…
Joe Rodon
Tottenham are in talks to sign central defender Joe Rodon from Championship side Swansea.
A source has told Sky Sports News that a deal is being considered for the 22-year-old, with a fee between £7m and £18m under discussion.
The centre-back has also been drawing interest from West Ham.
Earlier this summer, Sky Sports EFL pundits Danny Higginbotham and Andy Hinchcliffe assessed Rodon’s attributes as part of the Future Star series and explained why he is such a special talent. “You look at Rio Ferdinand and John Terry and there are elements of both in Rodon’s game,” said Hinchcliffe.
Read more from Hinchcliffe and Higginbotham in their analysis of Rodon here.
Ismaila Sarr
Manchester United have been linked with a move for 22-year-old winger Ismaila Sarr at Watford – and after failing to land Jadon Sancho or Ousmane Dembele on Deadline Day, the Old Trafford club have the opportunity to add another forward to their attack before the October 16 deadline.
Sarr scored five goals and recorded four assists in the Premier League last season after joining from Rennes, famously hitting the net twice to help Watford to a 3-0 win over United’s arch rivals Liverpool in February, ending the Reds’ unbeaten streak and denying them the outright record of consecutive Premier League victories.
Said Benrahma
Brentford’s brilliant Algerian forward Said Benrahma has been on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs after scoring 17 times in the Championship last season. His two goals in Brentford’s 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Fulham underlined his ability and, speaking after that game, his boss Thomas Frank conceded a transfer could be on the cards.
“Am I confident he will stay? I’m confident that I would love him to stay, and I would love to have him,” said Frank. “But I don’t know. Honestly, if the price is right we are open to selling, but if not we will be happy for him to stay.
“Either we are going to get a top price or we are going to keep one of the best players in the Championship. Has he added a few million to his price? 100 per cent!”
William Saliba
Premier League clubs must submit their 25-man squad lists no later than October 20 – four days after the end of the domestic transfer window – and Arsenal are actively seeking a loan move for William Saliba.
Saint Etienne confirmed on Tuesday they reached an agreement with their former player and Arsenal over a season-long loan on Deadline Day. However, due to time constraints the French club failed to get the deal completed in time.
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A Saint Etienne statement read: “Unfortunately, all the administrative conditions could not be met in time, in England, for the finalisation of the transfer. The disappointment is great for ASSE and William Saliba, who was particularly determined to return to the club where he had flourished.”
But Arsenal could in the long-term benefit from Saliba gaining invaluable experience of English football playing in the second tier.
Arsenal feel the player has lost seven months of development as a result of Ligue 1 being curtailed last March and the defender now requires a year of playing regular football.
According to the Press Association, the Gunners are looking into the possibility of loaning Saliba to a Championship side in the coming days.
Josh King
Bournemouth forward Josh King appeared close to a return to Manchester United in January. That move didn’t materialise and neither did his links with Tottenham, after Spurs turned to Carlos Vinicius to provide cover for Harry Kane. But King has reportedly not given up on his ambition to get back to top-flight football.
The Norwegian has played just once for Bournemouth on their return to the Championship this season but has 48 goals in 161 Premier League appearances and could attract attention before October 16.
Todd Cantwell
Norwich’s talented young forward Todd Cantwell has been left out of the team’s last two squads, fuelling links with a transfer back to the Premier League, with Leeds one of the sides linked with a move for him.
The 22-year-old scored six goals and recorded two assists in the top flight last season but Norwich boss Daniel Farke is hopeful of keeping him at the club, as they push for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Charlie Austin
One player who looks set to utilise the extra time given for players to move from the Premier League to the Championship is Charlie Austin. The West Brom striker scored 10 times last season to help the Baggies back to the top flight but now seems on course for a switch to Derby County.
The 31-year-old has slipped down the pecking order at the Hawthorns and is eager to continue playing regularly.
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Deadline Day Two: The players who could still move to the Premier League from the EFL
