In our exclusive interview, the football journalist reveals the latest updates on all the top current transfer stories, including Bradley Barcola to Liverpool and whether Alejandro Balde could leave Barcelona.
Football commentator and journalist Ben Jacobs says Liverpool would still like to add two attackers before the transfer window shuts, whilst being reluctant to sell Cody Gakpo.
The Reds are currently 9/1 in the football betting odds to win the Premier League, the fourth-best backed team behind Man City, Chelsea and defending champions Arsenal, who are the clear favourites.
In our exclusive interview, Jacobs also discussed potential transfers for teams such as Spurs, Man Utd and Rangers, as well as giving insight on potential moves for Alejandro Balde and Taty Castellanos.
Is Taty Castellanos a serious contender to leave West Ham before the end of the window, especially given his body language in the first two games of the season?
West Ham’s perspective with Taty Castellanos is to keep him, and in the same way that Jarrod Bowen held talks with the ownership, Castellanos had it reiterated to him at the beginning of the summer that West Ham felt he was very important to getting them back into the Premier League.
And yet from the player’s perspective, he’s open to offers naturally because he joined the club thinking and hoping that they would secure their Premier League status, and they didn’t.
There’s been some interest from Spain, particularly from Real Betis, and yet they have already added some attack reinforcements. And the same can be said for Sevilla as well, who signed Robbie Ure.
In terms of Premier League clubs, nothing yet.
At this point, of course, that could change in the final days of the window, but West Ham are planning with Taty Castellanos, and they would prefer that they don’t have a late departure, and there’s no relegation release clause, as far as I’m aware, within his contract either, so this is kind of a classic case of the player would be open to a late move away, and you can never say never with the window still open, but West Ham’s ideal scenario would be he stays, and the hope, no doubt, will be that if that’s the case, he’ll become very focused on the job at hand after the window shuts.
And then, in addition, it’s just worth noting that he’s not been left out of the starting line-ups, which is another clear indication that Nuno Espirito Santo is counting on him.
How many more players do you think West Ham will sign between now and the deadline? More likely to be loans now, or could there be at least one more big signing given clear problems in the squad?
West Ham have been busy, but of course they’ve lost Matheus Fernandes and Crescencio Somerville, for example.
They’ve got money to spend because there was a cash injection of about £90 million at the beginning of the window, and then the cumulative fees of Fernandes and Somerville took the income brought in to well over £100m.
They have been quite active in the market already. They didn’t get Troy Parrott over the line, but Joel Piroe came in on loan, Manor Solomon, Joel Veltman, and Arne Engels as well. So West Ham have had quite a productive summer, albeit a disruptive one because they kind of had two plans in place heading into the window.
One, if they’d have stayed in the Premier League, and then another due to the fact that they were relegated to the Championship.
Reiss Nelson is probably the one to watch. It’s effectively agreed in principle, and West Ham are deciding whether to proceed.
There are other options as well. The highly regarded Viking winger Edvin Austbø, who is a left winger who can also drop a bit deeper and play more in left midfield and even get into central areas.
He’s relatively capable of switching sides as well. Quite creative and a progressive passer, and a player that it’s largely believed over the course of the next years will start to add more goal contributions to his game as well, but pretty intelligent off the ball, and a player that a lot of people feel can move effectively to England, and ultimately one day end up in the Premier League as well.
So, he’s an option for West Ham as well, but the Reiss Nelson one is the most advanced deal. It’s kind of less about the club-to-club and more about whether West Ham, at the time of recording anyway, want to pull the trigger on that one.
After signing Savio and Marmoush, who is the number one target for Spurs, and is there any truth in the rumours linking them with Victor Osimhen and Nicolas Jackson?
At the moment, Spurs want Cody Gakpo as their lead target, and we know that Manchester City have considered entering that race. It’s all a bit redundant unless Liverpool add to their squad.
Two attackers, the top choice being Bradley Barcola and one other, and given Gakpo started against Newcastle and scored an excellent goal, you can understand why Liverpool are reluctant sellers as of now, but that could change if they are productive themselves in the market.
So, Spurs’ intent has always been to do Savio, plus Omar Marmoush, and then Cody Gakpo. Given we’re in an inflated market, and other players have gone for significant fees, Liverpool have a very high valuation if they’re to sell, but they won’t leave themselves short, and then if it isn’t to be Cody Gakpo, Tottenham will assess late in the window other options.
They’ve been offered Rafael Leao, as have several clubs. Nothing is developing yet on that front. The player also has the opportunity to go to Turkey as well.
Spurs sources tell me that Nicolas Jackson is unlikely. Victor Osimhen has been on and off Tottenham’s radar for quite some time in terms of media links, but I’ve never sensed in previous windows they’ve had the appetite or the budget, particularly as far as wages are concerned.
What’s interesting now with Tottenham is that they are prepared to break their wage structure and go a little bit more aggressive to get players, which was not the case under Daniel Levy, but nothing is developing yet between Spurs or really Arsenal for Victor Osimhen.
It’s more a case of the player being offered around, then these clubs are opening negotiations, and it wouldn’t surprise me if by the end of the window, we see a scenario where Osimhen just remains at Galatasaray.
What are you hearing about Man Utd in the closing week of the window? Do you expect them to sign a left-back, and if so, who?
A left-back seems to be the priority. They’ll be alert also to a No. 9, and if Joshua Zirkzee goes, that also becomes more pressing in the final hours or days of the window, and yet, if Manchester United can’t reinforce, then they obviously have the ability not to sanction a move.
And at left-back, we need to keep a close eye to see whether anything is possible in these final days of the window. Alejandro Balde has been offered around, and my understanding is that Barcelona would be prepared to sanction an exit at about €45 million.
Manchester United may be more inclined, though, to do a loan, and part of that is to give themselves freedom in 2027 if they want to make an assault on their top target, Lewis Hall.
Hall is not thought to be available this late in the window, so Manchester United have to understand whether it’s better to sign a left-back now, or to find somebody that’s more of a stopgap, and then to go for their ultimate lead target in Lewis Hall next year.
But Balde is one possibility. I’m just told if Manchester United move, they would prefer to have a loan and potentially an option to buy, as opposed to an outright sale. That could still be one to watch between now and the end of the window.
Nothing has advanced, though, and they’ve been offered Jorge Salinas and David Raum as another option left back.
Alejandro Balde has reportedly been told that he’s surplus to requirements at Barcelona and has been linked to Manchester United as a result. Are we likely to see him in the Premier League this season?
The situation is that Manchester United are alert to opportunities, but Barcelona wants a permanent exit if they’re to offload Alejandro Balde, even though Hansi Flick has denied that he explicitly told the player he wants him out.
It’s clear that Barca told Balde to take a few days to understand what his diminished role may be at the football club, and they have informed the player that if he wants to move, they will negotiate it.
So, it’s not quite saying you’re gone, but it’s not far off.
My information is that Barcelona wants €45 million, and Manchester United’s preference would be to do a loan, likely with a buy option.
That is because it will allow them the possibility to keep all options open at left back, including making a move for Lewis Hall in 2027.
So Balde’s been offered to Manchester United. It remains to be seen whether they choose to do it permanently and meet that valuation, given their preference to look at something more temporary.
But this could be one to watch between now and the end of the window, and even if it’s not Manchester United, other clubs are also alert to the opportunity.
But the asking price, contrary to some suggestions, is not 25, 30, or 35 million euros, it’s higher, according to my information.
Do you expect Liverpool to sign Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh? And if they don’t get one of them, do they have any alternatives lined up?
The situation with Liverpool is that they’d like to add two attackers between now and the end of the window.
Wingers or creative forwards, and that obviously follows the arrival of Victor Munoz. On the right-hand side, it’s not discounted that Rio Ngumoha gets some game time, even though he’s been utilised predominantly to date on the left.
So, he remains a really integral part of Liverpool’s plans, even though, of course, there was some interest earlier in the window from Bayern Munich, in particular.
Bradley Barcola is the lead target. Liverpool are very intentionally leaving this late in the window in the hope that the price drops.
PSG’s starting point was €170 million. As the window has progressed and PSG have added three attackers in Ferran Torres, Mika Godts and Maghnes Akliouche, coupled with the fact that Barcola told PSG he won’t sign a new deal, Liverpool now feel that the number will come down because there’s urgency from PSG to sell and resolve this situation.
And ultimately, it’s not in the French champion’s interest to keep the player, not use the player, and watch his value diminish into 2027.
So, Liverpool are confident that Barcola wants them, even though there’s always a danger this late in the window that other clubs come in. We know that Arsenal have had appreciation, but Liverpool somewhat feels in control of this situation, and now club-to-club talks are ongoing, and there’s kind of two price yardsticks for this deal.
The first is PSG’s initial position that Barcola should be significantly more than Morgan Rogers, £117 million, and Elliott Anderson, £160 million, and then there’s the Yan Diomande deal to Real Madrid, and PSG were obviously negotiating and considering that player as well.
That deal got done at €140 million, and my feeling is that were Liverpool to offer Yan Diomande-type money, in and around €140 million, that would likely be acceptable to PSG this late in the window.
But Liverpool’s starting point from a few weeks back was more like €100 million. So, there has been a gulf in valuation, but the window has ticked down, it’s starting to close, and that’s why it wouldn’t at all surprise me if we see progress on this deal, and ultimately Liverpool succeed between now and the end of the window.
And then, it’s one more attacker. So, there’s been talks for Yankuba Minteh, and Liverpool have placed two bids, one at £50 million, one at £60 million.
The player is injured and out for several weeks, but that hasn’t put Liverpool off bidding. And now, we’re waiting to understand whether Liverpool are going to place what would likely be one final offer for in excess of £60 million in a bid to get this one done.
There are other targets that Liverpool have also considered, though. So, it’s not a case of Barcola plus Minteh definitively, although that might be the combination.
It could be Barcola and Liverpool may decide to put a bid in for Ibrahim Mbaye instead, even though, to date, the price there has been too high. But he’s another option.
It could also be Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who has been looked at by several clubs. Liverpool haven’t advanced anything yet, but he’s been on their radar for quite some time.
It’s actually Newcastle United that are bidding for the player as it stands and seeing if they can get it over the line. And yet there isn’t a massive appetite to sell as far as Lille are concerned.
So, there’s a €70 million valuation there, and it’s interesting with Liverpool because you’ve got Fernandez-Pardo, who predominantly, at the moment, we can only really speak of as being a Newcastle target, with a 70 odd million euros valuation.
Then you’ve got Ibrahim Mbaye, at PSG, with 70 million euros valuation, and you’ve got Yankuba Minteh, with Liverpool’s last bid was in and around 70 million euros mark.
So, there’s multiple targets all in and around the same price point, and there’ll no doubt be other names as well, and now the recruitment team need to decide, do they see value in any of these deals, in which case they’ll hope to get Barcola plus one.
And of course, if they don’t, and it’s only Barcola, then the likelihood is that in that scenario, Cody Gakpo will stay.
Is there any club you think could spring a big surprise in the last week of the window?
There are a few clubs that are still active. Obviously, Aston Villa are the most interesting at the moment, because Ollie Watkins wants his move to Al Hilal.
They’ll be busy between now and the end of the window. They’re looking for an attacker. They have made a bid as of Tuesday morning for Jean-Philippe Mateta, and that was in the region of £20-£25 million pounds, according to my information.
It was turned away. It was significantly below Crystal Palace’s valuation. They like Nicolas Jackson. Chelsea wants 65 million there, and that could also develop between now and the end of the window.
Joshua Zirkzee at Manchester United is another name that’s been discussed.
Leon Goretzka will join. That’s not been announced at the time of recording, but it’s all agreed in principle, and has been formalised.
They want a defender, and either Joel Ordonez or Taylor Harwood-Bellis are the two leading contenders, and Tosin Adarabioyo has been discussed as well.
Harwood-Bellis is viewed as too expensive at the moment because Southampton want £30 million and some sources on the South Coast tell me that’s £30 million fixed, so there could even be some add-ons as well.
But Joel Ordonez from Club Brugges is another developing story, and one that Aston Villa are more confident that they can do in keeping with their valuation.
So, Villa are going to be extremely busy between now and the end of the window.
Then I would still keep an eye on Hull City as well, who have had a very productive window, but multiple names could still come through the door there.
If Dario Essugo from Chelsea doesn’t go to Strasbourg, because perhaps Mykhailo Mudryk takes the final loan spot, then Hull are very attentive to loaning the Portuguese midfielder from Chelsea in the final days or hours of the window as well.
So, Hull won’t be done, I think, until right up until deadline day closes, and they’re looking in a very strong position because of what they’ve done in the market to make a competitive push to try and stay in the Premier League.
Both Nicolas Raskin and Emmanuel Fernandez have been linked with a move away from Ibrox in recent weeks. Are Rangers looking to sell them after splashing the cash this summer, and if so, where are they likely to end up?
There have been offers for Nicolas Raskin that have come from England, Italy, and Spain.
At the moment, Rangers’ valuation hasn’t been met, but that outgoing is certainly possible.
The expectation, I think, is that Rangers will not stand in the player’s way if they have their valuation met, which, some sources think could be in the 8 to 10 million mark plus add-ons, but other people I speak to argue it might be £15 million or above, because we’re dealing in an inflated market.
Aston Villa made an inquiry a few weeks ago, but they’re certainly not the only ones. The player would be open to a move to Spain in particular, I am told, but given the volume of interest, this is one to keep an eye on in the final days of the window.
At a likely even higher valuation is the case of Emmanuel Fernandez.
Leverkusen, in particular, are the ones that have held some formal talks with Rangers. They haven’t got close to meeting the valuation, which, as I say, I expect to be more than Raskin.
But one of those two will likely depart, and it is possible that both go between now and the end of the window.
It’s also because Rangers have spent relatively aggressively in order to try and get their season immediately back on track.
The big incoming name is the Girona winger, Kim Min-Su. That is expected to be formalised this week.
He’s a 20-year-old South Korean, who spent last campaign on loan at FC Andorra, and is someone I think the Rangers fans will really get behind.
