Todd Boehly's suggestion for the creation of a Premier League 'All-Star' game attracted plenty of ridicule, but he certainly can't be accused of a lack of vision or creativity.

The new Chelsea co-owner – and chairman and interim sporting director – was speaking at a conference on Tuesday when he proposed the Premier League 'Americanised' (or should that be 'Americanized'?) itself a bit.

A relegation play-off tournament between the bottom four teams was one idea; but the other, which attracted most of the headlines, was for a North v South 'All-Star' game, pointing out Major League Baseball (MLB) in his native United States made $200million from such an event this year.

A potential Premier League 'All-Stars' game was the talk of football media on Tuesday, so at Stats Perform we decided to have a look at who might line up for the North and South.

It was decided the north-south cut-off point would see Nottingham Forest qualify for the North, ensuring each All-Stars team had 10 clubs to select from.

First up, we have unrestricted squads, so essentially the very best teams possible; then, we have squads that are limited to three players from each club and every single Premier League must have at least a single player selected. So, without any further ado, let's see who made the cut…

NORTH ALL-STARS (unrestricted)

4-3-3: Ederson (Manchester City); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool); Rodri (Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Phil Foden (Manchester City); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Luis Diaz (Liverpool).

SUBS: Alisson (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Raphael Varane (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Fabinho (Liverpool), Casemiro (Manchester United), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).

You knew the starting XI was going to look like that even before reading, didn't you? Manchester City and Liverpool obviously dominated the first team here, but it feels difficult to argue with almost any selection here.

The goalkeeper choice was probably the toughest, but only because Ederson and Alisson are both so strong and simultaneously significantly better than any other eligible shot stoppers in terms of their all-round game – Ederson ultimately got the nod owing to 13 more clean sheets over the past three-and-a-bit years, but either could've got the gig.

Similarly in defence, many of the North's options pick themselves. The centre-backs, Van Dijk and Dias, have each won the Premier League Player of the Season award in the past four years, while Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have at least 12 most assists than any other defender since the start of the 2019-20 season.

While the defence had a distinctively Liverpool look to it, City dominate the midfield because… well, they tend to dominate the midfield. Rodri provides the control and defensive protection, while Foden and De Bruyne can wreak havoc going forward and towards the flanks.

Salah and Haaland were obvious picks in attack. The Egyptian has been involved in 96 goals (66 scored, 30 assisted) since the start of the 2019-20 season, more than anyone else, while Haaland is arguably the most in-form striker in world football, having already netted 12 times in seven games for City.

Luis Diaz was perhaps the most uncertain one, but he's quickly become a key figure at Liverpool. His ability to cut inside or head for the byline makes him an unpredictable asset, and he's something of a double threat in terms of goals and creativity.

Cristiano Ronaldo's appearance on the bench owes much to his solid goal-scoring form last season.

SOUTHERN ALL-STARS (unrestricted)

4-2-3-1: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham); Reece James (Chelsea), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal); Declan Rice (West Ham), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea); Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Son Heung-min (Tottenham); Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal).

SUBS: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Chelsea), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Jorginho (Chelsea), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Ivan Toney (Brentford).

This team has it all. A World Cup-winning goalkeeper, a defence with an ideal blend of youth and experience, a combative midfield and four world-class attackers.

Lloris gets the nod in net. He's been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the league since his arrival from Lyon 10 years ago, and based on Opta's expected goals on target (xGOT) conceded metric, Lloris has prevented 3.8 goals since the start of the 2020-21 season, significantly better than his South All-Stars back-up, Chelsea's Edouard Mendy (-3.8).

Chelsea star James is the right-back, with his 16 goal contributions (six goals, 10 assists) since the start of last season topping the charts for a defender. Koulibaly and Romero are a formidable centre-back pairing, while Zinchenko has four Premier League titles to his name from his time at Manchester City.

James and Zinchenko are brilliant attacking full-backs, but the defence will need screening, and that is where Kante and Rice come into their own. Both super ball-winners, Kante's relentless energy will be complemented by Rice's ability on the ball, as he has demonstrated at West Ham.

That midfield protection will be needed, with a four-pronged attack ready to lay waste to the North's defence.

Sterling might not have made a flying start at Chelsea but is the best pick on the right wing, with Son – who shared the league's golden boot award last season – on the opposite wing. Kane will play a slightly deeper role, behind Jesus, who has had more touches in the opposition box (66), attempted more dribbles (34), more dribbles in the box (8) and won more fouls (21) than any other player in the Premier League this season.

NORTHERN ALL-STARS (restricted)

4-2-3-1: Jordan Pickford (Jordan Pickford); Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Vigil van Dijk (Liverpool), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool); Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Pedro Neto (Wolves); Erling Haaland (Manchester City).

SUBS: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Diego Carlos (Aston Villa), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Renan Lodi (Nottingham Forest), James Maddison (Leicester City), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Jack Harrison (Leeds United), Antony Gordon (Everton), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United).

Our self-imposed restrictions of no more than three players from a given team gives the North All-Stars a distinctly different feel – nevertheless, Van Dijk, Dias, Robertson, De Bruyne, Salah and Haaland retain their places, for obvious reasons.

Probably the biggest casualty is Alexander-Arnold, but the North benefits from having another excellent forward-thinking option at right-back in Trippier, while Jordan Pickford starts between the posts – David de Gea was another option here, but the England international is better with his feet.

Bruno Guimaraes comes into the midfield, offering a valuable combination of bite and craft, while Fernandes will take up the number 10 position with De Bruyne dropping a little deeper – this shouldn't stifle the team's creativity too much given the Belgian is the only player with more chances created (239) than Fernandes (224) since the latter's Premier League debut.

The other new face in attack is Pedro Neto. Perhaps a wildcard choice, but the Portugal international is an exciting winger with lots of pace and trickery. While Salah will cut in off the opposite flank, Neto looks to get crosses into the box, and that could be an effective route to goal knowing the predatory instincts Haaland has.

Again, Ronaldo is held back in reserve.

SOUTHERN ALL-STARS (restricted)

4-3-3: Robert Sanchez (Brighton and Hove Albion); Reece James (Chelsea), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal); James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Declan Rice (West Ham), Mason Mount (Chelsea); Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Son Heung-min (Tottenham).

SUBS: Neto (Bournemouth), Ben Mee (Brentford), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton and Hove Albion), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford).

Robert Sanchez has been a standout performer for Brighton under the now Chelsea boss Graham Potter, and he replaces Lloris now the restrictions have come into play. He has kept 24 league clean sheets since making his debut in November 2020, which trails only four other goalkeepers.

James, Romero and Zinchenko all keep their places in defence, though Koulibaly does not. He makes way for Joachim Andersen, who has been excellent since signing for Crystal Palace in 2021.

We have switched to a midfield three for this side, with Rice staying in the team but playing a deeper, anchoring role. Alongside him are two new faces in the form of England team-mates Ward-Prowse and Mount. Both provide energy and creativity in abundance.

Ward-Prowse's set-piece quality – no midfielder has scored more goals or created more chances from set plays since the start of last season as the Southampton captain – is a huge threat, while Mount has contributed to 21 league goals since the beginning of 2021-22.

Jesus is the unlucky striker to drop out of the starting XI, though he is on the bench, with Sterling, Kane and Son leading the line.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has warned Graham Potter he can expect a "different pressure" at Chelsea but believes it is a "fantastic move".

Potter has been named as Thomas Tuchel's successor at Stamford Bridge, following the axing of the Champions League-winning boss on Wednesday.

New Blues owner Todd Boehly has been extremely active since taking over from Roman Abramovich, splashing vast amounts of money in the transfer market, and has now made his first managerial appointment.

Chelsea received permission from Brighton and Hove Albion to speak to Potter on Wednesday and confirmation of his appointment followed on Thursday.

Rodgers, who has experience in high-pressure clubs following his time with Liverpool, has told Potter he will encounter different challenges than his time at Brighton but feels it is the right move.

"It's a different pressure," Rodgers said in the press conference ahead of Saturday's clash with Aston Villa.

"He's done fantastic at Brighton, they've really developed. They're strategically well run behind the scenes. 

"It's that next step and it will be a fantastic move for him."

Bayern Munich have reportedly told Harry Kane to avoid signing a new contract with Tottenham as they plot a move for the England captain.

Kane, 29, has five goals from six Premier League games this season, and needs 12 more this campaign to reach 200 career Premier League goals.

With 73 international caps and 50 goals in his country's shirt, his legacy in England is secured, but with a distinct lack of silverware up until this point, it is a fair question to wonder how much longer he will remain content at Tottenham.

TOP STORY – BAYERN MUNICH PLAN BLOCKBUSTER HARRY KANE MOVE

German publication Bild claims reports about Bayern's interest in Kane following the departure of Robert Lewandowski had plenty of substance, and that their desire to land the striker has only intensified.

With Kane's contract tying him to Tottenham until 2024, the report states the Bavarian giants will plan another move at the end of the season when he enters the last year of his deal, putting Spurs in a position where they need to sell or risk losing him on a free transfer.

Bayern are yet to lose a game this season, and no Bundesliga team has scored more than their 17 goals, but after an explosive start they now sit third after 1-1 draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and Union Berlin.

ROUND-UP

– The Daily Mail is reporting the Glazer family have placed a £3.75billion price tag on Manchester United.

– Crystal Palace will bid £20million for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher after being impressed during his loan stint last season, also according to the Daily Mail.

– Leicestershire Live is reporting Leicester City centre-back Caglar Soyuncu – who was left out of the side for their 5-2 loss against Brighton and Hove Albion – is a target of Turkish side Galatasaray, with their transfer window not closing until September 8.

– According to The Athletic, Diego Costa will be returning to the Premier League as long as his medical with Wolves, planned for Tuesday, goes according to plan.

– PSV forward Cody Gakpo, who Manchester United showed interest in before they landed Antony, is now said to be a primary target for Leeds United in January.

The Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga may not be finished, with new reports he has agreed to terms on a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Ronaldo, 37, has come off the bench in each of Manchester United's last three wins on the trot, with his only start of the season coming in the 4-0 loss at Brentford.

With the transfer window shut in England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and most of Europe's top leagues, it seemed like Ronaldo was destined to remain with United until at least January – but the Turkish window remains open until September 8.

TOP STORY – RONALDO STILL WANTS OUT OF OLD TRAFFORD, AGREES TO FENERBAHCE MOVE

Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce could be set for a massive influx of star power after Ajansspor reported Ronaldo has been convinced by the club's Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus to make the jump.

No team in the Super Lig has scored more than Fenerbahce's 13 goals in four games this season, and more firepower could be on the way as club president Ali Koc is reportedly on board with the move, with just last details required to finalise things.

Koc has experience with high-profile signings, having convinced Ronaldo's former Real Madrid team-mate Mesut Ozil to sign last season, collecting eight goals and two assists in 22 league matches before opting to remain in the Super Lig for another campaign, moving to Istanbul Basaksehir.

ROUND-UP

– Marca is reporting Paris Saint-Germain offered Manchester City the chance to sign Neymar as the deadline approached, but they declined.

– According to The Athletic, Tottenham had serious interest in Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, but could not thrash out a deal.

– The Manchester Evening News claims the United board vetoed a move for Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech.

– Ajansspor is reporting Fenerbahce are working on a transfer for Leicester City's Turkish centre-back Caglar Soyuncu.

– Leicester City still have interest in adding another centre-back, with 27-year-old free agent and Belgian international Jason Denayer their main focus, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Erik ten Hag is happy with the progress Manchester United are making but still wants greater ruthlessness after only beating Leicester City 1-0.

United made it three Premier League wins in a row on Thursday with their slender victory at the King Power Stadium, a streak they had not managed since December.

Jadon Sancho got the only goal of the game in a first half that United generally controlled, but they were unable to increase their lead and that offered Leicester encouragement.

Still, Leicester struggled to take advantage of their own second-half improvement, with United's defence impressing once again with a solid collective effort as the hosts' chances only amounted to 0.6 expected goals.

United might have finished Leicester off towards the end during Cristiano Ronaldo's lively cameo, and although their wasteful finishing mattered little in the end, Ten Hag was not completely satisfied.

"It is another step forward, so we are happy with that," he told BT Sport.

"Again, good team spirit. We had 11 players the on pitch who fought for each other. Compact, good press, and scored a lovely team goal.

"There is room for improvements, still, but that is normal at this part of the season."

He added: "We can be dangerous in transition moments, we know that, especially the second half. And also in first half, there were many spaces that we did not exploit that well. With better decisions we should have scored a second goal.

"We have to be more [ruthless], but, as I said there is room for improvement, and we will work on that."

Sancho's winner was his second Premier League goal of the season, meaning the England international is already only one behind his total for last term.

Ten Hag acknowledged the winger's improved condition but was keen to focus on the collective and the team's unity.

"He had a really good pre-season, he invested a lot in pre-season and now in the season you see he can make the difference.

"He's a great player but also the whole team, because I think it's a good team goal.

"I'm happy with the clean sheet, and you see when we have 11 on the pitch who defend together and attack together, and when you add that in the energy, you see what we can achieve."

United are in action again on Sunday when their improved standing will be put to the test at home to an Arsenal side that have won all five of their games this season.

Manchester United must demonstrate a greater clinical edge following their narrow 1-0 victory over Leicester City, so says Christian Eriksen.

Having opened the season with back-to-back defeats, United made it three consecutive Premier League wins under Erik ten Hag, with Jadon Sancho's 23rd-minute strike enough to settle the contest at the King Power Stadium.

Although fully deserving of their half-time lead, the visitors' level dropped significantly after the restart. David de Gea made a tremendous save from James Maddison's free-kick, while James Justin blazed a wonderful opportunity over in stoppage time.

But Leicester did not enjoy too many clear-cut opportunities, with United's solid defence generally keeping the Premier League's bottom side at bay.

And while Eriksen has urged his team-mates to capitalise when in the ascendancy, he is encouraged by the strides United are making after they recorded successive 1-0 wins in the space of five days.

"From the start we had, we had a lot of things we needed to change, and we've done that by winning," he told BT Sport. "It hasn't been beautiful for 90 minutes, but we have three wins.

"At the moment, we're winning 1-0 and keeping it tight. Obviously, we want to do better, but I think this is a good start and we can take something from this. The three points is the most important.

"Similar to Southampton [on Saturday], we did very well until we scored. Then, we have to keep momentum, we have to kill the game earlier – otherwise, it's going to be a tight game until the end like today.

"We're looking good; we're getting the points and we're getting the base of what we need to do."

Meanwhile, Sancho proved the matchwinner with his second goal of the season, having also netted in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, applying the finishing touch to a fine team move.

Sancho missed pre-season preparations ahead of his maiden campaign at Old Trafford due to an extended break after helping England reach the Euro 2020 final, and feels he has benefitted from getting a full pre-season under his belt this time around.

"It was a great team goal. I'm happy that I got the goal for the team, and got three points," he said.

"Obviously, doing pre-season with the team [has helped me]. Last year, I missed pre-season, so I got to know the players a lot more [this year]. We've worked on [certain things], and I'm getting more comfortable.

"We hoped to start the season with two wins, but that woke us up. I'm happy that we got the third win today."

Manchester United have won three Premier League games in a row for the first time this year as they beat Leicester City 1-0 at the King Power Stadium on Thursday.

Although United's performance was by no means flawless, victory moved them up to fifth in the table, with the nightmares of their first two games of the season seemingly a distant memory.

United were fully deserving of the first-half lead that was given to them by Jadon Sancho at the end of an incisive move – though their level dropped significantly after the restart.

Leicester were encouraged and carried greater threat, but clear-cut chances remained at a premium as United's solid backline helped guide the visitors to another win.

United looked sharp right from the start and almost went ahead in the 11th minute, but Christian Eriksen shot into the side-netting after breaking into the left side of the area.

The breakthrough arrived 12 minutes later, though.

Diogo Dalot intercepted Danny Ward's long ball and found Bruno Fernandes, who hurried the ball on to Marcus Rashford and he fed Sancho to round the Leicester goalkeeper and apply a simple finish.

The hosts looked reinvigorated after the break and nearly levelled early on as David de Gea produced an acrobatic save to keep James Maddison's free-kick out of the top-right corner.

Leicester failed to build on that momentum and United – boosted by a lively Cristiano Ronaldo cameo – finished with something of a flurry, though their inability to add a second goal might have been punished had James Justin kept a stoppage-time strike down.

Brendan Rodgers believes someone else was behind Wesley Fofana's parting shot at him following the defender's move to Chelsea.

Fofana completed his long-awaited switch from Leicester City to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, signing a seven-year contract after a deal in the region of £75million was struck.

The build up to the defender's departure was not entirely amicable, with Fofana made to train with Leicester's under-23 squad after professing his desire to join Chelsea.

Rodgers declared he was "not in the right frame of mind" to play for the Foxes, and in a message addressing Leicester's supporters on Wednesday, Fofana accused his former manager of trying to "expose" him.

However, Rodgers thinks there is more than meets the eye about his statement.

"It clearly is difficult; I'll always defend players and I'll defend Wesley," he said on BT Sport before Leicester's Premier League clash with Manchester United on Thursday.

"There's a lot of noise out there about him and what was said.

"I never get too emotional with words; I try to look at the logic of it. I know where the statement came from and it is not Wesley Fofana.

"This kid is a good kid. We brought him in here and nobody knew him really. He came here, we gave him a great platform and he was amazing.

"We hoped he would stay on for another year before he moved on, but he has taken the possibility to go. It is a shame for us, and a shame how it ended a little bit.

"For me, he's a good guy and I know probably other influences have taken him away from the club."

Manchester United and Manchester City got deals over the line early on deadline day – but there was plenty of time still to go before the transfer market closed.

The Premier League north-west giants strengthened, with United sealing the big-money signing of Ajax winger Antony and City adding another asset in Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund.

Many others were looking to do business in the market before time ran out.

Premier League teams race to wrap up big deals

As well as Antony moving to United for a fee thought to be around £81.3million (€95m), and Akanji fortifying City's defensive ranks, a host of their English rivals were also pushing to bring in new faces.

Liverpool looked set to bring in Brazil midfielder Arthur from Juventus on loan for the season.

With Wesley Fofana having made the leap to Chelsea, Leicester City found a replacement in Belgian defender Wout Faes who arrived from Reims on a five-year deal.

That will be a move that sets the Foxes back around £15million, but manager Brendan Rodgers will hope the 24-year-old can help to revive their struggling season.

Southampton had been pursuing a move for PSV Eindhoven's Cody Gakpo, but while their approach has been reportedly rebuffed, Saints have parted company with Oriol Romeu.

The Spaniard returns home to LaLiga, joining Girona for an undisclosed fee after seven years at St Mary's.

European markets busy in early trading

Barcelona were expected to be busy later in the day, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looking set to join Chelsea and Martin Braithwaite reportedly close to signing for Espanyol.

Sevilla secured a loan move for Kasper Dolberg from Nice, with the Denmark forward looking to secure his place in the national squad ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. That followed Sevilla loaning Lucas Ocampos to Ajax on Wednesday, and the LaLiga side signing free agent Adnan Januzaj.

Ligue 1 side Troyes announced the signing of Manchester City's Colombian forward Marlos Moreno on a two-year deal.

Chelsea are expected to be one of the major players on deadline day, having completed a deal for Wesley Fofana on Wednesday.

The Blues have been one of the big spenders during the transfer window and owner Todd Boehly is eager to bolster his squad after a slow start to the season.

Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with the Blues, along with Anthony Gordon, although Everton boss Frank Lampard insists he is not for sale.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA OFFERED CHANCE TO SIGN PSG'S NEYMAR

The Daily Mail claims Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Neymar, but the Times reports that Paris Saint-Germain are now refusing to sell him in an apparent U-turn.

The 30-year-old Brazil international had been linked with a move away from Paris during the off-season, although nothing substantial materialised.

Chelsea were approached about Neymar, with PSG potentially open to letting him go as they seek to avoid any issues with UEFA's Financial Fair Play guidelines.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea have made a €50 million (£43m) bid for Ajax centre-back Edson Alvarez, according to the Telegraaf. The Blues have already added Fofana but want more reinforcements, with the Mexican able to also play in midfield.

– Chelsea are also interested in Aubameyang, with Fabrizio Romano claiming negotiations are progressing with Marcos Alonso involved in a deal with Barcelona. The Blues have also been linked with Milan's Rafael Leao, according to The Times.

– Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona and Inter have agreed to a deal for full-back Jordi Alba to join the Nerazzurri on loan. The deal is on the basis that Robin Gosens leaves Inter for Bayer Leverkusen.

– Milan are set to win the race to sign Barcelona's Sergino Dest, beating out interest from Manchester United, claims Gianluca Di Marzio. Dest will join the Rossoneri on a season-long loan with the option of a permanent deal.

– Newcastle United are in the race to sign Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, claims the Mail. Arsenal are also interested in the Belgium international.

– Fulham have submitted a bid for Blackburn's Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz according to The Athletic. Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has said he would cost a lot of money, with Fulham's offer not disclosed.

– PSV have opted against selling 23-year-old Netherlands international Cody Gakpo amid interest from Leeds United and Southampton, reports The Athletic.

It has been a record-breaking transfer window across Europe, and one that has thrown up more than a surprise or two on the continent with numerous big-name players making fresh starts.

While the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mane, Erling Haaland and Gabriel Jesus have all made fast starts to life at their new clubs, for others their futures remain unclear heading into the final day of the window.

As any football supporter will know, some of the biggest deals can often be left to deadline day – and occasionally even after the cut-off point, as long as an agreement has been reached and ratified with the relevant authorities.

With less than 24 hours of the window to run across each of Europe's top five leagues, Stats Perform looks at the names that could yet be on the move on Thursday.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

It has been quite the transfer window for Manchester United forward Ronaldo. Having only returned to Old Trafford last year, the Portugal international is reported to have informed the club of his desire to leave in early July, coinciding with the arrival of new head coach Erik ten Hag.

Ten Hag has repeatedly stated Ronaldo remains part of his plans, but the 37-year-old's lack of playing time this season suggests otherwise – albeit not helped by a disrupted pre-season owing to family reasons.

Ronaldo proved last season he is still capable of doing a job at the highest level, though finding a club willing to pay his huge wages – on top of paying a fee to United – is a different matter. Rumoured interest from Bayern Munich, Chelsea and even Sporting CP came to little, though talk of a surprise switch to Napoli persists.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Barcelona)

Just six months on from arriving at Barcelona as a free agent following a tumultuous end to his time with Arsenal, Aubameyang may well be on his way back to English football with Chelsea.

The Gabon international has slipped down the pecking order at Camp Nou following the arrival of Lewandowski and Barca could do with freeing up some funds, with Aubameyang one of a few players still in place that were expected to depart.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel previously worked with Aubameyang at Borussia Dortmund and recently said he feels like the striker is still one of his players. Having scored 68 goals in 128 Premier League games for Arsenal, Aubameyang already has proven pedigree in the division.

Anthony Gordon (Everton)

Given Chelsea's slow start to the 2022-23 season, it is perhaps no surprise that they are being linked with numerous names ahead of Thursday's deadline. Everton winger Gordon is high on the Blues' list of targets, with a couple of bids already reported to have been knocked back.

Everton boss and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard stressed once again on Tuesday that Gordon is not for sale, but one final push from the London club – and a word or two from Gordon, should that be what he wants – may well tempt the Toffees into a sale.

While the sums of money being discussed for a player with just 35 league starts to his name may be extortionate, Chelsea have clearly identified Gordon as a vital piece of their jigsaw and do not appear ready to give up on him without a fight.

Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)

De Jong's name dominated the gossip columns for a large period of the transfer window, though things have gone a little quieter on that front after Manchester United instead moved for Casemiro.

That is not to say a move has been entirely ruled out, however, particularly when taking Barca's rather desperate financial situation into account. 

With Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain having also been linked with De Jong at various points, the Netherlands international may just have a big decision to make in the next 24 hours or so.

Pedro Neto (Wolves)

Jurgen Klopp has made no secret of his desire to bring another midfielder to Liverpool before the window closes due to Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all nursing injuries.

The club do not want to bring in a player for the sake of it, however, limiting themselves to just a few targets. RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer and Inter's Nicolo Barella had been among those linked, but moves for both are said to have been ruled out.

Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo and Neto of Wolves, the latter of whom is also supposedly on Arsenal's radar, are two other candidates to come in on deadline day. Time, though, is not on Liverpool's side.

Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)

Perhaps Liverpool would be wiser to move for Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans, who could be available for as little as £25million if certain reports are to be believed.

Arsenal, too, could do with some further midfield competition and are known to have shown an interest in the talented Belgium international in the past.

Tielemans, capable of operating as a deep-lying midfielder or higher up the pitch, is due to become a free agent at the end of the campaign, meaning Leicester's hand is being forced somewhat.

Sergino Dest (Barcelona)

Them again! Despite their well-publicised financial issues, Barcelona have still managed to substantially strengthen their squad this window, and there could still be another arrival at Camp Nou.

An agreement is said to be in place to sign left-back Marcos Alonso from Chelsea, while Juan Foyth had been strongly linked prior to sustaining an injury for Villarreal. However, a move for either player is likely dependent on freeing up some cash first.

The departure of one of aforementioned duo Aubameyang or De Jong would help in that regard, as would exits for fringe players Martin Braithwaite, Miralem Pjanic and Ez Abde. At this stage, it appears Dest is the closest of Barca's first-teamers to leaving, with Milan his most likely destination.

Wesley Fofana took aim at Brendan Rodgers after sealing his move to Chelsea, accusing the Leicester City manager of looking to "expose" him in recent weeks.

Fofana completed his long-awaited move to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, signing a seven-year contract after a deal in the region of £75million was struck.

Leicester rejected multiple bids from Chelsea before their demands were met, and the build-up to the defender's departure was not entirely amicable.

Fofana was made to train with Leicester's under-23 squad after professing his desire to join Chelsea, with Rodgers declaring he was "not in the right frame of mind" to play for Leicester.

Rodgers also unfavourably compared Fofana's attitude to that of Harry Maguire, who left Leicester for Manchester United in 2019, stating: "Harry, in terms of his behaviour and his focus for the club, he was fantastic right until the last minute, then he moved on. It was different."

In a message addressing Leicester's supporters on Wednesday, Fofana hit out at "false and misleading comments" made by his former club.

"During these two seasons here, I have probably experienced the most intense moments of my young football career. I have grown as a player but also as a man," he wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you to you, Foxes fans, for your kindness and your constant support, even in the moments you were led to believe I didn't respect the club.

"I chose not to communicate during this transfer window despite all the criticism and all the often false and misleading comments, even when they were coming from the club. I understood and I learned. 

"I didn't want to damage the image of the institution and I chose to take it rather than answer. I thank Top [chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha] for his understanding.

"Thanks to the managers, to the coach who has always appreciated me, even if he chose to expose me a lot lately... I got it, coach.

"There were ups and downs but I never cheated, you can be sure of that."

Fofana could be in line to make his Chelsea debut when they host West Ham on Saturday, with Thomas Tuchel's team having gone down 2-1 to Southampton last time out.

Chelsea have completed the signing of defender Wesley Fofana from Leicester City for a fee in the region of £75million.

The France Under-21 international has put pen to paper on a massive seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Fofana becomes the latest in a series of recruits for Thomas Tuchel during a busy transfer window, with Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella already key men.

The new centre-back had been training with Leicester's under-23 squad after making his intentions of joining Chelsea clear as Brendan Rodgers said he was not in the right frame of mind to play in a 2-1 Premier League defeat away to the London club on Saturday.

Leicester reportedly rejected three bids from Chelsea for Fofana, but the Blues finally got their man on Wednesday.

"The two last days have been really big days for me and I'm very happy," Fofana said.

"I trained this morning with the team and it's a dream for me. I'm very excited to start playing games for the fans and the club.

"I'm here to win trophies – the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything. I came here to win and the club is built to win trophies, so I'm here to continue that."

The 21-year-old missed most of last season after suffering a broken leg and medial ligament damage during a pre-season friendly against Valencia.

Fofana made 28 appearances in the previous campaign as Leicester narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification.

Erik ten Hag has reiterated Cristiano Ronaldo remains part of his plans at Manchester United as the transfer window draws to a close.

Ronaldo has started just once under the former Ajax head coach this season and has failed to impress in his substitute appearances.

The Portugal great was United's top scorer on his return to Old Trafford last term, but they slumped to a disappointing sixth-placed finish and missed out on qualification for the Champions League.

Ronaldo – the competition's record marksman – has reportedly been keen to return to the Champions League in this window, with links to several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Napoli and Atletico Madrid.

A move is yet to materialise, though, and the deadline is looming on Thursday.

When asked whether Ronaldo would remain with United ahead of their trip to Leicester City earlier on Thursday, manager Ten Hag replied: "It is clear. We need quality players and you need more to cover all the games to keep the consistency going. That's what we strive for.

"We still need to strengthen the offensive department because we have many games to cover."

United are close to completing the signing of Ajax winger Antony in a deal that cause rise to £85.6million (€100m), having already announced an agreement, while Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is reportedly set to arrive on loan.

Although he will remain alert, Ten Hag believes Antony and Dubravka would mark the final incomings of the window, with the Dutchman also confirming Aaron Wan-Bissaka will remain at the club despite speculation linking Barcelona full-back Sergino Dest with a move to Old Trafford.

"I think so for this window, it will be the end [no more transfers after Dubravka]," Ten Hag added. "But when there is a great opportunity, you always have to be alert as a top club.

"Aaron will stay. This squad will go from September to a minimum January."

Chelsea are looking to make another massive long-term investment, with reports they are aggressively moving for 20-year-old RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol in a deal that would cost £77.4million (€90m).

Gvardiol, who has 10 senior international caps for Croatia to his name, has established himself as one of the most exciting young defenders in Germany.

He has been linked to a host of elite clubs, but Chelsea appear to be at the front of the queue and would allow the centre-back to stay at Leipzig until next year.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA PLAN ANOTHER CENTRE-BACK SPLURGE FOR GVARDIOL

The Stamford Bridge club have made a number of big defensive signings in this window, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella set to be followed by Wesley Fofana.

Koulibaly is 31, though, and has joined veteran Thiago Silva at the heart of the defence, explaining why Chelsea may already be looking at a succession plan.

Fabrizio Romano says the Blues are "in advanced talks" with Leipzig over a deal that would be completed now but only see Gvardiol make the move in 2023.

ROUND-UP

– PSV forward Cody Gakpo appears destined for the Premier League, with The Telegraph reporting Everton, Leeds United and Southampton are all interested in a player believed to be valued around £30m.

– The Telegraph has named a list of potential Fulham targets, including former Chelsea winger Willian, Paris Saint-Germain defender Layvin Kurzawa, Roma winger Justin Kluivert and Marseille forward Bamba Dieng. 

– The Daily Mail is reporting Brighton and Hove Albion are investigating a move for Billy Gilmour, although Chelsea's lack of depth in midfield could complicate matters.

– Aston Villa forward Douglas Luiz has some high-profile admirers, with Matheus Leal reporting Liverpool have submitted a £20m bid, and The Telegraph adds Atletico Madrid are also prepared to make the same offer.

– Leicester City are negotiating a deal for their potential Fofana replacement in 24-year-old Reims centre-back Wout Faes, believed to be worth £17.2m, according to the Daily Mail.