Transfer Deadline Day: Barcelona Grab Portuguese Pair; Liverpool, Man City Strengthen Midfield

Feel like you missed out on some of the action from a chaotic transfer deadline day? Fear not. Some of the usual suspects took center stage throughout the summer window: Todd Boehly threw money at clubs around the world to bring some of the hottest names to Chelsea; Romelu Lukaku flirted with one Italian club (Juventus) before going on loan to another (Roma); and Saudi clubs (at times successfully and at others less so) nabbed several players from Europe’s biggest leagues. But the final day of the window is where the magic really happens.

The final deadline for transfers in the summer window officially passed at 11 p.m. local time in England. Here’s a look at the biggest moves made as the eleventh hour for clubs to bolster their rosters approached.

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Notable deals done

João Félix: Loan from Atlético Madrid to Barcelona

Ah, yes. The kind of deadline-day mayhem we crave: Cash-strapped Barcelona going after a rival’s young star. The deal makes sense for both sides on the surface: Félix was reportedly keen on a move to the Catalan club, and his time in Madrid and favor with manager Diego Simeone has seemingly soured, but the loan (with no option to buy) means Barcelona doesn’t have to fork over a massive fee to a fellow La Liga contender. Félix’s tenure with Atléti has gone wayward, but there’s still clearly plenty of talent at his disposal: He’s scored 25 goals and notched 13 assists in 96 league games for the club. If this move works, it could be a career-reviving loan for the Portuguese forward and another tool for the Blaugrana in what’s already a boisterous attack.

Ansu Fati: Loan from Barcelona to Brighton

Barcelona’s young star, the successor to Lionel Messi in the No. 10 shirt and one of the youngest to ever play a first-team match, Fati’s time at the Camp Nou hasn’t quite gone as planned. Injuries limited the now 20-year-old to just 53 league appearances and 21 starts over the previous three seasons. With Gavi, Raphinha and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal holding down spots on the wings (and Robert Lewandowski the nailed-on striker), it makes sense that Fati would look for some serious minutes in a side that’s known for developing young talent while playing against some of the world’s top clubs.

Matheus Nunes: Wolves to Manchester City

Manchester City’s endless transfer churn has added another piece. Nunes, who arrives on a reported $67 million fee, joins Rodri and fellow new signee Mateo Kovačić in a midfield that lost Ilkay Gündoğan to Barcelona earlier in the window and Kevin De Bruyne for several months to a hamstring injury.

Ryan Gravenberch: Bayern Munich to Liverpool

Liverpool’s midfield overhaul saw the Reds already make moves for Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endō earlier this summer. The final addition comes in the form of the former Ajax and Bayern man, who arrives on a reported fee of $43.4 million. Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner are fixtures of Liverpool’s past. The move for the 21-year-old is another step the Reds are taking for their future.

João Cancelo: Loan from Manchester City to Barcelona

It’s a Portuguese party in Catalonia! The second João is on a similar deal as the first (loan with no buy option) after he was frozen out of Pep Guardiola’s City squad last season. Barcelona interestingly thanked Cancelo “for the financial effort made and his desire to wear the Barça shirt.”

Sergio Reguilón: Loan from Tottenham to Manchester United

Reguilón never turned out to be the left back Tottenham wanted, but he could plug a key hole for United. With starter Luke Shaw reportedly sidelined for up to 10 weeks with a thigh injury and backup Tyrell Malacia seemingly not yet fit, the Red Devils needed a stopgap signing. They got one in the form of the 26-year-old Spaniard.

Bradley Barcola: Lyon to PSG

It’s out with the old, in with the new for the Parisian giants. After Lionel Messi and Neymar both left this summer, PSG followed up its signing of Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembélé with the poaching of another young French forward. As just age 20 last season, Barcola scored five goals and added eight assists for seventh-place finishers Lyon. 

Cole Palmer: Manchester City to Chelsea

Chelsea may have one of the top academies in the world, but that’s not stopping it from poaching more young talent. The 21-year-old joins the Blues on a deal worth somewhere between $50 and $56 million. 

Clément Lenglet: Loan from Barcelona to Aston Villa

Villa suffered an unfortunate injury to start its season when center back Tyrone Mings was stretchered off in the first half of the team’s first match of the season. Lenglet provides some additional depth after the club added Pau Torres from Villarreal earlier in the window.

Callum Hudson-Odoi: Chelsea to Nottingham Forest

A key part of Chelsea’s spending spree was offloading several players of its own. Hudson-Odoi is the latest to make a move away from Stamford Bridge on a reported fee of up to $6.29 million.

Leonardo Bonucci: Juventus to Union Berlin

Another Juve stalwart is headed abroad. Bonucci spent 12 seasons with the “Old Lady” of Italian soccer, winning eight Scudettos. He joins an upstart Union Berlin side that will look to continue building momentum off its best-ever Bundesliga season.