Romelu Lukaku, Joao Felix & 15 players who need a transfer in the final days of the 2023 summer transfer window

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GOAL
GOAL runs through the big names still hoping to make a move before the window slams shut on September 1

The ideal scenario for any wantaway player is to have his future resolved before the start of the new season. It means having at least some time to get used to new team-mates, a new manager, a new club and often a new city.

However, given nearly every European league starts before the transfer window closes, many players are forced to sit tight and wait for their agent make a move happen before deadline day. Several stars find themselves in such a scenario right now.

Indeed, as GOAL outlines below, some big names are still hoping to find a new club before September 1, meaning we will likely see a few desperate deals done over the course of the next few days...

  1. Moise Kean (Juventus)
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    #15 Moise Kean (Juventus)

    Moise Kean's return to Juventus was made permanent in March, but it's clear that Massimiliano Allegri has given up on a striker that promised so much when he first exploded onto the Serie A scene - but has subsequently delivered so little.

    Indeed, a productive loan spell at Paris Saint-Germain aside, Kean has struggled to prove himself a top-level player. So, Juve are willing to let him leave - also because they need the cash - and Fulham are said to be leading the race for the 23-year-old's signature.

  2. Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)
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    #14 Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)

    What on earth has happened to Callum Hudson-Odoi? It's not that long ago that he was playing for England and the subject of £40m bids from Bayern Munich.

    In hindsight, Chelsea really should have cashed in on the winger while they had the chance, because they're now struggling to find a bidder for a player whose form has fallen off a cliff over the past couple of years, with last season's loan move to Bayer Leverkusen failing to have the desired effect. Still, Fulham or Nottingham Forest may yet be willing to pay a small fee for 22-year-old...

  3. Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds)
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    #13 Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds)

    One of the few success stories of an otherwise trying season for Leeds that ended in relegation to the Championship, Italy international Wilfried Gnonto became a fan favourite with some electrifying top-flight performances, which included a goal at Old Trafford.

    However, Gnonto is now desperate to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, as underlined by the fact that he asked to be left out of the line-up and handed in a transfer request. He has since recommenced training with Leeds and scored against Ipswich on Saturday, but it's believed that Everton retain a strong interest in signing the 19-year-old attacker.

  4. Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal)
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    #12 Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal)

    Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the worst transfers in the history of football. Arsenal gave up on their £72m ($90m) signing a long time ago but still can't find someone to take Nicolas Pepe off their hands.

    It was hoped that last season's loan move to Nice might turn into a permanent deal but, despite rumours of a move to Besiktas, Pepe is now back in north London and speculation is rife that the Gunners will try to negotiate the termination of a contract that still has one year to run.

  5. Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
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    #11 Scott McTominay (Manchester United)

    Having slipped down the pecking order at Manchester United, Scott McTominay would clearly benefit from a transfer before the close of the summer window. He is 26 and a Scotland international - he needs to be playing regularly at club level.

    Despite signing Edson Alvarez, West Ham have a big vacancy in midfield following Declan Rice's move to Arsenal and McTominay appears a perfect fit for David Moyes' brand of football. However, there is no guarantee that this proposed deal will actually go through, particularly as United are reportedly seeking £30m ($38m) for McTominay's services.

  6. Donny van de Beek (Manchester United)
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    #10 Donny van de Beek (Manchester United)

    A well-taken goal in pre-season sparked hope that Donny van de Beek might be about to kick-start his career after struggling for form and fitness ever since joining Manchester United from Ajax three years ago.

    However, Van De Beek didn't even make the bench for the first two games of the Premier League season and Real Sociedad's supposed interest in the Dutchman has yet to materialise into an actual bid. Consequently, with the close of the transfer window fast approaching, Van de Beek is still waiting for the move he so badly needs.

  7. Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt)
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    #9 Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt)

    Having been linked with a host of top European clubs following a breakout season at Eintracht Frankfurt, it's somewhat surprising that Randal Kolo Muani is still at Deutsche Bank Park.

    That's not to say the France international won't move, however, as Paris Saint-Germain are still said to be very interested. At the end of the day, though, any buying club will need to meet Eintracht's hefty asking price, and with Kylian Mbappe back on board at the Parc des Princes, PSG might not be willing to spend big on another forward, having already signed the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos this summer.

  8. Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina)
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    #8 Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina)

    It was thought that Sofyan Amrabat would have been snapped up during the January transfer window after his heroics at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco. Liverpool and Barcelona were both linked with a move for the defensive midfielder, but as it was, he ended up staying at Fiorentina - and, somewhat surprisingly, he's still there.

    However, it feels like only a matter of time before Amrabat leaves the Artemio Franchi, with Old Trafford looking like his most likely destination, as Manchester United's issues in the middle of the park having been laid bare already this season.

    Atletico Madrid appear to be out of the running, given Rodrigo De Paul looks set to stay at the club, but Liverpool cannot be completely discounted even if they have already brought in Wataru Endo, while there is mounting talk that Napoli will make a move.

  9. David de Gea (Free agent)
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    #7 David de Gea (Free agent)

    David de Gea must be getting a little nervous now. The Spaniard is still searching for a club after being unceremoniously dumped by Manchester United when his contract expired at the end of June. It looked like he was going to join Bayern Munich due to Yann Sommer's departure for Inter and Manuel Neuer's ongoing injury issues, but it was claimed that De Gea's wage demands scuppered the deal.

    There was also talk of a belated move to Real Madrid to provide cover for Thibaut Courtois, who is out for an extended period of time with an ACL injury, but that role instead went to Kepa Arrizabalaga. As a result, De Gea might be left with no other option than to move to Saudi Arabia...

  10. Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)
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    #6 Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)

    It took an incredible amount of time but Manchester United finally decided that Mason Greenwood could not continue his professional career at Old Trafford. Despite surprisingly stating that the club had concluded that the academy graduate "did not commit the offences in respect of which he was charged" in October 2022, they are now helping him find a new team. That will not be easy in the circumstances.

    According to one report, Greenwood wants to rebuild his career in England, but there appears little chance of that happening, even at Championship level. There has been talk of interest in Turkey and Italy, though, while the most obvious solution would be a move to Saudi Arabia. Although, it has been claimed that even the powers that be at the Pro League are unwilling to associate themselves with Greenwood right now.

  11. Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
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    #5 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)

    Despite only signing a new contract at PSG last season, Marco Verratti has been told that he is now surplus to requirements at Parc des Princes and needs to find himself a new club before the end of the transfer window. A move to the Saudi Pro League had seemed imminent - and still appears the most likely outcome - but the likes of Manchester United are now being linked with the Italy international.

  12. Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich)
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    #4 Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich)

    Ryan Gravenberch only joined Bayern Munich last summer, but the former Ajax man endured a dreadfully underwhelming first season at the Allianz Arena, starting just six games in all competitions. There was hope that his fortunes might improve when Thomas Tuchel took over as coach from Julian Nagelsmann in March, but Gravenberch is still seeing very little game time and speculation is rife that the Bavarians are now open to cashing in on the Netherlands international.

    Both Manchester United and Liverpool have been strongly linked with the 21-year-old but, at the time of writing, neither has yet submitted a formal bid for a midfielder that both Tuchel and Nagelsmann feel is more suited to playing as a No.8 than a No.6.

  13. Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
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    #3 Harry Maguire (Manchester United)

    Erik ten Hag has insisted that he has no issue with Harry Maguire staying at Old Trafford, but it's clear that the Dutchman would rather sell the reserve centre-back in order to generate funds to strengthen elsewhere.

    A move to West Ham appeared a done deal only for Maguire to pull out of the transfer at the last minute. That switch could yet be resurrected, though, given the England international has yet to see a single minute of Premier League action so far this season.

  14. Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
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    #2 Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)

    Joao Felix's four years at Atletico Madrid have not gone as anyone would have hoped, and he now seems destined to depart the Metropolitano Stadium this summer after his underwhelming loan spell at Chelsea in the second half of last season.

    The Portugal international has already made it clear that he would like to join Barcelona, which seems to have been the final straw for Diego Simeone. The Blaugrana, however, don't seem to be interested in Felix, which could instead lead to him to join the exodus of unwanted European stars to the Saudi Pro League.

  15. Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
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    #1 Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)

    For the second time in two years, Inter fans are furious with Romelu Lukaku, who, after leaving for Chelsea without saying a word in 2021, entered into secret talks with the Nerazzurri's most hated rivals, Juventus, over a summer switch to Turin.

    Funnily enough, Juve fans are also up in arms, aghast at the prospect of losing Dusan Vlahovic in order to take Lukaku off Chelsea's hands. What's really frustrating for Lukaku, though, is the lack of movement, with the Blues and the Bianconeri yet to agree terms over the proposed player-plus-cash deal.

    In recent days there has been talk of interest from Roma but, for now, Lukaku is in limbo, much to the amusement of many of his former fans.