10 days to go: Who Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea and more need to buy in the transfer window
Strap yourself in and keep hold of your hat, because things are about to get exciting! We're counting down the days to the end of the transfer window and it's a time when the people in charge of Premier League purse strings traditionally go temporarily crazy. Plenty of deals have been done already, but with the season now in full swing, clubs under pressure to get results and players looking to move, the next week will see plenty more transfers take place.
With the final countdown to August 31st already ticking, here's talkSPORT's guide to who the Premier League big guns need to buy in the last days of the transfer window…
ARSENAL
What's the score?
The Gunners have been fairly sluggish with transfers this summer and after a poor finish to last season the club needed to strengthen. Arsenal have bought Gervinho, Carl Jenkinson and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, but these signings don't appear to be enough in light of Cesc Fabregas' move to Barcelona and the seemingly impending departure of Samir Nasri, leaving a gaping chasm in midfield. Injuries and suspensions have hit the team hard during a difficult run of opening fixtures, with Arsene Wenger forced to make nine changes in the defeat to Liverpool at the weekend. Arsenal's defensive line-up has been hampered by injuries and the sale of Gael Clichy to Man City, not to mention dodgy centre-back Sebastien Squillaci being given the cold shoulder by Arsene Wenger, hasn't helped. It really is time for Le Prof to start splashing the cash otherwise Arsenal will go from title contenders to Champions League also-rans.
POSSIBLE SALES: Samir Nasri (Man City), Sebastien Squillaci, Manuel Almunia, Nicklas Bendtner (Stoke, Newcastle)
POSSIBLE INS: Yann M'Vila, Eden Hazard, Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Gary Cahill, Scott Dann, Per Mertesacker, Kaka and Mauro Zarate
WHERE THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN: Left back, centre back, attacking midfielder, striker
IF THEY SIGN ONE PLAYER IT SHOULD BE: Eden Hazard (if Nasri is sold, as expected)… BREAKING NEWS! Hazard rules out joining Arsenal this summer: click here for more info
CHELSEA
The Blues ageing squad needs a vital injection of young blood and new boss Andre Villas-Boas has already begun the overhaul, but progress in the transfer market has been slow, rather than spectacular. Talented teens Oriol Romeu and Romelu Lukaku have arrived and Spanish winger Juan Mata is on his way, but Chelsea could still use a creative player to supply Fernando Torres. The team's less than explosive start to the season may provide Villas-Boas with the impetus to persuade Roman Abramovich that decisive action is needed before the end of August.
POSSIBLE OUTS: Alex (Juventus), Yossi Benayoun (Totenham), Daniel Sturridge (Tottenham), Paulo Ferreira, Daniel Sturridge
POSSIBLE INS: Luka Modric, Raul Meireles, Kevin De Bruyne
WHERE THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN: Central midfield, reserve goalkeeper
IF THEY SIGN ONE PLAYER IT SHOULD BE: Luka Modric
Liverpool
Kenny Dalglish has been spending money like a WAG let loose in Selfridges since his return to the Merseyside cub. Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Alexander Doni, Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique have refreshed a squad in dire need of strengthening and the Reds are no particularly blessed in midfield, where so far the injured Steven Gerrard isn't being missed. Liverpool's main problem now is offloading the deadwood eating into the Anfield wage bill and will no doubt need to sell before they can buy. A centre back, with Jamie Carragher getting on, Daniel Agger injury prone and Sotirios Kyrgiakos sold to Wolfsburg, is the next priority, as well as a striker to deputise for Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.
POSSIBLE OUTS: Alberto Aquilani (AC MIlan), Christian Poulsen, Joe Cole (QPR), Raul Meireles (Chelsea), David Ngog (Bolton), Phillip Degen (QPR)
POSSIBLE INS: Gary Cahill, Paddy McCourt, Kevin Doyle, Ryan Shawcross, Scott Dann
WHERE THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN: Centre back, striker
IF THEY SIGN ONE PLAYER IT SHOULD BE: Gary Cahill
MANCHESTER CITY
Big-spending City have already bolstered their defence with this summer's signings of Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy, as well as bringing in star man Sergio Aguero. With a huge squad bursting with players on huge wages, it's important for City to clear out the players with next to no chance of playing, if they want to free up some space in the squad for new signings who Roberto Mancini actually wants at the club. The chase for Arsenal's Samir Nasri could fall through if the Gunners cup-tie the Frenchman by playing him in their Champions League play-off this week. City's wealth means they could yet opt to gazump their Chelsea by signing Luka Modric, or sweeter still, by luring Wesley Sneijder to Manchester.
POSSIBLE OUTS: Shaun Wright-phillips (Bolton), Carlos Tevez, Vladimir Weiss, Craig Bellamy, Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham), Wayne Bridge, Roque Santa Cruz
POSSIBLE INS: Samir Nasri, Wesley Sneidjer, Luka Modric
WHERE THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN: A creative, attacking midfielder to share the burden with David Silva
IF THEY SIGN ONE PLAYER IT SHOULD BE: Samir Nasri
MANCHESTER UNITED
Sir Alex got most of his transfers out of the way nice and early, with the arrival of Phil Jones, Ashley Young and David De Gea coming in the first few weeks of the transfer window opening. With Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck returning from loan spells, United's squad looks full of strength and depth, if not overloaded with experience at times. They will miss Paul Scholes' presence and, having been comprehensively outclassed by Barcelona, have been strongly linked with a move for both Wesley Sneijder and Luka Modric, although there remain big obstacles to both players arriving at Old Trafford. Fringe players Wes Brown and John O'Shea have also been sold as Fergie builds a young side capable of resisting the challenge of neighbours City and, he hopes, usurping Barcelona in Europe.
POSSIBLE OUTS: Darron Gibson, Mame Biram Diouf
POSSIBLE INS: Wesley Sneijder, Luka Modric
WHERE THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN: Creative midfielder
IF THEY SIGN ONE PLAYER IT SHOULD BE: Wesley Sneijder
TOTTENHAM
Tottenham look set to lose their talented midfielder Luka Modric to Chelsea and have recently sold Robbie Keane to LA Galaxy. They have multiple fringe players that need to be sold and with Crouch and Pavlyuchenko linked with moves away, Jermain Defoe appears to be the only striker currently in favour at White Hart Lane (and he scored a disappointing four Premier League goals last season). It's no surprise, then, that former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor could secure a loan move from Man City this week, if an agreement can be reached on how his £170,000-a-week wages will be paid. In midfield, Spurs will be under pressure to find a replacement for Modric if he goes and a new centre back to bolster their back line.
POSSIBLE OUTS: Jermaine Jenas, Alan Hutton, Sebastian Bassong, Niko Krancjar, Wilson Palacios, David Bentley (QPR) and Giovanni dos Santos could go, as well strikers Peter Crouch (AC Milan) and Roman Pavlyuchenko
POSSIBLE INS: Emmanuel Adebayor, Chris Samba, Gary Cahill, Scott Parker, Daniel Sturridge, Yossi Benayoun, Lassana Diarra
WHERE THEY NEED TO STRENGTHEN: Up front
IF THEY SIGN ONE PLAYER IT SHOULD BE: Emmanuel Adebayor