The decision taken by Premier League clubs last September to close the transfer window before the start of the 2018-19 season has left them scrambling to complete their squads this summer.
With time running out to get deals done, here are the players that each club should look to add to their ranks before the window shuts at 5 p.m. BST on Thursday.
Arsenal: Quincy Promes (CSKA Moscow)
Arsenal did a lot of their transfer business early and look well equipped for their first season under Unai Emery, but one thing they lack is a genuine wide player. Netherlands international Promes would offer pace and directness from the bench and has reached double figures in top-flight league goals in each of the past five seasons.
Bournemouth: Hatem Ben Arfa (Free agent)
After successive finishes of 16th, ninth and 12th, Bournemouth are looking to kick on to the next level. The extravagantly gifted Ben Arfa, a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, has already worked miracles with a south-coast club who play in red and black stripes, inspiring Nice to a fourth-place Ligue 1 finish in 2016.
Brighton and Hove Albion: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea)
Brighton manager Chris Hughton will be expecting more from Jurgen Locadia this season, after the Dutch forward managed just one league goal following his January switch from PSV Eindhoven. A loan move for coltish Chelsea striker Abraham would further ease the goal scoring burden on 34-year-old Glenn Murray.
Burnley: Jay Rodriguez (West Brom)
Burnley have Europa League football to contend with this season and their squad currently looks worryingly thin. A return to Turf Moor for local lad Rodriguez would tie in with the club’s policy of buying homegrown players and give manager Sean Dyche an option across the front line.
Cardiff City: Tim Matavz (Vitesse Arnhem)
Cardiff’s goal scoring problems last season were summed up by Callum Paterson. Signed from Hearts as a right-back, he ended the season as their top scorer in the Championship with 10 goals from midfield. Slovenia striker Matavz has scored goals consistently in the Eredivisie and his aerial prowess would chime perfectly with Neil Warnock’s direct football.
Chelsea: Jack Butland (Stoke)
With Thibaut Courtois angling for a move to Real Madrid, Chelsea face the unpalatable prospect of starting the season without a top-level goalkeeper. Few clubs will willingly cede a No. 1 so close to the start of the campaign, but a move to Stamford Bridge would surely appeal to England international Butland.
Crystal Palace: Moussa Dembele (Celtic)
Exasperated by Christian Benteke’s wayward finishing, Palace manager Roy Hodgson finished last season using wingers Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend in a free-form front two. Dembele has shown his class at Celtic and could use a stint at Selhurst Park as a springboard for a move to one of Europe’s super clubs.
Everton: Yerry Mina (Barcelona)
Everton manager Marco Silva has made defensive reinforcements his top priority and Mina would be an ideal centre-back partner for Michael Keane. The rugged 23-year-old shone at both ends of the pitch for Colombia at the World Cup, scoring in each of his three appearances.
Fulham: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Manchester City)
Having been rebuffed in their initial attempts to bring Southampton’s Matt Targett to Craven Cottage on a permanent basis, Fulham may have to look elsewhere in their search for a new left-back. Zinchenko performed impressively for Manchester City last season and could form an exciting left-flank partnership with young Ryan Sessegnon.
Huddersfield Town: Bakary Sako (free agent)
No team scored fewer goals than the 28 mustered by Huddersfield last season. Young wingers Ramadan Sobhi and Adama Diakhaby have been signed to improve the supply line to strikers Steve Mounie and Laurent Depoitre, but Sako, who rejected a new contract at Crystal Palace, would make the Terriers’ attack a little more streetwise.
Leicester City: Victor Moses (Chelsea)
Leicester went like-for-like in their quest to replace Riyad Mahrez, bringing in his Algeria teammate Rachid Ghezzal from Monaco. Though talented, Ghezzal is a little lightweight so Moses, who has lost his place at Chelsea following Maurizio Sarri’s switch to a 4-3-3 formation, could add drive and dynamism to Leicester’s right flank.
Liverpool: Nabil Fekir (Lyon)
By common consensus, Liverpool have already had an extremely successful transfer window, but they could add yet another string to their bow by resurrecting their interest in Fekir. Philippe Coutinho has still not been properly replaced and a move for World Cup-winner Fekir would restore some high-level guile to Jurgen Klopp’s attacking options.
Manchester City: Joe Allen (Stoke)
What do you buy for the club that has everything? Pep Guardiola lost out to Chelsea in his bid to sign Jorginho, leaving him a little light in defensive midfield. Joe Allen would not generate much social media buzz, but the Welshman looks after the ball as well as any British midfielder and would easily slot into City’s midfield.
Manchester United: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)
Only Manchester City conceded fewer goals than Manchester United last season, yet Jose Mourinho’s rear-guard continues to look like an army in need of a general. Alderweireld is one of the best centre-backs in world football — and his superb passing range might help to enliven United’s somnolent attack as well.
Newcastle United: Kieran Gibbs (West Brom)
Paul Dummett is the only senior left-back in Rafael Benitez’s squad, leaving Newcastle short of cover in a key defensive position. Gibbs boasts a wealth of Premier League experience and will be eager to return to the top flight following relegation last season
Southampton: Nils Petersen (Freiburg)
Southampton are another club in need of a goal scorer; Charlie Austin finished as their top scorer last season despite netting only seven goals and missing three months through injury. Petersen went to the World Cup with Germany after finishing as second-top scorer in the Bundesliga last season, and at 29 he wouldn’t break the bank.
Tottenham Hotspur: Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
Not for the first time, Spurs fans are watching the transfer deadline approach and wondering if their club are going to manage to sign a single player. Out of favour at Manchester United, Martial is a potential world-beater and could flourish under the stewardship of an empathetic coach like Mauricio Pochettino.
Watford: Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)
Facing competition from Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Welbeck is unlikely to get a huge amount of game time at Arsenal this season. Watford struggled for goals last term and could deploy Welbeck either up front or on the left, where Richarlison’s departure for Everton has left a gap.
West Ham United: Tiemoue Bakayoko (Chelsea)
West Ham will attack the season with an all-English central midfield of Mark Noble and Jack Wilshere, but with Cheikhou Kouyate having left and Pedro Obiang in line to follow him, they lack options in the middle of the park. Bakayoko had a wretched first season at Chelsea and needs an opportunity to resurrect his career.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Pepe (Besiktas)
In one of the summer’s most eye-catching transfer rumours, arch-irritant Pepe has been linked with a move to Wolves. The 35-year-old Besiktas centre-back, who is a Jorge Mendes client, would bring vast experience to Molineux, while opposition fans would relish the opportunity to welcome a new pantomime villain to the Premier League.
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