Aston Villa have submitted an offer to acquire Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace, though the proposal falls substantially short of the London club's asking price. The 29-year-old France striker remains a target for the Birmingham side as they seek attacking reinforcements amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding Ollie Watkins' future.
Mateta's contract situation has become central to negotiations between the two clubs. According to reports, the forward has just one year remaining on his Palace deal, which underpins the significant gap between Villa's opening bid and Palace's valuation. Villa have also rejected four separate bids from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal for Watkins, with the most recent offer valued at £45m, suggesting the club is determined to retain their star forward while exploring additional attacking options.
Beyond Mateta, Villa are on the verge of finalising a €70m (£59.8m) agreement to sign Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, 25, from Senegal. This deal represents a more advanced stage of negotiations compared to the Mateta pursuit, though Chelsea and Atlético Madrid continue to evaluate options for Jackson, with Villa remaining the more viable Premier League destination.
Villa's forward search has also extended to other targets. The club has made an approach to sign Rafael Leão from AC Milan, broadening their options as they navigate the final weeks of the transfer window and address potential gaps in their attacking department.
Manchester City's pursuit of Enzo Fernández intensifies despite missed deadline
Manchester City will lodge a formal offer to Chelsea for Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández, 25, before the transfer window concludes. The move comes despite City missing an earlier deadline set by Chelsea on 14 August for any bid to reach £120m.
Manchester City remain interested in Fernández despite missing the deadline, with a decision on whether to push ahead expected before the window closes on 1 September. The midfielder has been publicly linked with a departure from Chelsea throughout 2026, and City have emerged as potential buyers after interest from other clubs has diminished.
Other Premier League movements in the transfer market
Manchester United are considering contacting Stuttgart regarding a potential acquisition of 20-year-old German defender Finn Jeltsch. The Red Devils continue to strengthen their defensive options as they prepare for the new campaign.
Tottenham are positioned to potentially disrupt Napoli's efforts to sign Marseille and Algeria winger Amine Gouiri, 26, indicating competition for the player's services remains active.
Newcastle United will present a final offer valued at €60m (£51m) for Lille and Belgium forward Matias Fernández-Pardo, 21, as the club pursues additional attacking depth.
Leeds United and Crystal Palace have both registered interest in Everton and Ireland defender Jake O'Brien, 25, with the centre-back attracting attention from multiple clubs.
Nottingham Forest are engaged in discussions with Brazilian club Corinthians regarding a move for 20-year-old midfielder André, while Hull City have reached an agreement with Union Berlin to sign 21-year-old German forward Ilyas Ansah in a deal worth more than €20m (£17.1m).
EFL transfer activity and loan moves
Derby County have expressed interest in bringing Southampton and Chile forward Ben Brereton Diaz, 27, back to Pride Park on loan following his successful spell at the club last season. However, Southampton prefer to negotiate a permanent transfer rather than another temporary arrangement.
Wrexham are preparing to sign Angers and Gabon defender Jacques Ekomie, 23, on a four-year contract valued at approximately £6.8m.
Doncaster Rovers have completed a loan acquisition of Aston Villa's English midfielder Tommi O'Reilly, 22, after the player impressed during a previous loan spell at Crewe Alexandra.
What happens next in the transfer window
The Premier League transfer window will close on 1 September, leaving clubs with limited time to finalise their business. Manchester City's decision on Enzo Fernández is expected before that deadline, while Villa's next move on Mateta will depend on whether Crystal Palace adjusts their valuation following the rejection of the opening bid.
