Liverpool handed boost in major transfer pursuit, Man Utd table swap deal, Aston Villa ace being headhunted

We are now heading into the final days of the transfer window and this is where the real chaos starts. There’s been plenty of action already but there is still time before deadline day for Premier League clubs to squeeze in some last minute deals.

We’ve rounded up some of the latest transfer rumours for the weekend and thrown in our thoughts for good measure.

Liverpool could benefit as transfer stance ‘softens’

Liverpool have managed to bring in Wataru Endo as a replacement for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, but they are still light on midfield options. With time running out, Jurgen Klopp and his side need to act fast if they want to bring in one more recruit for the engine room, and they could have been given a big boost regarding one of their main targets.

According to 90min, Bayern Munich are ‘softening’ their stance on selling Ryan Gravenberch this summer. They were initially firm on keeping him at the club but now they could be willing to listen to offers, and Gravenberch is also keen to move on after struggling for regular game time.

The 3AM Verdict: The Reds may have ditched their interest in Gravenberch to focus on Roméo Lavia, but they have always been interested in the Dutchman. Now, an opportunity has presented itself and providing nothing goes wrong, Liverpool could well snap him up just in time for deadline day.

It’s been an extremely tricky window for the Reds, who have lost five midfielders overall this summer, including their captain, vice-captain, and first choice No.6. Endo was smart, quick signing but they could really do with an extra man in the middle to ease the nerves. Klopp and co should really jump in with both feet to sign Gravenberch, or they just a couple of injuries away from being in trouble this season.

United considering player swap

As part of their plans to sign Nélson Semedo, Manchester United are considering a player swap deal with Wolves in order to get the deal over the line, according to Football Insider. The Red Devils have been on the market for a new attacking right-back and Semedo fits the bill, but their Premier League rivals are concerned about the short amount of time they will have to replace Semedo if they do allow him to leave.

United have reportedly offered up a trade which would involve the exit of Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the Wolves star.

The 3AM Verdict: United have been interested Semedo for some time, and if they want to sacrifice Wan-Bissaka in order to get their man, then that is their prerogative. However, comparing the two last season on WhoScored, AWB actually came out with the better stats.

If it’s an attacking full-back they’re after, United’s own man actually averaged more shots (0.5) and key passes (0.8) per 90 compared to Semede with 0.3 for both. Wan-Bissaka also came out on top with the majority of defensive stats as well, recording more tackles and interceptions than the Wolves star per match. Of course, if it’s Semedo they want then they should snap him up, but it seems a pretty like-for-like swap.

Qatar want Aston Villa star

The sad tale that is the slow decline of Philippe Coutinho’s career has taken another twist as he is now being hunted by Qatari side Al Duhail before the transfer window slams shut. According to Fabrizio Romano, the club have ‘serious intention’ to sign the Brazilian this summer and agreements have been reached between the two parties. However, there is still ‘no final green light’ from Aston Villa to make such a move happen.

Negotiations are ongoing over Coutinho — who joined the Villans last summer and has three years left on his contract — but time is running out for Al Duhail if they want to get a deal over the line before January.

The 3AM Verdict: It’s really disappointing to see how much Coutinho’s career has faded. Once Liverpool’s most precious gem, he made the gargantuan £120 million move to Barcelona, ready to make his dream a reality, but it never happened. The Brazilian slipped down the pecking order drastically and Barca no longer wanted him. He left for a loan move to Bayern Munich, and they didn’t want him full-time either. The world was left stunned at how no one wanted a player who was once one of the most feared talents in the Premier League.

Now, even with a new start at Aston Villa, Coutinho is fighting for chances. Last season, he played just 20 league games — most of them as a substitute — and scored one goal in that time. It looks like it’s going to be a similar 2023/24 season too. If Villa have decided he’s no longer a beneficial asset, it makes sense for both parties that he moves on. At 31, Coutinho will be looking for as much first team football as possible, and he just isn’t in favour for that at Villa any more.