• Three days to the deadline – all the developments as they happen
• Sarri admits Courtois could leave in coming days
• Every summer deal from Europe’s top five leagues
• Email nick.ames@theguardian.com or tweet @NickAmes82
“It may be that I no longer pay as much attention,” begins Philip Taylor, immediately earning himself a rap around the knuckles. “But am I right in getting the impression that new player unveiling interviews are slightly less peppered with bullshit about ‘when I was growing up in the middle of nowhere with two channels on the telly I wanted to play for Wolves’ and ‘I have turned down so called bigger clubs to be spend a few seasons bumping around mid-table with pleasingly symmetrical season-end stats such as W14 D10 L14’? Lucas Digne tried to revive the practice recently of course, but apart from that lying b*st*rd I can’t think of many recent ones.”
Come back, Robbie Keane (though I’m sure he had more than two channels)! These days it’s true, a glowing assessment of the training facilities appears to cut the mustard.
“Any updates on Patrick Roberts?” asks James Maughan. “Leicester were linked with him for most of this summer but now they have signed Ghezzal, I wonder whether they still need him. I think he could make a difference to one of the mid-table sides.”
No, but it’s a good question – I think Celtic would happily take Roberts back for a third season, and understandably so, but either way he needs to find himself a home now. A superb talent and, you’re right, one who could do very well in the Premier League if fit and firing.
Written by Nick Ames
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/aug/06/transfer-window-chelsea-sweat-on-courtois-everton-hunt-lascelles-live under the title “Transfer window: Chelsea sweat on Courtois; Everton hunt Lascelles – live!”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.