Transfer Window Aftermath: Arsenal, Chelsea, and Richarlison's Next Moves

Transfer window closes, but the market refuses to sleep.

England’s deadline has passed, the chequebooks are supposed to be shut, yet the aftershocks from a record-breaking summer are still rumbling through north London, west London and beyond.

Arsenal’s quiet end – and what comes next

Arsenal tiptoed through Deadline Day in the end. The big swing for Julian Alvarez never landed, leaving Mikel Arteta without the marquee forward many at the club wanted.

Gabriel Martinelli’s move to Saudi Arabia, wrapped up on Thursday, was the headline departure. The Gunners did at least move quickly to line up the future, with Andria Bartishvili undergoing a medical as they reshaped the squad around the edges rather than at the top.

Behind the scenes, though, Arsenal were not completely still.

A late move for Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez was explored once the Alvarez chase collapsed. Arsenal were prepared to go big for the Argentina striker, but Inter simply refused to entertain it. Martinez later confirmed Barcelona’s interest in him was real, yet he chose to stay put, stressing how comfortable he feels in Milan and his desire to keep chasing trophies with the Nerazzurri.

That left Arsenal empty-handed again at centre-forward.

The club’s gaze is already drifting towards January. Vinicius Junior remains on their radar despite signing an improved deal at Real Madrid after deciding to stay. Alvarez, who stayed at Atletico Madrid when his preferred switch to Barcelona was blocked, is another name they could revisit if injuries bite.

Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi, who impressed before a pre-season injury checked his rise, also stays on the shortlist as a longer-term attacking project.

Chelsea rip up the midfield and reload

Chelsea, as ever, did not do quiet.

Enzo Fernandez’s move to Manchester City for £125million matched the British transfer record and ripped a key piece out of Xabi Alonso’s midfield on the eve of the season. The plan was ready: Lamine Camara in as the replacement. Then Monaco walked away and that deal collapsed.

Chelsea pivoted. Hard.

Attention has now locked onto Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios, with the club considering a €100m offer once the window reopens. The 23-year-old Spain international has grown into a central figure at Atletico, and Alonso is understood to see him as the ideal successor to Fernandez – another technically sharp, press-resistant midfielder to build around.

Chelsea believe a huge bid could seriously test Atletico’s resolve. Barrios would become a cornerstone of a rebuild that has already seen the club bet heavily on youth and potential.

That was not the only almost-move.

A verbal agreement with Roma for Manu Kone was in place, according to reports, only for the Italian club to run out of time to sign a replacement. Gian Piero Gasperini then vetoed Kone’s departure altogether, slamming that door shut.

Closer to home, Everton rejected a £65m bid for James Garner in the final hours of the window. The Toffees simply refused to sell with no time to find another midfielder, leaving Chelsea to walk away empty-handed again.

There was one new armband, though, even if it came on the women’s side of the club.

Chelsea Women have confirmed Erin Cuthbert as captain for the 2026/27 season, replacing Millie Bright after the England defender’s surprise decision to retire in April. Cuthbert, now into her tenth year at the club and already on 301 appearances, called the role “a great honour” and spoke of understanding the weight of the armband at Chelsea. She insists she is ready to live up to it.

Richarlison on the clock in Turkey

The Premier League window is closed to Richarlison. Turkey is not.

Tottenham have left the Brazilian out of their Premier League squad and are pushing to move him on. Everton thought they had him, agreeing an initial £25m deal, but the forward could not agree personal terms. That collapsed, and with it went his chance of staying in England for now.

Now it is Trabzonspor or nothing until January.

The Turkish window shuts at midnight local time – 10pm in the UK – and talks are active. Personal terms with Trabzonspor are said to be in place. The two clubs are now haggling over the fee as the clock ticks down.

Trabzonspor need him. Four points from three league games and a bruising 5-0 aggregate defeat to Ferencvaros in their Europa League play-off have underlined their problems in attack. Richarlison, desperate for minutes, suddenly looks like a solution for both sides.

If they cannot get it over the line, he faces months on the fringes.

Manchester City’s Plan B and a striker tug-of-war

Manchester City have quietly made their own contingency plans. When Erling Haaland is unavailable or withdrawn, the club now see Antoine Semenyo as the preferred option to lead the line, according to reports.

Enzo Maresca is ready to lean on the forward as his main alternative through the middle, a clear signal of trust in Semenyo’s power and movement to carry the attack when the superstar No9 rests.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, the next battle is already being drawn up.

Newcastle and Aston Villa are both targeting Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane ahead of January. The 20-year-old has caught the eye enough for both clubs to put him near the top of their winter lists, setting up another potential tug-of-war between two ambitious projects looking to deepen their attacking options.

New faces in the England set-up

Away from the chaos of club business, England’s development pathway has been quietly strengthened.

Conor Coady and Paul Williams will join Lee Carsley’s England U21 coaching staff this autumn after Ashley Cole’s departure. Coady, the former Wolves and England defender with 10 senior caps and tournament experience at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, returns to the pathway after working with the MU19s earlier this year.

Williams, with a deep playing background in the Premier League and recent work with England’s U15s, will juggle the U21 role with his job as a senior coach developer at the FA.

The Young Lions, reigning European champions, still have three Euro 2027 qualifiers to navigate as they look to book their place at next summer’s finals. Their talent pool remains rich. Now the staff around them has been bolstered too.

The windows in England may be shut, but the stories clearly are not. January already looms large – and for some, like Richarlison and Barrios, the next move could define far more than just a season.