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The transfer window in England closes on Thursday by 5 pm GMT, so a lot of clubs are in a frenzy, trying to wrap up last minute deals in a bid to bolster their squads for the assault on next season.
While some clubs such as Manchester City wrapped up their business a long time ago, and are not strongly being linked with anyone, others like Tottenham are yet to make major inroads in the market, and the next few days are expected to be busy at Spurs.
Though the window closes in England on Thursday, other clubs in Europe still follow the traditional August 31 deadline, and can still purchase Premier League players beyond Thursday, although the selling club would not be able to replace any departures after the 10th of August. Hence the reason why most clubs are trying to wrap up replacement deals, in the eventuality of a player departing after the window closes.
With just over 24 hours left until the close of the transfer window, I present the top five transfers involving only English clubs which could still take place before Thursday.
#5 Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace to Chelsea)
The controversial yet talented Ivory Coast international has been linked with a transfer to the Premier League big teams since his failed adventure at Manchester United, but nothing has ever materialized, with his inconsistency and contentious nature proving to be a stumbling block to his elevation.
The speculations returned this summer again, first with Tottenham, then Arsenal and now Chelsea appear to be the club in pole position to sign him, and a decision would be made on his arrival by Sarri in a meeting with the board regarding transfer targets later today.
Crystal Palace are reluctant to sell their star man, and place a valuation of £70m on him, with Chelsea hesitant to lodge a bid, until Maurizio Sarri gives the green light. It is believed that Zaha is seen as a potential replacement for Willian if he makes his expected move to Manchester United in the coming days.
#4 Jack Butland (Stoke City to Chelsea)
With Thibaut Courtois going AWOL from Chelsea training in a bid to force a move to Real Madrid, Chelsea have begun to contemplate options for his replacement, as the Belgium international has just one year left on his contract, and the club would be keen to sell him now rather than lose him for free next season.
Jan Oblak was touted as the prime candidate to replace the man he replaced at Atletico Madrid, however, he has a release clause of £89m, which the London club deem too expensive, hence the decision to make the Stoke City keeper their number one target.
The 25-year-old Butland is one of the highest rated England goalkeepers, and made the 23-man squad to the World Cup despite being relegated last season with Stoke City.
He has started life in the Championship, playing all 90 minutes in the 3-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road. However, his status could soon change, as Chelsea are very much interested in bringing him back to top-flight football.
#3 Jack Grealish to Tottenham (Aston Villa to Tottenham)
The 22-year-old is one of the brightest prospects in English football, having shone with impressive displays for Aston Villa over the last four seasons in the Premier League and Championship.
Tottenham are the only club from last season's Premier League and Champions League teams yet to make a signing, and it is expected that the next 36 hours would be busy at the club, with some players such as Toby Alderweireld, Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele expected to leave the club.
Tottenham are keen to add Grealish to their ranks, but Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce confirmed that the club would love to hold onto him, but might struggle to do so if Spurs meet their valuation of the player believed to be in the region £35m. Spurs are unsurprisingly yet to match that asking price.
#2 Willian (Chelsea to Manchester United)
Willian has been subject of speculations linking him with a transfer from Chelsea during this transfer window, first to Barcelona, who didn't meet Chelsea's valuation of the winger before turning their attention to Malcom from Roma, and now Manchester United.
The 29-year-old was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk by Mourinho in 2013 during the Portuguese's second spell in charge of Chelsea and they won a Premier League winner's medal together in 2015. He became a favourite of Mou's, and was one of the players absolved of blame when Mourinho claimed Chelsea players 'betrayed' him after his sack in November 2015.
Since then, Willian and Jose have maintained a cordial relationship, and the Brazilian has stated multiple times that it is his wish to work under Mourinho again, labelling him 'the best manager he has had'.
That wish is closer to being fulfilled, with speculations that Manchester United have tabled an improved bid for Willian, and we could see him reunite with Mourinho within the next few hours.
#1 Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham to Manchester United)
This has been one of the more dragged out transfers of the summer, as Alderweireld has sought a transfer away from Spurs, having turned down the club's offer of a contract extension owing to its inability to meet his wage demands (about £180,000/week).
Mourinho is a known admirer of the Belgium international, and had made him a transfer priority, with Alderweireld issuing an ultimatum to Spurs concerning his transfer, but Daniel Levy held firm to his asking price of £70m, which United saw as excessive for a player with just one year left on his contract.
However, new reports emerging indicate that both clubs have reached an agreement with the move being finalized subject only to Tottenham finding a replacement for the 29-year-old Belgian.
With the move all but guaranteed, barring any last minutes twists, this is a transfer that would happen in the coming hours.
