Philippe Coutinho looks over his back injury with sumptuous Brazil goal
Notably, a diplomatic back injury has kept Philippe Coutinho out of a Liverpool shirt this season, but the goalscoring midfielder looked in fine fettle during Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Ecuador.
A second-half substitute, Coutinho scored Brazil's second after an inventive piece of link-up play between the Barcelona target and Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus.
Receiving the ball in the midfield, Coutinho drove at a back-peddling Ecuddor rearguard before picking out Gabriel with a chipped pass over the top.
The forward then teed himself up to head back into Coutinho's path who tucked home to secure a 2-0 victory in Porto Alegre.
Barcelona have aggressively targeted Coutinho since losing his compatriot Neymar to Paris Saint Germain, but the English transfer deadline has now passed.
Coutinho scored Brazil's second against Ecuador CREDIT: AP
Liverpool fans rejoicing at the news might want to put their celebrations on hold, because the Spanish window remains open until 11pm on Friday night. Theoretically, Barcelona could still get their man.
However, Liverpool's owners FSG have insisted Coutinho is not for sale and reportedly rejected a £138 million offer for the player.
Liverpool missed out on target Thomas Lemar, who was also subject to a late move by Arsenal, and Coutinho is expected to be reintegrated in the squad.
Jurgen Klopp's front-three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have been the Premier League's most threatening forward line, so Coutinho might have to play in a deeper role.
Klopp employed Coutinho in central midfield in their last few games of last season, though there is added competition there too following the purchase of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who has been promised games there.
Tottenham complete deadline day coup by hijacking Chelsea bid to sign Fernando Llorente
Despite the late blow on Gomes, Tottenham felt the signing of Llorente rounded off a successful transfer deadline day, having confirmed the signing of right-back Serge Aurier from Paris Saint-Germain.
Aurier was on Wednesday informed that the French courts had downgraded the criminal conviction he received last year, allowing him to successfully submit a normal work permit application.
Spurs agreed the deal for Aurier some time ago, but had been left to sweat on whether or not the right-back would be allowed to enter the country.
Aurier was given a suspended two-month prison sentence for the assault of a police officer outside a Paris nightclub, which he appealed against. The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international missed a Champions League game at Arsenal last season after being denied permission to enter the UK because of his conviction.
Aurier has also been in trouble for homophobic language used to insult former PSG manager Laurent Blanc in the past, but the 24-year is ready for a fresh start.
“This is a huge and exciting opportunity at a massive football club and I am determined to prove myself as a professional both on and off the pitch,” said Aurier. “This is a fresh start for me and I will do everything to make the Spurs fanbase, which is huge and diverse, proud of me. The fans are the most important people at any club and I am looking forward to showing them and everyone at Spurs the real Serge Aurier.”
Llorente will provide Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino with the top-quality support and cover for Harry Kane he has been seeking since last summer. Not only did Llorente score 15 Premier League goals for Swansea last season, he also has plenty of Champions League experience which will be vital for Tottenham.
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MONACO STAR MBAPPE COMPLETES €180 MILLION PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN MOVE
Paris Saint-Germain have followed up their world-record signing of Neymar by completing a deal for Kylian Mbappe from Ligue 1 rivals Monaco, in a deal that is likely to be the second-largest of all time.
Mbappe, 18, arrives initially on a season-long loan, but PSG have an all-but-certain option to buy him next summer on a deal lasting until 2022.
Sources have told ESPN FC that the deal will be worth €180 million plus bonuses, putting it only behind PSG's €222m signing of Neymar from Barcelona earlier in the summer.
The loan may allow PSG time to stay within financial fair play (FFP) regulations, which allow a club only a €30m deficit. Following their record Neymar purchase, PSG wanted to structure their deal for Mbappe so the financial impact of his arrival would not be taken into account this season.
The only way PSG will not be obliged to buy Mbappe next summer is if they are relegated from Ligue 1, sources said.
A fully automatic purchase option would have required the expenditure to be counted in the same season as Neymar's, potentially putting PSG in peril of infringing the FFP limits and exposing themselves to sanctions from UEFA, the most significant of which would be exclusion from the Champions League.
PSG president Nasser Al_Khelaifi said: "It is with a lot of emotion and satisfaction that I welcome Kylian Mbappé to the Paris Saint-Germain family. It was essential for French football that we keep and help develop such a great talent in our championship.
"Among players of his age, he is without doubt the most promising in the world due to his immense technical, physical and mental qualities. Since his emergence at the highest level, he has earned an excellent reputation as a young talent who is very respectful, open, ambitious and already very mature.
"Under our colours, in the midst of truly great players, Kylian will continue his progression in a way that will also benefit the French national team in the months and years to come. With his arrival, more than ever, our supporters will have plenty to cheer about."
Eden Hazard reveals Fernando Llorente Deal is close
The Blues star man Eden Hazard urges his fellow team mate Michy
Batshuayi to leave Chelsea after suggesting Fernando Llorente transfer is close.
Eden Hazard has suggested that Chelsea are close to signing Fernando Llorente from Swansea City after saying Michy Batshuayi needsto leave Stamford Bridge in order to progress his in career. Chelsea are currently in talks with Swansea over a £15 million deal for the 32-year-old after Antonio Conte failed with an attempt to sign the striker in the January transfer window. It should also be noted that chelsea completed the signing of Kylian Hazard
Batshuayi, meanwhile, started just one Premier League game last season following his £33m arrival from Marseille and now looks set for a second campaign as Conte's second-choice forward following the signing of Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid.
Asked about Batshuayi's situation at Stamford Bridge during his press conference with Belgium's national team, Hazard said: 'I spoke with him about it this morning.
'He is 23 years old. If he wants to progress, he must play.
'Especially if Chelsea sign Llorente, he will have less playing time.
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Arsenal waiting on ‘huge offer’ for Alexis Sanchez after rejecting Manchester City bid
Chelsea aren’t the only ones looking to make impactful moves in the final two days of the transfer window, with title rivals Manchester City, Liverpool, and even Spurs staying very busy as the window slowly winds shut.
City’s main target appears to be yet another attacker, Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, who’s been linked with Pep Guardiola’s new team for the better part of a year, which is almost as long as Chelsea have supposedly been interested as well. But while Chelsea appear to be sitting this one out — grumble, grumble, grumble — City are still having just as many issues as anyone else these days in trying to get a signing over the finishing line.
Basically, Alexis is still on the market. City offered £50m, Arsenal rejected it and countered with a cash, plus Raheem Sterling request, which City in turn laughed off. They have promised to come back with an improved cash-only offer, though it’s unclear just how much Arsenal are demanding.
