The summer transfer window closes on Friday 30 August – Premier League clubs have until 11pm BST (6pm ET) – and the clock is ticking for several high-profile stars whose futures remain uncertain.

Contractual issues, wage demands and transfer fees can make finding a new team difficult – both for the player and the clubs trying to negotiate a deal – but the pressure is on to get everything done in the coming week.

So who are Europe’s top players looking for a new team before the transfer window closes? And who could they join?

Raheem Sterling, ST, Chelsea

New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has told Sterling he has no future in the first team at Stamford Bridge and can leave the club this month. But finding a new team will be easier said than done with the 29-year-old still having three years left on his £300,000-a-week contract.

Having joined from Manchester City for £47.5 million two years ago, the only viable way for Chelsea to get anywhere close to their money back for the former England winger would be to send him to a Saudi Arabian club. However, Sterling has already ruled out a move to the Saudi Pro League as his family lives in London.

Juventus and Aston Villa have expressed interest, but Sterling’s wages and transfer fee are likely to rule out a permanent deal. A loan seems the only realistic option, but Chelsea are unlikely to find a club willing to pay his entire salary.

Jadon Sancho, ST, Manchester United

Both United and Sancho salvaged a predicament by reaching an agreement in the summer following a season-long stalemate between the winger and manager Erik ten Hag last year, which resulted in the player being loaned to Borussia Dortmund for six months.

But despite Ten Hag and Sancho reaching a truce that saw the 24-year-old return to the first-team squad, United are ready to offload the player this month after the club paid Dortmund £73 million for his services in 2021.

Sancho’s form last season at Dortmund, when he helped the Bundesliga side reach the Champions League final, has attracted some interest and Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are possible destinations.

United would prefer to sign Sancho permanently rather than re-sign him on loan, but it will cost the club dearly if they try to persuade another club to pay a transfer fee and also cover the player’s £250,000-a-week salary.

Ivan Toney, ST, Brentford

Saudi Pro League team Al Ahli have made a lucrative offer for Toney, but have not yet been able to surpass Brentford’s £50 million asking price for the 28-year-old.

With Toney’s contract expiring at the end of the season, Brentford need to get a deal done in that time to avoid losing him for nothing or a fraction of his value in January. But while the club are keen to complete a transfer before the end of the month, Toney is considering fulfilling his contract and leaving as a free agent.

After helping England reach the final of the 2024 European Championships this summer, Toney knows a move to Saudi Arabia could end his hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup. Previous interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United has not improved this summer, but delaying a move could see Toney pick one of the leading clubs in 2025. He must now weigh up whether the money on offer in Saudi Arabia is simply too good to turn down.

Victor Osimhen, ST, Naples

Chelsea are favourites to sign Osimhen, but only if Napoli are willing to take a season-long loan with the commitment to sign him permanently next summer. PSG remain interested in Osimhen and although manager Luis Enrique said at the weekend that a long-term ankle injury to Gonçalo Ramos will not force the Ligue 1 club to go to the market, the club have yet to find a replacement for Kylian Mbappé, who has moved to Real Madrid.

With Napoli still waiting for a club to activate Osimhen’s £113m release clause, a move for the 25-year-old Nigeria international seems unlikely at this stage. However, with Napoli not set to play European football this season, a creative offer from Chelsea or PSG this week could be the key to a deal.

Marc Guéhli, centre-back, Crystal Palace

Newcastle have made four unsuccessful bids for the Crystal Palace defender and are now considering making a fifth offer. Palace chairman Steve Parish said earlier this month that any club wanting to sign the England defender would have to offer “superstar money” to convince the Selhurst Park board to offload the 24-year-old.

In fact, Palace are holding out for £70m for Guehi and now Newcastle could be forced to offload players of their own to save money. And with England full-back Kieran Trippier eyeing a move away from St James’ Park – Everton are interested in the 33-year-old – there could be another offer for Guehi if Trippier moves on.

Jarrad Branthwaite, centre-back, Everton

Manchester United made two unsuccessful attempts to sign the Everton centre-back earlier this summer before looking elsewhere due to a £20m valuation difference between the two clubs. But although United have added Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt and Lille youngster Leny Yoro to their squad since backing out of a move for Branthwaite, Everton’s precarious financial position leaves the player’s future in limbo.

Everton value Branthwaite’s transfer at £70 million, but his former club Carlisle United are entitled to 15% of any future transfer fees as this clause was negotiated when the young player joined Everton for £1 million in 2020.

United are unlikely to snap up Branthwaite during this transfer window, but if Everton need to raise money quickly next week, Newcastle and Liverpool could revive their interest in the 22-year-old.

Scott McTominay, CM, Manchester United

Tominay’s situation at United is crucial to the club’s transfer strategy in the final week of the transfer window. Fulham and Napoli are both trying to sign the Scottish midfielder, with United demanding a transfer fee of at least £25 million for the 27-year-old. If United manage to offload McTominay, the club could see any transfer fee as pure profit due to his homegrown status and the money could be much better spent on new signings.

Ten Hag has said he is happy for McTominay to remain at Old Trafford as a squad player, but with his contract expiring next summer, United now need to cash in and may need to lower their valuation even further to get a deal done.

Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho, who gave McTominay his United debut, is interested but that fee would rule out a move unless United lower their demands.

Manuel Ugarte, DM, Paris Saint-Germain

The PSG midfielder has long been a target for United, but uncertainty surrounding McTominay’s future has put any deal involving the Uruguayan international on hold. After signing the 23-year-old from Sporting CP for £51 million last summer, PSG are looking to recoup their outlay, but United are reluctant to make such a big offer.

A loan deal with the commitment to a permanent transfer next summer is the most likely option, but United would be able to complete a permanent deal in this transfer window if they could get rid of McTominay.

There is still a chance that McTominay stays and Ugarte signs on loan, but United prefer to get rid of a player before bringing one in.

Frenkie de Jong, CM, Barcelona

De Jong is United’s plan B should they fail to complete a deal with Ugarte, but they have already found it a difficult task to lure the Dutch international away from Camp Nou. Ten Hag wanted the former Ajax midfielder as his first signing at Old Trafford two years ago, but a drawn-out summer saga ended with the player opting to stay in Spain.

De Jong is happy to stay at Barcelona, ​​but the club’s financial problems, which forced him to let Ilkay Gundogan return to Manchester City for free this week, mean there could be more high-profile departures in the final week of the transfer window.

De Jong will not push for a move but if United fail to sign Ugarte, they could test Barcelona’s resolve with a late £50m transfer for the 27-year-old. However, he is currently injured and could be out for at least a couple more months.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Running Back/ZM, Liverpool

The likelihood of Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool next week is minimal, but not impossible given his contractual situation. The 25-year-old’s contract expires next June and he has yet to negotiate an extension, leaving Liverpool facing the prospect of the England international being able to speak to clubs outside the Premier League on January 1 over a summer free transfer.

Real Madrid have long been interested in him and would be willing to wait until he becomes a free agent, but could Liverpool take the risk of losing such a valuable player for nothing?

If Alexander-Arnold shows signs that he will not sign a new contract, Liverpool could be forced to offload him now just to secure a transfer fee.