Romelu Lukaku's club record move to Inter Milan from Manchester United was the headline deal of a typically busy final day of the Premier League's summer transfer window on Thursday.
After weeks of protracted negotiations, the 26-year-old Belgian striker completed a deal reported to be worth £74 million (Dh330m), making him the third most expensive player in Italian football history, behind only Juventus forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain.
"Inter were the only club I wanted, because Inter is Not For Everyone. I’m here to bring the Nerazzurri back to the top," Lukaku, who signed a five-year contract, said referring to the San Siro club's slogan.
Lukaku joined United in 2017 for £75m and went on to score 42 goals in 96 games. He scored 15 goals in 45 appearances last season, but fell behind Marcus Rashford in the pecking order following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival as manager.
While the Belgian was no longer considered first-choice, his exit has left United with a shortage of forward options after the Premier League club opted not to make any new signings on deadline day.
Croatian World Cup finalist Mario Mandzukic was linked with a move to Old Trafford, but after tentative talks, United opted not to pursue a deal for the 33-year-old Juventus player.
United were also reportedly interested in former Tottenham Hotspur target man Fernando Llorente, but ultimately nothing materialised.
Llorente's old club proved to be one of the busiest on Thursday after Spurs completed the signings of England under-21 full-back Ryan Sessegnon and Argentina midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.
Sessegnon was signed from Championship side Fulham for a reported £25m and the 19-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the option of a sixth year, while Lo Celso joined on loan from Real Betis with the option of a permanent move at the end of the season.
"I can't wait to get started at Spurs," Sessegnon said in his introduction video. "It's a young team, an exciting team on the up. This is the place to be."
However, one deal that did not go through for Tottenham was for Juventus forward Paulo Dybala. The 25-year-old Argentine looked set to move to the Champions League finalists after the two clubs agreed on a fee of €70m (Dh288.2m), only for the deal to fall through over personal terms and image rights.
Across North London, Arsenal landed long-term target Kieran Tierney from Celtic, the left-back signing a"long-term deal" after the Scottish champions accepted a £25m transfer fee.
“We’re delighted Kieran is joining us," Arsenal manager Unai Emery said. "He’s a very talented player who will continue to improve. He increases our options defensively and I look forward to him joining our group.”
Newcastle United managed to complete two signings on Thursday, with the return of Andy Carroll to his boyhood club giving fans reason to celebrate. The England international endured an injury-hit six years at West Ham United and has moved to St James' Park on a one-year contract.
“I enjoyed the time I spent here, and hopefully I can carry on where I left off," Carroll said. "When I left eight-and-a-half years ago, I was scoring goals and I was enjoying my football. It’s been a pretty tough time since then, and I just want to get back to that.
“I know it’s home. I’ve played here, I’ve spoken to the fans – I am a fan – and my family is here. For me to get back to where I was, I think this is the only place for me.”
Newcastle also signed Sweden international full-back Emil Krafth from Amiens on a four-year deal.
Elsewhere, Leicester City pushed it fine but got a deal over the line for midfielder Dennis Praet, signing the Belgian midfielder from Sampdoria for a reported £18m and on a four-year contract.
Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater secured a loan move to Burnley, while Aaron Mooy joined Brighton & Hove Albion for the season from Huddersfield Town.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Price: From Dh117,059
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
