Transfer deadline: Will Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain choose Chelsea or Liverpool? Expect plenty of drama as window slams shut

While Manchester United did most of their business early, expect a flurry of last-minute deals before Thursday's deadline.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, right, another who is down to the final year of his contract, was the subject of a £35 million bid from Chelsea this week but it is being reported in British media the England midfielder will turn down the offer in favour of a move to Liverpool. Carl Recine / Reuters

Alexis Sanchez, right, has entered the final year of his Arsenal contract and is the subject of a big-money bid from Manchester City while Paris Saint-Germain are also reported to hold an interest in the Chilean striker. Peter Powell / EPA

Leicester City's English midfielder Danny Drinkwater, left, has reportedly handed in a transfer request and could be on his way to Chelsea. Adrian Dennis / AFP

Hadjuk Split winger Nikola Vlasic, left, in action against Everton in a Europa League qualifier in August. He could soon be a teammate of Ashley Williams, right. Jason Cairnduff / Reuters

Barcelona are said to be mulling over whether to launch a fourth bid for the Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who has handed in a transfer request to try and force his club's hand. Nelson Almeida / AFP

Liverpool's French defender Mamadou Sakho, front, looks to have no future at Anfield and has been the subject of multiple failed bids from Crystal Palace, where he spent the second half of the 2016/17 season on loan. Paul Ellis / AFP

Arsenal tried to negotiate Raheem Sterling, right, as part of the deal that would have seen Alexis Sanchez move to Manchester City but Pep Guardiola's club were said to just want to do a straight cash deal for Sanchez. Mike Hewitt / Getty Images

Both Manchester City and Leicester City have had bids for centre-back Jonny Evans rejected. Tim Goode / PA Wire

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Serge Aurier has been linked with a move to Manchester United, Arsenal and, most recently, Tottenham this summer. Benoit Tessier / Reuters

Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala, top, could find himself on the move if Pep Guardiola can entice Jonny Evans from West Bromwich Albion. Manu Fernandez / AP Photo

Naby Keita will spend the season with RB Leipzig as part of his deal that saw him join Liverpool for £48 million last week. Filip Singer / EPA

Southampton's Virgil van Dijk handed in a transfer request this summer. His club threatened to report Liverpool for what they claimed were illegal approaches for their Dutch defender. Matt Dunham / AP Photo

Swansea City's Spanish striker Fernando Llorente is said to be on the radar of Premier League champions Chelsea. Geoff Caddick / AFP

Diego Costa has been told by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte he has no future at the club. The Spaniard believes the London club are pricing him out of a move back to former club Atletico Madrid. Ian Kington / AFP

It was reported in the British media that Chelsea had a £25 million bid for Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, right, turned down. The England international is also thought to be of interest to Tottenham Hotspur. Paul Ellis / AFP

Shkodran Mustafi, left, has yet to feature in any of Arsenal's opening three Premier League games and my be sold to Inter Milan before the transfer window closes on August 31. David Rogers / Getty Images

Sergio Aguero may find his days at Manchester City numbered, especially if manager Pep Guardiola is successful in his attempt to lure Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal. Peter Powell / EPA

It seemed a case of panic buying. Chelsea had missed out on many of their major targets. Time was running out. They bought David Luiz and Marcos Alonso. One was ridiculed. The other looked a reserve. Nine months later, they were Premier League champions, cornerstones of a reconfigured defence and catalysts.

So, while a litany of dreadful deals have been sealed in the dying hours of the window and while it is rare the eventual winners do much business at this stage, they prove what can be accomplished on deadline day.

Now, and though Manchester United are unlikely to do business because Jose Mourinho, in characteristic fashion, has completed his signings early, many of the major clubs will trade again.

Arsenal

It feels chaotic. Arsenal are set to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, trying to resist Manchester City's interest in Alexis Sanchez and strangely prepared to loan out Shkodran Mustafi. They are looking to dispose of fringe figures such as Lucas Perez, Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy and Jack Wilshere and searching for signings: perhaps Raheem Sterling, though Sergio Aguero is less likely, in part-exchange for Sanchez, maybe Jonny Evans at the back.

Chelsea

Antonio Conte has been searching for strength in depth for weeks. The priorities are English midfielders, with Leicester City's Danny Drinkwater submitting a transfer request to try and force a move and Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley also wanted, though Chelsea face competition for both. If they fail to get the Arsenal man, they could also do with signing someone who can play wing-back. And they need to dispose of forwards Loic Remy and the troublesome Diego Costa, while perhaps trying to buy Swansea City striker Fernando Llorente.

Everton

Ronald Koeman is set to bring in Hajduk Split winger Nikola Vlasic but still wants a specialist striker, which may bring a cheeky loan offer for Costa. His other objectives are a centre-back, preferably left-sided, and cover for left-back Leighton Baines. Everton could also do with selling the injured Barkley. If not, he might leave on a free transfer next summer.

• Transfer deadline: Keep up to date with the latest deals

Liverpool

Liverpool have been adamant they will not sell Philippe Coutinho, but that may not prevent Barcelona from submitting a fourth bid for the Brazilian. Southampton are adamant they will not sell Virgil van Dijk, but Jurgen Klopp might come in for the centre-back again. That should be the greatest priority. Klopp has tied up a deal to bring in Naby Keita next summer, but Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a midfield reinforcement now. Defender Mamadou Sakho should be sold, probably to Crystal Palace.

Manchester City

There are two aims:  to sign Sanchez, with City preferring a cash-only deal but the possibility Sterling will  go to Arsenal, and to bring in another centre-back, which could allow Eliaquim Mangala to leave. West Bromwich Albion's Jonny Evans is the target in the centre of defence. Midfielders Fabian Delph and Fernando could go.

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs took a while to start spending, but Mauricio Pochettino is set to tie up deals for defenders Juan Foyth and Serge Aurier, who will join club record buy Davinson Sanchez. That leaves Barkley as the outstanding issue, though Spurs will face competition for the Everton midfielder and chairman Daniel Levy may look for a cut-price deal.

Lee Grant came in during the summer from Stoke City for fee of £1.5m. Second choice at Stoke, he is understudy to David De Gea at Old Trafford until Sergio Romero returns from injury. Should De Gea get injured, will Grant be up to the test? He won Stoke's player of the year in 2016/17 so knows what the Premier League is about. The Champions League would be new however. Transfer rating 6/10. Carl Recine / Reuters

Five best deadline day deals in recent years:

Lee Grant

A low-profile loan 12 months ago, Grant deputised for the injured Jack Butland for much of the season and played a major part in keeping Stoke City in the Premier League.

Virgil van Dijk

Southampton signed the Dutchman for £13 million (Dh62m) in 2015. He is now valued at five times as much after establishing a reputation as one of the Premier League’s finest defenders.

Sadio Mane

Southampton, who also borrowed Toby Alderweireld on the last day of the 2014 window, are deadline-day specialists. Mane excelled for them for two seasons and then they made a vast profit.

Michael Keane

The sort of late deal few even notice. Keane was borrowed by Burnley in 2014, later signed for £2.5m and went on to become an England international and a £30m buy for Everton.

Romelu Lukaku

Few have had better deadline days than Everton in 2013. They sold Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United for £27.5m and brought in James McCarthy, plus loanees Lukaku and Gareth Barry and surged to fifth place.