It's that magical time of year again when football clubs scramble like shoppers at a Boxing Day sale, except the items are humans and the payment plans involve loan deals and record-breaking fees. Today's installment of 'Who's Going Where and Why Is It Taking So Long' brings us Nick Woltemade, who is closing in on a loan move from Newcastle to Juventus, a year after arriving on Tyneside in a club record £69m deal. Because nothing says 'long-term planning' like spending £69m on a player and then loaning him out 12 months later.

Meanwhile, Everton are in talks with Monaco over a deal to sign Folarin Balogun after agreeing to sell Beto to Fiorentina. It's the classic football transfer carousel: one striker out, another in, and everyone pretending this is all part of a grand strategy.

But the real head-scratcher comes from Liverpool, where the understandable excitement generated by Bradley Barcola's impending £123m arrival from Paris Saint-Germain is offset by the growing concern over the gaps in Iraola's squad that remain unfilled. Specifically, right-wing, right-back, and central midfield - positions that were glaringly exposed as Liverpool had to fight back to salvage a late 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. Iraola's quote says it all: 'We don't know what the squad is going to be on 2 September.' Neither do we, coach. Neither do we. But we're fairly certain it needs more than just wingers before Tuesday's deadline.