Everton sign Alex Iwobi for £35m, Lukaku, Sessegnon, Celso also move

Everton yesterday agreed a £35 million signing of Alex Iwobi from Arsenal in one of the most significant late moves of deadline day.

Manager Marco Silva was desperate for another center-half and wide attacker before the transfer window closed. The move for Iwobi – who shook hands on a five-year contract – improves Silva’s attacking options, but he looks worrying short of cover in defense going into the new season.

A fresh move for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha never materialised, and nor – according to the club – was it ever going to. Everton insists they made only one bid for the winger, that of £52 million on July 28.

Zaha was never the highest priority on the Goodison agenda – valued well beyond what the Merseysiders’ were prepared to pay – making his decision to hand in a transfer request earlier this week ill-advised.

Tottenham also made the headlines on a busy final day of the Premier League transfer window with deals for Giovani lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon, while Arsenal strengthened their defense with the signing of David Luiz and Kieran Tierney.

Manchester United striker, Romelu Lukaku’s prolonged transfer to Inter Milan was also completed after the clubs reportedly agreed on a deal that could rise to 80 million euros (£74 million, 90 million dollars). Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has been under pressure from manager Mauricio Pochettino to build on the progress made on and off the field as Tottenham moved into a new 62,000-capacity stadium and reached the Champions League final last season.

After the club-record signing of French international midfielder, Tanguy Ndombele, the signings of Lo Celso and Sessegnon add some much-needed depth to a Spurs squad that had previously gone 18 months without a new recruit.

Argentine international midfielder Lo Celso has joined on a season-long loan deal from Real Betis with an option to make the transfer permanent next summer.

England under-21 international Sessegnon joins from Fulham in a £25 million deal that could rise to £30 million in performance-related add-ons on a six-year contract.

However, a sensational swoop for Paulo Dybala broke down with Juventus unwilling to let the Argentine leave without an adequate replacement, having missed out on Lukaku.

Arsenal was badly in need of defensive recruits to shore up a backline that conceded 51 Premier League goals last season to miss out on Champions League football for a third straight year.

Read More: Lukaku completes move to Inter Milan from Man United

The Londoners long-standing interest in Tierney was finally given the green light when the payment structure of a 25-million pounds move was agreed with Celtic.

Manchester City and Liverpool are expected to battle for the Premier League title once more but were not busy on deadline day.

City brought in veteran goalkeeper Scott Carson on loan from Derby as back-up to Ederson and Claudio Bravo after the signings of Rodri, Angelino and Joao Cancelo earlier in the window.

Liverpool made just three low-key additions in teenagers Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott and back-up goalkeeper Adrian over the course of the summer.

Outside the top six, Watford broke their transfer record to bring in Senegal international Ismaila Sarr for a reported 35 million euros from Rennes.

Brighton bolstered their midfield options with the loan signing of Australian international Aaron Mooy.

Former England international Andy Carroll returned to Newcastle on a free transfer from West Ham, while the Magpies also secured Swedish defender Emil Krafth.

Leicester is also set to use some of the £80 million pounds they received from Manchester United for Harry Maguire on Sampdoria midfielder Dennis Praet for 20 million euros. And Burnley secured the services of Danny Drinkwater on loan from Chelsea until January.