The final weekend before the September transfer deadline has produced a mix of completed moves and negotiations that could still change several squads. Aston Villa are at the centre of the biggest activity, while Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Tottenham, Sunderland, Celtic and Gent all feature in the latest developments.
Here are five football transfer stories attracting attention on August 29, 2026. Confirmed deals are separated from talks that are still in progress.
1. Nicolas Jackson completes club-record Aston Villa move
Aston Villa have completed the permanent signing of Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a package reported at £65 million. The Senegal international leaves Stamford Bridge after three seasons and joins Unai Emery's attack at Villa Park.
The fee makes Jackson one of the most significant Premier League transfers of the closing days of the window. It also brings him back together with Emery, who worked with the forward at Villarreal.
Jackson gives Villa a direct, mobile central option who can run behind defences and press from the front. The immediate question is how Emery balances him with the other attacking players and whether the deal triggers another departure before the deadline.
This move is confirmed, not a rumour. Sky Sports reported Villa's announcement and the £65m package.
2. Aston Villa also close in on Ibrahim Mbaye
Villa's recruitment may not stop with Jackson. The club have reached a verbal agreement to sign 18-year-old winger Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain, according to Sky Sports. The reported figure is around £47m, while French reports describe the agreement as approximately €55m.
Mbaye was expected to travel to England for a medical and final contract formalities. Until the medical, paperwork and club announcement are complete, this should be treated as an advanced deal rather than a confirmed transfer.
The move would give Villa a high-upside wide attacker and underline a clear strategy: adding speed and long-term potential alongside a more established striker. It would also make Villa one of the most active major European clubs in the final phase of the window.
Sky Sports says a verbal agreement has been reached.
3. Marc Guiu moves closer to RB Leipzig switch
Chelsea striker Marc Guiu is reportedly close to joining RB Leipzig on a permanent transfer. The 20-year-old has struggled to secure a consistent route into Chelsea's first team, and Leipzig's development model offers a clearer pathway for a young forward.
Reports place the possible fee around €20m, but neither club had announced the transfer at the time of writing. That distinction matters during deadline week: an agreement between clubs and a completed registration are not the same event.
If completed, the move would continue Leipzig's pattern of recruiting young attacking talent with room to develop. Chelsea, meanwhile, would create another outgoing deal while reshaping a large squad.
This story is developing and not yet official. AS reported that Guiu was close to the move on August 29.
4. Tottenham reject Sunderland's Kevin Danso loan approach
Sunderland made a season-long loan enquiry for Tottenham defender Kevin Danso, but Spurs rejected the approach. The decision suggests Tottenham are unwilling to reduce their centre-back depth so close to the deadline, even if Danso's starting opportunities may be limited.
For Sunderland, the enquiry shows a search for defensive experience and physical strength. The rejection does not guarantee the story is finished: the buying club could return with different terms or move quickly to another target.
There is no completed transfer here. The current confirmed development is that the loan approach was rejected. That makes Danso a player to monitor without presenting his departure as likely or agreed.
5. Michel-Ange Balikwisha returns to Belgium with Gent
KAA Gent have signed Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Celtic on a season-long loan, with the Belgian club securing an option to buy. The 25-year-old winger returns to a league he knows well after earlier spells with Standard Liege and Antwerp.
Gent are adding a player with pace, technical ability and experience of winning domestic honours in Belgium. For Celtic, the move gives Balikwisha an opportunity for more regular football while preserving a possible permanent exit.
This transfer is officially confirmed. Gent announced the loan and purchase option on August 29.
What to watch before the deadline
The Jackson deal is complete, but Mbaye and Guiu still require final steps. Medical examinations, contract signatures, international clearance and registration can all prevent an advanced negotiation from becoming an official transfer.
Supporters should rely on club announcements for confirmation and treat fee details as reported figures unless a club publishes them. A “verbal agreement,” “deal close” or “medical scheduled” headline does not mean a player is already registered.
The wider market can also move in chains. Chelsea's outgoing business affects its attacking options, Leipzig may need to balance arrivals and departures, and Villa's spending could influence late sales.
The bottom line
Nicolas Jackson's move to Aston Villa is the headline confirmed transfer of the day. Balikwisha to Gent is also official. Mbaye to Villa and Guiu to Leipzig are advanced stories that still need completion, while Tottenham have so far blocked Sunderland's approach for Danso.
This article was updated at 22:23 IST on August 29, 2026. For more deadline coverage, visit the Football section and read our guide to how loan deals with obligations to buy work.
