Partey time for Gunners while Telles seals move

MANCHESTER UNITED last night signed Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani and Brazil defender Alex Telles as they moved to strengthen their squad in the wake of Sunday’s 6-1 humiliation by Tottenham.

Cavani, who has signed a one-year contract with the option to extend for a further year, moves to Old Trafford on a free transfer following his release from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

United are understood to have agreed a fee for £13.6m (€15m) plus £1.8m in potential add-ons with Porto for left-back Telles.

United have also reached an agreement to sign 18-year-old Atalanta winger Amad Diallo, who will join the Premier League club in January subject to a medical, personal terms and a work permit.

Chris Smalling is leaving Old Trafford after completing a permanent move to Roma for €15m.

Arsenal were among the biggest movers on transfer deadline day after they triggered the £45m (€50m) release clause of Thomas Partey, the Atletico Madrid midfielder.

The club last night finalised the details of Partey’s transfer, with personal terms all agreed and the medical taking place earlier in Spain.

The Ghana midfielder has long been one of Arsenal’s top targets in midfield, a position Mikel Arteta has been desperate to strengthen.

Arsenal’s Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira is heading in the opposite direction on an initial loan deal but with an option for Atletico to buy.

Elsewhere, Leeds have signed Brazilian winger Raphinha (23) from Rennes for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around €17m.

Belgian side Anderlecht, who are managed by former Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany, have hailed new signing Josh Cullen as a “true team player” after the midfielder completed his move from West Ham United.

The 24-year-old arrives on a threeyear deal and becomes the first Irish player to play in Belgium since Dominic Foley’s spell there between 2005 and 2012.

“He is good technically, he has a winning mentality and he is a true team player,” Anderlecht’s sporting director Peter Verbeke, said.

Irish defender Ryan Nolan has returned to Spain after a spell in Italy and has signed for the B team of La Liga outfit Getafe.

Elsewhere, Southampton re-signed Theo Walcott from Everton on a loan deal last night, after the Merseyside club landed in-demand central defender Ben Godfrey from Norwich for £20m (€22m).