The Premier League returns on Saturday, Sept. 13 after the September international break, and Gameweek 4 could bring a series of first appearances for players who arrived on deadline day. With many newcomers away for World Cup qualifiers and international friendlies immediately after signing, this weekend offers fans an early chance to see them in club colours.

At Liverpool, Alexander Isak is the most high-profile candidate for a league debut. Isak came on for Sweden during the international break in an upset loss to Kosovo. His preseason was disrupted by a standoff with his former club, but manager Arne Slot has suggested the striker is part of a long-term plan and that Liverpool will manage his introduction. Hugo Ekitiké and Cody Gakpo are also in the squad and could influence selection.

Aston Villa completed two deadline arrivals and Unai Emery will be keen to get both Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on the pitch quickly. Sancho left Manchester United after being peripheral to Ruben Amorim’s plans at United this summer and now has an opportunity to impress his new manager. Elliott departs Liverpool as a Premier League champion and could have extra motivation to prove himself.

Manchester City reshaped the goalkeeper department with the arrivals of Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford and Marcus Bettinelli after Éderson moved to Fenerbahçe. Trafford’s difficult outing against Tottenham Hotspur during the window may have influenced City’s business. Donnarumma could be in line to stake a claim for the number one role, with the Manchester derby a possible debut stage.

Newcastle lost Alexander Isak and brought in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa late in the window. Wissa scored 19 goals for Brentford last season while Woltemade netted 12 in the Bundesliga for VfB Stuttgart. Eddie Howe also added Anthony Elanga earlier in the summer, giving the club multiple attacking options.

Tottenham Hotspur reshaped their attack with Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons. Kolo Muani can provide cover amid Dominic Solanke’s injury concerns and Simons is expected to play a creative role while James Maddison is set to miss a considerable period.

Below is a brief club-player list mentioned in this piece:
Arsenal: Piero Hincapié
Bournemouth: Veljko Milosavljević
Brentford: Reiss Nelson
Brighton & Hove Albion: Charalampos Kostoulas
Burnley: Florentino Luís
Chelsea: Alejandro Garnacho
Crystal Palace: Christantus Uche
Everton: Tyler Dibling
Fulham: Kevin
Manchester United: Senne Lammens
Nottingham Forest: Oleksandr Zinchenko
Sunderland: Lutsharel Geertruida
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Tolu Arokodare

Luis Díaz’s preference to leave Liverpool in the summer of 2024 was reportedly clear to the club’s recruitment team. The Telegraph claim he wanted a move to Manchester City before the 2024–25 season. Liverpool’s newly formed transfer department, led by Fenway Sports Group’s chief executive Michael Edwards alongside sporting director Richard Hughes and manager Arne Slot, were made aware of his intentions.

According to the report, Liverpool were prepared to accommodate Díaz’s request and tabled a swap offer that would have sent him to Manchester City in exchange for Julián Alvarez. City officials rejected the proposal, refusing to do business that might strengthen a rival. Liverpool then withdrew the offer and the swap was removed from consideration.

Díaz remained at Liverpool for a further 12 months before moving on. Alvarez was allowed to leave the Etihad Stadium weeks later in a deal worth £81.5 million to Atlético Madrid. In his debut campaign at Atlético Madrid the 25-year-old scored 29 goals and contributed eight assists.

The report highlights how the failed swap had wider implications. Had Liverpool acquired Alvarez, the club would have recruited an elite striker 12 months ahead of schedule. Instead, Liverpool signed Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak in the following summer transfer window, deals that together exceeded £200 million, with Isak’s transfer a British record £125 million.

Luis Díaz has since moved on and is enjoying a strong start to life with Bayern. He has two goals and two assists in his first two Bundesliga games. The sequence of events underlines the cascading effects of a single transfer negotiation and how one rejected swap reshaped recruitment choices for both clubs involved.

João Noronha Lopes, a candidate in Benfica’s presidential election, has publicly declared an intention to sign Bernardo Silva either in January or when the player’s contract runs out in 2026. The candidate made the pledge ahead of Benfica’s elections on Oct. 25 and told A Bola, “Yes, I confirm that there’s a contract waiting for Bernardo Silva,” followed by: “And I really want to bring Bernardo in in January. He embodies everything I want for Benfica: identity, a winning culture, and he’s a huge Benfica fan. And I can guarantee you that we’re not stopping here.”

The midfielder will be 31 in 2026 and, according to the campaign claim, is due to be out of contract in June. The statement adds urgency to a situation in which Bernardo has offered few public hints about a potential extension at his current club.

Bernardo’s connection to Benfica stretches back to childhood. Despite having a mother and grandfather who supported Sporting CP, he became an avid fan of the club his father lauded. A family gesture saw a young Silva spend two months at Benfica’s academy as a seventh birthday present; after impressing youth coaches “with a velcro touch and wriggling dribbling,” he continued without further payment.

His early senior opportunities at Benfica were limited to three appearances. Reflecting on that period with the BBC, Bernardo said, “My dream from 7 to 19 was always to play for the first team at Benfica,” and, “When I arrived in the first team, I started noticing they did not count on me and I was moved to left back.” Monaco signed him in 2014, and City paid €50 million (£43.2 million, $58.5 million) for his transfer three years later.

Since joining City, Bernardo has made more than 400 appearances, scored 70 goals, supplied 70 assists and won every major trophy available. Those achievements underline why Lopes is presenting a return to Benfica as both plausible and desirable, and why the player’s contract situation carries weight for supporters and rival clubs alike.