Man Utd continue to haggle with Chelsea over Mason Mount but they are planning to frustrate Arsenal with a part-exchange offer for their priority target.
Transfer shenanigans are firmly abound and while a few signings have been made at this early stage of the window, others will play out for much longer.
There will be rumours, claim and counter-claim, Here We Gos and other tiresome transfer insider gimmicks. Some stories are to be ignored, emanating as they do from untrustworthy sources. But reports from the more reputable outlets can be taken at their word.
It is those we are interested in here, specifically stories confirming summer offers that have been made and rejected. We're talking exclusives from your Ornsteins and Romanos, revelations from your broadsheets and less objectionable tabloids.
Here is a definitive list of those transfers which have seen bids made and rejected, and their current state of play.
Declan Rice
The bidding club: Arsenal.
The bids: The first was £80m plus add-ons. The second was £75m plus £15m in add-ons. West Ham have rejected both.
The situation: Arsenal will make a third offer, but West Ham's valuation of Rice has reportedly risen to £120m. And they would prefer for that to be paid in three instalments. But hopes of triggering a bidding war seems to have been slightly undermined by the midfielder tentatively agreeing terms with the Gunners.
The other interested clubs: Manchester City continue to monitor developments but are focusing on other transfers for now. Chelsea, Newcastle and Bayern Munich have been mentioned but are unlikely. The Daily Telegraph reckon a Man Utd hijack could be in the offing as they are willing to offer either Harry Maguire or Scott McTominay in part-exchange.
Kai Havertz
Kai Havertz
The bidding club: Arsenal.
The bid: A first bid in excess of £55m was rejected by Chelsea, but Arsenal soon made headway and agreed a fee with the Blues. It is said to be worth around £65m, with most outlets suggesting a base fee of £60m to be supplemented by £5m in add-ons. David Ornstein says it's an initial £62m plus £3m in add-ons, though.
The situation: It will go through, with personal terms in place and a medical planned.
The other interested clubs: Bayern Munich.
READ MORE: Kai Havertz is a marginal gain for Arsenal when they need giant leaps forward
Jurrien Timber
Jurrien Timber
The bidding club: Arsenal.
The bid: £30m, which was rejected by Ajax.
The situation: Ajax want £50m but David Ornstein reports on 'optimism a compromise can be reached between the two club,' with Timber already agreeing to the move.
The other interested clubs: Erik ten Hag is a fan of his former charge, while Liverpool have been sniffing around at various points.
Brennan Johnson
The bidding club: Brentford.
The bid: A straight £30m, as first confirmed by John Percy of the Daily Telegraph.
The situation: No-one has been able to nail down a definitive figure which Nottingham Forest would accept, but Paul Taylor of The Athletic reckons it would take '£20m more to spark any serious talks'. The Times, meanwhile, say it would take £55m 'due to his age and importance within the squad'.
The other interested clubs: Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham.
Levi Colwill
The bidding club: Brighton.
The bid: £30m, with another amounting to £40m imminent.
The situation: Chelsea are not selling. They 'have no intention of entertaining any offers,' according to the Daily Mail. And that does seem like the end of that chapter.
The other interested clubs: Liverpool are Manchester City are 'monitoring' developments with regards to the centre-half (London Evening Standard), but both seem to accept Chelsea's 'adamant' stance.
Ian Maatsen
The bidding club: Burnley.
The bid: £15m including add-ons.
The situation: Chelsea are believed to want 'in excess' of £20m but are also not perturbed by the prospect of keeping Maatsen, although they are well-stocked at left-back with Marc Cucurella, Ben Chilwell and Lewis Hall in the position.
The other interested clubs: None have been named but it is believed that the Dutchman has his admirers.
Moises Caicedo
The bidding club: Chelsea.
The bid: £60m, as claimed by David Ornstein.
The situation: Most reports suggest Brighton want about £80m for the midfielder, but Andy Naylor of The Athletic suggests the Seagulls will use any Rice sale 'as a benchmark for Caicedo's value' as they 'believe Caicedo is at least as good, if not better, than Rice'. So it could take up to £100m. But Chelsea have at least agreed personal terms.
The other interested clubs: Arsenal have dropped out of the running, Man Utd are still being mentioned and Bayern Munich have been ruled out.
Mateo Kovacic
The bidding club: Manchester City
The bid: £30m - £25m plus, according to the Daily Telegraph, another £5m 'in easily achievable add-ons'.
The situation: Kovacic has agreed personal terms with Manchester City, who will arrange his medical in due course.
The other interested clubs: Surprisingly enough, no-one is challenging the Treble winners and European champions for a signing.
Mason Mount
The bidding club: Man Utd.
The bid: £40m, rejected almost as soon as it was made. That was followed up with an offer worth £50m - £45m with £5m in add-ons - but Chelsea quickly turned that down, too.
The situation: Chelsea and Man Utd remain hilariously at odds when it comes to the valuation of a 24-year-old European champion with a year left on his contract. The latter seem willing to go as high as £50m but the former, even after knocking their initial valuation down, still want £65m.
The other interested clubs: Liverpool and Bayern Munich, but neither regard Mount as anything close to a priority, if indeed they still see him as an option at all.
Sandro Tonali
The bidding club: Newcastle.
The bid: On the same day it was reported that Newcastle had made a £43.1m bid for Tonali, The Athletic that they were 'close to an agreement' with Milan over a £60.3m deal. They don't mess about.
The situation: Pretty much as is. Reports suggest Tonali has agreed personal terms on what is expected to be the biggest contract in the Newcastle squad, earning around £150,000 a week. Sporting director Dan Ashworth is in Italy to push things through.
The other interested clubs: No-one is bothering to fight a losing battle.
James Maddison and Harvey Barnes
The bidding club: Spurs.
The bid: A joint £50m offer for Leicester's two crown jewels.
The situation: As the Daily Mail reported, 'Leicester were demanding about £60m for each player individually a year ago'. Relegation means such sums are unlikely but also £50m for both is peak Daniel Levy; the Foxes want around £50m for Maddison and £60m for Barnes. There is a middle ground somewhere.
The other interested clubs: Newcastle have planned their midfield around the capture of Maddison, while the Magpies, Aston Villa and West Ham are hoping to lure Barnes.