Transfer window: EFL's possible Premier League movers before Thursday's deadline

Could Ryan Sessegnon, Neal Maupay and Kalvin Phillips (left to right) be Premier League players by Thursday?

The new English Football League campaign may have started at the weekend, but there are still several players who do not know where they will be plying their trade this season.

This year Championship clubs only have until 17:00 BST on Thursday, 8 August to complete their transfer business - in a move that aligns them with the Premier League window.

League One and League Two sides, however, have until Monday, 2 September to register permanent or loan deals.

But who could get a top-flight move before Thursday's deadline? BBC Sport looks at the key deals which could go through.

The probables

Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon is reportedly close to finalising a switch to Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur, who it is said could pay as much as £30m for the 19-year-old.

England youth international Sessegnon, who can play anywhere down the left side, was named as the Championship Player of the Season in the 2017-18 season when Fulham were promoted to the Premier League.

He did not feature in Saturday's opening-day loss at Barnsley, although Fulham manager Scott Parker said Sessegnon was injured.

Meanwhile, Brentford striker striker Neal Maupay was absent from the Bees' squad as they lost at home to Birmingham City on Saturday.

The Frenchman's omission came amid reports linking him with a transfer to Premier League clubs including Aston Villa, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.

Maupay has scored 37 league goals for Brentford since arriving in 2017 and French outlet L'Equipe expect him to agree a four-year contract with Brighton.

One deal that is very likely to go through is striker Jordan Rhodes completing a permanent move from Sheffield Wednesday to Norwich, who he helped win promotion while on loan last season.

Rhodes scored nine goals on loan at Norwich in 2018-19

The possibles

He was said to be in talks over a new deal last month but rumours of a Premier League move for Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips will not go away.

The 23-year-old was arguably the most important player in Marcelo Bielsa's system last season and is being linked with a £20m-30m move to either Aston Villa, Tottenham or Burnley.

Brentford have already lost Ezri Konsa and Romaine Sawyers this summer, with Maupay set to follow, but it could get worse before the window closes.

Moves to the top flight have been mooted for Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma all summer, with Crystal Palace and Villa believed to be sniffing around the pair who scored 23 goals between them last term.

Jarrod Bowen is another name who could move up a league in the coming days, the 22-year-old Hull forward believed to be a long-term Spurs target, with Newcastle also apparently interested.

One player being linked with a Premier League return is West Bromwich Albion winger Matt Phillips, with - you guessed it - Midlands rivals Villa one of his potential suitors.

The former QPR and Blackpool man, 28, is out of contract next summer and scored a freak winner in the Baggies' opening-day win at Nottingham Forest.

So long, farewell...

Several Championship clubs have already made healthy profits on players sold to Premier League clubs so far this summer.

Swansea allowed Wales winger Daniel James to join Manchester United for £15m, while the Swans also sold last season's top scorer Oli McBurnie to Sheffield United on the eve of the season for a Blades record of £20m.

Bristol City have received more than £30m for two defenders - Bournemouth signed England Under-21 left-back Lloyd Kelly, while Brighton broke their transfer record for centre-back Adam Webster.

Che Adams' 22 goals for Birmingham City last term earned him a £15m move to Southampton and Jay Rodriguez returned to Burnley after a similarly prolific season in the second tier with West Bromwich Albion.

Luton's League One title success did not go unnoticed either. James Justin became Brendan Rodgers' first signing as Leicester manager, while fellow full-back Jack Stacey joined Bournemouth.

One more player who has left the Championship for the Premier League - sort of - is Leeds' teenage winger Jack Clarke. He was signed by Tottenham in July and immediately loaned back to Elland Road for the 2019-20 season.

What about incomings?

West Brom decided not to make Dwight Gayle's loan move permanent in May

With Championship sides also having to do their business by 17:00 BST on Thursday, there's sure to be plenty of business done. But will that involve players dropping down from the Premier League?

The answer is almost certainly going to be yes.

Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter, who spent last season on loan in the top flight with Cardiff, is expected to make a season-long loan move to team up with brother-in-law Scott Parker at Fulham.

Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle could also be on the move to the Championship again after scoring 24 goals as West Brom reached the play-off semi-finals last season.

Although new Magpies boss Steve Bruce has said he wants to keep the 28-year-old at St James' Park a lot can change in a few days, with Leeds, Stoke and Bristol City all linked with a move for the former Crystal Palace front man.

Bristol City have also been mentioned as a possible destination for Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham, who needs football after a succession of injury problems since moving from Sunderland in 2015.

And perennial loanee Michael Hector could well be on the move from Chelsea back to the Championship again, with Sheffield Wednesday, where he spent last season, again tipped to be his destination.

Hector, 27, has not played for the Blues since joining from Reading for £4m in 2015 but has racked up plenty of game time during season-long loan spells back with the Royals, Eintract Frankfurt, Hull and the Owls.