Luka Modric

It is incredible how long this saga has dragged on for given its relative straightforwardness: Modric wants to leave Tottenham, Tottenham are prepared to sell him, Real Madrid want the player and he wants to join them. Simple. Not quite. More than a month has passed since André Villas-Boas, the Spurs manager, confirmed Modric's desire for a transfer yet all that has happened since then is the Croatian has been forced to train on his own after going AWOL ahead of a tour to the USA and the two clubs involved have postured over a fee, with Spurs refusing to budge on £35m. Thankfully, a compromise figure of £25m appears to have been agreed upon.

Emmanuel Adebayor

If ever a saga epitomised the dark depths that Premier League football has descended to, it is the endless bartering between Manchester City, Tottenham and Adebayor. The Togolese striker spent last season on loan at White Hart Lane and scored 17 league goals in 33 appearances under Harry Redknapp. Despite a change of manager, Adebayor is still expected to make a permanent switch to north London, although tedious negotiations that have dragged on since the beginning of the summer have still not reached a conclusion. The 28-year-old is on ludicrous money at City and is unwilling to take a cut on his £170,000-a-week contract that he signed in 2009. Roberto Mancini has said the striker has "no chance" of playing for City in the forthcoming campaign, but the champions will have to subsidise a large chunk of Adebayor's wages if the move is to be finalised.

Robin van Persie

The Dutchman played for Arsenal in their pre-season win against Köln on Sunday but it remains a near certainty that he will be leaving the club soon. His destination? That remains unclear with Juventus, Manchester United and Manchester City all interested in the player but none able to seal a deal despite weeks of behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings. Van Persie is apparently keen to move to United but they, according to Sir Alex Ferguson, cannot agree a fee with Arsenal, while City have not even made a firm bid. Juventus, meanwhile, have all but accepted the 29-year-old does not want to move to Italy. This one looks set to run and run and run.

Daniel Agger

Last week Brendan Rodgers confirmed what had been rumoured for some time – that Manchester City are interested in signing the Dane, and after stating "every player has a price" it appeared the Liverpool manager was laying the ground for him to move there. This would surely only be the case if Agger himself had asked for a transfer given his abilities but it has transpired that the 27-year-old wants to stay put, so much so that he has had YNWA (You'll Never Walk Alone) tattooed on his knuckles. So it seems Liverpool may be trying to push the player out of the door, and with City still keen on him there could be more to come from this curious tale.

Andy Carroll

Another player who appears to have no future at Liverpool and one who has been left dangling by the club for more weeks than is perhaps kind. Brendan Rodgers made it quite obvious soon after he took over at Anfield in June that he was open to offers for Carroll and there has since been loan-first moves from West Ham and Newcastle, both of which have been rejected. Rodgers publicly insists he is happy with Carroll but it is more likely that he is holding out for a larger bid for the £35m striker and will allow him to go should the right bid land his way. Carroll, meanwhile, does not know if he is coming or going.

Michael Owen

Less of a saga this and more the slow, sad decline of a once sparkling career. Owen was released by Manchester United in late May and insisted then that at the age of 32, and despite a catalogue of injuries, he could still play in the Premier League. The striker has since held talks with Stoke but an agreement has stalled over Owen's reluctance to accept a short-term contract. A deal could still be done with Stoke, or indeed Everton who are apparently keen on the former England forward, but as things stand Owen remains in a long, agonising limbo.