One more week and then the winter transfer market closes in most European countries. What have been the biggest transfers in the major leagues? And what top deals can we still expect? An overview.
Eredivisie
Uitgaven tot nu toe: 17 miljoen euro
Ajax heeft met doelman Gerónimo Rulli (8 miljoen euro aan Villarreal) de duurste aankoop in de Eredivisie gedaan deze winter. Daley Blind, Lisandro Magallán, Kik Pierie, Mohamed Ihattaren en Lucas Ocampos zijn vertrokken. Het merkwaardige afscheid van clubicoon Blind maakte veel los in Amsterdam. De verdediger, nu actief bij Bayern München, haalde uit naar trainer Alfred Schreuder en technisch manager Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Schreuder hoopt nog op een defensieve versterking, maar doelwit Lucas Balerdi van Olympique Marseille komt niet. Ajax zou net als Feyenoord en PSV azen op Mees Hilgers, maar FC Twente-directeur Jan Streuer wil de selectie voor de rest van het seizoen intact houden.
Feyenoord was lang bezig met middenvelder Ramiz Zerrouki, maar ook hier zat Twente dwars. De koploper van de Eredivisie heeft inmiddels de veelzijdige Neraysho Kasanwirjo overgenomen van het zwakke FC Groningen, dat zelf drie Scandinaviërs haalde. Feyenoord zal alleen bij een buitenkansje nog toeslaan op de transfermarkt.
PSV heeft voor enorme bedragen afscheid genomen van Gakpo en Madueke, maar een nieuwe buitenspeler laat op zich wachten. De Eindhovenaren zijn bezig spits Fábio Silva te huren van Wolverhampton Wanderers. AZ hoopt veel plezier te beleven aan doelman Mathew Ryan (0,5 miljoen) en aanvallende middenvelder Djordje Mihailovic (6 miljoen).
Premier League
Expenditure to date: 466 million euros
The wandering Chelsea takes the crown in the Premier League. The new American owner Todd Boehly sprinkles with high transfer fees and long-term contracts. The question is whether Mykhailo Mudryk (at least 70 million euros), Benoît Badiashile (38 million) and Noni Madueke (35 million) will immediately have an impact on the number ten in the Premier League.
The also dramatically performing Liverpool has so far achieved one reinforcement with Cody Gakpo (50 million). Manager Jürgen Klopp is openly disappointed by the lack of new impulses. Leader Arsenal continues the hunt for the first national title since 2004 with Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior.
The most surprising transfer? Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United hires Wout Weghorst from Championship club Burnley. “It feels like a privilege to join this club. It’s a fantastic feeling to wear this famous red shirt,” said Weghorst, who scored just twice in Burnley’s 20 previous Premier League appearances.
But the top clubs in England are far from done. Chelsea and Liverpool are still lurking for a midfielder, among others. Moisés Caicedo (Brighton) is often mentioned, as is world champion Enzo Fernández (Benfica) – the biggest talent at the World Cup – and even Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich). The wanted Hakim Ziyech can still leave Chelsea. And will Villarreal striker Arnaut Danjuma make his Premier League comeback? The former Bournemouth player has been linked to numerous English clubs, and Tottenham in particular.
A league
Expenditure to date: 9 million euros
Napoli’s unparalleled game and Juventus’ points deduction for financial mismanagement dominate the sports pages in Italian newspapers. There is rarely talk of possible transfers. At least, until AS Roma coach José Mourinho refused to talk with flour in his mouth last weekend when the journal confronted him with the interest in Nicolò Zaniolo.
“He has said he wants to leave. But that does not mean that he will actually leave,” said the Portuguese about the technician who scored the only goal in the Conference League final between Roma and Feyenoord last season. “Nicolò is a supporting player. There have been bids that don’t reflect his value. That’s why I think he’s still here in February.”
Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan in particular are associated with 23-year-old Zaniolo. Should the eleven-time Italian international still leave, there will be a chain reaction, as Roma will then get a replacement. In that context, Italian media have mentioned Ziyech’s name. The ex-Ajax player has been playing frequently at Chelsea lately, but the question is whether that will remain the case once the infirmary has emptied at the Londoners.
Until then, Matheus Martins remains the most expensive player signed by an Italian club this month. Udinese transferred 6 million euros to Fluminense for the nineteen-year-old attacker. Martins was immediately loaned to Watford.
The league
Expenditure to date: 24 million euros
The Spanish top clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid often keep a low profile on the winter transfer market. It’s not that easy to shop when you’re at the top of the football food chain. Players who form an essential reinforcement for Barcelona and Real are now absolute driving forces at their club – and they can then ask for the top prize.
Last year, the then dramatically performing Catalans caused a stir by attracting Ferran Torres and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, among others, halfway through the season despite the enormous financial problems. But such repairs are not necessary this time. Real also normally keeps its hand in January. Interim purchases such as Thomas Gravesen, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Lassana Diarra did not work out well in the past.
With only one trading week left, only five players coming to or staying in La Liga have had a transfer fee paid. Among them Memphis Depay, who must provide Atlético Madrid with new impetus. According to Spanish media, Barcelona collected approximately 3 million euros for the 28-year-old Orange international.
It is remarkable that Seville has so far only hired defender Loïc Badé from Nottingham Forest. The club from Andalusia, the opponent of PSV in the intermediate round of the Europa League, is in the lower regions partly due to a dramatic transfer summer and is crying out for new impulses.
Bundesliga
Expenditure to date: 43 million euros
The January window is a godsend for clubs with injury concerns. Bayern Munich saw both Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernández injured in the extremely long World Cup and winter break. Goalkeeper Neuer broke his leg while skiing and left-back Hernández sustained a serious knee injury at the World Cup.
For Neuer’s replacement Yann Sommer, ‘Der Rekordmeister’ paid about 8 million euros to Borussia Mönchengladbach after a game of haggling and bidding. And Blind could be picked up on a free transfer after he had his contract with Ajax dissolved. Sommer is third on the list of the most expensive Bundesliga purchases this winter so far. He is under Jonas Omlin – the successor to Sommer, who was committed by Gladbach for 9 million euros – and Josip Juranovic.
The latter was welcomed with trumpet blasts by 1. FC Union Berlin this week. Ajax’s Europa League opponent picked up the right back from Celtic for 8.5 million euros. With the arrival of Blind and Hernández, Bayern are normally out shopping.
Calm reigns at Borussia Dortmund. The 1997 Champions League winner managed to extend the expiring contract with top talent Youssoufa Moukoko and therefore does not necessarily have to look for an attacker. Furthermore, the transfer activity is disappointing in the Bundesliga, except for FC Augsburg’s urge to act. The relegation candidate has already brought in five players. Cat in a corner Schalke 04 – de traditional club stands stiffly last – focuses on attacking gains.
