With the clock striking 12 yesterday, the world of football saw one of the most entertaining January transfer windows of all time. From Newcastle splashing the cash to Barcelona recruiting a much-needed strike force, all in all, a whopping £621.8m was spent in the month. In case you missed out on all the details, here are all the ins and outs.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona
Barcelona’s 2021-2022 campaign started with a bittersweet note (mostly bitter), with Lionel Messi departing the club. The Catalan club did recruit Memphis Depay along with Sergio Agüero to fill in the void, but tragedy struck as Kun Agüero was forced into retirement due to an ongoing health issue. With Aresenal looking to offload its £350,000, unsettled captain, Aubameyang’s move does make sense on paper. Now it remains to be seen if the Gabonese player can fire up Blaugranes to its rightful place.
Adama Traoré to Barcelona
Before he was tearing up fullbacks in the premier league, Adama Traoré was one of the hottest prospects of La Masia. With his roadrunner-esque pace and ridiculous physique, it was only a matter of time before the big clubs came calling. With Ousmane Dembélé’s inconsistent form and hampered injury record, it was only obvious that Joan Laporta would welcome the player back to Camp Nou.
Ferran Torres to Barcelona
With Ansu Fati and Martin Braithwaite being sidelined due to injuries, Barca’s coach had a little room to put up a worthy playing 11. As part of his recruitment effort, the Spaniard sought help in Torres, who himself was struggling for playing time under Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. But is a trio of Aubameyang, Traore and Torres enough to propel the club to a top 3 finish? We’ll just have to wait and watch.
Anthony Martial to Seville
Anthony Martial will forever be cemented in Old Trafford’s history for scoring on his debut against Liverpool, at the Stretford end. But as years have passed, the Frenchman has consistently struggled with form. United’s ever-changing list of managerial changes didn’t help his cause. Hence, a loan move to Julen Lopetegui’s Seville might just be what the Frenchman might need to gain his confidence.
Donny Van de Beek to Everton
What went wrong with Donny Van de Beek’s career within the walls of Old Trafford remains a greater mystery than Amelia Earhart. Nevertheless, with Frank Lampard now in charge of Everton, the Dutchman could finally get the chance to prove his mettle to the English crowd.
Philippe Coutinho to Aston Villa
Perhaps one of the most bizarre transfers no one saw coming was treble-winner, Coutinho joining Villa Park. After a rollercoaster of a ride, consisting of highs with Bayern Munich and lows with Barcelona, the Brazillian is finally back on English soil. But with Jack Grealish’s massive footsteps to follow, can the 29-year-old cope with the pressure?
Lucas Digne to Aston Villa
After stints at Lille, PSG and Barcelona, Digne finally found a starting spot on the blue corner of Merseyside. After four successful stints at the club, the French national informed the then-manager Rafael Benítez, his desire to leave the club. Enter Aston Villa splashing the cash with Jack Grealish’s £100 million transfer to Manchester City.
Dele Alli to Everton
Considered to be one the most talented English youth out there, Dele Alli briefly showcased moments of brilliance at Tottenham Hotspur. Famously, Sir Alex Ferguson once advised then United’s manager, Jose Mourinho, to sign the playmaker. However, as Tottenham seems to be adapting to Antonio Conte’s new system, the 25-year-old no longer finds a place in starting 11. Maybe Lampard’s Everton is the best place to uncover the Englishmen’s full potential.
Christian Eriksen to Brentford
Perhaps one of the most heart-pleasing transfers of the month, Christian Eriksen will finally be on a football pitch again. The Dane had collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac arrest at At Euro 2020, leading to his contract termination from Inter Milan.
Denis Zakaria to Juventus
The Swiss player was one of the most sought-after commodities in this transfer window. With the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal eyeing the 25-year-old midfielder. However, it was Allegri’s Juventus who was able to secure the signing, for a relatively cheap transfer fee of €5m.
Dusan Vlahovic to Juventus
It isn’t easy to fill Cristiano Ronaldo’s shoes. But that’s what Allegri would be hoping to accomplish with the signing of Vlahovic. The Serbian international, who is destined to be one of the top 5 strikers in the world, completed a move to Turin from Fironetina, for a whopping €70m. Would it help end Juventus’ goal drought? It remains to be seen.
Kieran Trippier to Newcastle
After an unsuccessful transfer to Old Trafford last summer, Trippier finally got his move to England. The 31-year old attacking right-back put an impressive shift during the Three Lion’s Euro campaign and Athletico Madrid’s title run. We’re sure Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe, will put the Englishmen’s talent to good use at St. James’ Park
Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur to Tottenham Hotspurs
Spurs boss, Antonio Conte was looking for a squad overhaul this month, in a bid to push for Champions League qualification. Enter Dejan Kulusevski and midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. The duo has been responsible for two goals and three assists this season, at Turin. With a change in scenery and under Conte’s influence, maybe they’ll be able to push the numbers up?
