We’re about halfway through January, and the transfer window is rolling on. Interestingly, most of the notable deals completed so far have been orchestrated by Premier League teams, making these recaps pretty heavy on the English league.
I promise, I’m covering all major moves completed in all major leagues. It’s not my fault PL teams have all the money right now. Regardless, here are the most important completed transfers from the last week:
Chelsea Signs João Félix (On Loan)
Starved for goals, Chelsea got much needed help up front by paying a whopping $12 million loan fee to bring him in for the rest of the season. The deal does not have a purchase option.
Félix came into the starting eleven immediately and looked pretty lively in the first half against Fulham, but then he got sent off after a really harsh tackle early in the second half.
The player will miss the next three games by way of suspension after receiving the straight red card, the equivalent of between $1 million and $2 million of the loan fee Chelsea paid. The pressure will certainly be on him to make up for his mistake and score goals.
He had plenty of chances against Fulham but couldn’t convert any of them, which is the same general problem experienced by all of Graham Potter’s teams in the Premier League.
This move still could have potential to work, but after serving the suspension and ramping back up to match fitness, João will have a lot of ground to make up to make that big loan fee worth it.
Also, the deal hasn’t been confirmed yet, but they have a pretty massive incoming transfer on deck 😉 Stay tuned next week.
Southampton Bolsters Survival Bid
The Saints made a couple promising signings this week, hoping they can help them avoid relegation. Midfielder Carlos Alcaraz arrived from Argentina’s Racing Club in a deal worth nearly $15 million, while attacker Mislav Oršić joined from Dinamo Zagreb for $8.3 million.
Time will tell whether either of these moves really pushes Southampton toward survival. Alcaraz is only 20 and might struggle with the physicality and intensity of the Premier League. Oršić is 30 but was one of Dinamo’s more consistent performers. If both players can settle quickly, the moves could work well for Southampton’s survival effort.
The Alcaraz signing in particular seems like the kind of move a team preparing for relegation might make. Southampton has a lot of young talent that would likely run riot in the second tier and be a favorite to come right back up. Alcaraz figures to be a key part of any Southampton starting lineup in the case of relegation. Oršić won’t be bad to have either if they do indeed fail to stay up.
Manchester United Signed WHO!?
Shades of Odion Ighalo in 2020, only Ighalo had a proven Premier League record before joining United.
The Red Devils have been flying lately, but after spending big in the summer, it seems like there isn’t much left in the budget. After refusing to splurge on a Cody Gakpo transfer, Manchester United shored up its attacking corps with… Wout Weghorst!?
Yep, Wout Weghorst. Signed by Burnley last year to try and keep them in the league, Weghorst only scored twice in 20 appearances, and Burnley was relegated. Now, that could just as well be up to the quality of the service he receives, but still, not great.
Given better and more talented support, Weghorst has a much better record. He scored eight times in 16 appearances at Besiktas in Turkey during the first half of the season, and he scored two goals for the Netherlands at the World Cup. Not bad.
Of course, United has the talent to provide Weghorst the service it seems he desperately needs in order to score (today’s win over Manchester City proves it). Weghorst also won’t be levied with the kind of pressure he had at Burnley last year.
The Premier League is an entirely different proposition than the Turkish Süper Lig and, at times, even the World Cup, so it will definitely be interesting to see how Weghorst responds in his return to England.
Aston Villa With a Smart Pickup
The Villains made a shrewd move this week, signing left back Álex Moreno from Real Betis. Left back was already a fairly light position for them, but with Lucas Digne getting injured earlier this week and heavily involved in transfer speculation, Aston Villa really needed some reinforcements.
Moreno was brilliant when he came on to replace the injured Digne against Leeds, making key defensive interventions and offensive contributions. It will encourage Villa fans that, if Digne misses significant time or leaves entirely, the left-back position will be in good hands.
Leeds Break Transfer Record for Attacker
Confirmed just in time to make this week’s round-up, Leeds announced the signing of French striker Georginio Rutter Saturday. The reported fee is around $43 million dollars, smashing Leeds’ previous record transfer fee.
It’s a lot to pay for a forward with a relatively underwhelming scoring record. In 61 total senior appearances for Rennes and Hoffenheim, Rutter has scored 11 goals. It’s not terrible per se, but it’s not great either.
Jesse Marsch was likely attracted to Rutter by his work rate and energy off the ball. Rutter is not afraid to chase down the ball and work hard in the press, which is a key component of Marsch’s approach.
At only 20 years old, Rutter still has loads of potential, which is likely what factored into the fee Leeds ended up paying. That potential, paired with his willingness to work hard and do the dirty work, could make him a big hit in the Premier League.
Other Notable Done Deals
Norwegian phenom Andreas Schjelderup snubbed other big clubs to join Benfica this week. Dubbed the ‘next Haaland,’ Schjelderup scored 10 goals in 17 appearances in Norway before making the move to Portugal. Any player with direct comps to Erling Haaland will have some lofty expectations attached to their name, so it will be interesting to see how Schjelderup lives up to it.
The first major bit of confirmed American transfer business did not actually involve an American player at all. FC Augsburg signed striker Dion Beljo this week, seemingly in similar fashion to their move to sign Ricardo Pepi from FC Dallas last January.
With Pepi away on loan at Groningen and subject to links with permanent moves, Beljo’s arrival could signal that Pepi’s days with Augsburg are done. It will certainly be interesting to see if there is any movement with Pepi this window, or if Augsburg waits to make a decision until the summer. Something to monitor.
Be sure to keep it here for all reaction to big transfer news throughout January.
Follow Nick Hedges on Twitter @nicktrimshedges or Instagram @nicktrimshedges