Arsenal thrive
With the January transfer window now over, we can take a look back at some of the top deals and see which of Europe’s biggest clubs fared best. chelsea were by far the busiest and on the largest scale while Arsenal and Bayern Munich have opted for quality over quantity in their business. Paris St. Germain and Manchester City had dodgy windows while Weston McKennie was the most prominent USMNT star on the move when he joined Leeds United. Chelsea and Benfica Agreeing to a deal for Enzo Fernandez late in the day was the biggest move on Deadline Day, but there were a few that made the difference for some of those teams such as Bayern. Joao Canceloof Arsenal Jorginho, that of Manchester United Marcel Sabitzerand PSG Judge Ziyech…or maybe not PSG’s Hakim Ziyech.
Arsenal thrive
We assess some of January’s most high-profile transfers.
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Arsenal: A+
Arsenal thrive
Mikel Arteta’s men get high marks for their no-nonsense approach to the January window that went from missing the first target Mykhailo Mudryk to be reinforced in several positions of need. The Gunners are said to have spent more on the Ukraine international alone than they did on Jorginho, Leandro Trossard and Jacob Kiwior that come in and get stronger in every major outfield area. Business this winter also shouldn’t stop Arsenal from making the kind of big changes they want to make this summer, which could include a move to West Ham United Declan Rice. They also resisted the temptation to pay big bucks for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Moses Caicedo despite the typical pressure of the late transfer window, although Brighton’s steadfast refusal to sell may have had something to do with it.
Arsenal thrive
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Bayern Munich: A-
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The German champions’ chances in the UEFA Champions League look much better now that they have added Yann SommerJoao Cancelo and Daley Blind in their ranks. by Julian Nagelsman the team looked vulnerable before the 2022 FIFA World Cup break, but now they look better equipped and the capture of the Portugal Manchester City international was particularly impressive with his speed. by Manuel Neuer The season-ending injury was made up for by Sommer while Blind adds experience and Cancelo adds significant quality and versatility.
Chelsea: C+
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Graham Potter’s men have been by far the busiest this January, agreeing with Benfica on Enzo Fernandez at the last minute in addition to adding Mudryk, Joao Felix (for rent), Benoit BadiashileNoni Madueke, Malo Gusto, Andrei Santos and David Datro Fofana all coming in addition to the confirmed signature of Christophe Nkunku for later this year. It’s very exciting and bodes well for the future with so many top young talents, but there remains little to no sign of any real strategy at Stamford Bridge. Without it, it’s just a group of talented players brought together at great expense and currently on the verge of not qualifying for Europe. Badiashile, Gusto and Fofana could prove to be particularly shrewd acquisitions, but there is a higher element of risk attached to Fernandez and Mudryk given the price tags and even Felix given his Atlético Madrid struggles.
Manchester United: C-
Arsenal thrive
Marcel Sabitzer, Wout Weghorstand Jack Butland probably wouldn’t have been the dream of many – if any – Red Devils fans in early January. However, the trio look pretty shrewd as this window closes and especially the Austria international who was an unexpected last-minute move following news of by Christian Eriksen long wound appeared. As for Erik ten Hag’s needs and desires until this summer, they all match the invoice and don’t adjust United return the kind of exorbitant fee that would previously have been demanded of them and likely accepted by a club lacking a clear vision. Ten Hag has said he can use them, so let him see out the season with the players he wants before continuing his major overhaul at Old Trafford this summer.
PSG: D
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The deadline reached with the French champions’ attempt to bring Hakim Ziyech into limbo due to a delay in submitting documents on timeas they leave Clelor Navas and Pablo Sarabia Leave. In terms of quality, the Morocco international could give Christophe Galtier’s men a significant leap in creativity if the deal ends up going through, but Navas and Sarabia leave less depth in the squad than before. Also, the real need for PSG throughout January was in defense and Milan Skriniar was only secured for this summer and not right away so they are staying light there. Efforts were made to replace Sarabia and these also fell through, so it’s hard to see how the arrival of an inconsistent Ziyech can be hailed as an immediate success. Youth Ismael Gharbi and Ayman Kari were also loaned.
Juventus:D-
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Few clubs in Europe are as institutionally messy as the Italian giants at the moment and that has been reflected in recent weeks with a 15-point deduction in Serie A and leadership turmoil. Now the Old Lady have allowed USMNT star Weston McKennie to join Leeds United which weakens them on the pitch at a time when reinforcements are not really a possibility and many players are watching what is happening and look at the exit door. With failure to qualify for Europe a distinct possibility, Juve’s poor January could set the stage for a desperate summer and a forced exodus of remaining talent.
Man City: D-
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It looked like an uneventful winter window until the final minutes when Cancelo was allowed to join Bayern, which made for a lot of head-scratching. Without a suitable replacement despite the Portuguese’s more dispensable role in Pep Guardiola’s squad recently, depth and versatility are now concerns as they weren’t a few days ago. Much has been said about a potential fallout between Cancelo and his former boss which could prove costly for the Citizens – if true. City’s loss is Bayern’s gain and despite the arrival of Maxime Perronethis window looks like a failure for the reigning Premier League champions and a potentially self-inflicted injury.
