Alexis Sanchez [Arsenal – Man Utd] Swap for Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Alexis Sanchez finally completed a move away from the Emirates after United and Arsenal agreed a player swap deal which sees Henrikh Mkhitaryan move the other way. Arsenal have long been bracing themselves for Sanchez’s impending departure, after Sanchez rejected several contract extensions from the Gunners. Despite reportedly being offering huge wages to stay, Sanchez wanted to move away from Arsenal after becoming increasingly frustrated with a lack of ambition being shown by the North London Club. Sanchez came close to competing a £60m switch Utd’s rivals Manchester City in the summer, however Arsenal pulled the plug on the deal after being unable to find a suitable replacement in time. Manchester City tried in vain to sign him again in this window but were reluctant to pay big money for a player with only 6 months left on his contract, as well as the prospect of damaging the team morale by making him the highest paid player at the club. Resigned to losing Sanchez, Arsenal accepted Manchester Utd’s offer to trade Mkhitaryan to avoid losing him for nothing in the Summer.
Sanchez established himself as a firm fan favourite during his three and a half years with Arsenal thanks to his flair, assists and goals. Arsenal fans will be frustrated with the club for allowing their best player to join bitter rivals Manchester United, in a move that brings back painful memories of Robin van Persie following the same path back in 2012.
However, the move will be a welcome one for Henrikh Mkhitaryan who despite an impressive start to his Utd career, has found himself out of favour under Mourinho. A complete attacking midfielder, he offers the pace, creativity and goal threat which will help fill the void left by Sanchez’s departure. Whilst Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger was upset to be losing his best player in Sanchez, he felt the deal represented a good deal for Arsenal in that they we’re “replacing one world class player with another”.
Philippe Coutinho [Liverpool – Barcelona] £142m
One of the most high-profile deal of window came in the form of Philippe Coutinho’s mega money move to Barcelona from Liverpool in a staggering £142m move. Despite resisting Barcelona’s repeated advances in the Summer, as well as Coutinho trying to force the move, Liverpool managed to keep the player at Anfield for half of the season where he’s helped form one of the most lethal attacking sides in Europe with Mane, Salah & Firmino. However, Barcelona finally met their demands, and reluctantly allowed Coutinho to leave for the Nou Camp.
Liverpool have already reinvested a large chunk of the transfer with the much-needed signing of defender Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for £75m which will help soften the blow of losing a player of the calibre of Coutinho.
Barcelona fans will be excited of the prospect of Coutinho linking up with their already world class side, and Coutinho will be looking forward to undoubted success in his career there.
Virgil van Dijk [Southampton – Liverpool] £75m
This deal was announced just before the January Transfer Window opened, and represents the most expensive amount paid for a defender in history (£75m). van Dijk had long been seeking a move away from Southampton after handing in a transfer request back in August of 2017 after informing the clubs hierarchy he wished to pursue European football, as well as becoming increasingly frustrated by the club repeatedly rebuffing bids from potential suiters. Liverpool in fact tried to sign him during the Summer Transfer Window, however their attempts to lure the player to Anfield resulted in Southampton reporting Liverpool to the Premier League in what they judged an ‘Illegal approach for the player’. Liverpool apologised, and immediately dropped their interest in the player.
Despite a good performance so far in the league, as well as advancing to the knockout stages of the Champions League, Liverpool’s defensive problems have been a huge cause for concern for Jurgen Klopp, forcing Liverpool to go back in for the player.
The deal offers a huge profit for Southampton on a player they signed from Celtic in 2015 for £11m from Celtic, and follows a recurring theme of Southampton players making the move to Liverpool following Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Sadio Mane and Nathaniel Clyne.
van Dijk enjoyed a dream debut for Liverpool after scoring the winner in the 2-1 victory over arch rivals Everton in the FA Cup Third Round to send the KOP end of Anfield into hysteria.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang [Borussia Dortmund – Arsenal] £56m
Arsenal signed Dortmund goal machine Aubameyang on deadline day for a club record £56 million. Dortmund have been resigned to losing their star player for a while with bids from several clubs disrupting the player, as well as numerous disciplinary problems with the forward as he pressured the club’s hierarchy to allow him to move on. Aubameyang was prolific in his time in Germany, scoring 141 goals in his 4 and a half years with the club. If Aubameyang can continue his form in England his price could be a steal in the current market and Arsene Wenger will be hoping his new star striker can help Arsenal try and make a late push for a place in the top 4.
Olivier Giroud [Arsenal – Chelsea] £18m
Following Arsenal’s acquisition of Lacazette in the Summer and Aubameyang in this window, Giroud has found himself surplus to requirements at The Emirates. Giroud was used mainly from the bench for Arsenal in the last few seasons, contributing several crucial goals for Arsenal, something Antonio Conte will be hoping he can replicate for Chelsea. The Frenchman will be hoping for more regular game time at Chelsea to ensure he makes the French squad for the upcoming World Cup in the Summer.
Aymeric Laporte [Athletic Bilbao – Manchester City] £57m
Manchester City once again broke their transfer record by signing highly rated French International defender Aymeric Laporte for £57 million from Athletic Bilbao. City boss Pep Guardiola was keen to strengthen his centre back options, with Eliaquim Mangala said to be out of favour, as well as the continuing long-term injuries of club captain Vincent Kompany. The signing may be regarded as the final piece in the jigsaw for Pep Guardiola’s City squad, with him now having spent nearly £450 million on transfers in his first year and a half in England. With City cruising at the top of the Premier League, in the final of the league cup, the 5th round of the FA Cup, as well as the knockout stages of the Champions League, many people feel Guardiola’s current squad could go on to dominate England and Europe for many seasons to come.
Theo Walcott [Arsenal – Everton] £20m+
Theo Walcott ended his 12 year stay at Arsenal by signing for Sam Allardyce’s side on a three-and-a-half-year deal. Despite being a key member of the team, which helped Arsenal qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League with 3 goals, he hasn’t started a single league game for the Gunners this season, only appearing form the bench. This combined with injury problems over the past couple of seasons has also halted his England career, where his last with his last appearance coming in November 2016. Walcott will be hoping to revive his career in the second half of the 17/18 season for the Toffees and give England Manager Gareth Southgate a selection headache ahead of the World Cup in the summer.
Ross Barkley [Everton – Chelsea] £15m
Everton finally decided to sell contract rebel Barkley, after growing increasingly frustrated with his refusal to sign a new deal at Goodison Park. The switch to Chelsea came close to materialising in the Summer when a £30m fee between the two sides was agreed, only for Barkley to reject the move so he could ‘reassess his situation when fully fit’. Everton will be frustrated at Barkley’s decision to delay the move until now, as it’s ultimately cost them an extra £15m income in transfer revenue, for a player who hasn’t featured at all this season due to recovering from a hamstring injury.
Still 24 years old, Chelsea will be hoping to help continue to develop Barkley who has shown flashes of brilliance during his time at Everton albeit inconsistently. At £15m, the transfer represents great value for an England International in the current climate of the market.
Lucas Moura [Paris St-Germain – Tottenham] £23m
Spurs completed the signing of Brazilian winger Lucas Moura on a 5-year deal, who moves to the Premier League with a point to prove. After PSG’s big summer spending on Neymar and Mbappe, he found himself frozen out, despite an impressive 46 goals and 50 appearances in his five years in France. In an additional boost for Spurs, he is eligible for selection in the knock out stages in the Champions League, as he didn’t make an appearance in the competition for Spurs this season.
Cenk Tosun [Besiktas – Everton] £27m
Following on from their Summer of heavy transfer activity, Everton have continued to splash the cash in January by signing Turkish striker Cenk Tosun from Besiktas for £27m. Despite their summer investment, Everton had a poor start to the 17/18 season, resulting in Ronald Koeman being given the boot in late October after Everton slipped into the relegation zone following a poor run of results. Sam Allardyce was drafted in to steady the ship and has done just that, however immediately identified that Everton were lacking in options and quality upfront.
At 26, Everton are signing a player in his prime who’s shown an impressive goal return both in his native Turkey with 41 goals in 96 appearances, as well as 4 goals in the Champions League this season. With ability with both feet, Tosun is a clinical finisher, as well as a constant threat in the air, and has all the makings to continue his goal scoring form for the toffees.
Diego Costa [Chelsea – Atletico Madrid] Undisclosed
Although this deal had been announced back in September of 2017, it was only formally completed when the January Transfer Window opened due to Atletico Madrid being under a transfer embargo as a result of breaching FIFA rules regarding the signing of minors which was in effect until January 2018.
The 29 year old Spaniard was informed by Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte in the summer controversially by text that he was not part of Chelsea plans for the future, despite his successful time at Stamford Bridge. He scored 52 goals in 89 appearances, winning 2 Premier League Titles, the League Cup, and established himself as a firm fan favourite, thanks to his fiery attitude on the pitch.
His return debut unfolded in a classic Diego Costa fashion, where he was booked for an elbow, before scoring seven minutes later where he received a second yellow card, and his marching orders, for jumping into the crowd to celebrate.
Adrien Silva [Sporting Lisbon – Leicester] £22m
The deal to bring Adrien Silva to Leicester was finally completed, despite being formally signed in the summer. However, the paperwork to register Silva to finalise the deal arrived 14 seconds after the deadline, resulting in the Premier League rejecting the proposed transfer. The player was left in limbo, despite Leicester efforts to overturn the decision via a FIFA appeal which was rejected.
The 28-year-old Portuguese midfielder is renowned for his excellent passing and dribbling qualities, and will be looking to make up for lost time during the second half of the 2017/18 season.
This deal highlights the potential risks that teams face by leaving their business late, and hopefully something, for the players sake, which will be avoided in the future.
Aaron Lennon [Everton – Burnley] Undisclosed
After being informed he was surplus to requirements at Everton, Lennon was snapped up Sean Dyche’s Burnley. The former England international will be helping to revive his career after a difficult few years both on and off the pitch, and Sean Dyche is hoping Lennon’s Premier League Experience can help Burnley build on their impressive first half to the 17/18 season.
Joao Mario [Inter Milan – West Ham] Loan
In what may be regarded as surprise transfer move by many, Portuguese International Joao Mario joined West Ham on loan from Italian Giants Inter Milan. Having only spent 1 and a half seasons in Italy since his £35 million move from Sporting Lisbon in 2017, he struggled to justify his price tag with his performances, and the Inter Milan hierarchy have seemingly given up on him. West Ham tried to sign him whilst he was still at Sporting, but couldn’t compete financially with Inter at the time. The loan move could prove to be a real coup for The Hammers who will be hoping to continue their resurgence up the table since David Moyes took over, and provide quality replacements for their mounting injury list.
Daniel Sturridge [Liverpool – West Brom] Loan
Sturridge will be hoping for more game time by securing a move to Premier League strugglers West Brom. Sturridge has endured a tough few years at Anfield after picking up injury after injury. He has also struggled to break back into the team due to the continuing good form of Roberto Firmino who has established himself as Liverpool’s first choice striker. Sturridge will be desperate to not only prove himself to Jurgen Klopp by showing he still has something to offer, but also fire himself back into contention for England for the upcoming World Cup. The capture of Sturridge represents a real coup for West Brom whose current attacking options have struggled to score goals this season. However, whether Sturridge can remain fit and regain his form remains to be seen.
Emerson Palmieri [Roma – Chelsea] £17.6m
Antonio Conte strengthened his defensive options with the capture of highly rated Brazillian Emerson Palmieri from Roma. Conte was keen for competition for Left Back Marcus Alonso, which Palmieri can offer with his Pace and attacking ability.
Michy Batshuayi [Chelsea – Borussia Dortmund] Loan
After the departure of their star striker Aubameyang to Arsenal, Dortmund have turned to Chelsea striker Batshuayi to fill the void. Batshuayi has found himself down the pecking order at Chelsea, often only used for cup matches, and will be desperate for game time to prove his worth.
Jurgen Locadia [PSV Eindhoven – Brighton] £14m
Brighton broke their transfer record to sign Dutch Striker Jurgen Locadia on a 4-and-a-half-year deal for the Seagulls. The 24-year-old has impressed during his time with PSV, with an impressive goal return of 45 goals in 127 games, as well as winning two consecutive Eredivisie titles. Locadia was close to joining Championship high flyers Wolves in the summer, when PSV pulled the plug on the deal at the last minute on deadline day. Chris Hughton will be hoping Locadia can add some much-needed firepower to Brighton’s attack, as they look to avoid the drop in their debut season in the Premier League.
Kenedy [Chelsea – Newcastle] Loan
The Brazilian, 21, will be hoping to gain more game time at Newcastle, having only featured for Chelsea in cup competitions this season. The loan signing will be welcomed by Magpies boss Rafa Benitez who has endured a tough time in recent transfer markets because of the club being up for sale. Kenedy is capable of playing both Left Back and Left Wing, and offer something different for Newcastle who are looking to maintain their Premier League status after their Title winning Championship campaign of 16-17.
Jack Harrison [New York City – Manchester City] Undisclosed
Jack Harrison [Manchester City – Middlesbrough] Loan
England U21 International Jack Harrison moved from New York City to their sister club Manchester City, in a deal which will see him immediately loaned out to Championship side Middleborough. The highly rated midfielder will be hoping to spend the second half of the season at the Riverside helping Tony Pulis’s side push for a play-off place, before returning to City to continue his development.
Francis Coquelin [Arsenal – Valencia] £12m
The Frenchman ended an 8 year stay at the Emirates in January, when he joined Spanish giants Valencia for £12m on a 4-and-a-half-year contract. Coquelin will be hoping to revive his career after falling down the pecking order at Arsenal. After establishing himself as a first team regular during the start of the 2015-16 season, he suffered a knee ligament injury which ruled him out for 3 months. He found it hard from this point to break back into the team with Arsenal being well covered in midfield. The returning form of Jack Wilshere from long term injury seriously limited his playing time, triggering Valencia to make a move for him.
Valencia will be hoping the addition of Coquelin can help in their quest for a top 4 finish for a Champions League spot for next season.
Leonardo Ulloa [Leicester – Brighton] Loan
Ulloa re-joined Brighton on loan three and a half since leaving The Amex. Since joining Leicester, Ulloa has struggled to nail down a starting place mainly due to the form of England striker Jamie Vardy. He was often used from the bench as a target man due to his size and aerial ability. Brighton will be hoping Ulloa can pick up where he left off at Brighton where he was prolific in his 1-year stint with 23 goals, and help guide Brighton to safety in their debut Premier League season.
Gerard Deulofeu [Barcelona – Watford] Loan
Deulofeu has found himself surplus to requirements for a second time at Barcelona, after returning to the Catalan giants in the Summer from Everton. Despite having a run in the side this season after Ousmane Dembele was injured early in the season, Deulofeu has failed to impress. Watford will be hoping Deulofeu can find the same form he showed in his early Everton career and help turn around the fortunes of Watford who have endured a miserable winter as they continue to slide down the Premier League table after a fantastic start to the season.
Cameron Jerome [Norwich – Derby] Undisclosed
Derby continued to add established championship experience to their side, by recruiting Cameron Jerome from Championship rivals Norwich. He had an impressive start to his Norwich career where he helped guide Norwich back to the Premier League with a goal in the play-off final, however in the subsequent seasons he struggled to maintain a regular place in the squad due to injuries and competition in the squad. Despite an impressive goal return in the 2016-17 season with 16 goals, he has struggled to find form this season, scoring 1 goal in 15 appearances. Derby boss Gary Rowett will be hoping Jerome can refind his shooting boots to help Derby secure an automatic promotion place.
Axel Tuanzebe [Manchester United – Aston Villa] Loan
The promising 21-year-old will be hoping to increase his playing opportunities by dropping down a division to Championship promotion-chasing Villa. With United having a wealth of options in defence Tuanzebe has found regular game time at Old Trafford hard to come by. However United manager Jose Mourinho is a big fan of the youngster who he feels still has a big future at the club, whilst Villa manager Steve Bruce will be delighted to gain much needed cover in defence to help aid their promotion push.
Tim Cahill [Unattached – Millwall]
In the twilight of his career, free agent Tim Cahill, 38, agreed a move back to his first club in England, Millwall. Cahill is considered a legend by The Den faithful, scored 52 goals in his 6 years with club between 1998-2004, even helping them to a surprising FA Cup run in 2004, where they finished runners up. The well-travelled striker will be hoping to impress in his second stint with the London club, as he aims to make squad for the upcoming World Cup for Australia.
Diogo Jota [Atletico Madrid – Wolves] Undisclosed
Portuguese winger Jota, 21, has agreed to a deal to make his loan switch from Atletico to Wolves permanent in the summer. The winger has been in sensational form for the Black Country side this season and has established himself as one of the best players in the Championship. Currently well clear at the top of the table, the signing of Jota shows a real statement intent from Wolves, who will be hoping Jota can continue his great start to life in England.
