Chelsea, Arsenal win; Everton and Caicedo lose

In Europe, January transfer window spending was led by one team: Chelsea. The Blues spent more than €300m on eight players, including Enzo Fernandez (€121m), Mykhailo Mudryk (€70m), Benoit Badiashile (€37m) and Noni Madueke (€35m), who blew the rest of the clubs out of the water. .

No one else could have invested at this level – in fact, Chelsea spent more in January than all the clubs in the Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1 combined – but which clubs and players have performed well during this period. window and who did not?

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Winners

CHELSEA

While Todd Boehly et al have been lightly mocked for conducting their transfer business with what seems like a daily pursuit of new names – plus the unconventional and high-profile hijacking of a move for Arsenal’s €70m winger Mykhailo Mudryk – Chelsea are still can look back. in a glorious month.

As well as securing their No. 1 target for Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez in the final minutes of the transfer window with an English transfer record €121 million, the club secured a good mix of promising artists in the right age group. . Badiashile and Mudryk have already impressed, especially 18-year-old Andrey Santos, who has the potential to become a top player. Their problematic centre-forward dilemma was ultimately not resolved, but Chelsea invested heavily and wisely for the future, spreading the cost of the fee over long contracts to avoid Financial Fair Play issues.

BRIGHTON

After Moises Caicedo’s impressive performances this season, Brighton were set to lose the Ecuador international to either Chelsea or Arsenal. But despite tempting offers of around £70m, the club have turned the tables on the player and his suitors by approaching the transfer market on their own terms. As soon as Caicedo turned his head, Brighton stood firm and stuck to his guns. Whether their actions will set an example for the “smaller clubs” remains to be seen, but their reluctance to compromise has been refreshing and keeping the 21-year-old could prove to be the deciding factor as they fight for a place in Europe.

BAYERN MUNICH

While the German champions did not inject extraordinary cash in the January window, they did well to cover immediate needs. Experienced Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer joined Borussia Mönchengladbach for €8 million to replace the injured Manuel Neuer, while Daley Blind’s free transfer from Ajax gives coach Julian Nagelsmann new options in defense and midfield. One of the most surprising deals of the month was the loan of Joao Cancelo (with a permanent €70m option) from Manchester City, one of the best defenders in the world.

ARSENAL

The Gunners were keen on big-money signings Mudryk and Caicedo, but missing out on the pair could prove to be a blessing in disguise as Arsenal are left with a fairly safe but well-executed January deal. Although the club have spent a lot of money over the past five years, their top spot in the Premier League is due to coach Mikel Arteta building a functional team and relying on his current squad rather than relying on an individual. star. performers. The additions of Leandro Trossard (£12m) and Jorginho (£10m) – who I don’t expect to feature in every game – add experience and proven quality, while 22-year-old Jakub Kiwior (£22m) gives them much-needed depth in defence. will give

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the losers

EVERTON

While spending has hardly been lacking at Goodison Park over the last few years, it is unthinkable that the 19th-placed side could sit idly by when investment is most needed.

The appointment of Sean Dyche to replace Frank Lampard, who was sacked a day before the end of the January transfer window, naturally didn’t help the scheme (although the presence of a sporting director should have mitigated that to some extent), but one has to wonder if Dyche’s team will adapt to his style of football in their fight for survival. fits.

Everton’s failed last-minute search for a centre-forward as a replacement or alternative to the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin – with Fenerbahce’s Michy Batshuayi and Coventry City’s Victor Gokeres linked – was a clear sign that more firepower was wanted. The club could not replace the young striker Anthony Gordon, who signed for “Newcastle” for 40 million pounds.

MOSES CAICEDO

Wanted by several elite clubs, the 21-year-old hoped the moment had come to leave Brighton for Champions League football. Caicedo, seemingly desperate to force a delayed decision, issued a written statement that was fairly unequivocal to try and pressure his club to accept offers from Chelsea or Arsenal.

The emotional appeal was quickly rejected by Brighton, who in turn ordered the player not to report for training ahead of the transfer deadline. Certainly one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League this season, it is not a discount for Brighton that Caicedo will one day surpass them, but not now.

BARCELONA

Despite being linked with some of the biggest names in European football, the Catalans found themselves empty-handed in the January transfer window (at least so far with a €4 million move for the defender). LA Galaxy Julian Araujo’s eligibility still pending) . With a mountain of debt and growing financial constraints still hanging over the Spanish League like a cloud, Barcelona even needed a court decision to approve the extension of midfield prodigy Gavin’s contract.

Although Barcelona don’t see the January window as a success factor – they still sit comfortably enough at the top of La Liga – Memphis Depay, Gerard Pique and a few new faces to add to their squad wouldn’t go amiss if they leave. Hector Bellerin.

A-SERIES

The Italian league as a whole spent just €28 million in January 2023, just one year after Juventus spent €70 million to sign Serbian centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic. The accounting scandal in “Juventus”, one of the traditional big spenders, caused the media to remain in the shadows. Due to the Premier League and the general economic downturn following the pandemic, Italian clubs find themselves in the position of striking loan deals among themselves or looking to their academies to strengthen their first team squads.