A market of correction, adjustment and opportunities, the winter transfer window has existed since 1997. January 1, 2024 will mark the new year, but also its opening in France. It will allow clubs to carry out their purchases and in particular to complete their squad at their discretion. An opportunity very often seized by training courses most in difficulty, or dissatisfied with their summer purchases. However, everything doesn’t always go as planned. Discover our tops and flops for recruits from the winter transfer window in France.
The tops
Memphis Depay (OL): the lion cub grows up in Lyon
Failing at Manchester United, Memphis Depay, then 23 years old, arrived in Lyon in January 2017 for 16 million euros with the desire to relaunch his young career. After a sluggish start, the Dutchman finally managed to establish himself and become a centerpiece of Olympique Lyonnais. The striker was even named captain of the club by Rudi Garcia in 2019. He fully assumed his status, taking Les Gones to the semi-final of the Champions League in 2020 with 6 goals in 8 matches. His strokes of genius, like his midfield lob against Toulouse (4-0 victory) or his last-minute goal against Paris (2-1 victory) will have marked the history of OL.
Thiago Motta (PSG): an Italian legend
Poached from Inter Milan by Carlo Ancelotti, Thiago Motta arrived at Paris Saint-Germain for 10 million euros in January 2012. His vice and roughness quickly made him an indispensable player in the capital club’s eleven. In 7 years, the Italian international played 250 matches and won 19 trophies with the Rouge et Bleu, making him a true legend of the club and one of the emblems of the QSI era in Paris. He hung up his boots in the summer of 2018 to become coach of the under-19 section of Paris Saint-Germain. He is now a coach at Bologna, in Serie A.
Dimitar Berbatov (Monaco): pure class
How can we forget Dimitar Berbatov’s time playing for AS Monaco? Released by Fulham in January 2014, the Bulgarian striker arrived in the Principality to remedy the serious knee injury of a certain Radamel Falcao. With his class and composure, the former Mancunian dazzled the French championship with his talent and allowed Monaco to finish second as soon as he returned to the elite. The following season, he notably participated in the princely epic in the Champions League, scoring a very important goal in the round of 16 at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal (1-3 victory).
Les flops
Patrice Evra (OM): a high-kick and then goodbye
On paper, the operation seemed interesting. Arriving free in Marseille from Juventus in January 2017, the French left-back had a decent first 6 months in Marseille, before everything turned into a nightmare for the former leader of the French team. During a warm-up on the sidelines of a Europa League match against Guimarães in November of the same year, Evra was heckled by his own supporters, provoked them and ended up kicking one in the head. of them. Expelled even before kick-off, “Uncle Pat” is suspended from all European competitions until the end of the season by UEFA, which will see OM go to the C3 final (0-3 defeat against ‘Atlético). His contract with Marseille will be terminated a few days later after 10 months of collaboration.
Hatem Ben Arfa (Lille): attempt number seven
Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris, Rennes, Bordeaux and finally Lille. In January 2022, Hatem Ben Arfa will attempt a seventh experience in France with LOSC. After four very average months, the French striker clashed with his coach, Jocelyn Gourvennec. The northern club initiates disciplinary proceedings against him. He leaves the Mastiffs after 9 matches and no goals. “Are you talking about twisted?” While you and your president are the most twisted. Your problem is incompetence,” we could read on an Instagram story of the player. Atmosphere.
Pietro Pellegri (AS Monaco): disconcerting fragility
Here is one of the rare capital losses for AS Monaco since the arrival of its Russian owner. Landed in January 2018 in the principality for 25 million euros at the age of 16 from Torino, Pietro Pellegri was then seen as one of the most promising players in world football. However, after four seasons, the Italian international has only started once with Monaco, against Grenoble in the Coupe de France (0-1 victory). Worse still, Pellegri missed 105 matches with ASM due to repeated injuries. He will continue loans to AC Milan and Torino before being transferred to the Turin club in the summer of 2022 for 4 million euros.
