It feels as if this year’s January transfer window gently closed rather than slammed shut, such was the lack of spending from some of the Premier League’s big hitters.
Of the infamous ‘Big Six’, only Manchester City and Tottenham made signings in January as teams across Europe looked to stay within the parameters of Financial Fair Play (FFP).
However, there was still a number of major moves made across Europe and indeed the world.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at 10 of the biggest transfers in January in a mix of transfer fee size, significance and surprise value.
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Radu Dragusin – Genoa to Tottenham ($AUD49m)
If any doubters needed to see the pulling power of Ange Postecoglou, the deal to bring Radu Dragusin to Tottenham for $AUD49 million provided all the evidence needed.
Injuries to Cristian Romero and Mickey Van de Ven, Tottenham’s starting pair at the heart of defence, made reinforcements at centre back a priority for Postecoglou in the January window.
Several names had been thrown around in the rumour mill, but it was Dragusin who emerged out of nowhere as Postecoglou’s ideal choice to boost his defensive stocks.
It looked like it would be a straightforward deal to sign the Romanian international from Genoa, but Bayern Munich threatened to spoil the party and offered Dragusin a more lucrative deal.
However, Dragusin turned down the German giants and opted to sign for Tottenham instead, a decision that left his agent “mind blown” as he wished to test himself in the Premier League.
Joe Gauci – Adelaide United to Aston Villa ($2.5m)
No-one saw Joe Gauci’s move to Aston Villa coming, but few will argue it was undeserved.
The Adelaide United goalkeeper swapped Hindmarsh Stadium for the bright lights of Villa Park in a deal worth approximately $2.5 million.
On paper, it’s a minuscule bill for Villa but for Adelaide, it’s a massive boost to the coffers and another glowing endorsement of the talent on show in the A-League.
Gauci will make the move after the Socceroos’ journey in the Asian Cup is complete and will join a goalkeeping union at Villa which includes Emi Martinez, who was voted the world’s best goalkeeper.
It’s highly unlikely the 23-year-old will usurp Martinez as Villa’s No. 1 goalkeeper any time soon, but there’s not many better to learn from.
Adelaide’s Joe Gauci joins Aston Villa | 00:32
Jadon Sancho – Manchester United to Borussia Dortmund (loan)
It really feels like it’s the last chance saloon for Sancho, and where better to find his form than with the club that made him a $140 million star only a few years ago.
Sancho moved from Dortmund to Manchester United for the exorbitant fee in the summer of 2021 but has failed to justify his lofty price tag since.
The England international has since publicly fallen out with Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag and is in danger of fading into obscurity.
Dortmund bravely decided to bring Sancho back to the Bundesliga for the remainder of the season and paid a $6.5 million loan fee to sign him.
Sancho declared it was “like coming home” when he signed for Dortmund and he’s showing signs of life once more, registering two assists in his first two games back.
If he can continue to perform throughout the remainder of his loan stint back at Dortmund, Sancho might even be an outside shout for Gareth Southgate’s England squad at Euro 2024.
Kalvin Phillips – Manchester City to West Ham United (loan)
Whether it was due to injuries or simply not being good enough, Kalvin Phillips has never quite settled at Manchester City since his $83 million switch from Leeds in July 2022.
He’s found it difficult to nudge ahead of Rodri in the pecking order for City’s defensive midfield position and has failed to take advantage when given rare chances to impress boss Pep Guardiola.
With Euro 2024 waiting at the end of the season and next to no chance of minutes at City, Phillips knew he needed game time elsewhere.
Enter West Ham United, who still had a need for a star defensive midfielder after Declan Rice departed for Arsenal last summer.
Phillips started his Hammers career in disastrous fashion as he underhit a pass that allowed Cherries striker Dominic Solanke a gift of a goal.
However, he’ll get plenty of opportunities to prove himself to the West Ham faithful as the Hammers remain in contention for the Europa League and are in the mix for European spots in the Premier League.
Phillips had a debut to forget for the Hammers. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Timo Werner – RB Leipzig to Tottenham (loan)
There were high hopes for Timo Werner ahead of his switch to Chelsea but after a return of just 10 goals from 56 appearances, those at Stamford Bridge weren’t exactly in meltdown when he left for RB Leipzig in 2022.
But Werner is back in the English top flight and back in London.
The 27-year-old, who had struggled for minutes with Leipzig this season, was given another chance in the Premier League by Tottenham Hotspur.
Werner was motivated to join after speaking with Postecoglou and has repaid the Aussie boss’ faith instantly, recording two assists in his first two league appearances.
Tottenham have the option to make Werner’s switch permanent at the end of the season for just $30 million.
If the German maintains his form for the remainder of the campaign, you’d imagine Postecoglou will need little hesitation in taking up that offer.
Jesse Lingard – Free agent to FC Seoul
OK, granted, we might be jumping the gun a little bit on this one.
But given Jesse Lingard is heading to South Korea to complete his medical early next week, per BBC Sport, it’s fair to say this is a move that appears to be a good as done.
Lingard has been without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest at the end of last season where he struggled to live up to expectations despite joining on a large wage.
There were inevitable links with Saudi Arabian clubs last summer but those never came to fruition, leaving Lingard out in the cold as a free agent.
The former Manchester United star even sacked his agents earlier in January as he ramped up his efforts to find a new team.
Yet very few, if many, would have tipped K-League outfit FC Seoul to be the 31-year-old’s next destination.
BBC Sport claims Lingard has been offered a two-year contract on a “substantial salary” by the six-time K-League winners.
Will it be the move to revive Lingard’s career?
Lingard has not played a minute of competitive football this season since leaving Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Marco Tilio – Celtic to Melbourne City (loan)
Less than eight months ago, Marco Tilio left Melbourne City for Celtic in a deal reportedly worth $2.9 million.
Fast forward to now and Tilio has returned to City on loan as he attempts to reignite his career having struggled to make his mark at Celtic.
Tilio has played just 27 minutes of first team action for the Hoops this season, however he arrived with an injury “issue” according to Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers.
Should Tilio recapture the form that made him such an attractive proposition for Celtic in the first place, it could catapult him back into Rodgers’ thoughts.
Or, at the very least, garner him some attention from other clubs in Europe ahead of a potential loan move next season.
Either way, Tilio must deliver for City in the second half of the A-League men’s season.
Eric Dier – Tottenham to Bayern Munich (loan)
Eric Dier’s move to Bayern Munich caught some by surprise.
Why would the Bundesliga heavyweights go for a defender who couldn’t get a game for Tottenham despite the latter suffering a full-blown injury crisis?
Well, Bayern needed someone who could play at either centre back or defensive midfield and Dier fits the bill, even if he isn’t a world beater in either position.
The English international was a low-risk option for Bayern as he joined on a loan deal for the rest of the season, effectively bringing an end to his Tottenham career given he was out of contract in the summer.
Dier also firmed as a prime option for Bayern after they’d lost out to Tottenham in the battle to sign Radu Dragusin.
The switch to Bayern reunited Dier with Harry Kane, who he’d spent nearly a decade with at Tottenham.
Dier joined Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ajdin Hrustic – Hellas Verona to Heracles Almelo (loan)
It feels like an eternity since we last saw Ajdin Hrustic pull the strings in the Socceroos’ midfield.
The 27-year-old has not played so much as a minute of first team football for Serie A side Hellas Verona this season and was quickly becoming an afterthought in Australian football.
But Hrustic might finally re-enter the frame for Socceroos selection after sealing a move to Eredivisie side Heracles Almelo for the remainder of the 23/24 season.
Hrustic is no stranger to the Dutch top flight having several seasons with FC Groningen, scoring five goals and chalking up five assists from 67 appearances.
Will it be the move that gets the Socceroo’s career back on track?
Australian football fans certainly hope so.
Gift Orban – Gent to Lyon ($19m)
Lyon, seven-time winners of Ligue 1, are in serious danger of being relegated to the second tier of French football for the first time in 70 years.
The club failed to win any of their first 10 games this season and have gone on to win just four from 19 played.
Former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has been their main goal threat, with nine strikes to his name.
But the club has added some extra firepower to its attack in the form of Nigerian forward Gift Orban.
At 21 years of age, Orban had made a name for himself as a serious goal threat in Belgium for Gent, scoring nine league goals from 10 appearances last season after moving from Norwegian side Stabaek.
He’s also proved himself as a goalscorer in European competition for Gent, bagging nine goals in 10 Europa Conference League games.
Lyon will no doubt hope he brings his scoring boots with him to France, because it just might save the club fro relegation.
2024-02-03 01:24:00
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