Image: Steffen Prößdorf, via Wikipedia
As January draws to a close, so too does the transfer window with clubs looking to finalise their squads ahead of deadline day. Curiously, it has been a much quieter window than what we have become accustomed to over the past few years. This could be due to clubs exercising increased caution surrounding the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability Rules following Everton’s 10-point deduction in November. Nevertheless, Fabrizio Romano has, of course, been busy keeping us up to date throughout the month as teams look to bolster their options with title races and relegation battles on the horizon. On that note, let’s take a look at some of the window’s biggest transfers that have been confirmed by the Italian’s trademark ‘here we go!’
First up is Jadon Sancho, who has joined Borussia Dortmund on loan from Manchester United after a torrid couple of months. Sancho signed from the German side for £73 million in July 2021 but never managed to live up to the hype and expectation. To make matters worse, a fall out with head coach Erik Ten Hag has left the 23-year-old completely exiled from the first-team squad since late September, making only three appearances all season. He returns to Dortmund having scored 12 goals in 82 matches for United, hoping that he can rediscover the form that earned him the big money move to the Premier League in the first place. Donny van de Beek has also been loaned out by Manchester United after a lack of regular first-team action. He joins Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the season having only featured in the league 35 times for United despite a £35 million fee back in 2020. Eintracht Frankfurt will have the option to make the deal permanent for £9.5 million.
Jadon Sancho rejoins Borussia Dortmund on loan after a torrid couple of months at Manchester United.
Tottenham Hotspur have perhaps been the team making the most headlines in terms of players brought in, with additions both in attack and defence. They have signed Timo Werner, a familiar face in London, on loan from RB Leipzig until the end of the season with the option to buy for around £15 million. Werner netted 23 times for Chelsea between 2020 and 2022 and scored 16 goals for RB Leipzig last season. However his form has dropped during 23/24; only managing two goals had seen him become out of favour at the Bundesliga side. As for Spurs’ defence, they have signed Romanian Radu Drăgușin from Genoa for £26.7 million. Injuries for Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven as well as Eric Dier joining former teammate Harry Kane at Bayern Munich had left the North London side short of centre-back options. On the other side of London, West Ham have signed Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City with the 28-year-old looking to get his career back on track following a frustrating spell on Pep Guardiola’s bench.
Jordan Henderson has returned to Europe following an unsuccessful spell at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.
Hannibal Mejbri is another player to have left Manchester United this month – he has moved to Spain, joining Sevilla on loan for the remainder of the season with an option to buy worth around £17 million. The current Europa League champions are under pressure in LaLiga, sitting in 16th with just 17 points. He will hope that his play-making flair, that made him so popular at Birmingham City, will help Sevilla stay clear of relegation, especially with Ivan Rakitic departing for Al-Shabab. Making the move from Spain back to the UK, Ben Brereton Díaz has joined struggling Sheffield United on loan, adding to their options up front. Despite failing to score in 20 games for Villarreal this season, he has found the back of the net twice in two Premier League games for his new side. Burnley are 19th in the league, one position above Sheffield United, and have also looked to the January transfer window as a way of bringing more goals to a squad that have only managed 21 so far this season. David Fatro Fofano joins Vincent Kompany’s side on loan from Chelsea in their pursuit of Premier League survival.
Finally, Jordan Henderson has returned to Europe following an unsuccessful spell at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq. A failure for his family to adapt to life in Saudi Arabia left the former Liverpool captain desperate for a move back to Europe, cutting short his £350,000 a week contract. He has joined Dutch giants Ajax on a two-and-a-half year deal.
