#DataphyteSports: January Transfer Merry-go-round Swing

Premier League clubs and the world football are on a thirty-one days buy, sell and loan players roundabout, as the transfer merry-go-round swings back into action today. An incisive signing in the middle of the season can either fuel a title challenge, allow clubs to play European continental football or help a club survive in the top flight. 

While we await the business transactions of clubs from today till the end of the transfer on 31 January, Dataphyte brings to you (1) an analysis of areas that require reinforcement in premier league teams (2) an overview of the best January transfers in the premier league and across the world.

Which area should your Premier League club reinforce this January?

Premier League clubs have spent more than £1billion during the January transfer window since the introduction of the window at the start of 2003. 

With the January transfer window comes plenty speculations about whom to join a club or leave a club. Fans are always expectant and eager for their clubs to reinforce their teams to enable a perfect completion of the season. The 2019/2020 January transfer window is thus no exception.

 If there is any team that needs adequate reinforcement, it is former top four and champions league faithful who currently sit 12th in the league table heading into the new year and without the arsenal to finish in the top half of the table.

While Liverpool and Watford might have entered the market quite early with deals for the signing of Takuma Minamino and Joao Pedro completed, we analyze some other premier league clubs to see key areas where they need to strengthen.

• Arsenal – Centre back

With 30 goals conceded in just 20 premier league games, a centre-back might just be what Arsenal’s new manager, Arteta needs to show a convincing good start to his first managerial career. The unconvincing look of Arsenal at the back shows they have not been able to replace their former skipper Laurent Koscielny who left in the summer. Neither of the available centre back options; Lui, Rob holding, Sokratis, Mustafi and chambers have been able to form a formidable pair that would help Arsenal concede fewer goals.

• Aston Villa-Striker

With villa currently strongly in the attack, some option in the number 9 role could make their season and also relieve striker Wesley of some pressure from his inability to find the net in the last 12 matches. 

• Bournemouth – Full back

Bournemouth’s only left-back option at the moment is  35 years old Simon Francis who recently returned from injury, with other options like summer signing Lloyd Kelly and Charlie Daniels ruled out from injury. More readily available option in this position through a January addition will be a great improvement for the team and her performance. 

• Chelsea – Striker

Chelsea’s inability to sign players in the summer transfer window due to a transfer ban has seen them rely solely on Tammy Abraham who has repaid the faith his manager, Lampard, has in him with goals. However, the possible exit of other striker options, Oliver Giroud and Mitchy Batshuayi due to limited playing time should propel Lampard to look for back up option for Oliver Giroud. With the reduction in Chelsea’s transfer ban, signing a striker should not mount so much pressure on Lampard who is said to admire Timo Werner and Jadon Sancho.

• Manchester City – Defender

The City has played most of the season with Fernadinho playing a new role partnering Nicolas Otamendi at centre-back due to injury to other preferred options, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones. This has dealt a serious blow to their challenge for the premier league title which is evident in their current position and could even threaten their chances of getting their first-ever champions league trophy. Thus, they will need extra cover in the centre back option if they are to acquire the trophy they crave for the most. 

• Manchester United – Striker and Midfielder

Manchester United has struggled to score goals for much of the campaign, with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood not being consistent. This comes on the back of not replacing Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez who left for inter on a permanent and loan deal respectively during the summer transfer. From our analysis, any hope of Manchester United finishing in the top four or playing European competition next season hinges on their ability to provide firing power in attack. This should be attained by reinforcing the attack position this January. It is said that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is interested in Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund and Lautaro Matinez of Inter Millan to fill this position. 

Though midfield prodigy, McTominay has lived up to the promise he showed when former manager Jose Mourinho first gave him playing time, by making a niche for himself in the Manchester United Midfield, his only consistent partner is Fred. Other options, Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba have seen limited game time due to injury. There is also growing concern of possible exit of the pair. Adding more options at the centre pack is therefore also necessary. Boubakary Soumare of Lille, Christain Eriksen of Tottenham and Leandro Paredes of Paris Saint-German are currently on Manchester United radar for this position. 

• Norwich – Center back

Even with a firebrand striker like Teemu Pukki, the Canaries will not be able to play in the premier league next season if they do not acquire firebrand centre backs that will help them contain the 40 goals in just 20 games they have conceded this season. Currently, at the bottom of the table, their best strategy to survive relegation is to get extra defensive reinforcement.

Some of the 21st century’s best January signing

The January transfer window is traditionally a difficult time to make big moves, but the best in the business still always find a way to make themselves better. Here is a list of great deals that were done during this window over the years.

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (31 January, from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the captain for both premier league club Arsenal and Gabon National team. In January 2018, he made a club-record transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal in a deal worth £56million, which made him the most expensive African player at that time. In his debut season 2017-2018, Aubameyang scored ten goals and four assists in thirteen premier league games. He reached the league’s joint top goal scorer and helped arsenal reach the UEFA Europa League final in his first full season 2018-2019. He has scored a total of 45 goals in 69 appearances for the Arsenal. 

• Virgil van Dijk (31 January, from Southampton to Liverpool)

Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch profession footballer, who plays for the premier league side Liverpool and captains the Dutch national team. Virgil van Dijk switched to Liverpool from Southampton on January 1, 2018, in a deal worth £75million. He made his debut on 5th of January in an FA cup match against Everton where he scored the winning goal. In his debut season, he was included in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the season, despite playing just half of the season in the Champions League. He played 22 games in all completion in this season, scoring 1 goal. In his full debut season 2018-2019, he was named the PFA player of the year and won the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, also winning the man of the match award. He further went on to win the UEFA player of the year award in august 2019. On 23 September, he was voted, the runner up of The Best FIFA Men’s player award. He finished as runner up behind Lionel Messi in the Ballon D’or awards and won the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup for the first time with Liverpool.

• Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea to Wolfsburg, 2014)

Kevin De Bruyne is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester City in the premier league and the Belgian national team. Kevin De Bruyne was signed by Wolfsburg from Chelsea on January 18, 2014, for a fee of £18million. He spent just one full season at Wolfsburg but that was enough to make the impression needed for Manchester city to sign him. At Wolfsburg, he scored 16 goals in all competition with a record 21 assists that helped Wolfsburg finish second on the table in the 2014/2015 season while also winning the German Cup for the first time. Kevin De Bruyne also won the German footballer of the year award during this season too. 

• Ivan Rakitic (from Shalke 04 to Sevilla)

Ivan Rakitic is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or attacking midfielder for Spanish club Barcelona and the Croatian national team. On 28 January 2011 Sevilla signed Ivan Rakitic for a transfer fee of €2.5million from Shalke 04. He was immediately included in Sevilla’s starting XI and made his debut on 6 February 2011 against Malaga. He went on to become the first foreign captain at Sevilla after Diego Maradona, captaining the team to win the UEFA Europa League title in 2014 to complete Sevilla’s historic treble of European League title. He had a total of 27 goals in 117 appearances for Sevilla before leaving for Barcelona in 2014.

• Luiz Suarez (from Ajax to Liverpool)

Luiz Suarez is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Spanish club, Barcelona and the Uruguay national team. On 28 January 2011, Liverpool signed Suarez from Ajax for £22.8million. He made his debut on 2 February 2011 against stoke city, scoring the second goal as a substitute in a 2- 0 win. He scored a total of 82 times in 133 appearances, including 31 goals in his last season 2013/2014 when Liverpool narrowly slipped from lifting the premier league trophy. Barcelona reported paid €82.3m to secure his service due to the quality he possessed. 

• Andrea Barzagli (from Wolfsburg to Juventus, 2011)

Andrea Barzagli is an Italian professional footballer who played as a centre back. He signed for Juventus on 26 January 2011 for a contract of €300,000 fixed and €300,000 variable. He formed a very formidable pair with Leonard Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. They went ahead to win seven successive titles. He scored a total of two goals in two hundred and six appearances for Juventus. 

• Marcelo (from Fluminense to real Madrid, 2007)

Marcelo is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Spanish club Barcelona and the Brazilian national team. He joined Real Madrid in January 2007 for $8million at age 18. He has gone on from “a pearl that half of Europe wanted” as described by the then Madrid present Ramon Calderon to win four Liga titles and four UEFA Champion League winners’ medal. He remains a pearl yet to tarnish. 

• Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (From Heerenveen to Ajax, 2006)

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a striker for Ajax and the Dutch national team. He moved from Heerenveen to Ajax for €9million with €1.35million going to his former club PSV. At that time, he was the most promising striker in Dutch football. He went on to score 105 goals in 136 appearances for Ajax before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009.

• Nemanja Vidic (Spartak Moskva to Manchester United, 2006)

Nemanja Vidic is a Serbia retired professional footballer. He joined Manchester United from Spartak Moscow for a fee of around £7million on 5 January 2006. United had to beat stiff competition from Liverpool and Florentine where his transfer was already agreed. Alex Ferguson’s pursuit of Vidic at that time proved worthwhile as he formed a solid partnership in centre-back with Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra to provide an era of Dominance of United in the English premier league.

• Dejan Stankovic (from Lazio to Inter, 2004)

Dejan Stankovic is a Serbian professional football manager and a former player who is the manager of Serbian SuperLiga club Red Star Belgrade. His transfer from Lazio was imminent after a severe financial crisis rocked Lazio and Inter Milan presented an offer too good to resist. He signed for Inter Milan from Lazio in a deal worth €4million plus exchange of player, Goran Pandev (plus 50% of Pandev’s contract). He established himself as a fan favourite after scoring against AC Milan from the corner flag within weeks of his arrival. He went on to win five Scudetti and the 2010 UEFA Champions League in 231 appearances, scoring 29 times. 

Patrice Evra from Monaco to Manchester United, 2006)

Patric Evra is a former professional footballer who played as a left-back. Evra signed for Manchester United for £5.5million from Monaco on 6 January 2006, despite interest from Inter Milan. Though he struggled on his debut game against Manchester City on 14 January, when he was substituted at half time, he soon grew to be one of the best left-backs in the world as described by his former coach Sir Alex Ferguson. He won 5 premier league titles and 1 UEFA Champions League with Manchester United before moving to Juventus in 2014.

Other transfers worthy of mention are Aymeric Laporte, a defender signed from Athletico Bilbao to Manchester City, in January transfer window of 2018, for a reported fee of £57million; and Wilfred Ndidi, a midfielder signed from Genk to Leicester city on 5 January 2017 for a £17million fee.

As the transfer merry-go-round keeps swinging, stay subscribed to #DataphyteSports for timely stories on possible and completed transfers.