English football’s topflight has reached its second half and nothing is settled, everything is possible – the battles for the title, for a place in the top four and for survival in the Premier League are still open.
This winter’s Premier League buying spree has included, as we have become accustomed to in the past, some spectacular moves.
Champions Manchester City have surprised not by the acquisitions they have made, but by parting, albeit temporarily, with one of their key men. The Portuguese international João Cancelo left on loan to German champions FC Bayern Munich until the summer. Brought in summer 2019 from Juventus Torino for £60 million, João Cancelo, 28, has made 154 appearances for Manchester City in all competitions. The Portuguese thus joins a select group of players that Pep Guardiola has parted with great ease in recent months (Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling), but who have integrated perfectly at the teams they joined.
City invested £7.9m this winter in Argentine Máximo Perrone, 20, from Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield. A former youth international and current Argentina U21 international, Máximo Perrone will have to work hard to grab a starting place in Guardiola’s side.
For Liverpool FC, the English vice-champions, the nightmare continues. The Reds, who have lost any chance of finishing the season in the top four, continue to produce shocking results, as manager Jürgen Klopp continues (so far unsuccessfully) to find a magic formula to turn around a team that last season played the UEFA Champions League final. As in previous seasons, Liverpool are champions in terms of the number of injured players. The gaps left by the unavailability of key players such as Konate, Matip, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Firmino, Virgil van Dijk or the lack of inspiration of players from whom Jürgen Klopp had huge expectations, Thiago, Darwin Nunez or Salah, were impossible to remedy. Dutchman Cody Gakpo, 23, was brought in this winter from PSV Eindhoven. Although given credit by the technical bank, the player who cost €37 million seems to be having a hard time adapting to the rithm of the Premier League.
Chelsea London continues to amaze with the huge sums spent during the transfer window as if Roman Abramovich was still in charge of the club’s finances. In just six months, The Blues have spent £524,300,000, more than half a billion pounds! No mistake! This winter alone, Chelsea have taken £316.5 million out of their budget to buy seven players: David Datro Fofana (11 million), Benoit Badiashile Mukinayi (32.7), Andrey Santos (17.5), Mykhailo Mudryk (88.5), Noni Madueke (29), Malo Gusto (31) and Enzo Fernandez (106.8). Two more big names arrived at Stamford Bridge on loan: Denis Zakaria (Juventus) and Joao Felix (Atl. Madrid). However, Chelsea is far from the Champions League places.
Manchester United, which has not given up the fight for the title, has adopted a different tactic this winter, the loan of players. By the summer, manager Erik ten Hag will have Jack Butland (Crystal Palace), Marcel Sabitzer (Bayern Munich) and Wout Weghorst (Burnley) at his disposal.
Newcastle, the big revelation of the Premier League season, continued to bring in players this winter. Although he probably has an unlimited budget at his disposal, manager Eddie Howe is still turning to players who fit his style of play, his philosophy. The latest arrivals at St James’ Park are Anthony Gordon (Everton – £45m) and Harrison Ashby (West Ham – £3m).
In a bid to avoid relegation jitters, Leeds United transferred four players this winter: Max Wober (RB Salzburg – £10 million), Georginio Rutter (Hoffenheim – £36 million), Diogo Monteiro (Servette Geneva – transfer fee not disclosed) and Weston McKennie (on loan from Juventus Torino). Despite the acquisitions, Leeds is in the relegation zone.
West Ham United are failing to bounce back, despite the extremely valuable squad manager David Moyes has at his disposal. Brazilian Luizao (Sao Paulo) and Danny Ings (Aston Villa – £12m) were brought in this winter.
With over a hundred million pounds spent in the summer, newly promoted Nottingham Forest have continued their shopping spree this winter. Latest arrivals: Gustavo Scarpa (Palmeiras), Danilo (Palmeiras – £16m), Felipe (Atl. Madrid – £2m), Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle), Andre Ayew (Al Sadd) and Keylor Navas (on loan from PSG).
In a desperate attempt to save themselves from relegation, Southampton have signed several players: Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb – £8m), Carlos Alcaraz (Racing Club), James Bree (Luton – £750k), Ebere Onuachu (Genk – £18m), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Rennes – £22m), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal – loan).
We left the leader Arsenal London last. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are determined to win the title after a 19-year break. With a balanced squad, but above all medically fit, and a great enjoyment of playing football, Arsenal has a huge chance this season and can take advantage of the weaknesses of their rivals. Arsenal strengthened this winter with Leandro Trossard (Brighton – £21m), Jakub Kiwior (Spezia – £21m) and Jorginho (Chelsea – £12m).
