Winners and losers from the English Premier League transfer window
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Bayern Munich's Mathys Tel (right) joined Tottenham Hotspur on loan on transfer deadline day.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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LONDON – Nico Gonzalez’s transfer to Manchester City and Mathys Tel’s loan move to Tottenham Hotspur were the major deals of an otherwise quiet transfer deadline day for the English Premier League’s cash-rich clubs.
Here is a look at the winners and losers of the window.
Winners
1. Manchester City
A shadow of their former selves this season, the English champions were the biggest spenders with a £184.8 million (S$311.6 million) splurge to mend some of the glaring issues in Pep Guardiola’s squad.
The City boss has admitted his side of seasoned winners have grown old together and there was a focus on youth to bring some energy back into their play.
City’s season arguably never recovered from the moment Rodri went down with a serious knee injury in September.
Gonzalez arrives from Porto in a £49.8 million deal to provide cover for his Spanish compatriot and more bite to City’s midfield, ahead of a blockbuster Champions League tie against Real Madrid later in February.
Omar Marmoush, who scored 20 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt this season, provides a much-needed goal threat to lessen the load on Erling Haaland.
Abdukodir Khusanov endured a nightmare debut against Chelsea in January but the 20-year-old Uzbek and Brazilian defender Vitor Reis, 19, have been bought with one eye on the future.
2. Aston Villa
Villa cashed in on Jhon Duran, who headed to Saudi club Al-Nassr for a reported £64.4 million and set about transforming Unai Emery’s forward options.
Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi are the big-name arrivals on loan deals from Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea respectively, while Donyell Malen signed earlier in the window from Borussia Dortmund.
Crucially, Villa also held off interest from Arsenal in Ollie Watkins.
3. Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs took their time to recruit the help that manager Ange Postecoglou said his injury-ravaged squad were desperately in need of, but got there in the end.
Antonin Kinsky arrived at the beginning of January as cover for injured goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Tottenham then thwarted Wolverhampton Wanderers by signing centre-back Kevin Danso from Lens.
Initially, it appeared their bid to bring Tel to the Premier League had failed as the player turned down a permanent move, despite the clubs agreeing a £50 million deal.
However, the highly rated French Under-21 international has joined on loan till the end of the season in a major boost with Spurs still alive in four competitions.
Losers
1. Manchester United
Ruben Amorim stressed the Red Devils are determined not to “make the mistakes of the past” by being panicked into splashing out on expensive deals.
Danish defender Patrick Dorgu joined from Lecce for a reported £25.1 million but was the first and sole recruit for Amorim to work with.
United started last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace without a recognised striker, as Amorim left both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee on the bench.
Despite Rashford’s departure and Antony’s move to Real Betis on loan, United still did not look to add a forward and look desperately short on goal threats for the final months of the campaign.
2. Arsenal
The Gunners may also live to regret not adding a striker, if they end up finishing second in the title race for a third consecutive season.
Mikel Arteta’s men were rampant as they thrashed City 5-1 on Feb 2 but no Arsenal player has yet reached double digits for Premier League goals this season.
Watkins could have been the perfect fit, had they acted earlier in the window to tempt Villa before Duran’s departure.
Instead, a huge burden rests on Kai Havertz’s form and fitness, with Gabriel Jesus ruled out for the season due to a knee injury.
3. Newcastle United
Newcastle headed into the window as one of the form sides, but their chances of a top-four finish have been rocked by home losses to Bournemouth and Fulham.
Despite being backed by the wealth of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the Magpies have consistently had their hands tied in the transfer market by profit and sustainability rules.
That led to the sales of Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly, without Eddie Howe being afforded the chance to add to his squad. AFP
