Welcome to the fourth January 2026 edition of The Transfer DealSheet.
Our team of dedicated writers, including David Ornstein, will take you inside the market to explain the deals being worked on in this season’s winter transfer window. This includes the players who could arrive and the ones on their way out, across the Premier League and beyond.
The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Unless stated, our reporters have spoken to more than one person briefed on each deal before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment. Those responses, when they were given, have been included in the Transfer DealSheet.
In last week’s edition, we looked at Ethan Nwaneri’s situation. In this edition, we have David Ornstein’s Ones To Watch over the rest of the transfer window — which closes next Monday — and updates on Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
We aim to bring you analysis you can trust about what is happening at Europe’s leading clubs and the latest information we’re hearing from across the market.
This article is long but detailed, so enjoy it all — or search for the team or player you want to read about.
David Ornstein’s Ones To Watch
Leeds United are the only club so far to submit a bid for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen. That offer was rejected, but their pursuit is ongoing, with the 25-year-old and his Leeds-supporting agent Tore Pedersen known to like the idea of a move to Elland Road if he departs Molineux.
However, there is also strong interest from other suitors — none more so than Crystal Palace, whose sporting director Matt Hobbs brought Strand Larsen to Wolves in his previous role.
The bigger question is whether proposals are received at a level that entices Wolves to sell. Despite the strong chance of relegation, as things stand, their ownership would prefer to keep the club’s best players.
But that resolve will likely be put to the test, and this is one of the main situations to keep an eye on as the market draws towards a close.
Strand Larsen’s future is important in the context of Nottingham Forest’s £35million ($47.9m) offer to Palace for Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The FA Cup holders will only consider letting the 28-year-old go if their valuation — a package worth around £40m — is met and they have a replacement lined up. They are exploring multiple options, including Strand Larsen, but so far neither requirement has been satisfied, and there are no concerns at Selhurst about Mateta’s professionalism if a transfer does not materialise.
Andy Robertson’s proposed move from Liverpool to Tottenham Hotspur is not progressing at present, largely because of Liverpool’s difficulties recalling Kostas Tsimikas from his season-long loan at Roma to provide cover. Roma are willing to let the Greece international return to Anfield, but only if they can find a deal they deem satisfactory to replace him. That would likely be an emerging talent, but Roma are determined not to panic-buy, and the clock is ticking both for the 29-year-old Tsimikas and Robertson’s possible switch to London.
Chelsea are weighing up both external and internal possibilities as they look to add to strengthen in central defence. The Athletic revealed that Aaron Anselmino has been recalled from a loan spell at Borussia Dortmund. The Stamford Bridge club hold the same contractual right on Mamadou Sarr, who is spending this season at Strasbourg. Possibilities are also being weighed up from the market, as they look to bolster head coach Liam Rosenior’s squad for the rest of this season and beyond.
Fulham, meanwhile, are continuing their pursuit of Manchester City attacker Oscar Bobb. They have seen an offer rejected, but talks are continuing in a bid to find an agreement for the 22-year-old. Fulham are considered front-runners for the Norway international.
Fulham are keen on Oscar Bobb (George Wood/Getty Images)
The west London club are in a similar situation as they pursue Ricardo Pepi. Their proposal for the USMNT international was turned down by PSV, but Fulham remain in pole position. The 23-year-old’s broken arm has slowed down the process and the urgency, while South Korea international Oh Hyeon-gyu of Genk is a backup option.
Fulham will push to sign one of the two strikers in addition to Bobb. Given their impressive Premier League position, if for any reason these moves do not happen this window, Fulham may look to revisit them in the summer.
Juventus hold an interest in Randal Kolo Muani, who is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. However, a deal to bring him back to Turin — he spent the second half of last season on loan at the Allianz Stadium — will only be possible if Spurs terminate their agreement with Paris Saint-Germain.
My colleague Jacob Tanswell reports that injuries in midfield have influenced Villa to assess the transfer window and consider possible midfield loan options. Youri Tielemans is a recent addition to a mounting absentee list, following injuries to Boubacar Kamara, who will miss the rest of the season and John McGinn, who is ruled out for around eight weeks. On Monday, The Athletic reported that Villa are seriously exploring a move to bring Douglas Luiz back to Villa Park. Any move will also depend on how much financial scope Villa have to do business, in light of ongoing PSR and SCR restrictions.
What Else We’re Hearing
- Swiss full-back Silvan Hefti is close to leaving Hamburg and moving to MLS’s D.C. United. Hefti, 28, has been out of favour with the Bundesliga club and will leave Germany for a nominal fee. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
- No decision has been made about where Tottenham Hotspur defender Luka Vuskovic, 18, will spend next season. The player has expressed a desire to play with his brother Mario in Hamburg, but the situation will be reviewed in the summer. Mario Vuskovic is currently serving a ban for doping. He will return to football in November this year. Luka Vuskovic has been on loan at Hamburg since the summer, scoring three goals in 14 appearances. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
- Flamengo have reached an agreement in principle with West Ham United for the signing of attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta. The Athletic reported on Sunday that Flamengo were in advanced talks with West Ham after making a new bid of €41.25million (£35.8m; $48.9m) for the Brazil international. The payment structure of the deal is yet to be finalised but sources briefed on proceedings are optimistic that the move will happen. The east London side previously rejected two bids for Paqueta from the Brazilian club. Mario Cortegana, Sebastian Stafford-Bloor and Roshane Thomas
How much has every Premier League club spent and received in the January window?
Chris Weatherspoon
Arsenal
What has happened this week?
Ethan Nwaneri has completed his loan move to Marseille. The 18-year-old made an immediate impact, scoring in a 3-1 win over Lens on his debut.
Does Arsenal’s lack of activity this January speak to the fact that they’re confident in their squad?
Absolutely. Against Manchester United, Arsenal had a virtually fully-fit squad. Riccardo Calafiori was not deemed ready, but has returned to training. That means 16-year-old Max Dowman is the only first-team squad member currently absent through injury.
The likes of Kai Havertz and Christian Norgaard were left out of the matchday squad entirely. Arsenal are in a position where senior internationals are failing to make the substitutes’ bench. It’s an unprecedented degree of depth for Mikel Arteta, and consequently, Arsenal are not in a hurry to make mid-season additions.
What positions/players are they looking at?
Arsenal continue to look ahead to the summer market.
The Athletic has previously reported on their interest in 20-year-old Real Madrid defender Victor Valdepenas.
Arsenal like Real Madrid defender Valdepenas (Diego Souto/Getty Images)
A number of European clubs have explored a potential January move, although Arsenal’s interest relates primarily to the summer. Any deal would be difficult to pull off: Real Madrid are determined to keep hold of their most promising young players.
As part of their plan to identify and track the best young talent, Arsenal are among the clubs following the progress of 17-year-old Brazilian Rafael Belinho.
Like former Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva, Belinho also holds a Croatian passport. The teenage attacker would be eligible to move to the Premier League once he turns 18 — but there is likely to be considerable competition from elsewhere in Europe.
Which players could be leaving?
After the loan for Nwaneri, the other possible departure from Arsenal this January is Oleksandr Zinchenko. The 29-year-old is no longer wanted at Nottingham Forest, who he joined on loan last summer. Arsenal are open to facilitating a move for him, and have held discussions with Ajax over possible loan and permanent arrangements. Zinchenko’s contract with Arsenal expires in the summer of 2026 — whatever happens, he is unlikely to be back at the Emirates Stadium.
A number of academy players could still leave this month. Braintree Town are interested in bringing back Harrison Dudziak for a longer-term loan, while Maldini Kacurri is attracting interest from League Two clubs.
James McNicholas
Do Arsenal have the squad depth to win the title?
In short, yes.
Depth was a factor in earlier title-challenging seasons under Mikel Arteta. William Saliba’s back injury in 2022-23 saw him miss the final 11 league games, with Arsenal winning just five.
In 2023-24, fatigue set in early, and Arsenal won just one of five games between December 9 and December 31 in 2023, which proved costly. Last season, injuries to Bukayo Saka (13 games missed) and Martin Odegaard (eight missed) were factors.
Arsenal have addressed those shortcomings, and their current squad has depth in every position.
Their full-backs — Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie — can all play centre-back behind Saliba, Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera. Noni Madueke and Leandro Trossard can operate on either wing. They have three different profiles at No 9 in Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
A starting midfield of Declan Rice, Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi is adequately backed up by Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze (both of whom can play higher up the pitch too) and Christian Norgaard.
David Raya, Zubimendi, Rice, Timber, Saka, Saliba, and Gabriel have all played over 70 per cent of available minutes, as seen below. Arsenal have a good spread between the youth and peak age brackets. A lack of experienced players is the only pitfall in an otherwise robust squad, but Arsenal are set up to compete for several years to come.
Among players to have featured for 25 per cent or more of league minutes, only Calafiori is currently out with a muscular injury.
That Arteta could bring on five arguably starting-calibre players — three even started 27 or more league games last season (Merino with 17 starts and White with 13 were the exceptions) — in the 3-2 loss to United is a testament to Arsenal’s depth.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Chelsea
What has happened this week?
Chelsea triggered a break clause in Aaron Anselmino’s season-long loan at Borussia Dortmund to bring him back to Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old made just 10 appearances for the Bundesliga club and is part of the decision-making process over how the club want to add to their centre-back options for the second half of the campaign.
Chelsea entered talks with Juventus over acquiring Douglas Luiz on loan. The 27-year-old is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.
The club beat Manchester United to the signing of 17-year-old left back Yisa Alao from Sheffield Wednesday. The initial cost of the transfer is under £1million but add-ons will take the final sum significantly past that.
Anselmino has been called back from his loan at Borussia Dortmund (Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
Why do Chelsea want to bring in a player like Douglas Luiz?
Chelsea want to add more depth to the position, especially with their current schedule of a game every three or four days.
It has been a problem all season due to the ongoing injury issues suffered by Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo. Lavia is back in training after being ruled out with a quad problem since November. But he has made just seven appearances this season and has not completed 90 minutes since joining from Southampton in 2023.
Essugo has yet to play at all in 2025-26. He arrived in the summer from Sporting CP, although the deal was agreed in March, and he featured at the Club World Cup but had surgery on a thigh injury in September. After being named on the bench a couple of times in January, he has been ruled out for over a month again after hurting himself slipping over in training.
Luiz is being targeted due to his Premier League experience playing for Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. He has also represented both clubs, as well as Juventus, in European competition.
The 27-year-old is a good system fit because he can operate as a No 6, with head coach Liam Rosenior preferring to have two men in that role.
What positions/players are they looking at?
A defender, midfielder and attacking player are on Chelsea’s wishlist for 2026, and if someone can be acquired in January rather than the summer, the club will bring those plans forward.
Negotiations with Rennes for 20-year-old centre-half Jeremy Jacquet continue, but they are now more geared towards getting a deal done in view of him joining for 2026-27. As highlighted last week, head coach Habib Beye does not want Rennes to sell him amid their push for a Champions League place.
This is why Chelsea have brought back Anselmino. They also have the option to trigger a break clause in Mamadou Sarr’s loan at Strasbourg.
Chelsea have contingency plans should Luiz not progress, while the creative forward role has been under discussion since the last window, when they opted against purchasing Xavi Simons, who ended up at Tottenham instead.
Chelsea have the option to trigger a break clause in Sarr’s loan at Strasbourg (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
There was a lot of talk about whether Axel Disasi was going to get a fresh chance at Chelsea after joining in training ahead of the Pafos game. Nothing has changed. The plan is to still offload the France international. A permanent departure is preferred, but a loan is a possibility too. He has interest from clubs in England, Italy and France.
Winger Tyrique George is expected to be sold and is going to make a decision on where he goes this week. Teams in England, Spain, Portugal and Germany are all after the 19-year-old.
Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen is wanted by a club in England, Germany and Turkey, but Chelsea do not want to weaken that department, especially as they would have little time to find an experienced replacement.
Rosenior revealed last week that talks have taken place with Raheem Sterling over finding a resolution for his situation. Despite Rosenior suggesting something might become ‘clearer in the next few days’, there has yet to be a major development. Sterling, whose contract expires next year, prefers a permanent departure.
Defender Josh Acheampong has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. However, a sale has been ruled out and he is expected to stay.
Chelsea are still looking to offload striker David Datro Fofana following his recall from Fatih Karagumruk, while the management of other loans remains a subject of discussion. For example, Kendry Paez is being lined up for a move away from Strasbourg after being consistently left out of the first XI in recent months.
Simon Johnson
Liverpool
What has happened this week?
Liverpool held talks with Tottenham Hotspur over the potential sale of vice-captain Andy Robertson to the north London club.
However, after considering their options, Liverpool informed Tottenham that they are not currently prepared to sanction his exit. The Scotland international is out of contract this summer and has only made four league starts this season, with Milos Kerkez establishing himself as Arne Slot’s first-choice left-back.
Liverpool discussed the possibility of Kostas Tsimikas returning from Roma as cover for Kerkez if Robertson left. However, the Serie A club would only agree to cut short his loan spell if they could sign a replacement, and so far that hasn’t happened.
Slot has seen his defensive options heavily depleted by season-ending injuries to Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley. Ibrahima Konate has missed the last two games following the death of his father, and Joe Gomez was forced off against Bournemouth on Saturday after being hurt in a collision with Alisson.
Liverpool youngster Luke Chambers joined Charlton Athletic on loan, while Lewis Koumas‘ loan at Birmingham City was terminated. Koumas is set to join another Championship club for the rest of the season, with Hull City among his suitors.
Roma would only cut short Tsimikas’ loan spell if they signed a replacement (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Would Liverpool need to sign a replacement if Robertson leaves?
Selling Robertson and not replacing him in the squad would be unthinkable.
Bringing back Tsimikas from Roma to operate as Kerkez’s deputy is the most likely outcome if there’s a change of heart regarding keeping Robertson prior to next week’s deadline.
However, with Robertson a free agent this summer and Tsimikas not a long-term option, it’s an area of the squad Liverpool are likely to need to strengthen come the summer.
What positions/players are they looking at?
Liverpool’s position throughout the January window has been that they are unlikely to add to their squad. An unexpected market opportunity would have to arise in the coming days for that stance to change.
There’s been a big focus on their lack of depth at centre-back. Midfielder Wataru Endo had to play there for nearly an hour after Gomez limped off against Bournemouth. However, with Konate due back from compassionate leave, they are not expected to pursue a short-term fix. They recently opted not to rival Manchester City for the signature of Marc Guehi as they felt the overall cost of the package for the Crystal Palace captain was prohibitive.
Endo played in defence for Liverpool at Bournemouth (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
Unless Liverpool change their stance regarding Robertson, it’s unlikely that any senior players will leave prior to the deadline.
With Alexander Isak, Leoni and Bradley all long-term absentees due to injury, Slot doesn’t have anyone surplus to requirements on the fringes of the squad.
Young midfielder Trey Nyoni, who has attracted interest from clubs across Europe about a temporary move, is set to stay put for the rest of the season. Nyoni has only featured in five games in all competitions in 2025-26, but has been an unused sub on 16 occasions.
Trent Kone-Doherty, Amara Nallo, and Kieran Morrison are among a list of youngsters who could be loaned out depending on what offers are forthcoming.
James Pearce
Manchester City
What has happened this week?
City completed the signing of Marc Guehi for an initial £20m and then gave the 25-year-old his debut against Wolves on Saturday
In that match, he showed exactly the kind of quality and experience that made the club so keen to sign him this month.
Do the new signings give City what they need to push for the title this season?
The sample size is very small so far, particularly in Guehi’s case, given he has played just once, but he did very well against Wolves.
Guehi made his Manchester City debut against Wolves (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The other new arrival, Antoine Semenyo, has made a big impression already. He has not shown his best in every match, but he scored a fine goal at the weekend to add to his debut strike against Exeter and another in the Carabao Cup at Newcastle.
The fact that neither of them can play in Wednesday night’s game against Galatasaray because they cannot yet be registered for the Champions League is a big blow for City, and that shows how important they are already.
What positions/players are they looking at?
City have concluded their business for this winter, and after three busy transfer windows, they may only have to add one or two players in the summer, depending on outgoings.
Which players could be leaving?
Guardiola has confirmed that Oscar Bobb could yet leave City this month, with the 22-year-old keen to find a new club after falling out of favour. As my colleague David Ornstein reports, Fulham are continuing their pursuit.
Sam Lee
Manchester United
What has happened this week?
Casemiro’s future was finally settled once and for all. The 33-year-old will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season when his contract expires, after United decided against triggering their one-year option to extend.
Harry Amass secured a loan move to Championship outfit Norwich City, having impressed while at Sheffield Wednesday during the first half of the campaign.
United were also part of the race to sign Wednesday’s young left-back Yisa Alao, seeing a bid within the region of £450,000 rejected, but the 17-year-old has opted to join Chelsea in a deal which could eventually significantly surpass £1million.
Amass has joined Norwich City on loan (Joe Prior/Getty Images)
Casemiro is confirmed to leave in the summer — how will Man Utd react?
Casemiro’s departure at the end of the season had long been expected and in that sense, last week’s news does not change plans at Old Trafford.
United’s intention was already to ideally sign more than one midfielder this coming summer, as part of a long-needed overhaul in the middle of the park. Casemiro is potentially not the only exit in that position, with Manuel Ugarte’s long-term future also in doubt.
United’s priority targets for the position are well-established: Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is their first choice, while Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton are also hugely admired.
Neither Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion, nor Crystal Palace were expected to part ways with those young talents in January; however, making any major investment in the squad unlikely this month.
Casemiro’s departure will have the benefit of significantly lightening United’s wage bill, though. The Brazil international earned £350,000 a week during seasons spent competing in the Champions League. Keeping Casemiro on that salary for a further year was hard to justify, despite his undoubted quality shining through in many of his performances this season.
United have time on their side to find a worthy replacement.
What positions/players are they looking at?
United’s position since the outset of this window has been that if the opportunity arises to bring forward a move for a long-term target, they are prepared to enter the market.
That was the case with Antoine Semenyo, who was a target both at the end of last season and in the build-up to this January window, only for the Bournemouth winger to prefer a move to Manchester City.
Otherwise, the focus is on the summer, when the likes of Anderson, Baleba and Wharton are more likely to be available.
Anderson is more likely to be available in the summer (Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
Kobbie Mainoo’s long-term future at Old Trafford was in doubt while he was struggling for opportunities under Ruben Amorim, but he has been restored to the starting line-up since the Portuguese’s departure, impressing in each of Michael Carrick’s games in charge.
United are now prepared to resume talks over extending Mainoo’s contract, which sees him earn around £20,000 a week. Talks had previously been held to renew terms agreed in February 2023, when he had made just two senior appearances, but those discussions stalled. The 20-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of next season, with United retaining an option to trigger a further year.
Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee have been linked with moves away this month, attracting interest from Ajax and Roma respectively, but neither are currently close to an exit. Tyrell Malacia is another first-team player in search of more regular minutes, most likely on loan before his contract expires this summer.
It is more likely that United’s outgoing business will focus on younger players who are either on the cusp of the first-team squad or playing with the under-21s.
Toby Collyer’s loan to Hull City is still on track and is merely awaiting confirmation. Tyler Fredricson could also leave temporarily this month for more regular opportunities in the EFL, having recently switched agencies.
Ethan Wheatley was recalled from a loan spell at League One strugglers Northampton Town earlier this month but is close to returning to the third tier with promotion-chasing Bradford City.
Mark Critchley
Newcastle United
What has happened this week?
Another week has passed without a signing for Newcastle, and there appears to be an increasingly likelihood that reinforcements will not be arriving this month.
If Newcastle are to make additions, they will almost certainly be defensive ones, despite Bruno Guimaraes, the influential captain, and midfielder Joelinton succumbing to ankle and groin injuries, respectively.
Eddie Howe is hopeful that neither problem is serious. Guimaraes was forced off during the 3-0 Champions League victory over PSV on Wednesday and then missed the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, with Joelinton being withdrawn just after half-time in the latter game. Unless they prove to be serious, Newcastle are not expected to ramp up the recruitment of a midfielder.
Interestingly, Howe was pushed as to whether Newcastle required a creative player like Emiliano Buendia or Morgan Rogers to help them unlock stubborn low-block defences, and stressed that any significant additions to his squad would be deferred until the summer.
“There’s no point in me thinking we need another type of player at this moment, because it’s not going to happen,” Howe said following the Villa loss. “The next chance we’ll have to change the squad really will be the summer. It’s about getting the best out of the players we have.”
That response does not entirely rule out the possibility of defensive cover joining during the final week of the window, yet it confirms that Newcastle never intended to conduct major squad surgery this month.
Joelinton left the pitch injured against Aston Villa on Sunday (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Players are returning from injury — does that reduce the need for January signings?
The need has been reduced slightly, although many Newcastle fans will argue that the team would be greatly boosted by the injection of a fresh body this month — even if any signing is merely a backup defender.
Dan Burn returned to the squad against Villa for the first time since injuring his ribs and lungs against Sunderland in mid-December, though he did not actually come on to the field, and the senior defender potentially being available again provides a huge boost. Emil Krafth should be back at some stage in February, too.
Yet Tino Livramento and Fabian Schar are still unlikely to be seen out on the pitch before March and April respectively, so Howe’s defensive resources remain stretched, especially considering Newcastle’s hectic and unrelenting fixture list. This will be exacerbated further should they qualify for the play-off round of the Champions League this week, rather than advance straight into the last 16.
Will Osula, the forward, was also back among the substitutes against Villa, having been absent with a foot problem since early November. That said, Guimaraes and Joelinton’s respective injuries potentially leave Howe with diminishing options in midfield.
Ideally, a versatile defender who can play at full-back (preferably on both sides, though being able to deputise on one flank or the other would still be helpful) and centre-half would be brought in before the deadline, but Newcastle are not going to make a signing merely for the sake of it.
Were Newcastle to act this month, it would have to be seen as part of a longer-term strategy.
What positions/players are they looking at?
Left-back is a priority position, though someone with the ability to also operate at centre-half would be preferred, especially if they can cover on the right given Schar’s absence length.
Significant work is being done behind the scenes, with the recruitment team identifying left-backs and centre-halves, with versatility preferred. French club Toulouse’s Dayann Methalie, an adaptable left-back-cum-centre-half, is among several players across Europe being tracked, but the 19-year-old has undergone knee surgery that will keep him out for a month, and Newcastle have not formalised any interest yet.
Club Brugge left-back Joaquin Seys is another who Newcastle have been watching. The 20-year-old has admirers across Europe following his performances in the Champions League, and he has been discussed as a potential option.
Matt Targett, on loan at Championship neighbours Middlesbrough, had a recall clause extended earlier in the window, and Newcastle must decide whether they will bring the 30-year-old defender back or allow him to finish the season on Teesside.
Methalie (right) is a player being tracked by Newcastle (Arnaud Finistre/AFP via Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
Jamaal Lascelles, the club captain, is available, and has had interest from English, Turkish and Middle Eastern clubs. The 32-year-old defender has only made two substitute appearances this season, the most recent of which came against Arsenal on September 28, and he has not featured in a matchday squad since November 9.
Joe Willock has entered the final 18 months of his contract and has similarly attracted Premier League interest. Newcastle have not received a bid, and it seems likely he will stay until the summer, especially given Joelinton and Guimaraes’ respective injuries.
Sean Neave, the 18-year-old forward, and Leo Shahar, a right-back of the same age, continue to feature in senior matchday squads (without playing), but may still go out on loan to gain first-team experience. Alfie Harrison, the 20-year-old midfielder, is another who may depart, while there is a chance Alex Murphy, 21, may go, given some defenders are regaining fitness.
Chris Waugh
Tottenham Hotspur
What has happened this week?
On Thursday, Tottenham completed the second signing of their January window with the arrival of Souza, the 19-year-old Brazilian left-back who has joined from Santos.
Beyond that, not much. Yusuf Akhamrich, 20, has joined Bristol Rovers on loan for the rest of the season.
Spurs spoke to Liverpool about a move for Andy Robertson, but his club are not currently prepared to sanction that move in this transfer window. And Lucas Bergvall undergoing surgery further reduces Tottenham’s midfield options for the forthcoming period.
Spurs held talks over Andy Robertson (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Why would Robertson be such a useful signing for Spurs?
Andy Robertson will currently not be joining Spurs this window, although he could well still be a target for a move in the summer. But in many ways, the proposed move for Robertson made perfect sense.
Spurs have been clearly lacking in leadership and experience over the course of the season. Their most experienced players from recent years have all left, and most of the leaders in this group have been injured for much of this season.
Those intangible qualities are still in short supply at Spurs, and it will be interesting to see if Tottenham try to address them in any other way over what remains of the window.
What positions/players are they looking at?
The interest in Robertson shows that Tottenham are not only thinking about this window in terms of positions that Spurs need but also qualities.
CEO Vinai Venkatesham had said in a letter to fans earlier this month that Spurs “must add more quality, experience and leadership” to the group, and the Robertson interest fits in with that.
On the pitch, Tottenham clearly still need a midfielder who can move the ball forward with quality and precision, but Yves Bissouma’s return to the team could provide that. And they are still clearly short in the front line, given their reliance on Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven to score too many of their goals.
Bissouma started for the first time this season at the weekend (Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
The injury crisis means that it does not make sense to say goodbye to many more players from Spurs’ squad. Bissouma started his first game of the season, and he is likely to be needed in the league in the next few weeks.
Radu Dragusin, in whom there is plenty of loan interest from Italy, came on at Burnley as well. So did Mathys Tel, who has made some important interventions in recent weeks.
As my colleague David Ornstein reports, Juventus are interested in Randal Kolo Muani, but it would require Spurs to terminate the loan.
Tottenham need more players in rather than out.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
How much of an impact have the Premier League’s summer signings had?
Transfer deals naturally get the eyeballs, but one way of assessing a player’s use to their new team is to look at, well, their usage. Big money duds rarely go unnoticed, but beyond them, it is easy to miss how much recent signings have contributed to the cause.
A look at minutes played by signings made last summer is helpful. At Newcastle, defender Malick Thiaw has become an instant mainstay. The 24-year-old German has played more than any other new Premier League player this season, even as his side have had seven Champions League games to contend with and progressed to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Martin Zubimendi has been key to Arsenal occupying the top of the table, and for the most part, the 13 players signed for £50million or more have played their fair share of games.
Goalkeepers, unsurprisingly, rank high on the reliability scale; Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City), Djordje Petrovic (Bournemouth), Robin Roefs (Sunderland) and Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford) were all swiftly inserted as new No 1s.
What of the other end of the scale?
Injuries, naturally, have had their bearing. Alexander Isak’s 761 minutes in a Liverpool have been tempered by the fact he broke his leg while scoring his third goal for the club five days before Christmas.
It helps make the British record transfer fee spent on him look poor value so far, though he did sign a six-year contract.
Rayan Ait-Nouri’s involvement at Manchester City since his £31.8million switch from Wolves would presumably have been greater were it not for ankle trouble. Sunderland’s record signing Habib Diarra certainly would have played more if he hadn’t required groin surgery after just four league games.
Yoane Wissa, too, was unavailable for much of the season to date following his move from Brentford to Newcastle. While Thiaw has played the most of any Premier League player signed in the summer, the same cannot be said for those who joined him on Tyneside. Wissa, Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga have played a combined five minutes fewer than Thiaw this season. The over £140m spent on that trio has not, as yet, generated meaningful contributions.
Chris Weatherspoon
Barcelona
What has happened this week?
Barcelona got back to winning ways in La Liga by beating bottom-placed Real Oviedo 3-0 — thanks to a Lamine Yamal scissor kick. They also won against Slavia Prague 4-2 in the Champions League, leaving them in a strong position to qualify directly for the knockout rounds as part of the top eight.
That came against a backdrop of Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez having told Barca he wanted to leave the club. The 18-year-old La Masia graduate told coach Hansi Flick two weeks ago that he intended to depart by the end of the month, having been made aware that clubs were willing to pay the €6million release clause in his contract.
Fernandez has now joined Paris Saint-Germain for more than his release clause. PSG were open to negotiating a deal, according to sources close to the situation, as release clauses in Spain are adjusted for inflation. In return, Barca will receive a higher fee, expected to be around €8million. No further player exits are anticipated.
Dro Fernandez has joined PSG (David Ramos/Getty Images)
If Fernandez leaves, does it hurt Flick’s first team?
The damage is more emotional; Fernandez was regarded as Flick’s “personal project” from La Masia by multiple club sources. Flick was hugely invested in helping the teenager develop after he impressed the German in training last summer. Fernandez had been given his La Liga and Champions League debuts earlier this season.
In the short term, he was unlikely to make a big impact in the squad. As much as he is a talented prospect, first-team players such as Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez were ahead of him in the pecking order in attacking midfield — Fernandez’s best position.
He can operate as a winger too, but faces plenty of competition there as well in Yamal, Raphinha, the on-loan Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji.
The whole saga will send a message throughout La Masia. Barca’s current squad is full of very young players with long careers ahead, so up-and-coming academy players may struggle to see a real path to first-team football.
Barca sources argue they could not have done much more to retain Fernandez, as he had the same release clause as any other La Masia talent of his age and was not eligible for a more significant and longer professional contract until he turned 18, which happened this month.
“Dro’s departure has been a big surprise,” president Joan Laporta told Catalunya Radio. “We had agreed to an update in Dro’s contract as soon as he turned 18, but surprisingly his agent told us we could not proceed with that. It’s been an unpleasant situation.”
Sources from the player’s camp say there was no agreement with Barcelona over a new deal.
What positions/players are they looking at?
After the win against Oviedo, Flick said the transfer window is pretty much closed for Barca. “Yes, we don’t have any other ideas or options in our plans,” he said.
Barca signed Portugal full-back Joao Cancelo on loan from Al Hilal earlier this month to provide depth in defence after Andreas Christensen’s long-term knee injury.
Now the club will refocus their efforts on the summer transfer window, when a new No 9 is their biggest target. Robert Lewandowski is expected to leave at the end of his contract then, and Barca will look for a long-term replacement. A left-footed centre-back is also expected to be on Flick’s wishlist.
Meanwhile, Barca are looking to reinforce their reserve team during this window — among the names being monitored is England youth winger and Norwich City youngster Ajay Tavares.
Tavares, 16, has a Portuguese passport, which would facilitate the move to Spain. Sources close to negotiations say talks are ongoing, but that nothing is close to being done for now. Norwich would expect a compensation fee if Tavares ends up leaving.
Lewandowski is expected to leave at the end of the window (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
We previously reported on Marc Bernal’s situation: the 18-year-old midfielder attracted loan interest from clubs such as Girona. Club figures did not dismiss doing a deal if it gave Bernal guaranteed playing time, but Flick has been unwilling to let him go. Bernal is happy to stay and will keep building his physicality after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury earlier this season.
Another name who had been linked with an exit was Marc Casado. The 22-year-old midfielder has fallen down Flick’s preferred options this season and has struggled for regular game time. Atletico Madrid were interested in him after the sale of Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur this month, but Flick did not sanction it.
“For me, we have no choice regarding someone leaving the club,” Flick said on Sunday. “We need everyone. I can say Casado is an absolute professional, he gives everything in training, and today he deserved to start. He worked well in the match, and I appreciate what I saw from him.”
In an interview with local television station TV3 after the Oviedo game, Casado said: “I am convinced that while I have the chance to wear this shirt and badge, that will be my top priority. This is my childhood dream and I hope to enjoy it for much longer.”
Pol Ballus
Real Madrid
What has happened this week?
Nothing significant, although Real Madrid always remain active behind the scenes.
There have been no signs of a change in the plan not to make any signings in the January window, with new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa emphasising that in public.
“I’ll say it again, in case I wasn’t clear enough: I have an extraordinary squad, and I’m very happy with it,” Arbeloa told a press conference on Friday. “If we ever need anything, we have a great youth academy that I’m sure will give us a hand, as it has done now and has done in the past.”
This is the view of the board, as has been reported by The Athletic in previous editions of the Transfer DealSheet. Before his sacking, former Madrid coach Xabi Alonso had said he was open to reinforcements in his press conference, and said the same in private.
No departures are expected at present.
Arbeloa says he is very happy with his squad (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr still hasn’t signed a new contract. What does that mean for his Madrid future?
The club and Vinicius Junior’s agents began renewal talks a year ago, in a rocky process detailed by The Athletic last week.
Real Madrid want to renew the 25-year-old Brazil forward’s contract, which expires in 2027, and Vinicius Jr also wants to extend his deal, but things are not so simple.
The club do not want to lose such an important sporting and economic asset. It would be damaging from a financial perspective if Vinicius Jr were to leave for free in 2027 (he would be allowed to agree a move with potential suitors from January that year).
An exit this summer is not on the table at present for the forward, meaning it is a case of either his deal being extended or entering the final season of his existing contract without having renewed.
Arbeloa’s appointment has helped improve the situation, after The Athletic reported in November that Vinicius Jr had told club president Florentino Perez he would not renew while his relationship with Alonso remained difficult.
“I want to stay here for a long time,” Vinicius Jr told TNT Sports Brasil after being named the player of the match in Madrid’s 6-1 Champions League win against Monaco last week. “I have a year left on my contract and I’m very calm. I trust the president and he trusts me. We have a very good relationship, and we will reach an agreement at the right time.”
But both sides remain far apart in their proposed terms. Vinicius Jr earns around €18million net per season and rejected Madrid’s offer of around €20m per year after tax. The Brazilian is asking for a package of up to €30m, including fixed salary, performance bonuses and a renewal bonus; the latter would be unprecedented at Madrid. The board have been reluctant to accept that.
What positions/players are they looking at?
Madrid are combing the market for centre-backs and midfielders. They are also aware they will have to make decisions at right-back soon, with uncertainty over Dani Carvajal’s future. The captain’s contract expires in June.
Carvajal’s contract expires in June (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Which players could be leaving?
As well as Carvajal’s potential departure, Madrid will soon review Antonio Rudiger’s situation, whose contract also expires at the end of the season.
It is the same for David Alaba, although there are fewer doubts in the Austria international’s case. These are expected to be his final months at the club, as there are no plans to offer the 33-year-old an extension.
And Endrick’s loan spell at Lyon is worth following. The 19-year-old Brazilian has made a huge impact so far, with four goals and an assist in his first three games for the French club.
Those behind the scenes at Madrid did not understand Alonso’s decision to give Endrick so few opportunities, which led to the striker asking to leave in January. Endrick has always believed in his potential, and his priority remains to succeed at Madrid.
When he returns in the summer, however, the teenager wants to be considered for real opportunities to show his best form. If not, those close to him will review his situation to see if he looks for another loan or a loan with an option to buy.
Mario Cortegana