The transfer window is now closed and most European football clubs will be unable to do business until the summer. It’s been a busy last day of business with many unexpected players joining surprise clubs, meaning there were a number of winners and losers when it came to landing good moves, and some had to stay despite wanting to go elsewhere. Enzo Fernandez, Jorginho, Isco, Marcel Sabitzer and Milan Skriniar were just a few who met contrasting fortunes on January 31st.
We look at some winners and losers:
Winner: Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea
This January window’s transfer saga ended with the Argentina international getting the move he’d been looking for all month. The two clubs agreed on a last-minute deal and the 22-year-old is ending a lavish winter spending spree, even by Chelsea’s new standards. Fernandez leaves a sizeable hole for the Portuguese giants but rakes in the largest possible fee to be reinvested in the future. Now the South American gets to work as Graham Potter seeks to rebuild the Blues’ midfield with his latest acquisition.
CBS Sports has you covered with the daily soccer podcast covering everything you need to know about the beautiful game. Make sure to follow House of Champions for the biggest matches, stories, transfer news starring Fabrizio Romano and everything else going on in the world’s most popular sport.
Loser: Hakim Ziyech’s incomplete transfer to PSG
It seemed like the Moroccan international would be a winner, but his move to Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc des Princes hit a snag as reportedly paperwork at Chelsea’s side meant documents weren’t submitted on time . The French professional league has now confirmed that the move is not valid. Ziyech has become a little more of a forgotten man with each new arrival as the likes of Mudryk and Joao Felix arrived at Stamford Bridge. A move would give him a new life, but he now has to hold out in London at least until this summer. There’s little doubt that the 2022 FIFA World Cup played a role in giving Ziyech that potential shot at 29, but there was also a certain need on the part of the French champions, who were in dire need of a shot of creativity. It was an interesting opportunity in a pinch, just not as much as the new defender PSG desperately needed…
Loser: Milan Skriniar stays at Inter until summer
Which brings us to one of the big losers who now has to end the season at Inter Milan. Skriniar has agreed to join PSG as a free agent in the summer, but both will have to sit out until then, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for the rest of this season. The Ligue 1 leaders were in dire need of fresh defensive blood given their current woes and Skriniar was keen to leave as soon as possible but now has to give it his all in difficult circumstances for the Nerazzurri.
Winner: Marcel Sabitzer to Manchester United
Few predicted such a move but Christian Eriksen’s untimely injury presented an opportunity which United seized to add a quality stopgap as the Danish star is now out until well into the end of the season. Sabitzer’s future, a non-essential figure at Bayern Munich, has been more or less the subject of speculation since he joined from RB Leipzig and this move is now an opportunity to remind people of his quality. Expect Erik ten Hag to make him look like something close to the talisman figure he was for Leipzig.
Winner: Jorginho to Arsenal
Arsenal were expected to spend heavily to sign Brighton’s Moises Caicedo towards the end of last week but the Ecuador international is stuck with the Seagulls just days later. After refusing to be drawn into a bidding war for Caicedo, the Gunners took the same pragmatic approach, letting Mykhailo Mudryk join Chelsea, leaving for Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior instead. Mike Arteta’s men now find themselves with three quality additions at a fraction of the prices discussed for Mudryk and Caicedo. Jorginho could also become Premier League champion.
Losers: Isco and Union Berlin disintegrate
For a short time it looked as if Union Berlin would land a coup with the Spaniard alongside Josip Juranovic, Jerome Roussillon and Aissa Laidouni in the An der Alten Forsterei stadium. However, medical treatment proved problematic and the move quickly fell through for the 30-year-old ex-Real Madrid and Sevilla player who remains without a club. The Germans will be fine and well-equipped for their battle at the top of the Bundesliga, but there’s no guarantee Isco will find a new club any time soon as there are big questions about his physical condition now.
Loser: Moises Caicedo fails to get a big move from Brighton
The Ecuador international overplayed his hand and was burned as Arsenal balked at Brighton’s asking price. While the transfer window has been isolated from the senior team, Caicedo now faces a difficult task of winning back the trust of his manager, teammates and Seagulls fans. Given the steep price tag, potential future suitors will be cautious ahead of this episode before attempting to acquire the 21-year-old this summer – assuming his form has recovered.