Transfer News

The 2020 January transfer window closes on Friday at 11 p.m. BT after a busy winter across Europe that has seen a host of high-profile players on the move. 

Barring any last-minute blockbusters, Manchester United were responsible for the biggest deal of the window, signing midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP for a fee that could rise as high as €80 million (£67.7 million), per BBC Sport.

Antonio Conte's Inter Milan were one of the busiest clubs in Europe, bringing in Christian Eriksen, Ashley Young and Victor Moses to strengthen their squad for a Serie A title push.

Elsewhere, players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier Hernandez, Emre Can, Sander Berge, Dani Omo and Julian Weigl all swapped clubs before Friday's deadline.

Here is a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from the January transfer window:

        

Winners: Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund have pulled off arguably the best transfer of the January transfer window by signing 19-year-old goal machine Erling Braut Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg until June 2024.

The Bundesliga side met the teenager's buyout clause of just €20 million (£17.1 million), beating off competition from a host of Europe's top clubs.

The highly-rated teenager had reportedly attracted interest from clubs including Manchester United, Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid after scoring 16 goals in 14 league appearances for RB Salzburg in 2019-20.

Haaland has hit the ground running and enjoyed a phenomenal start to life in Germany. He netted a hat-trick on his debut against Augsburg and followed that up with a brace against FC Koln.

Dortmund also managed to keep hold of starlet Jadon Sancho in January as well as signing midfielder Emre Can from Juventus on loan with an option to buy.

      

Losers: Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard

Manchester United ended a protracted transfer saga on Thursday by confirming they have signed Fernandes from Sporting on a five-and-a-half-year contract.

The midfielder arrives having scored 63 goals and bagged 52 assists in 137 appearances for the Portuguese side and will be expected to go straight into the Manchester United team and become a permanent fixture.

Manchester United's midfield has lacked creativity and goals from midfield all season, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskajer will be hoping Fernandes can replicate his Sporting form at Old Trafford.

The new signing's arrival does spell bad news for Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard. Both players have struggled to impress for the Red Devils in 2019-20 and may find themselves sidelined.

Pereira has managed just one goal and three assists in 29 appearances this season, while Lingard has scored just once in 30 outings for the Red Devils.

Fernandes looks likely to come in and play high up the pitch which means Lingard could swiftly be relegated to the bench.

He could soon be joined by Pereira, who has played in a variety of midfield roles this season, but may struggle for game time once Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba return from injury.

     

Winner: Christian Eriksen

Eriksen made his desire to leave Tottenham Hotspur clear in June 2019 when he said he "would like to try something new" in an interview with Ekstra Bladet (h/t the Guardian's David Hytner).

The Dane rejected the offer of a new contract from Tottenham but had to wait until January to finally get his move, joining Inter Milan on a permanent deal until June 2024. 

Eriksen told Inter TV he "couldn't wait to join" the Nerazzurri and was "excited to learn more about" manager Antonio Conte.

The playmaker made his debut in Inter's 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia and is expected to make his first start in Sunday's Serie A clash at Udinese.

Eriksen has joined an Inter team with a realistic chance of claiming silverware this season. Conte's men are just three points off the top of the league table, into the last four of the Coppa Italia and in contention in the UEFA Europa League.

The 27-year-old did not manage to win a trophy in his seven years at Tottenham but has plenty to play for in the second half of the season since swapping London for Milan.

     

Loser: Frank Lampard

Chelsea saw their transfer ban lifted ahead of the January transfer window, and manager Frank Lampard said he wanted to bring in a striker in January after watching the Blues struggle for goals in 2019-20.

The Blues boss talked up a move for Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani after reports emerged that the Uruguay international wanted to leave the Parc des Princes. 

Meanwhile, Napoli's Dries Mertens also emerged as a reported target towards the end of the January window.

However, Lampard was unable to add to his squad and cut a frustrated figure at his pre-match press conference on deadline day when discussing signings, according to The Athletic's Simon Johnson.

The Blues boss told reporters "some things are not in my control" and added, "I certainly wanted to bring players in."

Lampard also saw one of his young stars depart on deadline day. Brighton & Hove Albion announced they have signed highly-rated 19-year-old Tariq Lamptey on a permanent deal.

The Chelsea boss must now make do with what he has for the rest of the season, although he will have been boosted by the news that top scorer Tammy Abraham has returned to training after an ankle injury.

   

Winners: Barcelona's newest starlets

Barcelona were busy on deadline day and announced deals for youngsters Francisco Trincao and Matheus Fernandes, both of whom will arrive at the Camp Nou in the summer.

Trincao will join from Portuguese side Braga in July for €31 million (£26 million) on a five-year deal. The 20-year-old forward's contract includes a €500 million (£419 million) buy-out clause.

Fernandes will also arrive in July from Brazilian side Palmeiras. Barca have agreed to pay €7 million (£5.8  million) plus €3 million (£2.5 million) in add-ons for the 21-year-old midfielder.

La Liga side Real Valladolid have confirmed Fernandes will join the club on loan until the end of the season, meaning the midfielder will have had a good taste of Spanish football before arriving at Barca.

Barcelona will be hoping the duo can make an impact at the Camp Nou next season and inject some youth into what is an ageing squad.

Fernandes is a holding midfielder which suggests he is a future replacement for 31-year-old Sergio Busquets, while Trincao can play on either wing and will add to the competition for places in attack.

Barcelona's recent January signings have not worked out too well as players such as Yerry Mina, Philippe Coutinho, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Jeison Murillo have all struggled to make an impact at the club.

Yet Trincao and Fernandes will both be keen to buck that trend and will also arrive with fewer expectations than many new arrivals at the Camp Nou which may help their cause.

     

Loser: Edinson Cavani

Edinson Cavani has struggled for game time at PSG this season due to injury and the arrival of Mauro Icardi on loan from Inter Milan in the summer window.

Icardi has been a hit at the Parc des Princes, netting 17 goals in 22 appearances for Thomas Tuchel's side and impressing in attack with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Meanwhile, Cavani has only made four league starts and told the club he wanted to leave, according to sporting director Leonardo. The Brazilian also said the club had received an approach from Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone's side have struggled for goals in 2019-20, netting just 22 in 21 La Liga games, and a move for Cavani looked a good fit for both club and player.

However, a deal has failed to materialise and Atletico have ended up re-signing Yannick Carrasco from Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang instead.

Cavani now faces a frustrating rest of the season at PSG as a bit-part player and may have to get used to life on the bench.

Yet manager Tuchel did not seem too concerned about his situation and put it context when he told reporters "there are worse situations in life than staying at PSG."

Manchester United have landed former Watford striker Odion Ighalo on a last-minute loan deal on transfer deadline day, the club announced. 

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, a deal has been agreed with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua for a loan fee of £4 million. 

Per Ornstein, the loan deal goes through the end of the season and has no option to buy. Sky Sports previously reported the possibility of the deal going through was described as '50-50.'

Ighalo is currently in China preparing for the new season, which has been delayed due to the spreading of the Coronavirus. It's unclear when the season will start, which could explain why Shanghai are letting the 30-year-old leave on a short-term loan deal.

According to Ornstein, Ighalo will not complete a medical but is "fit to play."

Igahlo left Watford for China in 2017, where he has scored regularly for Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhua. He netted 15 goals for the Hornets in his first Premier League campaign, the 2015-16 season.

United were looking for a replacement for the injured Marcus Rashford after Bournemouth rejected a bid for Joshua King earlier on deadline day, per Sky.

Barcelona announced two signings for the future on Friday, securing the services of Braga starlet Trincao and Palmeira's Matheus Fernandes.

Trincao cost the club €31 million, while Fernandes was acquired for €7 million, with €3 million in add-ons. Both will join the Blaugrana in July.

Of the two, Trincao is the more high-profile player. He made his senior debut in 2018 and has been regarded as one of the top talents in Portugal since.

The left-footed winger is comfortable on either flank and stands out for his composure, vision and dribbling ability. He's a cool finisher with solid athleticism, and he's also a capable set-piece taker with plenty of room for growth.

His vast potential is reflected in the transfer fee and the fact Barcelona set his buyout clause at an enormous €500 million. Such clauses are mandatory in La Liga, but it's unlikely any club will trigger it anytime soon.

Fernandes is one year older and already has a ton of senior appearances under his belt, making his Botafogo debut back in 2016. He joined Palmeiras in 2019 and impressed enough to earn his move to Europe after just 11 matches.

A defensive specialist with great passing range, he's at his best as a holding midfielder who sees plenty of the ball. He shares some similarities with current Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong, although he's much less refined than the Dutchman.

Both players will have the chance to continue their development away from the Camp Nou until summer, and it would not be a surprise if one or both of them spend the 2020-21 season away on loan as well. Barcelona didn't sign these youngsters to become immediate contributors, but with an eye on the future.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Manchester United are unlikely to do any more business before the end of the January transfer window.

The Red Devils completed the signing of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP on Thursday, and they are considering a second bid for Bournemouth striker Joshua King, per James Cooper of Sky Sports News. 

King would be a useful addition for United given top scorer Marcus Rashford is sidelined through injury.

However, speaking ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers' visit to Old Trafford on Saturday, Solskjaer said he is happy with the forwards he has available, per Dominic Booth and Richard Fay of the Manchester Evening News:

"I am happy with [the forwards] I have here. And with Bruno coming in we can play in a different way maybe. And of course with the centre-backs coming back lately and what we've done with three at the back, that might be an option to tactically change a bit. I don't think we will do any more business, no. I don't think so."

Although Solskjaer has suggested a move for King won't happen, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe left the door ajar.

"It's not my call at the end of the day," Howe said. "It's going to be between the chief executive and the owner of the football club, and that's why I said at the start I don't want to go too deep into it because a lot of these things are out of my control."

The Norwegian added that Fernandes will be involved against Wolves, although he hinted the midfielder will most likely appear from the bench:

"He's fit enough to play, and he will be involved, definitely he'll be in the squad. Let's get training out of the way today. He has had, of course, [a] few hectic days now, and even his daughter's third birthday yesterday. I don't know how much he'll be involved, but he'll be in the squad."

United have won two games in the past week, beating Tranmere Rovers 6-0 in the FA Cup fourth round and Manchester City 1-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-finals—although it wasn't enough to overturn a 3-1 defeat against the Citizens in the semi-final first leg.

However, in the Premier League, they have lost three of their past four matches, which is a big blow to their hopes of breaking into the top four.

In Solskjaer's United tenure of just over a year, he has come up against Nuno Espirito Santo on five occasions, losing twice, drawing twice and winning once. That victory came in United's most recent meeting with Wolves: January 15's FA Cup third-round replay at Old Trafford.

Another 1-0 victory would be a boon for United ahead of their visit to fourth-place Chelsea after their winter break.

If United are beaten by Wolves again, though, they could find themselves as low as eighth come the end of the weekend.

Arsenal completed the loan signing of Cedric Soares from Southampton on Friday.

In a statement, the Gunners announced that the full-back had moved to the Emirates Stadium until the end of the 2019-20 campaign. 

The 28-year-old said:

"It has been a while, to be fair. We were close a few years ago, so it's not the first time. It didn't happen that time but now thank God it came true. I'm super happy.
 
"Obviously it was important for me in my career to come here. Southampton gave me the opportunity to play in the Premier League, but obviously it's amazing this step, to come here and play for Arsenal. To be able to reach this point is unbelievable."

Cedric moved to the Premier League in 2016 when he joined Saints for around £5 million.

The Portugal international has since established himself as a consistently solid performer, and he has played a key role for Saints in 2019-20 as they have bounced back from their 9-0 drubbing by Leicester to move into the top half of the Premier League table.

Cedric can play on both flanks, but his most natural position is as a right-back. 

As such, he will have a big role to play at Arsenal providing competition and cover for Hector Bellerin.

The Spaniard has spent much of the last year sidelined through injury, and in his absence Ainsley Maitland-Niles has taken up most of the slack.

Maitland-Niles is much more comfortable playing further forward, though, and manager Mikel Arteta will likely be delighted to now have proper full-back cover in the shape of Cedric. 

Barcelona boss Quique Setien has backed Ousmane Dembele to make up for the club's failure to bring in a striker in January when he returns from injury. 

The club will be without Luis Suarez until May after he had knee surgery, but Dembele returned to training this week having been absent since November with a hamstring injury.

Per Goal's Tom Webber, Setien said:

"I will be calm. There is a risk of injury, and it cannot be controlled. I am used to working with what I have.

"It was not to be. The market did not give us anything, but we will also recover Dembele.

"He is a player who has specific attributes, and I think he can give us a lot. He feels comfortable out wide, and we will try to take advantage of that.

"I'm sure he will give us a lot with the potential he has and will demonstrate the great player he is. Dembele is going to be amazing."

Per ESPN's Samuel Marsden, Barcelona director Guillermo Amor confirmed on Thursday the club would not be bringing in a short-term replacement for Suarez before the window shuts on Friday.

Now 33, Suarez has some mobility issues and isn't quite the force he once was, but he remains an incredibly productive player for Barca in the final third. He had returned 14 goals and 11 assists in just 23 appearances this season, so his absence for the second half of the campaign is a significant blow.

Setien will be looking to Antoine Griezmann and Dembele to share the attacking and creative burden with Lionel Messi, and the latter's return to the side will enable the former to play through the middle in Suarez's place.

Griezmann hasn't scored in Barca's first three La Liga matches of 2020, but he found the net against former side Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final and bagged a brace against Ibiza in the Copa del Rey third round.

On Thursday, he opened the scoring in a 5-0 win over Leganes in the Copa del Rey last 16 to take his tally for the season to 12 goals:

Dembele will add even more pace in the final third alongside Griezmann and Messi.

Although Barca will have been hoping for more when they invested an initial €105 million (£88 million) in him in 2017, he can make incisive contributions, too, having offered 19 goals and 17 assists in his 74 appearances.

However, relying on him has proved difficult during his time at the Camp Nou because of injuries.

His hamstring issues this season have limited him to just nine appearances, and he's missed a total of 62 matches through injury in his short Barcelona career, so staying fit for the remainder of the campaign will be a challenge for him when he returns.

Manchester United confirmed on Thursday Marcos Rojo will join Superliga Argentina giants Estudiantes on loan, pending international clearance. 

The defender departs Old Trafford on the same the Red Devils unveiled Bruno Fernandes as their player after his capture from Sporting CP.

According to the club's official website, Rojo will join up with the four-time Copa Libertadores winners, who are currently 12th in the top-flight.

Rojo began his career with Estudiantes in 2008 and made his way to United in 2014 after spells with Spartak Moscow and Sporting.

The 29-year-old has struggled for minutes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and further fell down the pecking order after the summer arrival of Harry Maguire.

However, Rojo has remained a regular member of the Argentina squad and he will hope increased games with Los Pincharratas will help his chances of remaining in the international picture.

The player is returning to his home town, and his mother expressed her joy her son would be back in La Plata, per El Dia (h/t Sport Witness).

Rojo made 122 appearances for United during his six years in Manchester, winning three trophies after success in the UEFA Europa League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.

It's questionable whether Rojo will return to United at the end of his loan. The player has featured at left-back, but the emergence of Brandon Williams has seen Rojo overlooked on the flank.

Axel Tuanzebe and Eric Bailly are also expected to be given more games at centre-back as they challenge Victor Lindelof for a starting role, further restricting Rojo's long-term chances of playing.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a shock move for Dalian Yifang striker Salomon Rondon before the end of the January transfer window.

According to Gary Jacob and Martin Hardy of The Times, the Red Devils are considering a move for the former Newcastle United striker after missing out on Krzysztof Piatek, who is set to move to Hertha Berlin from AC Milan.

It's noted Rondon "could be available on loan after the Chinese Super League cancelled the start date of the new season because of the escalation of the coronavirus epidemic." A fresh start date for the campaign has not been confirmed.

United were reportedly close to agreeing an 18-month loan deal with Piatek, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur said to be interested, although Hertha look to have secured the Poland international on a permanent basis; it's added he will earn a weekly wage of £80,000 with the Bundesliga outfit.

That means United may make a play for Rondon instead, who moved to the Chinese Super League in July 2019.

The forward followed Rafael Benitez to the club, having worked well together during a loan spell at St James' Park from West Bromwich Albion last term. The Venezuelan enjoyed his best-ever goalscoring season in English football in 2018-19, netting 11 Premier League goals.

Newcastle shared the following video of some of his strikes from that campaign on loan:

United are short of options at the point of the attack at the moment, with Marcus Rashford out for two months because of a double stress fracture in his back.

Anthony Martial has led the line well at times this term, although he continues to be inconsistent in his output, while Mason Greenwood has shone in bursts, albeit he is only 18 years old. As such, an experienced striker with a different profile may represent a savvy signing for United.

Rondon is powerful in the air and is a strong link man, able to bring others into the game with his physical forward play. However, he lacks the mobility needed to play a high-intensity game and was never a prolific goalscorer during his time in English football.

Given the 30-year-old hasn't played a competitive game since December 1, it may also take United some time to get him up to full speed.

If Rondon does arrive, he will be United's second acquisition of the January window, with the club having confirmed a deal has been agreed with Sporting CP for the transfer of Portugal international midfielder Bruno Fernandes.   

Barcelona have dismissed speculation they could recall Philippe Coutinho from Bayern Munich before the end of the season. 

The Brazilian is on a season-long loan at the Allianz Arena, and Bayern have the option to make his stay permanent for £102 million.

Per Goal's Chris Burton, a Barcelona spokesperson said: "As agreed, the player stays in Munich for at least the rest of the season. Everything else is made up."

Catalunya Radio Barcelona (h/t MailOnline's Ben Nagle) reported the club could lower the price of the option to buy to convince Bayern to sign him, so that they might fund a replacement for the injured Luis Suarez before the January transfer window closes.

Suarez underwent knee surgery earlier in January, and the club expect him to be out for around four months.

Barca signed Coutinho from Liverpool in January 2018 for an initial £105 million. He made 76 appearances for the Catalan giants, scoring 21 goals and providing 11 assists, but he failed to replicate the impact he had at Anfield.

He has rediscovered his form at Bayern, where he has contributed seven goals and eight assists in 24 games.

Coutinho's best performance came in Bayern's 6-1 win over Werder Bremen in December, in which he netted a hat-trick and set up Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller:

Football journalist Chris Williams said he has "impressed many, many times" in Germany, even in games in which he has not scored or assisted, such as Bayern's 4-0 win over Hertha Berlin on January 19.

Barca would likely welcome the chance to let him go if they can recoup roughly what they paid for him, but with Quique Setien now in the dugout instead of Ernesto Valverde, he may yet have a future at the Camp Nou when he returns at the end of the season.

In the meantime, a replacement for Suarez would be a useful acquisition, as the striker racked up 14 goals and 11 assists before his surgery.

The clock is ticking, and the tension is building—Friday's 11 p.m. GMT transfer deadline is almost here!

So many rumours crop up in the final week, so we have reached out to B/R sources to get a better idea of what to make of some major storylines before the cut-off.

At the time of writing, there are around 36 hours left of the transfer window; here is our breakdown of the names we will see making headlines...

           

Olivier Giroud

Tottenham Hotspur started considering Olivier Giroud on Tuesday afternoon when they were approached by an agent about the prospect of a deal.

Initially there was a suspicion they were being used to help other moves progress, as there was a feeling Chelsea would never deal with them over such a player.

Over the next 24 hours it appeared Chelsea might not be as opposed to the switch as was imagined.

He leapfrogged AC Milan's Krzysztof Piatek to become the club's No. 1 striker target, and there was hope on Thursday morning that negotiations could formally open. 

Tottenham see Giroud as the perfect man to fill Harry Kane's spot and then continue to provide back-up to him next season. And there is a feeling he would love to stay in London if possible.

Lazio have also made a €6 million offer this week and hope to tempt him away from England, while PSG have an eye on him if Edinson Cavani leaves.

          

Dries Mertens

Chelsea have their own squad shortcomings to deal with, and talks are under way with Serie A side Napoli, with the club particularly interested because Dries Mertens can play in various attacking positions.

Frank Lampard has had recruitment staff exploring various players who show versatility up top— and there is a feeling that Pedro might even be used in a deal to persuade Napoli to let Mertens join.

It's already proving difficult to complete in such a short space of time, but sources at Chelsea insist they do not see this pursuit as a waste of time—even if it fails—as his signing could ignite their front line. It's worth a try.

          

Edinson Cavani

Atletico Madrid are still plugging away at this one, hoping for a breakthrough in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Madrid club are willing to pay €15 million, and sources are adamant they will not make any advance on that figure.

There is a sense of resignation from some insiders in Spain who have been covering this story. There is concern that after weeks of talks nothing will now happen.

Edinson Cavani, 32, wants a move, though, so maybe a new option will open up—with MLS franchise Inter Miami a genuine possibility. They are specifically targeting South American talent and would love him as the poster boy of their first season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VU0IDezch4

        

Richarlison

One of the most surprising rumours this week was Sky Sports reporting that Barcelona made an £85 million offer for Richarlison—and Everton rejected it.

Checks on this rumour have not made the situation clear, and there was a suggestion from one source that it might have been planted to cause a stir.

Barcelona have been looking for a forward, and throwing Richarlison's name into the frame has done no harm. What it does does show us, though, is that the Brazilian's long-term future at Everton is in doubt.

In December, Richarlison signed a new five-year contract with Everton, and one of his representatives, Kia Joorabchian, has a good relationship with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. 

But when you take on a Joorabchian player, you have to accept that at some stage he might quickly be ushered towards a new project. That's probably the best way to read this one right now. 

           

Sander Berge

The false sighting of Sander Berge at Manchester United's Carrington training ground sent his name trending around the planet—but he could still end up in the Premier League. A tweet saying the Norwegian midfielder had arrived for a medical proved to be incorrect, but the club had shown interest in the past.

Now some confusion as to whether it was Sander Berge (!). But eyewitnesses said a player had been driven in for a 'medical'. #mufc

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) January 28, 2020

Sources close to the player informed B/R that he was offered to United the day before he was supposedly spotted—but United's transfer negotiator, head of corporate development Matt Judge, said they would not even be looking at a loan deal for Berge in this window.

His club, Genk, decided last summer that they would let him leave if a suitable offer arrived, and Sheffield United have tabled a €20 million offer. They are still haggling, but there is time to get it done. 

           

Paco Alcacer

Paco Alcacer has been waiting for a move since the day Erling Haaland walked through the entrance at Borussia Dortmund's training ground earlier in January, and he has been edging closer to a transfer to Valencia this week, with personal terms pretty much agreed.

But then Valencia striker Rodrigo failed to switch to Barcelona—and that was a major bump in the road.

He has still flown to Spain but is in the final stages of completing a move to Villarreal instead.      

             

Emre Can

Former Liverpool midfielder Emre Can has been twiddling his thumbs waiting for a transfer to Dortmund to fall into place.

Both clubs are happy for him to make the move, but the hold up has been caused by the fact that Juventus want to sell him outright for around €25 million, while Dortmund would prefer an initial loan agreement.

Sources close to the deal believe it will still fall into place, and that Can, 26, will probably join on a four-year deal.

         

Islam Slimani

Islam Slimani could truly end up anywhere! The reason you have seen him linked with so many clubs is because he is being touted to everyone with an ounce of pedigree.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs have all been offered the player, but he will most likely land somewhere else as none have bitten.

             

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