Welcome back to Onside/Offside! As we say goodbye to January, Luis Miguel Echegaray shares his thoughts on last month’s transfer window in the Premier League and assesses the clubs who failed and delivered. From Arsenal‘s hesitance to Manchester City‘s gung-ho approach, here are the winners and losers from the winter’s wheeling and dealing.
ONSIDE
A good month for Man City
Let me begin by stating that Man City, the four-straight defending champions of the Premier League, don’t need any extra plaudits here because their need to aggressively act in January was due to their own self-sabotage. Yes: I know, I know. Rodri‘s season-ending injury was not the club’s fault, but they did shoot themselves in the foot in other ways that directly impacted their horrific run in November and December, disastrous losses — including the latest one (5-1) against Arsenal — and their struggles in the Champions League.
Factors like the inability to replace Julián Álvarez or allowing themselves to become the fifth oldest squad in the league? That’s all on them. So before the club do any back-patting in the wake of the January window, let’s remember that they had to act because they had no other choice. It’s the equivalent of high-fiving the kid in chemistry class who put out a fire he started while playing around with the bunsen burner.
However, whether down to choice or need, Man City had to not just act in the window: they needed to get it right. They spent more money than any other team in the Premier League (approximately $223 million), but the arrivals had to justify the outlay for this season and the future too — and I think they delivered.
Omar Marmoush ($79m) is a tremendous player and most importantly, he gives Pep Guardiola’s strategy another dimension. It’s like having two Marvel superheroes with different superpowers: Erling Haaland‘s Hulk and now Marmoush’s Spiderman. Despite the errors in his pressure-cooker debut against Chelsea, Abdukodir Khusanov ($42m from Lens) is a very good center-back; as for Vitor Reis? ($37m from Palmeiras), he needs to bulk up, but he is a future Brazil captain. Argentina wonderkid and prospect Claudio “Diablito” Echeverri ($15.6m from River Plate, deal agreed in January 2024) will also arrive after his time with Argentina at the Under-20 South American championship.
On deadline day, City finalized a move for Nico Gonzalez ($61m from FC Porto) and this was a big transfer because the versatile midfielder — who can play as a No. 6 or a No. 8, naturally filling some of what Rodri offered — is well liked by Guardiola. In fact, City have been chasing the former Barcelona man since he was a teenager and finally, in the final hour, they got their man. They also signed center-back Juma Bah (Real Valladolid) and 18-year-old left-back Christian McFarlane (NYCFC) for undisclosed amounts.
Letting veteran defender Kyle Walker leave for Milan was also a smart move because what Guardiola needs right now is hunger and a desire to be at the club.
All in all, Man City acknowledged last summer’s faults by pushing forward with their rebuild a window earlier. The title is more than likely out of question this season, but the Champions League? The competition remains alive, as does their chance to retain a top four/five place. But for City, January was not just about the present; it was about the future.
1:25
Laurens: Man City should’ve had Nico González in on January 1st
Julien Laurens looks at new Manchester City midfielder Nico González and explains why Pep Guardiola needed him a month ago.
Liverpool were smart to do nothing
What if I told you that one of my favorite quotes actually comes from Winnie the Pooh: “Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering with any of them.”
Basically, it means that sometimes, in life — and in this case, the transfer window — the most productive thing you can do is to sit still and appreciate the value of what’s around you. Listen, observe and simplify your decisions because the best possible outcomes often happen because you embrace your surroundings and allow yourself to disengage, just focusing on the present.
And in terms of incomings, that’s exactly what Liverpool did in January.
As far as I am concerned, the current best team in the league and Europe are a steady ship under Arne Slot. Their identity is strong and the harmony of the squad doesn’t need to be disrupted. In other words: don’t try and fix something that isn’t broken.
The contract negotiations between Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the clear priorities, which prove to be continued headline-grabbers and discussion fodder for all of us, but behind closed doors, the club have a plan for any outcome. They don’t need to burden themselves with outside noise and just like Slot has said over and over again, the only thing that matters right now is the internal necessities of the squad and the next game. Everything else is noise.
This also means that the summer — coupled with the outcomes of the pending contract negotiations — becomes a window in which Liverpool can be extremely aggressive in the market. So if Man City aced this transfer window with their determined recruitment of much-needed personnel, then I salute Liverpool for also winning by doing the exact opposite: NOTHING.
1:56
Echegaray: Disasi caps off ‘ambitious and aggressive’ Aston Villa window
Luis Miguel Echegaray reacts to a big transfer window for Aston Villa, completed with a loan deal for defender Axel Disasi from Chelsea.
Aston Villa get some much-needed upgrades
It wasn’t long ago that Aston Villa were fighting in the Championship and using January’s transfer window to scramble anything they had in order to complete a couple of loan deals for players like Lewis Grabban and Axel Tuanzebe. Now, I don’t mean any disrespect to the aforementioned players but Villa — fresh from earning a bye into the Champions League’s Round of 16 and competing for a top four spot in the league — are a different animal in the market nowadays and Unai Emery (manager), Monchi (president of football operations), Damiá Vidagany (director of football operations) all know that the Premier League is a do-or-die environment. For every action, there needs to be a reaction.
This window, therefore, has been the most aggressive January in the history of the club as Villa had to react over and over again. And it all started with the almost-ostentatious $80m exit of Jhon Durán.
It’s really quite simple. Since arriving from Chicago Fire in 2023 for $17m (add-ons eventually increased the fee to $20m), the 21-year-old Colombia striker has always had his eye on another, shinier destination. He always wanted to leave, and everyone close to the club knew it. You only have to go back to last summer, when he made the crossed-Hammers salute that hinted at his desire to join West Ham after they’d made a bid. It was rejected, but the sentiment remained: Durán always felt he deserved more on the pitch and off it.
Villa kept him happy for a brief moment by increasing his salary back in October, but Emery knew that it really didn’t matter. In the end, at some point, Durán wanted more and it wasn’t going to be with Villa. The club stuck to their transfer valuation because they knew his departure would leave them with just one natural striker: Ollie Watkins. It didn’t help when Arsenal added fuel to the fire by lodging a $45m bid to sign the England international, though it was quickly rejected.
Durán’s move to Al Nassr opened the doors for Villa to strengthen: not only did they received a total package worth more than $90m, but they had other squad needs as defender Diego Carlos headed to Fenerbahçe ($10m), fan favorite Emiliano Buendía left for Bayer Leverkusen (loan with $21m option to sign permanently), 19-year-old Serbia international Kosta Nedeljkovic joined RB Leipzig (loan with option to sign permanently), and Jaden Philogene headed to Ipswich Town for nearly $25m. How would Villa replenish?
With a dire need for center-backs while Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings are out injured, Villa recruited Chelsea’s Axel Disasi on loan (for a fee of $6m), while Andrés García (Levante, $7.2m) arrived as a backup and project behind Matty Cash.
Villa arguably did better with reinforcements in attack. Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund, $26m, plus add-ons), Marcus Rashford (loan from Manchester United with $45m option and Villa covering around 75% of his salary), and Marco Asensio (loan from PSG, no option) are impressive arrivals offering quality, Champions League pedigree and versatility. In those three players, Villa now have diverse coverage across the final third.
In terms of Rashford (and to a certain degree, Asensio), you can read more elsewhere in our coverage, but ultimately: this is a win for everyone. It’s an audition for the 27-year-old attacker and a chance to prove he can still produce. For Villa? I think sometimes a player needs a manager that can get the best out of them, and I’ve talked to many players that have worked — and continue to work — under Emery. They all say the same thing: Even after years of playing and experiencing almost everything on the pitch, he teaches you things you never thought you knew.
Financially is where the win truly lies because in the age of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), Villa also didn’t want to enter a summer with limited decisions. All in all, the departure of Durán and others meant raised more than $100m, which will give them flexibility in the summer when it comes to other moves.
This was a ridiculously busy window for Aston Villa and I think, overall, they reacted with ambition, purpose and acumen.
OFFSIDE
2:11
Why Man United fans aren’t ecstatic about transfer window moves
Mark Ogden breaks down Manchester United’s moves at the winter transfer window and what it means for the club moving forward.
Manchester United didn’t get it done
A public service announcement: I am not completely placing Manchester United in the Offside section. Perhaps it’s a VAR-check type of Offside, because there were some positive things that the Red Devils did in this window.
For example, Rashford’s departure was necessary because one way or another, he was a cloud hovering over manager Ruben Amorim. His hefty salary was also a burden, so for Aston Villa to come in to pay the majority of it is a big win for United. I also think the versatile, left-sided wing-back Patrick Dorgu ($31m from Lecce) is a great signing for the present and future as his skillset fits Amorim’s vision.
However, I really think there could have been more creativity when it came to what United needed up front, because it’s quite clear that Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirzkee are not good enough — at least right now — to be Amorim’s leading men.
Could there have been a situation where one of those players went on loan and in return, United brought in someone else? I really liked the idea of Chelsea’s unhappy playmaker Christopher Nkunku at Old Trafford, but he was reportedly only interested in making a permanent exit. Could there have been a bigger incentive to make it work with an option to sign permanently? Who knows. All I know is that United can’t play another game with defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo leading the line as a false No. 9 like they did vs. Brentford.
Experts keep telling me that the plan is to wait for the summer, but why? Premier League aside — they are 13th with 14 games left; 27 points behind leagues Liverpool — Man United are still in the FA Cup and earned a bye to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League. There might be a chance for a trophy here. I know it’s improbable, but it’s not impossible and Amorim has a good record in cup competitions. It will be harder without more firepower, but I guess they disagree.
To make matters worse, defender Lisandro Martínez has been ruled out for the season with an ACL injury. When it rains, it pours.
1:08
Did Arsenal miss a chance by not spending for a striker?
Mark Ogden discusses Arsenal not bringing in a striker during this transfer window and why they may regret it.
Arsenal also didn’t address their biggest need
Now remember: I’m grading their transfer window, not their performances on the pitch, so in that spirit I have to put the Gunners in Offside here for one obvious reason: the inability to bring in a legitimate goal scorer.
I know there are many arguments to counter this point. One, Arsenal have the second-best scoring record in the Premier league, with last weekend’s magnificent 5-1 victory against Man City showing how they spread the goals around. (This looks even more impressive when you factor in that Mikel Arteta is having to manage without Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, both of whom are nursing long-term injuries.)
But I have said it many, many times. Arsenal are not supposed to be satisfied with a top-four finish. They want the Premier League title, but this won’t happen unless they sign a star striker.
When it comes to bringing in a striker of legitimate pedigree, Arsenal keep delaying something that should have happened a long time ago. Three years ago in January, Arsenal were in a similar situation after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was exiled. Arteta needed a striker, and there was a possibility of attaining the services of Alexander Isak. The club refused to pay the Real Sociedad’s $92m release clause and decided to wait until the summer, but Arsenal finished fifth in the league and missed out on the Champions League to Tottenham, while Newcastle pounced to sign Isak for an initial $70m. The following season, Edu joined the club as their first-ever sporting director to help Arteta materialize his vision.
Back to the present. Edu left the club a few months ago, and we’re back to the same hesitancy. Arsenal made a $45m bid for the 29-year-old Watkins, but reports suggest Villa may have listened for offers north of $60m. But just like the Isak situation from 2022, Arsenal’s cautious vibes could once again cost them the title. They remind me of an inexperienced Vegas tourist playing blackjack and following the advice that you should always stick to No. 13. No matter the season, Arsenal always stick to No. 13.
The other part that bothers me is that there seems to be a lack of ingenuity and some tunnel vision here, because there were plenty of tremendous strikers available for a lower fee than Watkins. For example,Feyenoord’s Santiago Giménez just left for AC Milan for approximately $40m. I think he could have been fantastic in North London, but alas, a golden chance missed for the Gunners and a gain for the Rossoneri.
How about Liam Delap? He certainly fits a lot of the characteristics. Would Ipswich Town have listened? We’ll never know, as once again in this window, a striker didn’t arrive at Arsenal because they stuck to No. 13.
SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN
I don’t know what to make of Tottenham’s moves
1:04
What are Tottenham getting with Mathys Tel signing?
Julien Laurens explains why he thinks of new Spurs signing Mathys Tel as the “complete package” when it comes to forwards.
I’m cautious on Spurs, and that’s why I didn’t have them in either category because the jury is still out on how they did.
We have heard about the talent of Mathys Tel (loan from Bayern Munich, with a $60m option to sign permanently), who was pretty much wanted by every top club if we’re to believe the reports in January. But after 344+ minutes of action this season, he hadn’t scored a goal with Bayern and despite his obvious talent, there’s inconsistency. I get it. He’s 19. There’s still a lot to come from the young man and I sincerely hope he shines with Tottenham, but Ange Postecoglou doesn’t need a project. He needs an end product.
Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, 21, from Slavia Prague ($16m) has been thrown in the deep end and delivered. He’s a great addition. Kevin Danso (from Lens for approximately $26m) is a very good center-back too, so there are pluses for sure. But I still think they needed a stable, game-changing midfielder because Tottenham have always had that. From Glenn Hoddle to Luka Modric, it’s always been part of their DNA, and they’re still missing that aspect. Spurs fans will yell James Maddison to me, but he is not as stable or anchored in the midfield as the names I mentioned because he plays just behind the striker.
Anyway, Postecoglou has a lot to worry about, including an ACL injury to Radu Drăgușin and the continued absence of Cristian Romero. They’re being very careful with the latter. The same is true of Micky van de Ven, who didn’t play against Brentford despite returning in the Europa League.
So yes, Spurs made some good decisions in January, but they didn’t get much extra depth in defence and there was a gamble on a very talented, somewhat inconsistent attacker. I hope he delivers for the sake of the club.