A transfer window like no other. Despite a World Cup which saw players explode in the eyes of the general public, this transfer window remained rather ajar – in particular due to staffing adjustments made difficult by a reduced first part of the exercise. If Chelsea panicked the counters with more than 300 million euros spent, their European competitors were more cautious. In France, Olympique de Marseille was the most active club. PSG did not record any arrivals.
Paris Saint-Germain finally returned empty-handed from its winter transfer window. Rather discreet for the occasion, the Parisian club woke up late trying to loan Hakim Ziyech (29, Chelsea). But the Chelsea club, where the player plays, would have sent the wrong documents three times to derail the operation. Feeling aggrieved, PSG appealed to the Professional Football League, rejected on Wednesday. A disappointment to which is added the failure in the defensive recruitment. Announced very close to joining Paris SG, central defender Milan Skriniar (27, Inter Milan) will finally end his season in Italy. If the player had repeatedly shown his desire to join the capital club, the two institutions ultimately did not reach an agreement. Two reasons would explain the refusal of the Milanese: the amount proposed by the Parisian leaders and the inability of the Nerazzurri to find a replacement for him. On the start side, however, Keylor Navas (36) – in dire need of playing time – joined Nottingham Forest, the current thirteenth in the Premier League. A transfer made possible after the final departure of Ander Herrera (33), whose purchase option was exercised by Athletic Bilbao.
Sworn enemy of the capital club, has Olympique de Marseille finally found its great striker? Undefeated in 2023 and third in the French championship, the Phocaeans are only five points behind the Parisian leader. More than ever determined to play spoilsport in the race for the title this season, OM have been proactive on the transfer market, in particular by granting themselves the services of the promising center forward Vitinha (22), author 28 goals in 67 games with Braga (Portugal). An operation worth more than 30 million euros, the biggest transfer in the history of the club! At the same time, OM managed to attract Moroccan Azzedine Ounahi (22). Author of a high-flying World Cup, the semi-finalist of the World Cup has signed up with the Marseille club until 2027 for a transfer estimated at nearly 10 million euros. Conversely, Gerson (25, 15 million euros) and Bamba Dieng (22, 7 million euros) left Marseille to join Flamengo and FC Lorient respectively, while Luis Suarez (25 , Almeria) or Pape Gueye (24, Sevilla FC) have been loaned to Spain.
In bad shape on the national scene, Olympique Lyonnais had no choice but to strengthen. If it was necessary to wait for the end of the winter window, the Rhone club activated in the last hours to record the arrivals of Dejan Lovren (2 million euros, Zenith Saint-Petersburg), Jeffinho (10 million euros, Botafogo) and Amin Sarr (11 million euros, Heerenveen). Offensive recruits who should in particular be used to compensate for the departure on loan to Rennes from Karl Toko-Ekambi (30 years old). OL also saw the departure of Lucas Paqueta (43 million euros, West Ham), Malo Gusto (30 million euros, Chelsea) and Léo Dubois (2.5 million euros, Galatasaray).
Finally, on the strength of a remarkable start to the season - 2nd in Ligue 1 with 45 points - and bolstered by the extension of the contracts of its executives, Racing Club de Lens achieved a rather light winter transfer window. The Blood and Gold still offered themselves an offensive reinforcement with the arrival of Adrien Thomasson (3.9 million euros, Strasbourg) and the return of Mamadou Camara (34 years old) from loan.
Across the Channel, it's a London club that has panicked all the counters. With more than 300 million euros committed in one month, Chelsea recorded the arrivals of Enzo Fernandez (121 million euros, Benfica), Mykhaylo Mudryk (70 million euros, Shakhtar Donetsk), Benoît Badiashile (38 million euros euros, AS Monaco), Noni Madueke (35 million euros, PSV Eindhoven), Malo Gusto (30 million euros, stayed in Lyon on loan), Andrey Santos (12.5 million euros, Vasco da Gama ), David Datro Fofana (€12 million, Molde) and João Félix (€11 million loan, Atlético Madrid). The Blues spent lavishly. The best player of the last World Cup, Enzo Fernandez is one of the 10 biggest transfers in the history of world football, and a Premier League-wide record deal. Even more surprising is the length of his contract, which runs until 2031!
Premier League leader Arsenal has strengthened its squad with the arrival of Polish defender Jakub Kiwior (25 million euros, Spezia), Belgian winger Leandro Trossard (24 million euros, Brighton) and champion of Europe Italian Jorginho (11 million euros, Chelsea). Dolphin of the Gunners, Manchester City recorded the signing of the new Argentinian jewel Maximo Perrone (11 million euros, Vélez Sarsfield), who plays as a defensive midfielder, while Newcastle (3rd in the championship), attached the services from the promising Anthony Gordon, Tottenham (4th) only operated two loans and Manchester United (5th) got their hands on the Polish Marcel Sabitzer (28, loan, Bayern Munich), to compensate for the injury of Christian Eriksen, and on the Dutchman Wout Weghorst (30 years old, loan of 2.96 million euros, Burnely), to try to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, recruited at a golden price by the Saudi club Al-Nassr.
In Spain, on the other hand, the transfer market proved to be much calmer. The Barcelona leader and his Madrid dolphin did not carry out any operation during this winter transfer window, except for the departure of the Blaugrana striker Memphis Depay (28 years old, 3 million euros) for Atlético Madrid. Real Sociedad (3rd) or Villarreal (5th) have not recorded any arrivals.
In Serie A, the situation is similar. If Inter Milan (2nd) has not separated from the solid Slovak defender Milan Skriniar, at the end of the contract next June, the Nerazzurri have not signed any operation this winter. The same goes for the Neapolitan leader, Lazio Rome (3rd), Atalanta Bergamo (4th) and AC Milan (5th), very discreet for the occasion…
Finally in Germany, Bayern Munich activated a few days before the resumption of the Champions League. Affected by numerous injuries, the Bavarian club had to compensate for the absences of their goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (36 years old) and the tricolor defender Lucas Hernandez (26 years old), packages at least until the end of the season. Bayern have therefore recruited the Swiss goalkeeper from Borussia Mönchengladbach Yann Sommer (34 years old, 8 million euros), as well as the defenders Daley Blind (32 years old, free, Ajax Amsterdam) and João Cancelo (28 years old, Manchester City) in loan with option to buy. For its part, RB Leipzig (3rd) has been inactive on the transfer market, while Borussia Dortmund (4th) has offered the services of Julien Duranville (8.5 million euros, RSC Anderlecht) and Julian Ryerson (5 million euros, Union Berlin) while loaning Thorgan Hazard to PSV Eindhoven.
