For the past month, we’ve been more consumed with Euros, pounds, dollars, speculation, gossip, rumors, transfer fees, speculation and medicals than the actual game itself. Yes, the January transfer window, typically lacking in major activity and big news, was action packed with very substantial deals in 2018.
With the January transfer window having closed yesterday, let’s take a look at how some of the big clubs did, and analyze the most significant deals.
The transfer swap between Arsenal and Manchester United, which saw forwards Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan trading places, got all the headlines, so we start there, and analyzes the windows for the two clubs involved. Let’s begin at Old Trafford.
United manager Jose Mourinho, several weeks ago, publicly complained his side’s unwillingness to spend money on par with their neighbors, Manchester City. They then went and sniped Alexis away from City, a deal that looked destined to happen. United lucked out when City decided the price was too high and now Old Trafford, recently a summer buying only club, got a deal that was on par with what they do in the summer.
United have lacked creativity in attack, and now they have a fabulous finisher who can give them an added boost in the push for the top four. It’s just a matter of trying to figure out where Sanchez fits best, and will coalesce to the utmost extent with his new teammates.
United also loaned out a couple of fringe players, making for a window that definitely accomplished some addition by subtraction; supplementing the big new acquisition they made.
Manchester United January Transfer Window (list courtesy of NBC Sports)
Inbound
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (Leeds) Loan recall
Matej Kovar (FC Slovacko)
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) Swap
Matty Willock (Utrecht) Loan return
Outbound
James Wilson (Sheffield United) Loan
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal) Swap
Alex Tuanzebe (Aston Villa) Loan
Matty Willock (St Johnstone) Loan
Charlie Scott (Hamilton Academical) Loan
Demi Mitchell (Hearts) Loan
Turning our attention to the Emirates, Arsenal look like a club in shambles right now, and that means it’s time for a major rebuild. That’s exactly what they accomplished, as they got some bad money off the books, kept a key player who was rumored to be moving on come summertime, and made a huge upgrade in attack. It was best for Sanchez and the north London club that they parted ways, as it just wasn’t working out.
Signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was a major coup, and it directly led to the transfer window “own goal” or sorts by holding on to Mesut Ozil. Arsenal had a complete disaster of a summer transfer window in 2017, so they made major inroads towards repairing all that damage with this winter window.
Yes, they did part ways with the three players who scored most of their goals these past few years (Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott), and they sent them to league rivals to boot, but an overhaul was needed.
As for Mkhitaryan, yes he was a flop at United, but perhaps the change of scenery is what he needs, and his BVB reunion with Aubameyang might the answer for him. If so, it would make the addition of the striker a two-fold boost.
Arsenal January Transfer Window (list courtesy of NBC Sports)
Inbound
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)
Konstantinos Mavropanos (PAS Giannina)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Man Utd) Swap
Outbound
Jeff-Reine Adelaide (Angers) Loan
Chuba Akpom (Sint-Truidense) Loan
Krystian Bielik (Walsall) Loan
Francis Coquelin (Valencia)
Mathieu Debuchy (Saint-Etienne)
Olivier Giroud (Chelsea)
Stephy Mavididi (Charlton Athletic) Loan
Marcus McGuane (Barcelona)
Tafari Moore (Wycombe Wanderers) Loan
Julio Pleguezuelo (Gimnastic de Tarragona) Loan
Alexis Sanchez (Man Utd) Swap
Ben Sheaf (Stevenage) Loan
Theo Walcott (Everton)
Of course, this is just the immediate assessment of the January transfer window, the real evaluation can only be made over time.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune corporation blogging community Chicago Now.
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