It’s not unusual when Premier League clubs spend big money, although they’re typically more circumspect during the January window as there’s a reluctance to disrupt existing systems.
Newcastle wasn’t shy to bring in a handful of ready-made stars to aid them in their fight to stave off relegation, though. The Magpies spent north of £90m (€102m) in January alone.
The five names below aren’t necessarily the five biggest moves in terms of transfer fees, but they might be the biggest in terms of the immediate impact they have on their team and its goals for the season.
🇧🇷 Bruno Guimarães
✈️ Lyon to Newcastle (€42m)
Newcastle desperately needed an all-action midfielder, and they’ve got one in the shape of the 24-year-old Brazilian from Lyon. Whether or not manager Eddie Howe’s January splurge keeps the Northeast club in the top-flight is very much up for debate, but we should see a significant improvement in their performances.
Guimarães is a superb all-rounder, and exactly what Howe needs if his team is to become a more fluent, rhythmic unit.
Bruno Guimarães has played more passes into the final third (226) than any other midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues so far this season.
He is also just one of two players (with Bernardo Silva) to create 35+ chances, make 35+ tackles and complete 35+ take-ons. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/jRV4eSGkZv
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 30, 2022
🇺🇾 Rodrigo Bentancur
✈️ Juventus to Spurs (€19m)
Uruguay’s midfield metronome was a regular in the Juventus engine room but it’s clear that Antonio Conte wanted a press-resistant ball-player who could do a bit of everything in the heart of the pitch, and he prioritized Bentancur for those reasons.
The tall, elegant schemer is an immediate upgrade on both Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp, and Tottenham will now almost certainly be able to move the ball quicker and more crisply through the gears. Bentancur is still only 24 but already reads the game like a veteran.
🇨🇴 Luis Díaz
✈️ Porto to Liverpool (€37.5m, rising to €50m)
The famous Liverpool attacking trio won’t be together forever. We’ve already seen Roberto Firmino gradually lose his place in the starting XI to the excellent Diogo Jota, and now new man Luis Díaz will be hoping to dislodge a couple of Anfield’s superstars.
The 25-year-old Colombian has caused a stir in this season’s Champions League campaign with his direct running, pace and ball-carrying ability. He operates off the left in an attacking midfield role for Colombia and is deployed similarly for Porto on the left-hand side of their 4-4-2. Here are his goals from the recent Copa América which make it abundantly clear that he’s a devastating weapon in transitional situations, something that wouldn’t have been lost on Jürgen Klopp:
All of Luis Diaz’s goals at Copa America pic.twitter.com/Htvc0P3Drp
— MT (@6dombele) January 25, 2022
It might take Díaz some time to adjust to the physicality of the Premier League, but when he does, defenders have a serious job on their hands to cope with this guy.
🇧🇷 Philippe Coutinho
✈️ Barcelona to Aston Villa (loan)
Regular watchers of the Premier League will need no introduction to the flamboyant Brazilian, who made his name in a barnstorming five years at Anfield with screamers from long-range that gave goalkeepers no chance. His Aston Villa debut couldn’t really have gone any better as the ex-Barcelona, Bayern, Inter and Espanyol playmaker bagged a goal and an assist against Man United.
Villa boss Steven Gerrard will need more of the same from a man who he used to call a teammate at Liverpool if the Villains are to push for the European places this term.
🏴 Dele Alli
✈️ Spurs to Everton (free, could rise to €48m)
The Toffees have pulled off a potentially massive coup with the initial free transfer of Dele Alli from Spurs. A first instalment will only be triggered once the 25-year-old reaches a threshold of appearances for the club. With no cup engagements and just 18 matches in the Premier League remaining, this seems to be a shrewd piece of business by the Everton board, who have structured a deal that’s heavily dependent on performance-related add-ons and incentives.
New Everton boss Frank Lampard is believed to be the key factor pushing to get a move for Alli over the line. 51 goals & 34 assists in 181 EPL appearances for Spurs over seven years is a decent record, but Alli will need to rekindle some of the early form that saw him lauded as one of the best youngsters across the whole of Europe. A change of scenery might be exactly what is needed for us to see the best of Bamidele Jermaine Alli. Everton fans will be praying for this to be the case.
👋 Deli Alli’s Tottenham career
▪️ 269 apps, 67 goals
▪️ 51 PL goals – youngest English midfielder to reach 50
▪️ As many PL goal involvements (40) before turning 21 as Lampard (15), Gerrard (13) & Beckham (12) combined
▪️ Twice PFA Young Player of the Year pic.twitter.com/ATntvMGI01
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) February 1, 2022
Will Newcastle and Everton’s respective transfer dealings be enough to keep them up? We’ll be able to catch a glimpse of a few of these fresh new faces when the sides meet on February 8th.
