European transfer window: Rating 10 most interesting deals
By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Europe’s January transfer window slammed shut at midnight across the continent (5 p.m. ET in the U.S.), and as usual, there was no shortage of last-minute moves — plus a few deals (Jesse Lingard to Newcastle, Matt Turner to Arsenal) that were expected to happen but didn’t.
Here are the 10 most interesting moves of the month, including a few that didn’t get over the finish line until the 11th hour.
1. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Arsenal to Barcelona
Barcelona’s restocking continued almost until the clock struck 12 with the arrival of the former Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund striker.
Aubameyang had become persona non grata in London after a series of off-field indiscretions last year, with manager Mikel Arteta so eager to cut ties with his former captain (and get his $17 million salary off the books) this month that he was allowed to leave sans transfer fee.
Can the 32-year-old get his career back on track at Camp Nou? For Barca, which originally targeted Juventus forward Alvaro Morata, the risk became worth taking when "Bam" agreed to take a pay cut.
2. Dele Alli: Tottenham to Everton
When Spurs surprisingly advanced to the 2019 Champions League final, Alli was a big reason for it. But ever since manager Mauricio Pochettino was fired midway through the 2019-20 season, the English World Cup veteran has looked lost whenever he has been on the field (which wasn’t much).
Now Alli, still just 25, is headed to Goodison Park. He’s the first key signing by new Toffees boss Frank Lampard, and that means he’s going to play. Everton sure needs him to perform. The club, which has played in England’s top division for all but four years since 1888, sits just four points clear of the relegation zone.
3. Dusan Vlahovic: Fiorentina to Juventus
At a cool 80 million Euros ($90 million), Vlahovic had the highest price of any player to switch clubs this month. Hey, you get what you pay for. With Vlahovic the joint-top scorer in Serie A this season (he and Lazio’s Ciro Immobile each have 17 goals), there was every reason for Juve to break the bank on the 22-year-old Serbian striker when they signed him Jan. 28.
The Turin titans have been down a center forward ever since they lost Cristiano Ronaldo in August on the final day of the summer window. Not only will Vlahovic play a key role in trying to help fifth-place Juve climb the Italian standings and earn a Champions League berth for next season, but he also inherited Ronaldo’s No. 7 shirt. No pressure, kid.
4. Adama Traore: Wolverhampton to Barcelona (loan)
After seven years in England, Barcelona native Traore is returning to the club whose famed youth academy he joined as an 8-year-old.
The winger made just a single La Liga appearance for Barca’s first team before moving to the Premier League in 2015. Now 26, he has played more than 200 games for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Wolves, but his dream was always to go back home.
And while it’s only a loan until the end of the season, Barcelona has the option to make his transfer permanent for $39 million — almost double the offer Wolves rejected from Tottenham for Traore a few weeks ago.
5. Luis Diaz: Porto to Liverpool
The Reds can’t throw money around the way state-backed rivals such as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain can, but they know a bargain when they see one.
Despite a $50 million price that could swell to $75 million with incentives, Diaz is a steal for Liverpool. The Colombian winger has been lights-out for Porto this season, scoring 14 times.
The 25-year-old is also the perfect complement to Jurgen Klopp’s aging stable of attackers, as Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah — who still hasn’t signed a contract extension at Anfield — will all be on the wrong side of 30 this summer.
6. Julian Alvarez: River Plate to Manchester City
South America's reigning player of the year has long been coveted in Europe. Man City manager Pep Guardiola sees the 22-year-old Argentine forward as the heir to his now-retired countryman and club legend, Sergio Aguero.
If Alvarez truly is that, the initial $24 million fee City paid for his services will go down as chump change. Alvarez is expected to arrive from River this summer.
7. Christian Eriksen: unattached to Brentford
A year ago, this move was unthinkable. The Danish playmaker had found a home with Inter Milan after leaving Tottenham, establishing himself as one of the top attacking midfielders in Serie A. Then Eriksen suffered an on-field heart attack during last summer’s Euros. His life was saved, but with a cardioverter defibrillator implanted in his chest, his career appeared to be over.
Italian law prevents anyone with such a device from playing professional sports, so his contract with Inter was terminated. Nonetheless, Eriksen was determined to continue. Now that Brentford has signed him to a contract through season’s end, he’s back in the Prem just seven months after the incident.
8. Bruno Guimaraes: Lyon to Newcastle
The Magpies’ new Saudi owners wasted no time showing off their bottomless pockets earlier in January, when they dropped $17 million to bring England national team veteran Kieran Trippier back from Spanish champion Atletico Madrid and double that to lure striker Chris Wood from Premier League rival Burnley.
Turns out Newcastle was just getting warmed up. On Sunday, the club spent another $56 million on Brazilian midfielder Guimaraes. The three reinforcements arrive not a moment too soon: Although Eddie Howe’s team is riding a three-game unbeaten streak, 18th-place Newcastle remains in the relegation zone.
9. Ricardo Pepi: FC Dallas to Augsburg
It’s easy to forget about Pepi’s record-smashing transfer almost a month after it happened. Yet at $20 million, it remained the ninth-richest deal this month heading into Deadline Day and the most expensive in Augsburg’s century-plus history.
Pepi, who just turned 19, hasn’t scored in the Bundesliga in three appearances (two starts) so far. Yet he figures to keep getting regular minutes in the German top flight as 16th-place Augsburg tries to stave off relegation this spring.
10. Ferran Torres: Manchester City to Barcelona
The 21-year-old forward wasted no time settling in back in his native Spain. His first goal for the club, on Jan. 20, couldn’t have been any prettier:
As with Pepi, this move feels like it was sealed forever ago. The $62 million transfer was old news before 2022 began. Still, Torres’ arrival in Catalonia represents Barca’s most meaningful acquisition of the post-Lionel Messi era.
One of the most prominent soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams in more than a dozen countries, including multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports, the New York City native was a staff writer for Yahoo Sports and ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
