Football Features

    18 deadline day done deals you might have missed

    By John Smith

    Published: 13:31, 3 February 2021 | Updated: 22:13, 28 November 2022

    With the January transfer window shut, we can now finally go back to focusing solely on what happens on the pitch between now and the end of the season.

    Of course, there will still be rumours and players with contract situations to sort out, but managers across Europe now have their squads set for the rest of the 2020/21 campaign and know exactly what they’ll have at their disposal as they look to reach their respective goals.

     

    Even as deadline days go, this was a hectic one. Liverpool’s double-capture of centre-backs Ben Davies (£2m from Preston) and Ozan Kabak (on loan from Schalke with an £18m buyout option) to ease Jurgen Klopp’s defensive crisis stole the headlines. But what about some of the other last-minute deals that flew under your radar?

    Shkodran Mustafi

    From: Arsenal

    To: Schalke

    Fee: Free

    Who doesn’t love a good old transfer chain? Player X can only move from A to B if Player Y goes from C to A. Just me? Fair enough. Well, a vital part of Kabak’s move to Liverpool was Schalke being able to secure the signing of Mustafi who, like compatriot and former teammate Mesut Ozil, mutually agreed to terminate his Arsenal contract in order to transfer his registration. Mustafi links up with another friend from Arsenal, Sead Kolasinac, and his World Cup-winning experience could prove vital as Christian Gross’ men desperately try to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga.

    Ainsley Maitland-Niles

    From: Arsenal

    To: West Brom

    Fee: Loan

    Sticking with Arsenal for a moment, Ainsley Maitland-Niles was another to leave the Emirates on Monday, joining fellow Premier League side West Brom on loan. Like Mustafi, Maitland-Niles walks into a relegation battle, but Mikel Arteta is confident the young England international will return to north London a better player for the experience, and it would appear that Maitland-Niles remains in the Spaniard’s long-term plans.

    “Ainsley is a very talented player and we are proud of his hard work and development with us,” he told Arsenal’s official website. “This decision to go on loan to West Bromwich Albion for the rest of this season is to support Ainsley and his growth further. He will be working at a very good club in the Premier League and we all wish him the best of luck during his time at the Hawthorns.”

    Bryan Reynolds

    From: FC Dallas

    To: Roma

    Fee: Initial loan with £6m obligation to buy

    Stepping away from the Premier League for a moment, AS Roma completed one of, what turned out to be, a number of MLS-to-Europe deals across deadline day (and the January window as a whole) in the form of Bryan Reynolds. The 19-year-old only became a regular starter for FC Dallas following the departure of United States international right-back Reggie Cannon to Boavista in September, but has already made a huge impression at both ends of the pitch with some impressive performances. Roma paid £6m up front for Reynolds (with the teenager initially joining on loan until the end of the season), and that fee could rise beyond £10m in add-ons, no small change in MLS terms.

    DeAndre Yedlin

    From: Newcastle United

    To: Galatasaray

    Fee: Free

    Reynolds wasn’t the only American right-back upping sticks on deadline day, with DeAndre Yedlin also moving from Newcastle United to Galatasaray on a free transfer. The 27-year-old has 62 caps for the USMNT under his belt but hasn’t featured since 2019. Yedlin will hope the increase in first-team minutes will push him back into Gregg Berhalter’s plans.

    Joe Willock

    From: Arsenal

    To: Newcastle United

    Fee: Loan

    While Yedlin headed out of St James’ Park, Joe Willock crossed him at the door on the way in, joining from Arsenal on loan as Steve Bruce tries to charge up a faltering attack very much reliant on one or two individuals. The Arsenal exit-door was certainly busy on deadline day!

    Josh King

    From: Bournemouth

    To: Everton

    Fee: Undisclosed fee

    Given that Everton had already let Cenk Tosun and Anthony Gordon leave on loan for Besiktas and Preston, respectively, Carlo Ancelotti was left in great need of attacking reinforcements. The Italian’s wish was granted in the form of Josh King, who arrives from Bournemouth on a short-term deal with 48 goals in 161 Premier League appearances already under his belt. The Toffees also kept hold of Bernard, who was linked with Al-Nassr, retaining some important squad depth.

    Josh Maja

    From: Bordeaux

    To: Fulham

    Fee: Loan

    Going up against Everton for King were Fulham and, for a while, it looked like the Londoners would edge out their Premier League rivals. In the end, they missed out, but did manage to bring in a forward in the form of Josh Maja, who joins on loan from Bordeaux with an option to make the deal permanent for £9m. Maja, a one-time Nigeria international, scored 11 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions in France following a surprise move from Sunderland in January 2019, and should provide Scott Parker’s side with a much-needed adrenaline shot in the final third.

    Paul Arriola

    From: DC United

    To: Swansea City

    Fee: Loan

    Swansea secured the loan-signing of United States international and two-time MLS Cup-winner Jordan Morris from Seattle Sounders earlier in January but didn’t stop their stateside shopping there. The Championship promotion contenders also signed Paul Arriola from DC United just a day after scoring a brace during the US’ 7-0 friendly win over Trinidad and Tobago. Arriola will likely provide competition at wing-back, but he’s also capable of playing on the wing or through the middle as an attacking midfielder.

    Daryl Dike

    From: Orlando City

    To: Barnsley

    Fee: Loan

    It really was a busy window for MLS in terms of outgoings but, even so, few could have seen this one coming. Daryl Dike made a shock loan move to Barnsley on deadline. However, given that he scored eight goals in 17 MLS appearances during a breakout 2020 campaign, it’s not him garnering European attention that catches the eye with this one. Firstly, it’s believed there is a $20m (£14.6m) clause in the loan, should Barnsley wish to make the move a permanent one, while Dike only actually qualified for a work permit thanks to making his international debut against Trinidad and Tobago the night before.

    Daniele Rugani

    From: Juventus

    To: Cagliari

    Fee: Loan

    Daniele Rugani spent the first half of this season on loan at French club Rennes but despite being an immensely talented defender on his day, was only able to make two appearances across all competitions, thanks largely to some injury problems shortly after his move. Now, he’s back in Italy, this time on loan with Cagliari until the end of the season. The Old Lady also terminated Rolando Mandragora’s loan at Udinese in order to allow him to join Torino for the rest of 2020/21.

    Jonjoe Kenny

    From: Everton

    To: Celtic

    Fee: Loan

    King aside, it was a day of departures at Goodison Park, with Jonjoe Kenny joining Tosun and Gordon through the exit door, joining Celtic on loan until the end of the season. The young right-back impressed during a temporary spell with Schalke last season but has been unable to force his way into Ancelotti’s plans. Kenny joins a Celtic side currently trailing rivals Rangers by 20 points in the Scottish Premiership.

    Moises Caicedo

    From: Independiente del Valle

    To: Brighton

    Fee: £4.5m

    The £4.5m signing of a 19-year-old may not sound too remarkable, but Brighton have done brilliantly to land Moises Caicedo from Independiente del Valle. The Ecuadorian youngster is regarded as one of the most promising talents emerging from South America right now and reportedly attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, Everton and Atlanta United.

    Takumi Minamino

    From: Liverpool

    To: Southampton

    Fee: Loan

    Despite displaying his obvious talent, it just hasn’t worked out at Liverpool yet for Takumi Minamino, who has just four Premier League starts under his belt so far. The Japan international has now sealed a loan move to Southampton, where Jurgen Klopp hopes he’ll gain the experience and confidence to continue his ‘long-term project’ at Liverpool.

    “I would have loved to keep him, just to have the option,” said Klopp. “But in the end, because Takumi is a long-term project and always was – we see really a lot of potential in Takumi – it makes absolute sense that he gets now the chance to play maybe 17 games, Premier League games, and then comes back in a completely different mindset, confidence level, all these kind of things.”

    Winston Reid

    From: West Ham

    To: Brentford

    Fee: Loan

    Once upon a time, Winston Reid was one of the best centre-backs outside the Premier League’s so-called elite, but injuries, unfortunately, shoved him down the pecking order at West Ham. After spending time on loan with Sporting Kansas City at the end of the 2020 MLS season, Reid has now joined Brentford for the rest of 2020/21, hoping to help the Londoners seal their long-awaited promotion to the Premier League.

    Brian Rodriguez

    From: LAFC

    To: Almeria

    Fee: Loan

    Joining the host of MLS players moving to Europe on loan is Brian Rodriguez, who will spend the next few months in the Spanish second tier with Almeria. Rodriguez already has three goals in nine caps at senior international level with Uruguay but has thus far struggled to hit the mark in MLS, scoring just three goals in 34 appearances for LAFC and being outshone by compatriot, Diego Rossi. Nevertheless, Rodriguez has regularly been linked to some European giants, including AC Milan, and could use this loan as a springboard to greater things.

    Paulo Gazzaniga

    From: Tottenham

    To: Elche

    Fee: Loan

    Perhaps harshly given he’s always been a reliable back-up option to Hugo Lloris, Paulo Gazzaniga has slipped to third-choice at Tottenham following Joe Hart’s arrival in the summer. Having failed to make a single first-team appearance this season, the Argentina international will now end the season on loan with Elche in Spain and will be tasked with helping them climb out of the bottom three in La Liga.

    Troy Parrott

    From: Tottenham

    To: Ipswich Town

    Fee: Loan

    An ankle injury sustained in September derailed Troy Parrott’s chances of first-team football on loan at Millwall, with the Irish youngster failing to score a single goal across 14 matches, while he didn’t even manage to complete 90 minutes in a Championship game. In a bid to get his development moving again, Spurs have now moved Parrott to Ipswich Town until the end of the season. The Tractor Boys are trying to make up lost ground on the League One playoff spots and Parrott’s influence in the final third might just prove to be the difference.

    Sami Khedira

    From: Juventus

    To: Hertha Berlin

    Fee: Free

    https://twitter.com/HerthaBSC_EN/status/1356576672737296385

    Few players have been rocked by injury problems more than Sami Khedira over the past few years, with the former Germany international making just 22 Serie A appearances for Juventus since the start of 2018/19. That said, even at 33, he still has plenty to offer as a defensive midfielder if he can stay fit, something Hertha Berlin will be hoping he can do after signing the World Cup-winner on a free transfer.

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