European Update: Recapping a solid January transfer market

For the uninitiated, the January transfer window might seem a little strange from a distance, but really, it works similarly to the NBA trade deadline — a last-gasp opportunity for teams to retool in pursuit of a title, qualification spots for European competition or just to avoid relegation. 

Typically, clubs spend less money on players in January, but occasionally, massive deals still take place, such as Philippe Coutinho’s $148.50 million move to Barcelona in January 2018 or the $93.12 million Liverpool spent to sign Virgil Van Dijk in that same window.

Few transfers even approached those heights in this window, but one move in particular attracted considerable attention after being the focus of the rumor mill in December and early January: Dušan Vlahovic’s $89.76 million transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus. 

Juventus made a series of smart decisions in January — a huge step forward for a club that has stumbled and signed players haphazardly in recent windows. Vlahovic is the latest Fiorentina starlet to move to Juventus, joining Federico Chiesa and Federico Bernardeschi in Turin, after scoring 18 goals and posting 4 assists in 22 starts in Serie A. 

The Serbian striker exploded in 2021 with his slick movement and elite finishing, particularly with his left foot. He’s the kind of striker that only needs a few touches to affect a game. To the delight of Juve fans, he scored a classy debut goal against Hellas Verona, lifting the ball over the keeper with the outside of his left boot. 

If Vlahovic can routinely score 20-plus goals a season for Juventus, he’ll be well worth his expensive fee. Fellow debutant Denis Zakaria also scored against Verona, showcasing his box-to-box movement and dribbling ability he’ll bring to the Juventus midfield. 

Zakaria has had somewhat of a down season but he still ranks well above average for midfielders in Europe with 1.5 dribbles completed per ninety minutes and his drop in form meant that Juventus could sign him cheaply — for less than $10 million. It’s probably too late in the season for Juve to make a serious title challenge, but Vlahovi and Zakaria will certainly help in their push to secure Champions League football. 

The club also sold Rodrigo Bentancur to Tottenham Hotspur for a solid $20.90 million fee and allowed Dejan Kulusevski and Aaron Ramsey to go out on loan, neither of whom have played significant minutes this season. This transfer window appears to be the beginning of a much needed squad renewal process for Juve to return to competing for titles.

Speaking of renewal, Liverpool appear to have found their latest star attacker and a potential replacement for Sadio Mané as the Senegalese superstar approaches his 30s. Liverpool beat out Tottenham in a bidding war for FC Porto’s Luis Díaz, signing the Colombian winger for $49.50 million — a significant fee for a club that doesn’t spend big without carefully scouting a player and crafting a plan for how to integrate him. 

Díaz scorched the Portuguese league in the first half of the season, tallying 14 goals and 5 assists through 18 appearances. He’s a ball-dominant winger who plays mostly on the left side, attempting a lot of dribbles and frequently surging into the penalty area to shoot with his right. 

Stylistically, if Díaz’s production translates to the Premier League, he’ll offer a profile similar to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, just on the opposite side of the field. Díaz may play a muted role the rest of this season, but don’t be surprised if he and Diogo Jota, who has scored a goal for every 136 minutes played in the Premier League this season, firmly replace Mané and Roberto Firmino in the starting 11 next season. 

Moving from the top to the bottom end of the Premier League, Newcastle have flexed their newfound financial muscle in a desperate attempt to secure their Premier League status. 

Currently sitting at 17th, Newcastle needed reinforcements across the pitch to bolster their talent-starved squad — and for the most part, they succeeded. Newcastle may have overpaid for a few players, but from a personnel perspective, they did smart business. 

The crown jewel of the window is Bruno Guimarães, a midfielder from Lyon who can progress the ball both with passing and dribbling to tremendous effect. He’s the kind of midfielder who can act as a metronome and really control a match. Guimarães did not come cheap at $46.31 million, but he’s a Champions League quality player who will instantaneously take Newcastle’s midfield up a level. 

In the defense, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Matt Targett have arrived to add solidity. 

Burn is a tactically-flexible defender who can play in a back three or back four and has surprisingly good on-ball ability for a nearly 6-foot-6 defender. Trippier in particular is a coup for the club, considering he is just six months removed from winning a La Liga title with Atlético Madrid. Trippier brings superb set-piece delivery and is also a top-level progressive passer, which will help connect Newcastle in build-up play. 

Post January, Manager Eddie Howe should possess enough talent to sail Newcastle to safety.

The moves made in the January transfer window won’t cause major momentum shifts in the various title races around Europe, but they will have consequences for the clubs chasing European competition and those seeking to avoid relegation. 

With the signings they make, clubs can affect their competitive and financial futures for better or worse in the January window.

Jack Hallinan is a freshman discussing the latest news surrounding European soccer. His column “European Update,” runs every other Monday.