The January transfer window opened for business yesterday, and rarely has so much been at stake for teams in the lucrative English Premier League.
Lagging behind in the race for Champions League qualification, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool could be the most active of the major powers as they look for a strong finish to arguably the most unpredictable season in the Premier League’s 24-year history.
Then there is the scramble to avoid the costliest-ever relegation from England’s top division. Next season ushers in the start of the Premier League’s new three-year TV deal worth a record US$8 billion, and no club will want to miss out on a share of that bounty.
So, count on England being the place where most deals are done over the next month, as usual. In January last year, English clubs were easily the biggest spenders, splashing out about ￡130 million (US$213 million at exchange rates of the time) to shatter the record for the season as a whole at ￡760 million.
Top teams operating strategic transfer plans rarely do major deals in this period. Likely targets can be ruled out of the Champions League and managers can be scared off by inflated prices.
This season could be different.
Chelsea are in 14th place, three points above the relegation zone, in the most woeful title defense that the Premier League has seen. A top new signing by caretaker coach Guus Hiddink could inspire a revival and the striker department needs refreshing.
“The window is wide open,” Hiddink said on Wednesday.
Just as it will be at Manchester United, where Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney are the only two strikers at a club struggling to score goals. A world-class striker could make all the difference for under-pressure United manager Louis van Gaal, who is likely to add to the US$375 million he has already spent in his 18 months in charge.
“Our problem is not dominating the games, it’s to score,” Van Gaal said on Thursday, adding that last year had been a “good year” for United, apart from December.
It is Juergen Klopp’s first transfer window since becoming Liverpool manager. Will he return to his old hunting ground of Germany to bolster Liverpool’s squad?
It will also be interesting to see whether Leicester City, remarkably in second place after half of the Premier League campaign, splashes out to stay in the title contention and if the team manages to keep hold of striker Jamie Vardy.
On Wednesday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said it would be a “busy” month for his club, with a midfielder needed to solve an injury crisis.
In Spain, Barcelona have been unable to register new players until this month because of a FIFA-imposed transfer ban, so last year’s signings of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal have spent the past six months training away from the squad.
Turan joined Barcelona from Atletico Madrid in July and is expected to reinforce the club’s left flank. Vidal arrived from Sevilla and likely will be the back-up for Dani Alves at rightback.
Real Madrid made a mess of trying to sign goalkeeper David de Gea from Manchester United at the end of the last transfer window and embattled club president Florentino Perez might try to make amends.
However, Spanish clubs do not usually spend big on January acquisitions and there has been no major speculation about any major signings.
In Germany, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are likely to give up rarely used players rather than bring in major new signings.
Bayern’s situation is made more complicated by the upcoming departure of coach Pep Guardiola, so any new players would probably have to be cleared by incoming coach Carlo Ancelotti.
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