The winter transfer window is officially closed. Over the past
few weeks, many clubs have taken the opportunity to revamp
their squads, fill problem positions and add depth to their
rosters ahead of the decisive part of the season. Some clubs
opted for minor improvements, while others made deals that
could directly affect the balance of power in the leagues and
UEFA competitions. The best sports betting site 1xBet talks
about the biggest signings of the winter transfer window.
Antoine Semenyo (from Bournemouth to Manchester City, €72 million, Ghana)
The former English champions have been active in the transfer
market in January for the second year in a row, which indicates
their desire to rebuild the team as soon as possible. To play
effectively in attack, Pep Guardiola needs wingers who excel at
dribbling, but both Jérémy Doku and Savinho have often been
injured this season. Therefore, Man City reacted in the winter
and made a transfer that became one of the top 5 most
expensive in the club’s history. Antoine Semenyo immediately
began to justify the money invested in him – the Ghanaian
scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist in his first 6 matches for
the new club.
Marc Guéhi (from Crystal Palace to Manchester City, €23 million, England)
The England national team’s defender wanted to leave Crystal
Palace last summer and was close to moving to Liverpool. His
contract with the Eagles was due to expire at the end of the
2025-26 season, and the club from South London decided to
earn at least some money for a very valuable asset, while Man
City, as in the case of Semenyo, reacted quickly to personnel
problems. Guéhi is expected to solve the problems in the
Citizens’ central defense, which arose due to injuries to Joško
Gvardiol, Rúben Dias and John Stones, as well as Nathan
Aké’s poor form.
Ademola Lookman (from Atalanta to Atlético Madrid, €35 million, Nigeria)
The Nigerian wanted to leave the Bergamo club before the start
of the season, but had to wait a little longer. Interest in the
player remained, and the winter transfer window became the
moment when all parties agreed on the terms. For Atlético, this
transfer looks well thought out – the team likes to use hybrid
formations, and Lookman can perform several roles in attack at
once: play on the wings and between the lines, speed up the
pace of the game and gain an advantage through dribbling. But
there are some concerns: not every player is capable of
embracing Diego Simeone’s philosophy. It’s no coincidence that
Los Colchoneros not only bought Lookman in January, but also
sold Conor Gallagher and Giacomo Raspadori.
Endrick (from Real Madrid to Lyon, on loan, Brazil)
99 minutes of playing time with no goal contributions is all the
19-year-old Brazilian has achieved this season at Real Madrid.
With such limited time on the pitch, it’s difficult to talk not only
about progress but also about settling into the rhythm of the big
club. It’s crucial for the young forward to get regular playing
time, make decisions under pressure and gain confidence
through playing, not through training. In Lyon, Endrick has
found what he was missing in Madrid: trust. In 431 minutes, he
scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist, confirming that his
potential is revealed only through constant play. He isn’t yet
capable of winning the competition in Los Blancos’ attack, so
the choice in favor of playing time seems logical and timely. At
this age, development through matches is more important than
status and a spot in the squad of a big club.
João Cancelo (from Al Hilal to Barcelona, on loan, Portugal)
The Portuguese player returns to FC Barcelona, the official
partner of 1xBet, where he played on loan in the 2023-24
season. At the Catalan club, Cancelo is assigned the role of
first substitute on both wings of the defense. On the right, Jules
Koundé has no proper replacement, while Gerard Martín is
more often used in central defense this season and is not a
regular substitute for Alex Balde. Cancelo’s versatility and
experience at the top level allow the Blaugranas to fill several
problem positions without rebuilding their defense or losing
quality.
We’re sure that our review of the main winter transfers will give
you a better understanding of the changing balance of power in
the top leagues. Follow the best players’ performances and win
with 1xBet!
