We describe the winter market signings of the big European clubs

The coronavirus pandemic caused the summer transfer market to be radically different from its predecessors; but with the return of football to the sporting agenda, the January window of Europe’s major leagues will open as usual.

Although the clubs invested € 1.5 billion ($ 1.9 billion) less in the summer, during the month of last October they agreed on a series of transactions that will be completed as soon as the winter window opens. Traditionally, January is a quieter month; however, will the events that are still taking place worldwide motivate the big football clubs to implement some different strategies?

Below we present our qualifications for all the big passes planned. The most recent reviews headline this note; while the capsules of each date have been sorted from the largest transaction. If they fail to find a rating for a recently specified pass, we ask them to review it again in a few hours. All sums are expressed in accordance with unofficial journalistic information; unless they have been confirmed, a condition expressed by an asterisk

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JANUARY 4
Arsenal: C

Schalke: B +

Currently, the Schalke are a disaster and they need all the help they can get. The club has a 13-match unbeaten run in the first half of its Bundesliga campaign. Bringing a former player back is a good start; however, giving him the captain’s armband, despite being a tab that is part of the squad on loan for the rest of the season, is a clear sign that things are not going well. Kolasinac will want to make a pleasant impression and certainly, he is able to make good contributions within the Schalke.

In a way, Arsenal make a risky bet, aspiring that Kieran Tierney is in good physical condition. The Scotland national team defender has shown an excellent level this season; however, if they suffer an injury, the Gunners will be in trouble in the absence of Kolasinac. His options in the left-back position would be made up of Bukayo Saka, who can be better taken advantage of in positions above the court; and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is more comfortable on the right side or in midfield. Evidently, Kolasinac was frustrated by the lack of minutes of play (and probably also feels unhappy to see that his friend Mesut Özil has been relegated from the calls of DT Mikel Arteta); however, letting him go in a season characterized by a greater profusion of injuries, compared to previous tournaments, could prove to be an extremely costly decision.

JANUARY 2
AMAD DIALLO

€ 21 million (19 million pounds, $ 25,500,000)
Atalanta: B

Manchester United: B

* Transaction to formalize, depends on the announcement of obtaining a work visa

With just a handful of matches to his credit with the Italian club’s shirt, the announcement of Diallo’s move to Manchester United, made last October, was surprising. Atalanta trained the 18-year-old in his squad, and he was obviously quoted at a much higher level; however, the Red Devils’ offer of € 21 million, with the possibility of adding € 20 million in additional considerations, was too good to turn down. It was possible that Atalanta kept Diallo in their ranks for several years, in order to see how he matured on the court; but no one can complain that Atalanta would rather take the money, considering the current situation.

United make a bet; however, his policy regarding transfers is focused on young players and they have certainly taken one of the most exciting extremes of today. It would be a surprise to see Diallo get straight to the first team; but they did well to beat the competition to hire a player who was followed on the court for a year, after making a good impression in the UEFA Youth League. It’s a lot of money; although at least half the monetary commitment depends on its performance on the track.
FC Salzburg: B

RB Leipzig: A

The relationship between the two clubs owned by energy drink maker Red Bull greatly facilitated negotiations between the two parties. Additionally, this has been a journey traveled by many players in the past. It is possible that Salzburg could have obtained a much larger amount of money in exchange for the Hungarian winger with another team; however, they have the ability to deposit the check and turn the page, focusing on developing their next young talent to emerge.

Szoboszlai attracted the attention of some powerful clubs, including Arsenal, AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Therefore, Leipzig did an incredible job, convincing the 20-year-old to continue his development in Germany. This is probably the perfect club for him, as he has a style of play similar to that of Salzburg; likewise, the Bundesliga has a reputation for improving the talents of its young footballers. They can expect to hear much more about Szoboszlai in the years to come.
FILIP STEVANOVIC

€ 8 million (£ 6 million, $ 9,750,000)
Partisan Belgrade: C +

Manchester City: B-

Partizan took an unusual step, announcing this transaction with Manchester City last October without the English club confirming it; consequently, doubts persist regarding this operation. Evidently, the 18-year-old is in high esteem for the Serbian club, of which he has been a member since he was 9 years old. Stevanovic managed to establish himself in the XI title of the absolute team this year, after having been promoted in the different youth categories. The Partizan will charge € 8 million plus additional considerations; however, they are likely to end up regretting having let go of Stevanovic at such a premature stage of his career.