January transfer window recap: Winners
The January transfer window was a wild one. Collectively, the 20 Premier League teams spent £815 million on new players, roughly twice what had previously been spent in a January transfer window. Chelsea contributed to most of that, reportedly spending around just under £300 million on new players.
Both ends of the table are still competitive. There are only six points separating 13th from 20th in what is shaping up to be one of the most nail-biting relegations scraps in years. On the other end, Chelsea and Liverpool are looking to bounce back from disappointing starts to the season, whilst upstarts Newcastle, Fulham and Brighton are trying to fend them off and get into European qualification spots.
The January transfer window was a vital time for all 20 teams to replenish their squads as the business end of the season rolls around. In this article, I’m going to be going over the winners of the January Transfer window.
Are Chelsea good now?
Key additions: Enzo Fernández from Benfica (£106m), David Datro Fofana from Molde (£10.93m), Benoît Badiashile from Monaco (£35m), Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama (£18m), João Félix from Atlético Madrid (£9.69m loan fee), Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk (£88.5m), Noni Madueke from PSV Eindhoven (£29 million), Malo Gusto from Lyon (£30.7m)
Key exits: Malo Gusto to Lyon (loan), Jorginho (£12m)
Net spend: £315.7m
Verdict:
Chelsea have invested a historically large amount of money into their squad, and yet there are still more questions than answers. Who is going to be their long-term striker? Can Fernandez play as a deep-lying playmaker? Can Mudryk develop into an £88.5m player? What are they going to do with Christian Pulisic? Who is manager Graham Potter even going to start?
Chelsea have a clear plan: Buy young talent and sign them on long deals, so they can amortize the cost of the transfer over the length of the deal.
They have bought several players low, in anticipation that their values skyrocket as they improve and turn into Champions League-level starters. If any of Santos, Fofana, Madueke, Gusto, or Badiashile reach that level, they will have a fantastic return on their investment. Badiashile at £35m, Gusto at £30.7m, and Madueke at £29m represent excellent business, and they could be long-term starters at Chelsea. Badiashile has looked excellent so far, too. Chelsea have yet to concede a goal in the Premier League whilst he’s been on the pitch.
The fee they paid for Fernandez was absurd, however, he looked tremendous against Fulham. He played in a deeper role, with Gallagher and Mount ahead of him. He distributed very well and demonstrated his defensive abilities. There are still questions as to whether he is naturally suited to that role at the Champions League level, but Chelsea can be confident that they have a star on their hands, even if most teams would not pay that much for a midfielder.
Was Mudryk worth the money?
Mudryk on the other hand is more of an unknown quantity at this stage. Whilst he has played more games at the European level than Fernandez, he has flashed less consistent ability.
He played very well for Shakhtar this season, appearing in 12 games in the Ukrainian Premier Liga this season, scoring seven goals and registering six assists. However, it was the Champions League where he really stood out. He played in all six of Shakhtar’s Champions League games, scoring three goals and registering two assists.
He has only played two games in the Premier League so far for the Blues, but he still doesn’t look quite used to the level yet. Mudryk showed real glimpses of his quality against the struggling Liverpool in his debut, but an aging James Milner is hardly a Champions League-caliber defender these days, and Liverpool’s defending has been abysmal this season. He played poorly against a resolute Fulham defense, regularly losing duels and giving the ball away.
Meanwhile, Fernandez looked far more comfortable, and it’s clear that there will be an adjustment required for the Ukrainian winger. He may reach that level, but Chelsea took a big risk with his transfer.
Chelsea took a huge gamble this season on their transfers. If it pays off, Chelsea’s strategy will return an excellent value on their investment. If it doesn’t, they will be in a financial black hole for years to come.
Teams who consolidated well
Arsenal
Key additions: Leandro Trossard from Brighton (£27m), Jakub Kiwior from Spezia (17.6m), Jorginho from Chelsea (£12m)
Key exits: Cedric to Fulham (loan), Albert Sambi Lokonga to Crystal Palace (loan), Marquinhos to Norwich (loan)
Net Spend: 56.6m
Verdict
This wasn’t quite the window Arsenal wanted. Their pursuit of Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo was widely reported, and it’s clear that they want a longer-term solution to their lack of midfield depth. They were pipped to Mykhailo Mudryk by Chelsea after being unwilling to meet Shakhtar’s valuation of the Ukrainian winger. Both could’ve been building blocks for Arsenal for the next 10 years.
However, they got what they needed. They needed depth, essentially everywhere. Arsenal had no one who could adequately replace Thomas Partey if he got injured, and Jorginho has proven he can perform that role in a Premier League-winning side. Trossard will add competition and depth on the left flank and has proven he can play at a high level in the Premier League. Kiwior seems to be one more for the future, but he should be a capable backup to Gabriel. Better, at least, than Rob Holding.
Whilst Arsenal didn’t land any long-term targets, that’s usually not what January transfer windows are for. They reinforced their squad with quality for their title push. Whilst it’s unfortunate to miss out on young stars like Mudryk and Caicedo, it won’t define their season. They can push for splashier signings in the summer.
Brentford
Key additions: Kevin Schade from Freiburg (loan)
Key exits: Sergi Canos to Olympiakos (loan)
Net Spend: £0m
Verdict
Brentford have been quietly excellent this season. They’re well-drilled by manager Thomas Frank and have yet to lose a game once going up 1-0. There were no pressing needs this transfer window, and traditionally January transfer windows have been the realm of teams with pressing needs.
Still, there were one or two eye-catching signings.
Firstly, Kevin Schade from Freiburg, on a loan with an obligation to buy if certain performance-related criteria are met. The fee would reportedly break their transfer record and would be in the region of £22 million. Schade is absolutely rapid. He recorded a speed of 22.6 mph whilst against Greuther Furth last season, which was the seventh quickest speed in Bundesliga history.
Furthermore, he could develop into an aerial threat, according to Frank.
“He is very good aerially, in both boxes, and can develop even more to be a real threat as an offensive option with his head,” Frank said, via the Daily Mail.
Schade is still raw but has the physical tools to develop into a star.
Brentford also signed Romeo Beckham, David Beckham’s son, for their B team from Inter Miami. He has impressed so far and could be one to watch in the future.
Brentford did not have any pressing needs this window. They invested in the future by signing a potential world-beater and kept the core of their squad together. A successful window by any measure.
Fulham
Key additions: Sasa Lukic from Torino (£8m), Cedric from Arsenal (loan)
Key exits: N/A
Net spend: £8m
Verdict:
Fulham had a rather uneventful January transfer window. Manager Marco Silva has done an excellent job in taking the Cottagers to eighth. Not much needed to be changed, and their signings reflect that. They added quality and depth in positions that needed it. Lukic looks to be a great bit of business and looks like he’ll take over Jack Harrison’s spot in midfield beside the excellent Palhinha.
Lukic can do a bit of everything and has played in both the base of the midfield and as an attacking midfielder. He can control the tempo of a game, playing short passes to push his team up the pitch. He also has an eye for goal, scoring five goals in the Serie A last season from midfield. Palhinha is far better at disrupting play than Lukic, but he still wins his fair share of duels and is not a liability on that end.
All in all, he’s an upgrade in midfield. For only £8 million, that’s a bargain. Cedric is not as exciting a signing as Lukic, but he will provide cover in defense, and compete with Kenny Tete for the starting right-back position.
Fulham upgraded their starting 11 and provided depth in positions that needed it. They’ve invested shrewdly since arriving back in the Premier League this season, and this January transfer window was another example of that.
Manchester United
Key additions: Jack Butland from Stoke (loan), Wout Weghorst from Burnley (loan), Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich (loan)
Key exits: Cristiano Ronaldo (released)
Net spend: £0m
Verdict
Manchester United got everything they needed out of this January transfer window. Cristiano Ronaldo was a circus that was enveloping the club with negative energy, and it was a promising sign that Ten Hag was willing to remove him for the good of the team. They then signed the profiles they needed.
They needed a physical striker, who could hold up the ball and then link play. Anthony Martial is injury prone and despite his technical abilities, is not a physical presence. Ten Hag loves physical number nines. He’s previously played Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Brian Brobbey and Sébastien Haller up front, and obviously seeks that profile of player for his teams. Weghorst fits that profile perfectly.
What do Sabitzer and Weghorst bring to Manchester United?
He’s a physical beast at 6-foot-6 and is more technically assured than he appears. He holds the ball up well and can bring others into play with passes and flick-ons. He presses hard from the front, engaging in the fourth-most pressures per 90 (54.1) in the Premier League last year when he played for Burnley.
Weghorst represents everything Ten Hag from a striker. Someone who can be an outlet up the pitch and relieve pressure when Manchester United are being pressed high, and someone who can be a box presence and distract the center-backs. He probably won’t score a ridiculous number of goals, but he’ll improve the rest of the team.
Marcel Sabitzer was another vital signing. Christian Eriksen has been ruled out for three months, and they needed another midfield capable of progressing the ball. It would’ve been nice for Manchester United to have been proactive in the transfer market for once, but it was a key signing regardless. Sabitzer again probably won’t set the world alight, but he’ll fulfill an important role in Ten Hag’s system.
Butland will serve as United’s third keeper, and will likely see no playing time.
Manchester United got everything they needed this window and can look for long-term solutions in the Summer.
Tottenham
Key additions: Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal (loan), Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon (loan)
Key exits: Bryan Gil to Sevilla (loan), Djed Spence to Rennes (loan), Matt Doherty to Atletico Madrid (released)
Net spend: £0m
Verdict
Tottenham is in a weird position. You could very easily interpret this season as a disaster for the North London Club. They got comprehensively beaten by Arsenal on two different occasions, and manager Antonio Conte constantly flirts with the idea of running out his contract and leaving in the summer out of disgust with Tottenham’s transfer policy. Heung-min Son looks like a shadow of himself.
And yet, they’re only one point off the top four and they’re through to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Harry Kane has scored 17 goals this season and finally has support with Kulusevski back and the signing of Danjuma. It constantly feels like their season goes from being a disaster to being a success depending on the outcome of the week’s game. They did have positions of need, and they look to have filled them this January transfer window.
Right wing-back has been a problem position for years. Conte’s system relies on attacking contributions from his wing-backs, and Tottenham haven’t had consistent quality from the right so far. Emerson Royal is a capable defensive player, but he struggles going forward (aside from their game against Man City where he turned into prime Maicon). Djed Spence is too young. Matt Doherty was seen as so disposable he was released for free. Pedro Porro is an instant upgrade on all of them.
Porro is a constant threat on the right. He is an excellent crosser and is constantly dribbling at the opposition left-back. He has a great attacking instinct and a knack for getting into dangerous areas. However, he’s a little bit suspect defensively. He doesn’t lack effort, but he doesn’t always make the right decisions and loses duels more often than he should. There are areas of his game for Conte to iron out, but he finally gives him a weapon on the right that he’s been begging for.
Danjuma was another vital signing. Tottenham identified early on that they needed another attacking reinforcement and gazumped Everton for the 26-year-old. Tottenham have struggled with injuries up front this season. They needed more quality cover. Danjuma will provide that and could compete for a starting position. He’s an excellent dribbler and has bags of pace. He thrived at Villareal under Unai Emery, scoring 10 goals in 17 La Liga games. There are injury and attitude concerns with Danjuma, but his on-the-pitch product is excellent.
Tottenham got everything they needed and should be well-placed for a top-four push in the latter half of the season.
Struggling teams who improved
Bournemouth
Key additions: Dango Ouattara from Lorient (£20m), Antoine Semenyo from Bristol City (£10.5m), Darren Randolph from West Ham (free), Matias Vina from Roma (loan), Illya Zabarnyi from Dynamo Kyiv (£24m), Hamed Traore from Sassuolo (£20m)
Key exits: Jamal Lowe to QPR (loan)
Net Spend: £74.5m
Verdict
Bournemouth desperately needed to add quality across the pitch this transfer window, and they added quality.
Ouattara had a lively debut on the wing against Nottingham Forest and provided a directness and spark that Bournemouth had been lacking so far this season. Attacking midfielder Hamed Traore has been mooted as one of Serie A’s brightest talents for the past few years, and his signing was a coup for the Cherries. He is an excellent dribbler, whilst he also does his defensive work diligently. He also has a keen eye for goal, scoring seven goals in 31 appearances last year at the age of 22.
Illya Zabarnyi is another signing that should get Bournemouth fans excited. The Cherries have been statistically the worst defensive side in the Premier League this season. They’ve conceded 42 goals in 20 games, although it should be noted nine of these came in one game against Liverpool. Zabarnyi is a regular starter for the Ukrainian national team aged 20. He is physically dominant and has played in the Champions League for Dynamo Kyiv.
Looking at the other signings, Matias Vina should add depth to a depleted left-back position, while striker Semenyo has been in hot goal-scoring form in the Championship. Bournemouth’s top scorer this season is Dominic Solanke with four goals. They need competition up front, which Semenyo should provide.
The one concern with Bournemouth’s window is that they cannot afford an adjustment period whilst they figure out their optimal starting line-up and the players gel. They’re firmly in the relegation battle and need points as soon as possible. Furthermore, all of their major signings aside from Vina are 23 or under. There is a real risk they initially struggle as their players get used to the Premier League.
All in all, Bournemouth have had a very exciting transfer window, finally adding quality to their starting eleven. The next few games will be vital for their season. If their new players aren’t up to the standard of the Premier League yet then they’ll most likely be going down. If they start strongly, Bournemouth could be one to watch. It’ll be explosive either way.
Southampton
Key additions: Mislav Orsic from Dinamo Zagreb (£8m), Carlos Alcaraz from Racing Club (£12m), James Bree from Luton (£0.75m), Jan Bednarek from Aston Villa (end of loan), Kamaldeen Sulemana from Rennes (£22m), Paul Onuachu from Genk (£18.5m)
Key exits: N/A
Net spend: £61.25m
Verdict
After years of treading water, Southampton have finally run out of luck. They are rooted to the bottom of the table, only winning four games this season. They fired manager Ralph Hassenhüttl midway through November, replacing him with ex-Luton manager Nathan Jones, who has won one game out of seven. It’s dire straits for the Saints, and they badly needed reinforcements to boost their survival chances. The relegation battle is so tight that any run of good form could spare Southampton the pain of relegation.
They managed to secure those reinforcements this January transfer window, finally upgrading their squad and giving them quality all over the front line. Southampton have struggled for goals this season, and to combat this they signed a completely new front line.
They signed two pacy wingers in Kamaldeen Sulemana and Mislav Orsic, who can whip in a cross and beat their man to compliment their giant new center-forward Paul Onuachu. Onuachu is 6ft 7in and was the top scorer in the Belgian League with 16 goals in 19 games. He should get plenty of opportunities to attack the ball, and will be a constant threat with his size and finishing ability.
Sulemana in particular should be an exciting watch. He’s constantly threatening the defense with the ball at his feet and with runs in behind and should create plenty of space for his teammates. Orsic has plenty of quality as well, and is constantly getting into dangerous positions. He does turn the ball over a lot, but his high-risk high-reward playstyle could win Southampton games.
To compliment their new front line, they signed 20-year-old midfielder Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz is probably won’t be expected to contribute much now, but he’s somewhat Lampardesque with his runs into the box and ability on the ball. He has plenty of work to do physically and his decision making can be suspect but he’s an exciting prospect.
Southampton also shored up their defense by ending center-back Jan Bednarek’s loan and signing right-back James Bree. Bree played under Jones at Luton and is comfortable in his system. He should provide cover and competition for places.
Southampton had a strong transfer window and finally upgraded a poor squad. It’s just not clear if the club upgraded enough to go on the run of form they need to get out of the relegation battle.
Leeds United
Key additions: Max Wöber from RB Salzburg (£11m), Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim (£35.5m), Weston McKennie from Juventus (loan), Diogo Monteiro from Servette (£1m)
Key exits: Mateusz Klich to D.C United (free), Joe Gelhardt to Sunderland (loan), Diogo Llorente to Roma (loan)
Net Spend: £47.5m
Verdict
Leeds United’s squad needed an infusion of talent this January transfer window. They’re currently languishing in 17th and have only picked up three points in the last five games. To make matters worse, they lost to fellow relegation candidates Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and face two back-to-back meetings with a resurgent Manchester United. The three main signings they made should help out with that.
Leeds’ fundamental problem is that they concede too many goals. Scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for Leeds as they’ve scored the second most goals out of the bottom-half sides. Their defense hasn’t been disastrous, but it’s not been good enough to keep them in the Premier League.
Wöber will hopefully improve that. He can play at both center-back and left-back and has previously played for Leeds manager Jesse Marsch at RB Salzburg. He has started Leeds’ past two Premier League games, where they’ve only conceded one goal. He’s a capable defender, who can win turnovers regularly. He’s no slouch going forward either, who can play progressive passes and whip in a good cross. His success will be vital to Leeds’ turnaround.
As detailed here, McKennie will improve Leed’s midfield immediately.
Who is Georginio Rutter?
Rutter is more of a question mark. Leeds made the 20-year-old their record signing, and it seems as if he’ll be thrust into an important role with the recent news that Rodrigo is out for two months. Rutter is a France U21 international and has clear talent and versatility.
Rutter can play in a variety of positions, playing out on the wing and up front, where he is effective with his back to goal. He is direct in his dribbling and he’s a creative player, finishing in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons in the Bundesliga and the 72nd for shot-creating actions. He could be a star.
However, he’s still raw. He only scored two goals for Hoffenheim this season, despite appearing 15 times in the Bundesliga as a striker. He might be better suited for Leeds on the wing with Patrick Bamford returning from injury, however. Rutter may not hit the ground running, but he at the very least gives Marsh another option.
Leeds have been better than their points total has suggested this season. They have the talent to stay up, and that talent has only gotten better after this window. It’s now up to them to not self-sabotage.
Leicester City
Key additions: Victor Kristiansen from FC Copenhagen (£17m), Tete from Shakhtar Donetsk (loan), Harry Souttar from Stoke (£15m initial fee, could rise to £20m)
Key exits: Ayoze Perez to Real Betis (loan), Marc Albrighton to West Brom (loan)
Net Spend: £32m
Verdict
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers finally got the reinforcements he has been begging for since the Summer. Years of poor signings have left Leicester in a hole, with a squad lacking in quality and unity. After two years of consecutive fifth-place finishes, and a FA cup win in 2021, Leicester now find themselves in a relegation fight for the first time since they famously won the league in 2015-16.
After two windows of poor recruitment, Leicester properly refreshed their squad with talent. Leicester didn’t sign anyone in the 2022 January transfer window and made center-back and David Luiz impersonator Wout Faes their only signing after losing fellow center-back Wesley Fofana to Chelsea for £75 million. Their signings in Summer 2021 hardly improved the squad either. Jannik Vestergaard has been exiled, whilst Boubakary Soumare and Patson Daka are still adjusting to the League.
Faes started stronger than any of the three previously mentioned, leading Leicester’s defense to five clean sheets in his first seven games. However, he and Leicester’s defense have struggled mightily recently, conceding 12 goals in the six Premier League games since the World Cup. Leicester’s squad is so thing, they’ve been playing full-back Daniel Amartey at center-back.
How will Leicester’s new signings help them stay up?
Harry Souttar should immediately help their struggling defence. Souttar excelled at the World Cup for Australia. Souttar is exceptionally tall (6-foot-6), mobile, and will be an instant starter.
Arguably the most exciting signing of the lot, Tete, has already started strongly. He scored in his debut against Aston Villa and looked like a breath of fresh air, instantly enthralling Leicester supporters with his directness and pace. He completed six successful take-ons in his 83 minutes on the pitch, twice as many as any other Leicester player. Leicester had been lacking a winger with directness to pair alongside Harvey Barnes and Tete gives Rodgers a lot more options.
Left-back Victor Kristiansen was signed to help with Leicester’s injury crisis but also helps bring balance to the side. He constantly bombed forward against Villa, providing Harvey Barnes with an overlapping and underlapping option.
Leicester finally looked like themselves against Aston Villa, and it looks like their three January signings have breathed life back into them.
Nottingham Forest
Key additions: Gustavo Scarpa from Palmeiras (free), Danilo from Palmeiras (£16m) Chris Wood from Newcastle (loan), Jonjo Shelvey from Newcastle (undisclosed – likely to be very small) Felipe from Atletico Madrid (£1.86m), Keylor Navas from Paris Saint-Germain (loan), Andre Ayew (free-agent signing)
Key exits: N/A
Verdict
Nottingham Forest continued their strategy of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. Forest signed a record 21 players during the summer window, alongside adding two free agents between the windows. This January transfer window they have signed another six players, whilst also adding another free agent. That’s 30 players in total, more than an entire squad.
Forest manager Steve Cooper doesn’t have an easy task, but he’s done admirably so far, guiding Forest to a 13th-place finish, and they could end the season strongly after a very solid window.
Some of the seven signings look like absolute bargains. Forest somehow managed to sign a PSG goalkeeper and an Atletico Madrid defender for peanuts.
Both Keylor Navas and Felipe have experience at the highest level. Navas won several Champions Leagues with Real Madrid in goal, whilst Felipe featured heavily during Atletico’s most recent La Liga win. Both are getting on in age, but they’re still good players who know how to win at the highest level. Navas especially will be vital in the latter half of the season with starter Dean Henderson out for roughly the next month.
They also added a player of real quality in midfielder Danilo. He’s only 21, but has already been the heartbeat of a Copa Libertadores-winning side and has been monitored by the likes of Arsenal and Monaco. He could be a star if he acclimatizes to the league.
Attacking midfielder Gustavo Scarpa also joined him from Palmeiras. Scarpa has a wand of a left foot, but is only 5-foot-9, and could struggle physically. Also, at the age of 29, it’s reasonable to wonder why no European side tried to sign him before.
Are all their signings Premier League quality?
Wood, Shelvey and Ayew have Premier League experience, but all come with their own questions.
Wood and Shelvey have both been sidelined at a resurgent Newcastle, whilst Ayew is 33 and arrives after leaving Qatari club Al Sadd after his contract expired. Shelvey only has 37 minutes this season split across three games. There’s a legitimate reason to think that he’s washed. Wood has featured more this season, but he’s only scored seven goals in the past two seasons. The club needed a replacement for the injured Taiwo Awoniyi, but he’s not going to set the world alight.
The other striker they signed, Ayew, has only ever scored 21 goals in the Premier League. He last played in the Premier League in 2018, and there’s a good chance he’s not up to the level. This out of all of them, felt like the most like a dart-throw signing.
It was a real mixed bag for Forest. There were some very good signings and some which have real question marks. Ultimately it was a good window for the side as they filled the holes they needed to fill and added experienced, quality players, but it does feel like some of these players won’t be here after the summer.
Wolves
Key additions: Matheus Cunha from Atlético Madrid (loan), João Gomes from Flamengo (£15m), Mario Lemina from Nice (£9.7m), Pablo Sarabia from Paris Saint-Germain (£4.4m), Dan Bentley from Bristol City (£0.05m), Craig Dawson from West Ham (£3.3m)
Key exits: Leonardo Campana to Inter Miami (loan), Gonçalo Guedes (Benfica, loan).
Net spend: £32.45m
Verdict
Julen Lopetegui has revitalized Wolves. They’ve picked up seven points in the last five games, whilst playing both Manchester clubs and Liverpool. Over a 38-game season that would be 53 points. Easily enough to survive. He’s vastly improved their out-of-possession structure, and they look like they can actually score goals now after putting three past Liverpool.
This January transfer window has only built on that recent success. They signed a young striker, Matheus Cunha, to help solve their goalscoring woes and experienced players who can give Wolves a bit more quality.
The 23-year-old Brazilian is excellent at linking play and making dangerous runs into the box. He presses very well, and will further aid their out-of-possession structure. Wolves have finished poorly this season, and Cunha could help in that regard.
They’ve also been poor creatively, only creating 16 big chances this season, the joint-lowest in the league. To that end, they signed Pablo Sarabia from PSG. Sarabia was a real coup for Wolves, and he’s only a year removed from scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in the Premiera Liga for Sporting Lisbon. He’s very positive on the ball, always looking for progressive passes, and he is an excellent chance creator. He should link up with Cunha very nicely.
They also gained some stability in midfield. Joao Moutinho is getting on, and they already have his replacements in Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes. There are also rumours that Ruben Neves will leave in the summer, adding extra importance to the two signings. Lemina plays mostly as a holding midfielder and is excellent in possession. He progresses the ball well both with dribbles and passes, and he should give Lopetegui another option in case Neves does leave.
Gomes is a very different profile of player. He is very proactive defensively and is generally good at disrupting opposition play. He isn’t necessarily the best progressor of the ball and prefers shorter passes, making him well-suited to play alongside Lemina.
Dawson provides experienced cover in defense, whilst Bentley will be the third-choice goalkeeper.
Ultimately, Wolves had a very solid window and will most likely finish as a midtable side this season.
***
CLICK HERE for more of our soccer/football coverage!
Check out the Vendetta Twitch!!
SUBSCRIBE to the Vendetta YouTube!!
