Transfer deadline day was as busy as it gets for a handful of Europe’s most notable teams as they finalized deals for players they hope will improve their fortunes for the rest of the season. AC Milan were arguably the most active team in the final hours of the transfer window, agreeing deals for five players over the course of the day. Though not every deal is over the line just yet, the list of signings includes Santiago Gimenez from Feyenoord and Joao Felix on loan from Chelsea. Aston Villa were almost equally busy as the deadline approached, lining up Marcus Rashford on the eve of deadline day and adding Marco Asensio on Monday. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur secured a loan deal for in-demand forward Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
Several notable deals have not been completed yet but are expected to be confirmed in the hours after the window closes. That includes Manchester City’s move for Nico Gonzalez from Porto.
With a busy transfer window now in the rearview mirror, here’s a look at the biggest moves from Europe’s top clubs on deadline day.
Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa
Previous club: Manchester United
Loan fee: None
Notable stats: 7 goals, 3 assists in 24 games this season
Grade: B
Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United exile has officially come to a close, and it’s hard not to argue that he has found a decent landing spot with Aston Villa. It feels like the right place to discover what Rashford’s post-United future looks like since the jury’s still out on how good he actually is. Villa are not only an ambitious team that are still in the UEFA Champions League and still chase a top-four spot in the Premier League, but they need goals after losing Jhon Duran on a big money deal to Al-Nassr. This is a sink-or-swim move for Rashford, but likely one in which he will have the external tools he needs to actually succeed and end a rough season on a high note.
Santiago Gimenez, AC Milan
Previous club: Feyenoord
Transfer fee: $31 million plus add-ons
Notable stats: 16 goals, 3 assists in 19 games this season
Grade: B
Somewhat similar to Rashford’s move to Aston Villa, Santiago Gimenez’s transfer to Feyenoord has a make-or-break feeling to it. The difference here, though, is that Gimenez is charting an upward trajectory with the hopes of translating his impressive form in the Netherlands to one of Europe’s top five leagues. He will have the chance to perform by filling a gap left by Alvaro Morata, whose spell in Milan lasted just six months before he left for Galatasaray. The question now is whether or not he will rise to the occasion.
Nico Gonzalez, Manchester City
Previous club: Porto
Transfer fee: $62 million
Notable stats: 7 goals, 5 assists in 29 games
Grade: A-
Manchester City’s midfield has been the source of their problems for much of their poor season, even if it is not the only problem manager Pep Guardiola has to deal with. They finally look like they will address their issues in the center of the park by signing Nico Gonzalez, who feels like a good fit even if the 23-year-old has a big task ahead of him, the shadow of desperation stalking his signing amidst a season to forget for the reigning English champions. Gonzalez will be a welcome member of the group even when Ballon d’Or winner Rodri returns, and considering Guardiola has written off City’s chances of winning major silverware this campaign, the midfielder may have a chance to settle into the team as the rebuild begins.
Mathys Tel, Tottenham Hotspur
Previous club: Bayern Munich
Loan fee: Undisclosed
Notable stats: 16 goals in 83 games for Bayern Munich
Grade: B
Mathys Tel’s back-and-forth move to Tottenham Hotspur is arguably the hardest deal to judge on deadline day. What has become clear over the last month is that the 19-year-old is one of the most sought-after forwards in the game, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all expressing varying levels of interest this winter. By that measurement alone, Spurs may have landed a very talented player and should be pretty excited by that. Tel’s inexperience, though, means there’s a question mark about how quickly he can fit in – Spurs could use the goals, though it’s unclear if he will be able to prove himself by the time the club needs to decide to pick up the $56.9 million option to buy.
Joao Felix, AC Milan
Deal yet to be finalized
Previous club: Chelsea
Loan fee: $5.69 million
Notable stats: 7 goals, 2 assists this season
Grade: C
Joao Felix’s stop-start career now sees him reportedly off to Milan, where expectations will once again be on the high-profile player to finally discover a strong run of form. Like his new teammate Santiago Gimenez, AC Milan will count on him for goals and a loan without a buy option means he will have to hit the ground running to make a real impression. That has not exactly been a hallmark of the 25-year-old’s career so far, so whether or not he will actually be a good fit for Sergio Conceicao’s side, remains to been seen.
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