London (AFP) – Premier League clubs have until Friday to boost their squads but there has so far been little desire for a spending spree from the richest league in the world.
The slump in January spending over the past couple of years shows that the mid-season transfer window is increasingly seen as an undesirable time to do business.
Last year, the total outlay for Premier League clubs in January was £180 million ($234 million) — nearly a third of which was what Chelsea spent on Christian Pulisic, who was loaned back to Borussia Dortmund for the rest of the season.
That was down from a record £430 million splurge in the 2018 mid-season window, when there were a series of big-name moves including Virgil van Dijk, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Aymeric Laporte.
However, the success of those signings has tended to be the exception rather than the rule in a seller’s market in January.
Manchester United are still counting the cost of their lavish outlay on Alexis Sanchez in the same month.
The Chilean is now on loan at Inter Milan, but United are still paying a large part of his wages on a contract with two-and-a-half years left to run.
Currently fifth in the table, United are desperately in need of reinforcements as they battle to avoid missing out on the riches of Champions League football for a second consecutive year.
– Difficult window –
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s already shallow squad has been hugely impacted by injuries to Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
The club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has been the target of fans’ frustrations for his handling of transfers over recent years.
United have been in prolonged negotiations with Sporting Lisbon over Portuguese international midfielder Bruno Fernandes, but latest reports suggest the Red Devils are no nearer to completing any deals before Friday’s deadline.
“It is difficult this window — it’s always been. I can’t remember how many good deals that we’ve brought in in January,” said Solskjaer on Tuesday.
“It’s very hard because the clubs don’t want to lose their best players.”
Liverpool’s 16-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table has lessened the need for either side to bolster their squads for a title fight.
City boss Pep Guardiola has stated for the past few months that his club would not do business in January despite a chance to shore up his defence before the Champions League knockout stages.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2UeuIJJ
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