Check the latest transfer target in European football as the winter transfer window opens this January 2025. Big players like Kvaratskhelia and Malen may be leaving their clubs in a few days. Meanwhile, let’s look into four big players who might leave this winter.
1. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli to Paris Saint-Germain, €70m)
For Napoli: An undoubted blow to Napoli’s Serie A title hopes – but maybe not fatal. Kvaratskhelia has been one of the league’s most dangerous players since his arrival from Dinamo Batumi for a bargain €10m (£8.4m/$10.2m) in the summer of 2022 and he was outstanding during his first season at the club, which ended with the Partenopei winning their first Scudetto since 1990. However, under new coach Antonio Conte, Napoli have become less and less dependent upon the winger, who has not scored since October 29 and produced just one assist in the interim. Having to cash in on ‘Kvaradona’ is a shame but hardly surprising: he’s clearly not been happy at the club for a while now, so Napoli have done well to get decent money for an unsettled and increasingly ineffective attacker. Grade: B+
For PSG: A definite coup but a strange signing nonetheless. Plenty of other clubs were following Kvaratskhelia, but it’s PSG who have managed to secure his signature. The question is, though: did they really need him? The Parisians’ problem (at least in Europe) isn’t creating chances, it’s taking them, so their money would have been better spent on signing a goal-scorer – not another winger. Indeed, if there’s one thing that PSG do not lack, it’s wide players, so why bring in another one at considerable cost? They already have Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola, unless Kvaratskhelia’s arrival now means that someone else is leaving… Grade: B
For Kvaratskhelia: A transfer that makes sense from a financial perspective. It was common knowledge that Kvaratskhelia was on what was, relatively speaking, a ridiculously low wage at Napoli, and the word is that PSG agreed to quadruple his salary, which is obviously great for the Georgian’s bank balance. But what does this move do for his sporting career? Kvaratskhelia should certainly run riot in Ligue 1, which is nowhere near as competitive as Serie A, and a league winners’ medal is a given (for what it’s worth). He’s also guaranteed Champions League football every season he stays at Parc des Princes. But will the 23-year-old realise his potential in Paris playing only a few meaningful games a season? It’s doubtful, particularly when one considers that the current PSG squad is very much a work in progress and so weak right now that Luis Enrique’s men are on the verge of an embarrassingly early European exit. Grade: B-
2. Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund to Aston Villa, £19m)
For Dortmund: A loss on their original investment, but probably the correct call. Dortmund thought they’d found the perfect Jadon Sancho replacement when they signed Malen from PSV in 2021 for €30m (£25m/$31m), but even though the versatile right winger enjoyed some productive spells at Signal Iduna Park, his lack of consistency became an increasing source of frustration. Consequently, he’d been in and out of the BVB starting line-up during the first half of the season, and given he had just 18 months left on his contract, Dortmund’s decision to cash in on Malen during the January transfer window didn’t come as a massive shock. Grade: B-
For Villa: A belated replacement for Moussa Diaby. Villa may have two fine forwards competing for the No.9 berth, but they’ve lacked a real goal threat out wide and Malen unquestionably has the potential to provide it. The 25-year-old was by no means a key player during Dortmund’s run to the final of last season’s Champions League – he didn’t feature at all in the semis and saw just 10 minutes of game time at Wembley – but he was their top-scorer in the Bundesliga, with the majority of his 13 goals coming from his favoured right-wing position. So, while signing Malen represents a financial risk for Villa, who have had problems with the Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR) over the past year, it’s a relatively small gamble that could pay off handsomely. Villa are still in the hunt for a top-four finish in the Premier League; a fully-fit and firing Malen could help them get there. Grade: B
For Malen: A fresh start. There was a real fear of Malen stagnating or even regressing at Dortmund, so the hope is that a move to the Premier League will enable him to kickstart his career. As the very experienced Netherlands international proved with his double against Romania in the last 16 of Euro 2024, Malen has the ability to shine on the game’s grandest stages. The question is, though, whether he has it in him to do so on a consistent basis, as there have long been concerns over his decision-making and work-rate. He should, at least, get plenty of opportunities to prove himself at Villa Park, and it would not be a massive surprise if Unai Emery was the man to bring the very best out of Malen, given it was the Spaniard who elevated Ollie Watkins’ game to a whole other level. Grade: A-
3. Vitor Reis (Palmeiras to Manchester City, £33.5m)
For Palmeiras: Another big windfall! Palmeiras have developed a very lucrative habit of producing technically-gifted teenagers that Europe’s elite cannot wait to snap up. Reis is just the latest player to roll off the Verdao conveyor belt after Endrick, Luis Guilherme and Estevao Willian. It’s obviously bitterly frustrating for the fans to see academy products depart before they’ve even turned 20, and Palmeiras ideally wanted to keep Reis for this year’s Club World Cup in the United States – but this is the modern game: even the biggest Brazilian clubs are unable to hold onto their most promising players for long. What’s more, the money made from these deals means that Palmeiras will remain one of the most competitive sides in South America for the foreseeable future. Grade: A-
For City: Another key development in the rejuvenation of Manchester City’s backline. City have been very unfortunate with the amount of injuries they’ve suffered the season, but it’s clear that Pep Guardiola wants to revamp his defence regardless, with Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and John Stones all 29 or over, and Kyle Walker (34) on his way out of the Etihad. Reis, then, fits in perfectly with the club’s attempt to look towards the future, with the 18-year-old considered one of the most promising ball-playing centre-backs in the game today. Indeed, Real Madrid and Arsenal had been previously linked with a youngster who had provoked comparisons with Marquinhos. Grade: B
For Reis: The stuff dreams are made of! Reis only made his professional debut in June and has just 22 senior games under his belt. So, for him to have already secured a lucrative move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs is just astounding. However, Reis has been touted as a future Brazil international for some time now – and not just because of his comfort on the ball (which makes him an ideal signing for City). Reis’ character and leadership skill have long been considered elite, as his reading of the game and wonderful range of passing. It has to be said that, physically, he’s not yet ready for Premier League football as he’s still quite slender, but there are definitely similarities to Marquinhos, whom he freely admits he’s modelled his game on. Grade: A
4. Abdukodir Khusanov (Lens to Manchester City, £34m)
For Lens: An incredible bit of business. Lens only signed the 20-year-old centre-back 18 months ago for €100,000 (£83,000/$104,000) and now they’ve offloaded him for €40m (£34m/$43m) after just 24 appearances in Ligue 1. Khusanov will obviously be missed, but his rapid rate of progress took everyone at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis by complete surprise, and coach Will Still already had three good centre-backs before Khusanov locked down a starting spot this season. This massive profit on such a young, unproven player is a most unexpected and welcome surprise for Lens, who still have every chance of qualifying for Europe without Khusanov. Grade: A
For City: The start of an overdue defensive overhaul. Injuries and dramatic dips in form have left City looking weaker at the back than they’ve ever been under Pep Guardiola, who has paid the price for putting his faith in his players that are either injury-prone or past their best. It’s, thus, come as no surprise to see the English champions dip into the transfer market during the winter window – but is Khusanov the answer to the problems? The Uzbekistani is both strong and quick, so the physicality and the Premier League shouldn’t be an issue for him, but he’s not yet as comfortable on the ball as the average Guardiola defender. Consequently, it would be asking a lot for him to have an immediate, Ruben Dias-like impact on City’s backline – but his potential is obvious. Grade: B
For Khusanov: A meteoric rise to prominence. Khusanov has gone from the Belarusian to the English Premier League in less than two years – and it doesn’t seem to have fazed him at all. So, while there’s an understandable concern that this move might have come a little too soon, it’s easy to understand why he’s jumped at the chance to test himself in the English top-flight. And let’s face it, this is a great time to be joining City: starting spots are up for grabs after such an unusually poor run of form and opportunities like these don’t come around too often at top teams. Grade: A+
Additional Source: Goal
Get Faster News Update By Joining Our: WhatsApp Channel
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without written permission from CONVERSEER. Read our Terms Of Use.
