Arsenal:

With Bukayo Saka sidelined following hamstring surgery and Gabriel Jesus out for the foreseeable future with a torn ACL, Arsenal’s need for a forward has never been greater. The team’s lack of depth has forced players like Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard to take on heavy minutes, stretching their endurance and in turn, their performances. This has raised questions about whether the team is able to compete for silverware in the competitions they remain in.
Despite this, Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over Manchester City demonstrated their ability to rise to the occasion in high stakes matches. Asked if such a dominant performance could justify inactivity in the transfer market, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry insisted that the need for a striker remains. “Nobody is going to ask for a nine after this game […] Yes, they (Arsenal fans) should still ask for a nine, we’ve been asking for four transfer windows”.

 

Aston Villa:

Jhon Duran’s move to Al Nassr came as a surprise to the footballing world. The young forward made a name for himself at Aston Villa as a super sub. He was bought two years ago from Chicago Fire FC and scored 12 goals in 29 appearances this season. His move to Al Nassr was finalized on January 31 for a reported £64 million plus add-ons. While unexpected, the move did not come out of nowhere as Ollie Watkins remained the first-choice centre forward, with Duran starting just once in Aston Villa’s eight Champions League fixtures.

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Jhon Duran’s move to Al Nassr came as a surprise to the footballing world

Meanwhile, rumours of Watkins’ departure were put to bed following interest from Arsenal and subsequent rejected bids from the club. Unai Emery, Aston Villa’s head coach, confirmed “he is happy to stay” but despite this, interest remains from Arsenal as the striker previously stated in a 2020 interview that playing for the club one day was his dream.

Marcus Rashford’s shock loan move to Aston Villa came at the end of the window, after being pushed out of his boyhood club, Manchester United. This loan came after Rashford’s struggles with media scrutiny, form and disciplinary issues under Erik Ten Hag caused him to be gradually eased out. The deal, which includes a £40 million non-mandatory buy option, has fuelled speculation that United’s decision was financially driven, aiming to relieve wage pressures and comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

 

Chelsea:

Chelsea have had huge issues with their squad which have followed them from the start of the 24/25 season as their roster featured over 40 first-team players. Enzo Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino following his departure to USMNT, moved swiftly to trim the squad, offloading players such as defenders Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, and Trevoh Chalobah, along with midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka. In the January transfer window, Trevoh Chalobah was recalled from his loan move to Crystal Palace – despite an impressive season – due to injuries in defensive positions. Meanwhile, Chilwell was sent on loan to Crystal Palace, Joao Félix on loan to AC Milan, Chukwuemeka has joined German club Borussia Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the season and Axel Disasi was involved in a last-minute loan move to Aston Villa after rejecting Tottenham twice.

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Chelsea have had huge issues with their squad

Manchester City:

Manchester City have struggled with injuries this season, particularly Ballon D’or winner Rodri, who suffered a torn ACL against Arsenal back in September. Rodri is a pivotal player for the club and his absence has left a significant gap in the midfield. City’s defence has also suffered majorly with players such as Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias having been out for large periods of time. Due to this, Manchester City brought in four players this window including Abdukodir Khusanov for £33.5m, Nico Gonzalez for £50m and Vitor Reis for £29.4m. However, the most high-profile signing this window was the signing of Omar Marmoush from Frankfurt for over £63m. The forward was a target for a plethora of Premier League clubs, but it was City who ultimately clinched the deal. At the start of year, he was ranked second across the top five European leagues for the most goals and assists, trailing only his countryman Mo Salah, with a total of 29.

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The forward was a target for a plethora of Premier League clubs

Manchester City have spent more than £180m in total this transfer window, outspending the combined amount paid by the other 19 clubs in the Premier League. The amount of money spent by the club has raised concerns about the implications of this, especially with Manchester City already facing 115 charges for breaking Financial Fair Play regulations. These continued big-money signings have sparked further debate about whether the club is adhering to the rules of financial governance.

This transfer window has seen some bold moves from Premier League clubs, with Manchester City strengthening their squad with high-profile signings like Omar Marmoush, Manchester United and Chelsea also making strategic additions. Despite the excitement around these transfers, questions remain about how these new players will integrate into their respective teams and how this will impact the rest of the season.

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