LONDON: On a frantic European transfer deadline day, Chelsea acquired Enzo Fernandez for a Premier League record 121 million euros, while Joao Cancelo made an unexpected move to Bayern Munich and Jorginho joined Arsenal.
In a last-ditch effort to improve their teams for the second half of the season, Premier League clubs have once again significantly outspent their rivals.
In January, Graham Potter's struggling Chelsea went on a massive spending spree, signing a number of players, including Mykhaylo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, and Joao Felix, who was brought in on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Joo Cancelo's initial impressions: So far, it's a great feeling. I wanted to sign FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) 1675165705000 World Cup winner Fernandez, whose transfer was announced by Portuguese club Benfica early on Wednesday, is Chelsea's eighth signing of the January window. I knew how big the club is.
The previous record of £100 million that Manchester City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021 eclipses by £106.8 million.
@J_Nagelsmann's take on Cancelo: He can play multiple positions and is a very aggressive defender. He is... https://t.co/kunA7Kfifc — FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) 1675167153000 Fernandez, who was awarded the title of Best Young Player of the World Cup for his performances during Argentina's successful campaign in Qatar, only signed with Benfica, a Portuguese powerhouse, in July of last year for a reported fee of around £10 million.
It is believed that the 22-year-old has agreed to an eight-and-a-half-year contract that will last until 2031.
Since buying Chelsea at the end of last season, Todd Boehly's group has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, but the club is still in 10th place in the Premier League.
"Bayern are a great club, one of the best in the world, and it’s a huge motivation for me to play alongside them now... https://t.co/3D133tdOLG — FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) 1675168928000 Bayern Munich signed Manchester City winger Cancelo on loan until the end of the season and have the option to purchase him for a reported 70 million euros.
The Portuguese defender, who moved to City from Juventus in 2019, has been a supporting player for Pep Guardiola since the World Cup.
Cancelo stated, "FC Bayern is a great club, one of the best in the world," and he added, "It's an enormous motivation for me to now play alongside these extraordinary players."
Arsenal, leaders in the Premier League, reportedly paid £12 million to acquire Chelsea midfielder Jorginho from Italy.
Jorginho stated to Arsenal.com that he had signed an 18-month contract at the Emirates Stadium: I can't wait to take on this new challenge and play on the field.
"Things have happened so quickly. Although I was somewhat surprised, I took advantage of this amazing challenge."
In an effort to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004, the Gunners brought in Belgium forward Leandro Trossard from Brighton and Poland defender Jakub Kiwior from Spezia earlier this month.
Tottenham, Arsenal's north London rival, announced the signing of Sporting Lisbon defender Pedro Porro before the deadline.
The right back has been signed on loan for the remainder of the season, with a commitment to make the move permanent at the conclusion of the campaign.
Early on Wednesday, Manchester United made the announcement that they had signed Marcel Sabitzer, a Bayern Munich midfielder, on loan.
As a result of Christian Eriksen's ankle injury, which is expected to keep the Denmark midfielder out until early May, United were forced to play on deadline day on Tuesday. Earlier in the month, United manager Erik ten Hag completed the loan signing of Dutch forward Wout Weghorst.
After acquiring Everton's Anthony Gordon, high-flying Newcastle have acquired West Ham's Scotland Under-21 fullback Harrison Ashby.
Before Sassuolo and Ivory Coast midfielder Hamed Traore became their sixth signing of the month, relegation-threatened Bournemouth acquired Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi from Dynamo Kyiv for a reported fee of approximately £24 million.
After winning promotion last year, Nottingham Forest continued their dramatic roster overhaul by signing Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and Atletico Madrid defender Felipe.
Keylor Navas, a goalkeeper for Paris Saint-Germain, was also brought in by Forest on loan until the end of the season.
Ayoze Perez joined Real Betis for the remainder of the season, and Leicester acquired Australia's Harry Souttar from Stoke for a contract of five and a half years.
Kamaldeen Sulemana's transfer from Rennes to Southampton could have set a club record. The Ghana forward's move could have cost £22 million.
Thorgan Hazard, a Belgian international, has joined PSV Eindhoven on loan from Borussia Dortmund.