At 7pm on February 2nd, the 2026 January transfer window officially closed, bringing an end to clubs’ transfer business, but the biggest story might not have been a signing – it was a failed medical.
Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal last night was very disappointing as it saw the Blues dumped out of the Carabao Cup. Interestingly, it was also a turning point in terms of stats for Chelsea.
Juventus are reportedly ready to try again for Randal Kolo Muani in the summer, when he’ll return to PSG from Tottenham, but are not prepared to sacrifice Khephren Thuram.
Ethan Nwaneri has sparked debate in France following a controversial incident during Olympique Marseille’s French Cup victory over Rennes, after the referee declined to send him off for a rough challenge on Glen Kamara.
Juventus and Bologna completed a player exchange during the last transfer window involving Emil Holm and Joao Mario, a move both clubs will hope proves beneficial in the long term.
Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino insists they ‘care about’ the Coppa Italia quarter-final against Juventus, but confirm Ademola Lookman ‘asked to leave’ for Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal’s mentality and resolve saw them secure their place in the Carabao Cup final, but the moment felt bigger than a single result. It was not just about advancing to Wembley or keeping a trophy dream alive, but rather felt like something internally had shifted.
Napoli have confirmed that captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo is set to have surgery, despite the fact that he was given the all-clear from a potential ACL injury earlier this week.
In the early Eighties, Celtic had come agonisingly close against sides who went on to reach the European Cup semi-finals (Real Madrid and Real Sociedad), Cup Winners’ Cup finals (Rapid Vienna and Atletico Madrid) and the UEFA Cup semi-final (Nottingham Forest).
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Aitor Paredes from Athletic Club Bilbao. The 25-year-old central defender has done well for the La Liga club, and Tottenham want to secure his signature in the summer.
Argentina club Newell's Old Boys is working on a plan to bring two-time MLS MVP Lionel Messi home next year. A team executive confirmed that it's trying to entice Messi to return to his boyhood club for the first half of 2027.
Sandro Tonali was linked with a potential move to Arsenal late in the most recent transfer window, but no agreement was reached, an outcome that did not come as a surprise.
Tottenham Hotspur youngster Luka Vuskovic has been making headlines in the Bundesliga. On a season-long loan at SV Hamburger, the 18-year-old has been one of the breakthrough stars of this Bundesliga campaign.
Chelsea are plotting an ambitious move to sign Endrick from Real Madrid at the end of the season. The talented young attacker is currently on loan at Lyon and has been outstanding since his move to France.
Liverpool have been named among the “losers” of the January transfer window by Opta Analyst, despite securing a major deal for the future. Opta reviewed the Premier League’s winter business and concluded that our activity did not fully address the problems that have developed this season.
Eberechi Eze is a lifelong Arsenal supporter, and joining the Gunners in the summer represented the fulfilment of a long-held ambition. The move came after a successful period at Crystal Palace, where he won two trophies in a matter of months, and he is eager to continue that run of success in north London.
Most observers felt that Chelsea delivered a strong performance despite their defeat to Arsenal in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal last night, but Paul Merson strongly disagreed with that assessment.
Tottenham Hotspur’s resilience against Manchester City last weekend would have surprised the fans. Trailing 2-0 at the break, Thomas Frank’s boys mounted an incredible comeback to secure a point, showcasing grit, character and determination in the face of difficulty.
The Athletic’s Deal Sheet concluding the winter window is out, with some big looks ahead to potential business from the summer as well as looking back at what’s been done so far.
This is a syndicated version of this story, originally featured on the BBC Sport website. Chelsea’s January ended up being a quiet one – which was always what was expected, despite some tantalising and far-fetched rumours along the way.
Manchester United missed out on the prospect of signing Ruben Neves on a free transfer in July, as he decided to extend his stay with Al-Hilal. The Premier
Manchester United could emerge as a surprise destination for Jean-Philippe Mateta this summer, with reports suggesting the Crystal Palace forward is now firmly on the Red Devils’ radar.
Despite some reports linking him with a loan move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in January, Harvey Elliott seemingly had no interest in relocating across the Atlantic Ocean.
Liverpool have agreed a deal for Jeremy Jacquet, but the defender is not yet a Liverpool player and will not officially join until the summer. That distinction matters because there has been confusion over whether the 20-year-old French centre-back has already moved to Anfield or has been loaned back to Rennes.
As Manchester City have continued the rebuild of their squad after an era of dominance, a new group of players with a different set of strengths has been tasked with leading City into a new era.