the winter transfer window, much ado about nothing

Paris-Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani. BERTRAND GUAY / AFP

The winter transfer window closed on Friday January 31 and the major movements announced did not take place. Even though the clubs of the five major European championships spent 770 million euros, roughly the same amount as in previous years, the face of European football has not changed.

There was therefore no happy end for Edinson Cavani and Olivier Giroud in the last hours of the transfer window Friday: the Uruguayan remained at Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) despite the approach of Atlético de Madrid, the Frenchman is blocked at Chelsea without playing time.

"We didn't agree with anyone", PSG sport director Leonardo clarified on Friday, adding that Cavani "Is available for the rest of the season". The Brazilian thus put an end to a sensitive issue, which animated the transfer window for a month.

Cavani stays in Paris

At the end of the contract next summer and stripped of its holder status, "Edi" had sent the message of its desires elsewhere, but negotiations between Parisians and Madrid have stalled on the amount of the transfer. The Colchoneros offered 15 million euros according to the press, not enough according to PSG. The top scorer in club history (198 goals) will end the season in the capital, perhaps leaving the Parc des Princes, where he is loved, on a high note.

At one point, the exchange between Layvin Kurzawa and the Italian side of Juventus Turin Mattia De Sciglio did not take place, the Piedmont club having back-pedaled in the last moments.

Another half-star striker, Olivier Giroud had also indicated his intention to leave Chelsea where he hardly played. It was even an emergency for the number 9 of the Blues, who want to revive six months from the Euro. But on Friday his coach Frank Lampard shut the door when rumors were expressed of interest from Inter Milan and Lazio Rome.

Another world champion has found his way out. Midfielder Steven Nzonzi, owned by AS Rome who lent him – unsuccessfully – for the last six months to the Turkish club Galatasaray, has reached an agreement with Rennes, where he will spend the end of the season on loan, or even a additional year optional.

Lyon animates the transfer window

In Ligue 1, Olympique Lyonnais animated the transfer window by signing forward Karl Toko-Ekambi and midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. Rudi Garcia was waiting for a central defender, he will have finally had a young Brazilian midfielder of 20 years, Camilo, arrived from Brazilian D2 in the evening. In the starting radius, midfielder Lucas Tousart has been sold for 25 million euros to Hertha Berlin, but he will only join the German club this summer.

AS Monaco, faithful to its principles, has spent 62 million euros to offer five hopes; circles Youssouf Fofana (21, Strasbourg) and Aurélien Tchouaméni (20, Bordeaux) were bought 15 and 20 million euros respectively. The Rocher club also drew on Ligue 2 by hiring Auxerre’s central defender Jean Marcelin (19) for € 10 million.

For its part, Bordeaux, who was looking for a striker, threw in the towel, and Marseille, under the leadership of coach André Villas-Boas, did not want to upset the balance of his team, surprising dolphin of PSG .

Dortmund strengthens

Elsewhere in Europe, the final moments of negotiations remained calm. Only Borussia Dortmund has really moved, and this may not please PSG, its future opponent in the Champions League. Definitely author of the biggest blow of the winter transfer window with the striker Erling Braut Haaland, the German club obtained the arrival of the medium Emre Can (Juventus), loaned at first until the end of the season for 1 million euros, with a compulsory purchase option of 25 million euros.

At Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane closed the door on departure from Gareth Bale towards Tottenham, who is looking for a striker: "He is with us. I count on him. " For its part, Barça has invested in the future, signing the young Portuguese center-forward Francisco Trincao (Braga) for 31 million euros. The Atlético, after their defeat on Cavani, fell back on the Belgian Yannick Carrasco to reinforce their attack.

The most expensive transfer of this winter transfer window ultimately goes to Manchester United, which spent 55 million euros to acquire Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

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