The Premier League winter transfer window officially opened on January 1, 2025. From now on, teams can buy and sell players until the transfer market closes at 6:00 a.m. on February 4, 2025 (Vietnam time).
This transfer deadline will also apply to other divisions in the English football system. However, the time frames in European leagues are not the same, so leaving the deal until the last day to finalize is very risky.
Last year, Premier League clubs spent a total of £100 million ($127.7 million) in January, £715 million less than the record amount (£815 million) in the transfer window a year earlier (2023).
Apart from January 2021, when spending was limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, the lowest club spending on players in a single transfer window was in January 2012 (£60m). That relatively quiet window saw the most expensive signing of Radu Dragusin from Genoa. The defender was bought by Tottenham from Genoa for around €25m ($27.3m) plus €5m in add-ons.
There have been a number of players who have been linked with a move away from Old Trafford this year. The most notable of these is Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford, who suggested in December that he could be open to a move away. Rashford has not played since missing the Manchester derby against Manchester City on December 15, suggesting a move away is highly likely.
The futures of Liverpool star trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are also the subject of speculation. All three players' contracts expire at the end of the season.
In the event of not renewing, they are now free to negotiate with non-English clubs about the possibility of reaching a pre-contract agreement. They will become free players on July 1. According to some sources, the problem between The Kop and these stars is mainly financial, all three have a desire to continue contributing.
However, at a time when clubs can buy players at low prices because their contracts are about to expire, it is not easy for Liverpool to keep all three pillars.
Man City are also in a difficult situation with midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian star's contract is about to expire in the summer and he is about to turn 34. The Citizens need to carefully consider extending it because age is a factor affecting De Bruyne's performance.
In addition, they also have to quickly find a replacement for Rodri, and at the same time add personnel to the defense squad which is very thin due to injury.
Bukayo Saka's hamstring injury is also a concern for Arsenal, with the star expected to be sidelined until March. After two consecutive runners-up finishes, the Gunners are full of ambition in the title race. Building a deeper squad is a must if they are to get closer to their first English title in more than 20 years.
As for Tottenham, all four of their best defenders, including Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies, are injured. That is also the reason why Spurs' results have been worse in the past month. If they want to return to the top 4 race, they should participate in the winter transfer window to improve the situation.
