Premier League clubs re-focus
LONDON — Premier League managers are turning their focus back onto the pitch after a frantic January transfer window as the top clubs jostle for Champions’ League positions and struggling sides battle to secure safety.
Clubs spent a record £430 million last month — nearly double the previous record of £225 million, according to accountancy firm Deloitte’s.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s arrival headlines major changes at Arsenal, Manchester United beat local rivals Manchester City to the signing of Alexis Sanchez and Virgil Van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte became the two most expensive defenders in history after joining Liverpool and City.
New-look Arsenal Arsenal departed from their usual cautious transfer policy, bringing in Aubameyang (56 million) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United in exchange for Sanchez, who had just six months left on his contract.
Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang will be looking to recreate the deadly partnership they formed in three years together at Dortmund, where the prolific Gabon striker netted 141 goals in 213 games, in a new-look frontline that raises questions over the future of Alexandre Lacazette, signed for a then club-record fee just six months ago.
Just as crucial to Arsenal’s prospects was tying down playmaker Mesut Ozil to a bumper new three-and-a-half year contract on deadline day.
A fresh outlook on the field is reflected off it. The signing of two former Dortmund stars hints at wider changes at the club hot on the heels of the appointment of new chief scout Sven Mislintat, who also brought both players to the German giants in 2013.
Mislintat will soon be joined by former Barcelona director of football Raul Sanllehi as the club’s new head of football relations, suggesting Arsene Wenger’s grip on power may be weakening after more than two decades at