Lampard and Eriksen return
The January sales are over and the Premier League returns to action this weekend with several clubs bolstered by new additions during the transfer window.
As the window slammed shut on Monday evening (Jan
31), there was a flurry of activ
ity that saw not only playing personnel heading to pastures
new as Everton confirmed Frank Lampard as their new manager.
“It is a huge honour for me to represent and manage a club the size and tradition of
Everton Football Club,” said Lampard. “I’m very hungry to get started.”
He wasted no time in bringing in fresh talent with Donny Van de Beek joining on
loan from Manchester United and Dele Alli arriving on a free transfer from Tottenham.
Amid all the frantic dealings, the most heart warming news was Christian Eriksen signing for Brentford on a short-term deal until the end of
the season. The Dane suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch while playing for his country at Euro 2020 last June and it was feared he would never play again.
The 29-year-old left Inter Milan in December by mutual
consent as implantable cardio
verter defibrillators are not permitted in Italian football.
However, there are no such
limitations in the Premier League, allowing Eriksen to return to England, where he previously spent nearly seven years with Tottenham.
“At his best, Christian has the ability to dictate games of football. I expect him to have an impact in the dressing room and at the training ground,” said Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who worked with Eriksen while in charge of Denmark’s Under-17s earlier
in their careers.
The busiest club during the window was Newcastle United, no great surprise given
that they are now the richest club side in world football but currently find themselves precariously positioned near the relegation trap door.
The long-term plan outlined by the club’s new Saudi owners did not entail life outside of the Premier League
and it is therefore imperative they remain in the top flight. As such, the aquisitions made by manager Eddie Howe seem
sensible and capable of achiev
eing that outcome.
Kieran Trippier is an astute signing, the £15 million (B670mn) defender a regular in the England squad who won La Liga last season at Atletico Madrid and whose game developed greatly under
the wiley tutorship of manager
Diego Simeone. Dan Burn and
Matt Targett will add further defensive strength.
Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes is the kind of defensive midfielder the club has been crying out for and, at £40mn from Lyon, he becomes their joint record signing.
Chris Wood might not be a head-turning arrival but he has consistently delivered double-digit hauls for Burnley
in recent seasons. Also his depature weakens Burnley who also find themselves in relegation trouble.
In response, Burnley signed Dutch international forward Wout Weghorst from VfL Wolfsburg for a reported £12mn fee.
Elsewhere, Spurs completed the double signings of Swedish international forward
Dejan Kulusevski and Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus after boss Antonio Conte had made it clear in recent weeks that fresh blood was required.
Spurs’ rivals Arsenal had a quiet transfer window with the only notable piece of business
seeing striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang complete his free transfer to Barcelona. He had been marginalised from the squad in recent weeks by manager Mikel Arteta after a series of disciplinary issues.
Aston Villa did their business early in the window, bringing in former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho on loan
from Barcelona and former Everton left back Lucas Digne.
Premier League leaders Manchester City signed forward Julian Alvarez for a reported £14mn, but the Argentine will remain with River Plate on loan until at least July.
Liverpool beat Spurs to the
signature of Porto’s Luis Diaz with the Colombian winger arriving at Anfield for £50mn.
“He is an outstanding player and someone we’ve been tracking for a very long time,” said Reds’ manager Jurgen Klopp.