LOAN moves were the story of the 2021 January transfer window, as clubs across the world struggle for cash during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But there were a smattering of big permanent deals to be had.
Some clubs still splashed out despite Covid-19
There wasn’t quite the drama of Fernando Torres’ £50million move to Chelsea, nor the transformative £75m Liverpool switch for Virgil van Dijk.
Teams instead sought to invest more conservatively, while still desperately trying to improve their squads ahead of a jam-packed schedule in the coming weeks.
Let’s take a look at the ten biggest-money deals of the past month.
Amad Diallo – Atalanta to Man United – £37m
Amad Diallo joined United for a fee rising to £37mCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Manchester United had been chasing a right winger for months, having spent last summer fawning over Borussia Dortmund sensation Jadon Sancho.
And while that deal remains on the agenda somewhere down the line, the Red Devils opted to recruit another rising star in that position, in the shape of Amad Diallo.
The Ivorian, 19, had made fleeting appearances for Atalanta – enough to prompt United to agree a deal potentially rising to £37m to secure his signature.
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Said Benrahma – Brentford to West Ham £20.8m
Benrahma initially joined the Hammers on loan last summerCredit: Rex Features
West Ham initially grabbed the signing of Brentford star Said Benrahma on loan back in October.
And with the Algerian having provided a spark for David Moyes’ high-flying Hammers, it seemed a no-brainer to make the move permanent for more than £20m.
The next step for the 25-year-old? Adding goals. Having notched 17 last season in the second tier, Benrahma is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League.
Sebastien Haller – West Ham to Ajax £20.25m
Seb Haller swapped East London for AmsterdamCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The Hammers were able to splash the cash for Benrahma, having just received a similar amount from Ajax for Sebastien Haller.
Ivory Coast international Haller, 26, had arrived for £40m from Eintracht Frankfurt with high expectations back in 2019, but struggled to fully deliver on his price tag.
West Ham couldn’t find a replacement, however, and will be heavily reliant on Michail Antonio for goals.
Dominik Szoboszlai – RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig £18m
The Hungarian remains under the Red Bull umbrellaCredit: EPA
Hungarian prodigy Dominik Szoboszlai had been the talk of Europe, after his stunning performances for RB Salzburg.
The 20-year-old attacking midfielder scored nine goals and provided 11 assists for the Austrian side in the first half of this season, drawing attention from the likes of Arsenal.
It was Salzburg’s sister club RB Leipzig that won the race, however, landing themselves what looks like a bargain at £18m.
Krepin Diatta – Club Brugge to AS Monaco – £18m
Diatta, 21, will hope to make a quick impact at MonacoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Krepin Diatta may be little known on these shores, but those in the know would tell you he’s a talent worth paying attention to.
The mazy dribbler, 21, bagged 10 goals in 19 league outings for Club Brugge earlier this term, while also gaining valuable Champions League experience.
AS Monaco will be hoping that he can further develop in Ligue 1, dubbed ‘The League of Talents’.
Nicolo Rovella – Genoa to Juventus – £16.2m
Teenager Rovella recently featured against Juve for GenoaCredit: Sportphoto24/Marco Canoniero
Juventus have dominated Serie A for a decade, seemingly always staying one step ahead of their rivals.
And while this season has been a struggle by their standards, they appear to have unearthed a gem for the next one.
Tough-tackling midfielder Nicolo Rovella, 19, will arrive in the summer after showing promise for Genoa this term.
Morgan Sanson – Marseille to Aston Villa – £15.5m
Sanson could make a big impact at VillaCredit: Eddie Keogh Telegraph Media Group
Aston Villa have been superb this season, after getting their recruitment spot on last summer while shaking off their final-day relegation scare last time out.
Additions like Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley have helped transform Dean Smith’s side, and the former Brentford boss isn’t done there.
Highly-rated French midfielder Morgan Sanson can provide the latest piece of the puzzle – with his departure contributing to Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas’ decision to resign following Deadline Day.
Paulinho – Braga to Sporting Lisbon £14.4m
Paulinho will hope to acquaint himself with his new fans as soon as possibleCredit: EPA
Sporting Lisbon raided their fellow Liga NOS side to bolster their front-line last month.
The Portuguese giants are chasing a league title, and currently sit four points clear at the top of the table.
Paulinho, 28, bagged 10 goals for Braga in the first half of the campaign.
Pedro – Fiorentina to Flamengo £12.6m
Pedro has made his return to Brazil permanentCredit: Reuters
Brazilian Pedro, 23, was snapped up by Fiorentina in 2019 after showing immense promise in his homeland.
After just four appearances in Serie A, however, the striker was deemed surplus to requirements and shunted back to Brazil.
The skilful forward has picked up where he left off upon his return, bagging 14 goals this season and making the move permanent.
Dennis Man – Steaua Bucharest to Parma £11.7m
Dennis Man wowed fans in Romania for SteauaCredit: Getty – Contributor
Talented winger Dennis Man took the step to one of Europe’s top five leagues last month.
The 22-year-old had long since established himself as a star in Romania, scoring 17 goals in 20 games from wide this season.
Parma will hope that this stunning goalscoring ability translates to the big time.
Red Bull Salzburg star Dominik Szoboszlai shows off his incredible football skills
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
