The ‘Davids’ of the market to end the season

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta assured in an interview for EFE that the Barça club’s intention is to try to compensate for the long absence of Gavi by including for the second part of the season a midfielder who could arrive by transfer. , using as an example the operation that closed Juventus 20 years ago to bring in Edgar Davids. As experienced culé fans will recall, the Dutch midfielder went from being marginalized at Juve to a key player at Barça in the second half of the 2003-04 season, Laporta’s first as head of the culé entity. “If we manage to have ‘fair play,’ the idea is to have a midfielder who in some way compensates for the loss of Gavi. It is a loan until the end of the season, as we have done for many years ago at Davids,” he explained. Without involving future operations, where the club already works, this confirmation of the winter market comes with the mission to help the team in the second part of the season. This window is complicated because of its specific characteristics, especially when it involves transition, but there are some names that, given their current condition, can fit that auxiliary function.

RENATO SANCHES

There is no fame in Rome

Renato Sanches (26 years old) was once one of the most promising all-terrain midfielders in Europe. The Portuguese international had an irregular career that, however, did not prevent him from wearing important European football shirts, starting with Benfica, continuing with Bayern and ending with PSG. With a contract until 2027 with the French club, his loan to Roma has not been as fruitful as he had hoped. Even in the recent Bologna-Rome (2-0), he was relieved 18 minutes after entering the field by coach José Mourinho. He has played just 228 minutes so far this season, contributing one goal. Renato Sanches is represented by Jorge Mendes, who is understood to have secured the loan of Joao Cancelo and Joao Félix to Barça.

2

CALVIN PHILLIPS

Juve want him on loan

English international Kalvin Phillips, 28, did not find the path he expected at City when he signed from Leeds to Manchester in 2022 for 55 million euros. The midfielder has a ‘citizen’ contract until 2028 and one way to assess his career and his cachet is to reclaim his role in the elite, after playing just 306 minutes this year (1 goal). The name of Juventus is highlighted to end the season: days ago the operation with the purchase option was almost considered finished, but there was no definite progress. So Barça, who already managed to transfer Cancelo from City last summer, could also try to repeat the request.

3

ANDREY SANTOS

Chelsea is rethinking its future

Andrey Santos is a 19-year-old Brazilian midfielder (1.80 m.) who was on the agenda of FC Barcelona until Chelsea appeared to take him from Vasco da Dama in 2022 in exchange for 12 million euros. With a ‘blue’ contract until 2030, Chelsea loaned him to Norttingham Forest so he could start, but his very limited role (7 minutes in the Premier League) meant Stamford Bridge wanted him back looking for a different solution. Maybe there is a market opportunity there.

4

THOMAS PARTY

A pivot with a physique that looks like it belongs in Arabia

Thomas Partey is a very physical midfielder (1.85) for whom Arsenal paid Atlético 50 million euros in 2020. The Ghanaian midfielder, at 30 years old, has had trouble settling into Mikel Arteta’s current Arsenal team due to untimely damages. The Gunner club, where he has a contract until 2025, wanted to sell him in January, but although the Saudi League and interest from Italian clubs were mentioned as a destination, for now the former colchonero remains in London. This season, he played 341 minutes in 5 games.

5

PIERRE-EMILE HOJBJERG

Expert and now second in Tottenham

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is a well-known Danish international midfielder, 1.85 and 28 years old, who currently plays a secondary role at Tottenham. He has featured in 671 minutes spread across 17 games and since the start of the season has been rumored as a possible destination for a number of clubs outside the Premier League. In September, there was even talk of Atlético de Simeone’s interest in his arrival. He has a contract as a ‘gunner’ until 2025.

6

YANN M’VILA

Without a team, they put him in Marseille and Lyon

This will be the most ‘random’ bet of all. Yann M’Vila is a 33-year-old, 1.82m tall French international with a long resume behind him (Rennais, Rubin Kazan, Sunderland, Inter Milan, Saint Etienne and Olympiakos) but this season he is without a team after leaving the Greek League. RMC linked him with an alleged interest from Atlético a few weeks ago and in recent times there has been interest from Olympique de Marseille and Olympique de Lyon. For the club that wants it, it is a direct negotiation without many obstacles.

7

GRZEGORZ KRYCHOWIAK

The former Sevilla player ends with Abha in 2024

At 33 years old, Grzegorz Krychowiak has had an extensive international career. His best seasons were with Sevilla FC and his 100 caps for Poland (5 goals) speak of his great experience. Although his best afternoons have passed, this season he has very presentable numbers in Saudi Abha, where he played 20 games (1,721 minutes) scoring 3 goals and recording 1 assist. The contract expires in 2024.