FOOTBALL'S WINTER TRANSFER 2026 RECAP!

Written by Solly Marcus 28/01/2026

Winter Transfer Window Recap: Deals Done and Deadline-Day Rumors

Solly Marcus

With the winter transfer window coming to a close, now is a good time to take a look at all of the big-name moves and last-minute surprise deals. Some of the most talented wonderkids in world football have headed to France to gain experience and playing time. Meanwhile, major Premier League clubs have been strengthening their squads to push for trophies. This window has already offered plenty of excitement, with a few last-minute moves still possible.

Biggest signings:

The biggest signing of this transfer window so far has been the £65 million signing of Antoine Semenyo, who has scored 12 goals in 20 Premier League appearances this season. The Ghanaian professional footballer has been on fire this season, playing as a winger for English side AFC Bournemouth since 2023. The 26 year old forward has attracted talent from top Premier League clubs, ultimately choosing Manchester City as his ideal destination.

The second biggest transfer of the winter window thus far has been another one from Manchester City. A £20 million offer was accepted by Crystal Palace to allow the transfer of England national team player Marc Guehi to make this move. Having already played his first game in sky blue, Guehi immediately impressed fans, completing the most passes than any other player who played this past weekend.

Returning to FC Barcelona for the second time on another loan, Portuguese international player João Cancelo makes the move from the Saudi Pro League to Spain. Cancelo is one of Europe’s most experienced attacking full-backs, which should provide Barcelona with a reinforced defence, especially with the injuries they have experienced to their back line.

UNEXPECTED MOVES:

The first of the unexpected moves made this window was from the very player who scored the winner in Tottenham Hotspur's memorable 1-0 win in the 2025 Europa League final against Manchester United, ending their 17-year trophy drought. Ironically, Brennan Johnson will now play for Crystal Palace, a team which also finally overcame a major trophy drought in 2025 after defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup Final, winning their first trophy in their 120 year history. Palace paid a £35 million club record fee for the Welsh attacker.

The second unexpected transfer came when former Chelsea player Conor Gallagher made the surprise move from Madrid back to London, but now playing in black and white for Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham and Atletico Madrid agreed on a €40 million deal. This deal came to fruition after Gallagher struggled to get regular starts in La Liga this season. The England international player will help provide leadership and a goal threat to help Tottenham improve from their lackluster first half in the Premier League season.

RISING STARS ON THE MOVE:

The 19-year old Brazilian wonderkid striker Endrick has made the move on loan from Real Madrid to Olympique Lyonnais in France. Endrick has been one of the most exciting young talents in world football, but unfortunately struggled for regular playing time as he was playing behind World Cup winning striker Kylian Mbappe. Already, Endrick has been able to display his talents by becoming the youngest player in Lyon history to score a hattrick in a match in Ligue 1 this past weekend.

Following a similar path, 18-year old Arsenal academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri has made the move to France, joining Olympique Marseille on loan until the end of this season. Similar to Endrick, Nwaneri could not compete for regular minutes behind the world-class Arsenal attacking options, so this move should provide him with an opportunity to show his talents and improve through match experience. Already, Nwaneri has scored on his debut with Marseille, showing that this loan is most likely going to be crucial for his development.

deadline - day rumors:

Deadline-day whispers are heating up: Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a shock loan move for Douglas Luiz, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest from Juventus. If completed, this move could provide the Blues with an extra option in the midfield ahead of a busy run of domestic and European fixtures.

Staying in England, veteran Liverpool defender and Captain of Scotland’s national team Andy Robertson has been linked to a loan to fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs plan to boost their left-back options after injuries in that position.

With just days left in the transfer window, clubs must act quickly or stick with their current squads for the remainder of the 2025/2026 season. Every signing could influence who lifts silverware across Europe’s top leagues.

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