The January Transfer Window - 2022

[Szumi]

This would understandably be a huge surprise for MLS. Insigne is still in his prime (albeit at the end of it), coming off a crucial part in winning the Euros, and still playing very well for a title chasing Napoli.

Toronto is also apparently after Belotti from Torino as well.

 

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Celtic have signed three Japanese players "at the peak of their careers" after confirming deals for trio Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi and Reo Hatate.

Midfielders Ideguchi, 25, and Hatate, 24, have signed four-and-a-half-year contracts from Gamba Osaka and Kawasaki Frontale respectively.

Forward Maeda, 24, arrives on loan from Yokohama F Marinos, with the move becoming permanent in the summer.

The trio are expected to arrive in Glasgow in the next few days.

"We are really pleased to bring in these guys to Celtic and I think they are players who will excite our fans," said Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.

"Clearly I am well aware of their attributes and I think in bringing all three to the club we are bringing even more quality, personality and energy to the squad to work with the players who have done so well for us already this season.

"They are all really at the peak of their careers, ambitious to achieve more success and I am sure at this particular time we will be getting their best years."

The trio will join compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi at Celtic, with the 26-year-old forward having made a huge impact since arriving from Vissel Kobe in July with eight goals in his first 14 matches.

 

 

[Lineker]

Brentford have signed former Huddersfield and Everton goalkeeper Jonas Lossl on an initial loan from Danish side Midtjylland. The Bees have an option to make the deal permanent, which would trigger a contract through to the summer of 2023 for the 32-year-old Dane.

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Everton have confirmed the signing of the Dynamo Kyiv defender Vitaliy Mykolenko for an undisclosed fee, with the Ukraine international agreeing a four-and-a-half-year deal. The 22-year-old left-back has won 21 caps for Ukraine and was a key part of Andriy Shevchenko’s team that reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.

Speaking after becoming Rafa Benítez’s sixth signing, Mykolenko said: “Moving to Everton is a big and important step in my life. I am 22 but I don’t feel like a youngster. I have experience of playing at European level and hope I will continue to improve as a player.”

Mykolenko can also operate in central defence and as a wing-back and made his Dynamo debut aged 18, earning his senior international debut one year later. He added: “I like to play on the front foot and get forward when I can. Modern football demands that full-backs are able to attack as well as defend. I think I am a versatile defender who can get up and down the pitch. But I believe desire and commitment are the most important attributes and I will aim to bring those qualities.”

Mykolenko is expected to replace Lucas Digne, who has fallen out of favour with Benítez in recent weeks and has been strongly linked with Brighton and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Benítez has likened Dominic Calvert-Lewin to a new signing as the striker prepares to make his first appearance since August. The England international scored in each of the club’s first three matches of the season but a thigh injury and subsequent setback in his recovery denied the Everton manager his services until now.

There will be a temptation, especially with Richarlison still sidelined by a calf problem, to put Calvert-Lewin in from the start at home to Brighton on Sunday. However, while Benítez is delighted to have last season’s leading scorer back, he has sounded a note of caution about placing too much expectation on him.

“He’s a massive signing for us in the second part of the league,” he said. “Last year the top scorers of this team were not playing this year so, if we bring him back and a few weeks later Richarlison, we have more options there, we can think of the second part totally different. I’ve explained before that one thing is match fitness that you can improve by playing games and the other thing is fitness.

“Fitness-wise he is getting better. Match fitness, we will see. Maybe he scores three goals in the first half and we don’t need to worry about his match fitness, but I think the issue will be how long he can play if he starts the game or, if he comes from the bench, how much impact he can have on the game.

“We are considering all of these things but he is training really well and he is really happy because he is with the team and is ready to play and score goals.”

 

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[Szumi]

MLS making moves!

 

 

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[Adam]

I mean, we do need an answer at right back. This lad is unlikely the immediate answer for now but in time, maybe so. Hope he hits the ground running.

[METALMAN]

Nathan Patterson is a weird one. He was never a regular at Rangers but something just clicked when he played for Scotland. I guess it must be a system thing, because he was still probably one of their better players even if he never played.

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[gunnar hendershow]

What a big get for Toronto. I can't imagine why Insigne wants to come over now while he's still around his prime as a player. Maybe he got the lay of the land in Italy and the rest of Europe and didn't seem to have people lining up to sign him through to 2027.

[Adam]

West Ham are apparently in for a striker named Gabi Goals.

I'm only slightly exaggerating that one.

[Colly]

9 minutes ago, Adam said:

West Ham are apparently in for a striker named Gabi Goals.

I'm only slightly exaggerating that one.

[Hobo]

This is reminding me that, I'm fairly sure, Collins John signed for Fulham around the same time they had John Collins playing for them.

[Colly]

That's just reminded me that I always wanted to find a footballer called John Stern to provide the same function for Stern John.

I've just googled and found out that Stern John and Collins John not only weren't related they weren't even the same nationality. My 2000s football knowledge is ruined.

[Lineker]

Trinidadian and Zambian?

[Adam]

3 hours ago, Hobo said:

This is reminding me that, I'm fairly sure, Collins John signed for Fulham around the same time they had John Collins playing for them.

I do believe they did turn out for Fulham at the same time.

Not as good, but I also like that both James McCarthy and James McArthur played for Hamilton together, then subsequently went to Wigan and played together there at the same time. They're not the same nationality either.