Ziyech’s cheating, Vitinha at OM, Jorginho… a crazy last day in this winter transfer market
Open since 1 January, the winter transfer market closed on Tuesday evening. Several clubs, such as OM or PSG, have been waiting for this last stretch to finalize their files.
• OM maintain their important transfer up front with Vitinha
Having already completed the arrivals of Ruslan Malinovskiy (Atalanta Bergamo) and Azzedine Ounahi (Angers), Olympique de Marseille struck hard on this last day of the transfer window by offering the services of promising striker Vitinha. The 22-year-old Portuguese arrives from Braga and joins the Marseille club until June 2027. According to our information, the transfer amount is 32 million euros, including bonuses. If these are revoked, Vitinha could therefore become the most expensive rookie in OM history ahead of Dimitri Payet, bought for just over €29m in January 2017.
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In the past few hours, OM had reached an agreement with the Portuguese forward, who wanted to come to Marseille even if it meant reject offers from England. Braga will also recover 10% of a Vitinha resale and have even reserved a buy-out option for him. This buyout “clause”, which amounts to 60 million euros, only applies to the Lusitanian team. From his full name Vítor Manuel Carvalho Oliveira, Vitinha thus strengthens the offensive sector of Marseille after the departures of Bamba Dieng (Lorient) and Luis Suarez (Almeria).
• PSG waiting for Ziyech after Chelsea’s incredible mistake
In this home stretch, no row will have been easy for Paris Saint-Germain. While Milan Skriniar, who has already agreed to come to the Capital this summer, will finally stay at Inter for the season finale, the loan arrival of Hakim Ziyech seemed to be completed by the Parisian managers at the end of the evening. In bankruptcy in the Cherki case, retained by OL, the Ile-de-France club had fully negotiated with Chelsea to obtain the arrival of the Moroccan attacking midfielder, on loan with no option to buy until the end of the season. .. but this transfer could finally be canceled!
Chelsea then sent the documents too late to register the transfer. The Blues have repeatedly sent the wrong document. PSG will probably appeal to the LFP tomorrow, citing Chelsea’s inconsistency.
A way out found in Navas by PSG
Another dossier closed on the wire by PSG, but this time very valid, that of Keylor Navas. As indicated by Fabrizio Romano, and confirmed by RMC Sport, the Parisian club and Nottingham Forest have reached an agreement for the loan of the Costa Rican goalkeeper. The latter had also found an agreement with the club promoted to the Premier League. Navas flew to England on Tuesday evening. Sergio Rico will now be Gianluigi Donnarumma’s replacement at PSG.
• OL gain strength in attack with the arrival of Jeffinho
After losing Jeff Reine-Adélaïde (Troyes), Karl Toko Ekambi (Rennes), Romain Faivre (Lorient) and Tetê (Leicester), Lyon were forced to strengthen up front. Now it’s done. Although they had already signed up Amin Sarr (21) from Heerenveen (Netherlands), the Rhone club has added a new offensive element to its manpower in the person of Jeffinho.
The 23-year-old Brazilian striker leaves Botafogo, a club also owned by John Textor, and joins OL until 2027. The transfer fee is 10 million euros, plus 2.5 million bonuses. In Lyon, Jeffinho will have his first experience in Europe. The right-footed player, who mainly plays on the left wing, has played in 24 league games this season, for two goals and three assists.
• Jorginho leaves Chelsea to sign with rivals Arsenal
By dint of buying players, the Blues, the main animators of this winter market, had to end up making room for themselves. In hard Chelsea, where despite 25 appearances he no longer seemed indispensable, Jorginho (31) has signed with London rivals Arsenal until June 2024. The transfer would bring the Blues around 13.5 million euros.
Having arrived at Chelsea in July 2018 at the same time as his Neapolitan mentor, Maurizio Sarri, Jorginho quickly became an indispensable part of the Blues. In four-and-a-half years at Chelsea, the 46-capped Italy international won the Europa League in 2019 before being a major architect of his Champions League crowning in 2021. The same year, with a title with Italy at the Europeans, Jorginho finished third in the Ballon d’Or standings. At Arsenal he comes to strengthen a staff that believes more and more in the crowning in the Premier League.
• Rennes are offering a Tottenham player
Stade Rennais have struggled to find a replacement for captain Hamari Traoré, who has suffered a torn calf and is expected to be out until mid-March. In the final hours of this transfer window, the Reds and Blacks have set their sights on Djed Spence, a 22-year-old English right-back who plays for Tottenham.
Used very little this season by Antonio Conte, the promising player arrives in Brittany to save time and show off. He is on loan until the end of the season.
