Transfers

Gonzalez joins Porto from Barcelona in €8.5m deal

Porto have completed the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Barcelona in a deal worth €8.5million.

The 21-year-old midfielder has signed a five-year contract to keep him at the club until 2028.

Barcelona have inserted a €30million buy-back clause into the deal, which is active until the summer of 2025. A sell-on clause has also been included, with Barcelona entitled to 40 per cent of any future sale.

Gonzalez, a graduate from La Masia, broke into the Barcelona first-team alongside Gavi in 2021 before spending the 2022-23 season on loan at Valencia, featuring 26 times in La Liga.

He was one of the candidates to take over the holding midfield role at Barcelona left vacant by the departure of Sergio Busquets this summer. However, Xavi did not trust Gonzalez in this position and preferred him in a more advanced role where there was not room for him in the squad due to Barcelona’s depth of options.

Before embarking on their pre-season tour of the United States, Xavi and Gonzalez had an internal meeting where the forward was informed that he was not going to have an important role to play this season and was advised to look elsewhere for regular first-team football.

Upon signing for Porto, Gonzalez said: “I can’t be more excited to start playing here. Since the rumours appeared, everyone has spoken well of FC Porto. I had some Portuguese teammates who spoke very well and everyone created great expectations for the club.

“I really want to meet everyone, especially Pepe, who is a great example and from whom I can learn a lot. I can promise the fans a lot of sacrifice and a lot of work on the field, but above all that I will fight to give them titles.”

Transfers

Chelsea sign Mathis Amougou from St Etienne for €15 Million

Chelsea have completed the signing of 19-year-old midfielder Mathis Amougou from French Ligue 1 side St Etienne for a fee of €15 million.

Amougou, who is regarded as a highly promising talent, has signed an eight-year contract with the Blues. However, the midfielder is expected to be sent on loan to Strasbourg for the upcoming season, with plans for a return to Chelsea in 2026.

The transfer was confirmed by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on his official X handle, stating:
“Officially confirmed. Mathis Amougou joins Chelsea as a talented 19-year-old midfielder from St Etienne, costing a €15m package. Contract valid for the next 8 years. Amougou will be part of the Chelsea team, then set to go on loan to Strasbourg next season and back in 2026.”

Chelsea fans will be eager to see how Amougou develops during his time at Strasbourg before making his return to Stamford Bridge in the future.

Transfers

Mikel criticizes Chelsea’s January transfer decisions

Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has voiced his concerns over Chelsea’s failure to strengthen two critical areas during the January transfer window.

Despite a strong start under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s form has dipped, winning only three of their last nine matches across all competitions.

The Blues now sit fourth in the Premier League, 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Fans and analysts identified the need for reinforcements in two key positions—goalkeeper and striker. Robert Sánchez has been error-prone, topping the list for mistakes leading to goals this season. Meanwhile, Nicolas Jackson has endured a goal drought, failing to score in his last eight games.

Speaking on his podcast, Mikel highlighted the missed opportunity: “For me, that’s something we’re crying out for. We need another top striker. The window is shut, unfortunately, and now we can’t bring anyone in.”

He added: “We didn’t bring in a striker, we didn’t bring in a goalkeeper. That’s another window shut without us making the signings we think are going to help us finish in the top four.”

With the transfer window closed, Chelsea must rely on their existing squad to regain form and push for a top-four finish. The spotlight remains on Maresca to navigate these challenges as the season progresses.

Transfers

Joao Felix joins AC Milan on loan from Chelsea

Portuguese forward Joao Felix has completed a loan move to AC Milan from Chelsea until the end of the season.

Milan secured the services of the 25-year-old for a £5 million loan fee, with no obligation to buy. Although the transfer was only officially announced on Tuesday, all necessary paperwork was completed ahead of Monday’s Serie A and Premier League transfer deadlines.

Felix joined Chelsea permanently for £45 million in August after a previous loan spell during the 2022-23 season. Despite signing a seven-year contract, he struggled for consistent game time this campaign, starting only three Premier League matches but scoring seven goals across cup competitions.

The deal was part of a unique player exchange between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, with Chelsea academy graduate Conor Gallagher moving to Spain for £33 million. Chelsea’s attempt to sign Atletico striker Samu Omorodion fell through, and Felix’s loan move seemingly facilitated Atletico’s finances for the Gallagher transfer.

Felix, who began his career at Benfica before moving to Atletico Madrid for £113 million in 2019 — one of the most expensive transfers in football history — also had a loan stint at Barcelona during the 2023-24 season.

AC Milan, currently eighth in Serie A, will be hoping Felix can bolster their attacking options as they face Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on Wednesday. The Rossoneri also have a crucial two-legged Champions League play-off against Feyenoord this month.