NEW DELHI: The January transfer deadline day in the Premier League witnessed subdued activity, with Crystal Palace's move for Blackburn teenager Adam Wharton headlining the day. Aston Villa also made a notable signing by bringing in Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough.
Wharton, an England under-20 international, joined Crystal Palace on a five-and-a-half-year deal for an initial reported fee of £18 million ($23 million), potentially rising to £22 million. The 19-year-old, having impressed during his 51 appearances for Blackburn, aims to follow the footsteps of successful Championship graduates at Selhurst Park, such as Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.
Villa bolstered their attacking options with the acquisition of 21-year-old Rogers from Middlesbrough. The forward, who arrived at Middlesbrough in July from Manchester City, scored seven goals in 33 appearances during his time on Teesside.
In other notable moves, Burnley focused on defensive reinforcements, securing loan deals for Maxime Esteve and Lorenz Assignon as they battle for survival in the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest, facing potential points penalties for financial rule breaches, made moves to strengthen their squad. Goalkeeper Matz Sels joined from Strasbourg for £5 million, while Portuguese teenager Rodrigo Ribeiro arrived on loan from Sporting Lisbon.
Bournemouth secured the loan signing of Turkish international striker Enes Unal from Getafe, with an obligation to buy for a reported £14 million at the end of the season. Chelsea's Armando Broja is set to join Fulham on loan for the rest of the season.
Despite initial speculation, Tottenham's interest in Conor Gallagher did not materialize, contributing to a generally quiet transfer deadline day. The lack of blockbuster moves is in line with a reserved January transfer window for Premier League clubs, a departure from the record spending seen just 12 months ago. The collective outlay this time is expected to be less than £100 million.
The recent 10-point deduction handed to Everton for breaching profit and sustainability rules serves as a reminder of the Premier League's commitment to enforcing spending regulations.
Clubs are allowed to lose £105 million over a three-year assessment period, influencing Newcastle's approach as they consider potential sales after significant investment since the Saudi-backed takeover in October 2021.
Title challengers Liverpool and Arsenal opted not to make any signings, while champions Manchester City's sole move was for Argentine teenager Claudio Echeverri, who was promptly loaned back to River Plate.
(With inputs from AFP)
