Joao Félix and Memphis Depay star in a winter market with little movement

MADRID, 1 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The winter 2023 transfer market closed this Tuesday with the transfer of Memphis Depay from Barcelona to Atlético de Madrid, the departures of Joao Félix, Matheus Cunha and Alex Moreno to English football or returns like that of Bryan Gil, as the main novelties from a window with less movement than usual and without reinforcements for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The Portuguese attacker was one of the first outings of the entire winter market in Spain. Atlético de Madrid reached an agreement with Chelsea for the loan of the attacker until the end of the season, motivated in part by the lack of continuity and the failure to adapt to a style of play that is very characteristic of Diego Pablo Simeone.

This, added to the departure of Matheus Cunha to Wolverhampton, forced the mattress team to look for a reference striker on the market. Thus, the Dutchman Memphis Depay was chosen by the board to cover the casualties. After reaching an agreement with Barcelona, ​​the international joined the rojiblanca discipline, where he has already played three games.

In addition, the departure of Felipe to Nottingham Forest and the arrival of Matt Doherty from Tottenham to be Molina's substitute were the last moves of the mattress team, which also announced the renewal of youth squad player Pablo Barrios, becoming part of the discipline of the first team.

Calmer was the Real Madrid market, which, following the usual trend of this transfer window in recent years, did not make any additions. The last reinforcement that is remembered during the month of January was the arrival of the Brazilian footballer Reinier Jesus in the 2019/2020 season, a player who currently plays on loan at Girona.

Even so, it is worth noting the signing, although it was already announced in December, of the Carioca striker from Palmeiras Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa, 16, who will join the white team in July 2024, when he reaches the age of majority.

For its part, FC Barcelona also experienced a transfer market with little movement, where it is worth noting the departure of the Spanish full-back Hector Bellerín towards Sporting de Portugal. The lack of minutes for the culé youth squad, who only played seven official matches after signing in the summer, put him on the starting ramp during this month of January.

The group directed by Xavi Hernández, motivated in large part by the tight financial limit that it currently has, could not go out on the market in search of some reinforcement to improve the current squad. Despite the Catalan coach's requests and the rumors about the arrival of players like Sofyan Amrabat or a right-back, there have been no more movements in the Camp Barça offices.

Even so, the leader of LaLiga Santander managed to renew Marcos Alonso and was able to register Pablo Páez Gavira 'Gavi' as a first-team player, after the ruling issued this Tuesday by Commercial Court number 10 of Barcelona that will be appealed by The league.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS IN SEVILLA

Meanwhile, with Valencia without strengthening despite its delicate situation, Sevilla, forced by the bad first part of the season, resorted to the winter transfer window to reinforce itself in almost all positions with the transfers of the French center-back Loïc Badé (Rennes) and midfielder Pape Gueye (Olympique de Marseille), and the return of Lucas Ocampos from Ajax and Bryan Gil from Tottenham.

The Sevillian team also released some important players such as Isco, who on Tuesday saw his transfer to Union Berlin frustrated after negotiations broke down at the last minute for not respecting the agreed agreement, as well as the transfer to Hoffenheim of the Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney and the departure of his compatriot Kasper Dolberg. The promising youth squad José Ángel Carmona headed for Elche.

In this chapter of casualties, Real Betis also played an important role with the departure of Álex Moreno to Aston Villa. The Verdiblanco team was forced to let out one of its reference players on the right wing after the team led by Unai Emery will pay the termination clause of the left-back.

Besides, the Villarreal also saw affected by the exit of some of the most habitual players in the eleven of Quique Setién. The departure of Gerónimo Rulli, starting goalkeeper, to Ajax, added to the loan of Dutch striker Arnaut Danjuma to Tottenham until the end of the season, left an important void in two positions that have not been reinforced.

Finally, it is also worth noting Espanyol, one of the countries that has moved the most with the arrival, above all, of Denis Suárez after the termination of his contract with Celta. In addition, the Catalan team was reinforced in defense with the Mexican César Montes and the Frenchman Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel, in the midfield with the U-21 international José Gragera and in goal with Fernando Pacheco.

Cádiz also moved a lot, with the additions of Gonzalo Escalante, Roger Martí, Jorge Meré, Sergi Guardiola and Chris Ramos, while Almería managed to get Colombian striker Luis Suárez and Getafe once again bet on midfielder Gonzalo Villar, who returned again from Rome.