Here’s a look at the FPL January transfer window. We look at the main deals for players coming into the premier league and give some basic stats and their prospects
FPL January transfer window – new player profile summaries of deals to date
First here’s a link to the Guardians January transfer window deals done. It’s a good summary of what’s going on
Takumi Minamino – Red Bull Salzburg to Liverpool £7.3m transfer fee
A £6.5m midfielder in FPL.
He’s a 5 foot 9 inch 25 yo Japanese International who to date has just played 70 minutes in the FA Cup v Everton and then 67 minutes v Wolves in the PL after Mane was injured. He can play anywhere along the front 3 or as an AM. I think he’s most likely bought to be a replicate cover for Firmino as the player he’s most similar to in terms of dropping into midfield like Firmino can do. However he’s versatile enough to cover any of the front 3.
In 19/20 he’s started 11 games plus 3 as sub in the Austrian league for 5 goals and 6 assists for a goal or assist every 83 minutes which is incredibly impressive although the league is obviously a completely different standard.
In 18/19 he started 19 games plus 8 as sub for 6 goals and 6 assists at a goal or assist every 145 minutes which is far less notable.
Liverpool have been fantastic this season with their front 3 being unbelievably good and are rightly huge favourites to win the league. The injury to Mane in the Wolves game, which has yet to be given a time frame, does potentially give Minamino some gametime in the short term as he was the sub for Mane ahead of Origi. Needs monitoring.
Pepe Reina – Milan to Aston Villa loan
A £4.5m GK in FPL
Drafted in on loan after the season ending injury to Tom Heaton. The 37 yo former Liverpool GK is experienced but played little for Milan over the last 2 seasons. In fact it’s only 7 appearances in Serie A in 19/20 and 18/19. He’s played 38 games for Spain over the years. However his experience and professionalism will help the Villa team in an inevitable relegation battle
He’s started 2 Premier League games for Villa.
Their defence isn’t hugely attractive though to warrant investment and Targett’s attacking potential at LB for £4.4m would make more sense anyway.
Gedson Fernandes – Benfica to Tottenham Hotspur loan
A £5.0m Mid in FPL
A 5 foot 10 inch 21 year old Portugese International who can play all the midfield positions. He’s played 2 games for Portugal and 5 for their under 21’s
In 19/20 he has started 2 games for Benfica and 5 sub appearances without a goal or assist. In 18/19 he started 11 games plus 11 as a sub for 3 assists at a goal or assist every 346 minutes. These are pretty unimpressive stats.
To date he’s made 2 PL sub appearances for 25 minutes
There is an option to buy so I’m assuming this is a longer term investment as he’s come into a pretty crowded, if injury effected, position for Spurs. Can’t see much gametime here
This article is a good analysis
Ignacio Pussetto – Udinese to Watford transfer fee £6.8m
A £5.0m Mid in FPL
A 5 foot 11 inch 24 year old Argentine CF/RW/RM. Has no International experience
In 19/20 he started 2 games plus 5 as sub for 1 goal in 333 minutes on the pitch. In 18/19 it was there was more gametime with 24 starts plus 11 as sub for 4 goals and 5 assists at a goal or assist every 242 minutes. None of those are particularly impressive stats
He’s played 1 game for 16 minutes where he is famous for clearing off the line v Spurs with his first touch.
Again given the options at Watford gametime looks a little unlikely and the cheap fee looks like it’s just a punt by the club
Mbwana Samatta – Genk to Aston Villa transfer fee £8.5m
Not in FPL at the moment
A 6 foot 27 year old Tanzanian CF who’s played 51 times for Tanzania
In 19/20 he started 17 games for Genk plus 3 as sub for 7 goals and 0 assists for a goal or assist every 224 minutes. In 18/19 he started 36 games plus 2 as sub for 23 goals plus 5 assists for a goal or assist every 114 minutes. The 18/19 stats are very good the 19/20 less so. He seems similar to Wesley from this analysis
As yet he hasn’t featured for Villa. At the moment they are playing El Ghazi as a forward.
With Wesley out for the season and Kodja having left the club he pretty much looks like the only option unless they persist with El Ghazi as a CF.
Needs monitoring.
Ondrej Duda – Hertha Berlin to Norwich City loan
Duda is a£5.0m midfielder in FPL.
A 6 foot 25 year old Slovakian AM/CM who’s played 36 times for Slovakia
In 19/20 for Hertha he’s started 7 games plus 1 as sub for 2 assists at a goal or assist every 270 minutes. in 18/19 it was 30 starts plus 2 as sub for 11 goals and 6 assists at a goal or assist every 151 minutes. The 18/19 season certainly shows potential
So far for Norwich he’s started 2 games and having got an assist in the first.
Gametime needs monitoring as there is competition for the attacking midfield 3. Buendia should always start after that it’s difficult to assess. Cantwell has started the last 4 but with Stiepermann, Hernandez, Rupp making it 4 players competing for 2 places it’s a hard one to predict.
Lukas Rupp – Hoffenheim to Norwich City transfer fee undisclosed
Rupp is a £4.5m Mid in FPL
A 5 foot 10 29 year old AM/CM German who has played 7 times for the German under 20 team
In 19/20 he started 4 games plus 3 as sub without a goal or assist in 340 minutes. In 18/19 he played 1 game again without a return.
He’s started 1 game for Norwich without a return.
The above for Duda is relevant for Rupp but given the stats he seems less likely to be a factor for Norwich
Other deals in short
João Pedro – Fluminense to Watford £3.6m
An 18 year old Brazilian not in FPL as I write this. A hope to make some cash
Nabil Bentaleb – Schalke 04 to Newcastle United loan
Former Spurs CM. Not in FPL at the moment. Doesn’t seem to have a goal or assist record to warrant FPL interest plus alot of CMs at Newcastle.
Jack Rodwell – Free agent to Sheffield United free
£4.5m Mid in FPL. A CDM who scored 1 goal in 1440 minutes for Blackburn last season. Another Ravel Morrison type experiment
Joe Hardy, Jarrad Branthwaite, Scott Banks
3 young players for Liverpool, Everton and Palace not in FPL who like like longer term investments who won’t be near the first team in the near future
Darren Randolph and Danny Drinkwater
A GK and CM for West Ham and Villa who FPL managers should be familiar with. Randolph should be short term with Fabianski apparently back relatively soon. Drinkwater is a £4.4m CDM who was successful at Leicester in 15/16 but in the 2 seasons after that got 2 goals and an assist in 3,000 minutes.
That’s it. Hope you found it useful. I will try and do one after the window closes
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