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Live Deadline Day updates: Premier League transfers and the PFF metrics to know

2M5D0K5 London, England, 27th December 2022. Jorginho of Chelsea during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture credit should read: Paul Terry / Sportimage

Welcome to PFF's live blog for the January transfer deadline day.

As of 11 pm GMT (6 pm ET, 3 pm PT) on Jan. 31, Premier League teams, along with the EFL and La Liga, will see the current transfer window shut with deals for contracted players no longer permitted after today.

Here, we will bring you official announcements of transfers along with the data metrics to know about each player, as well as the moves rumored to be in the works before the deadline is reached.


Deal close: LA Galaxy defender Julián Araujo close to getting move to Barcelona (11:03 GMT)

Barcelona are close to confirming the signing of Julián Araujo from LA Galaxy, with just approval from MLS needed.

The exit of Hector Bellerin to Sporting Lisbon has paved the way for Araujo to join the ranks at the Camp Nou for a deal worth £4m ($7m).

Araujo impressed for the Galaxy this past season, ranking in the top-10 among full backs in MLS in: aerial duel grade (85.6 – 2nd), passing grade (79.9 – 2nd), crossing grade (74.4 – 6th)


Done deal: Hakim Ziyech to move to PSG on loan (22:49 GMT)

PSG have reached an agreement to sign Hakim Ziyech on loan until the end of the season from Chelsea. The deal, not yet ratified, will include a fee but no option to buy.

Interest in the Moroccan stretched across Europe, with AC Milan, Roma, RB Leipzig and a number of Premier League clubs all chasing Ziyech according to The Athletic's David Ornstein.

Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech will move to PSG on loan
Picture: Craig Thomas/News Images)

Ziyech has produced a 78.8 PFF crossing grade this season, 21st among all players in the Premier League. He hasn't impressed as much as a passer, with his 63.1 PFF passing grade ranking 201st.

Chelsea's frenzied January transfer window looks set to end with Jorginho, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Ziyech all leaving the club.


Fee agreed: Chelsea deal for Enzo Fernández edges closer (22:31 GMT)

Fabrizio Romano is reporting Chelsea and Benfica are finally in agreement over a fee for midfielder Enzo Fernández and are now rushing to get all documents signed before the end of the window.

Fernandez has been a top target for Chelsea since starring for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he produced a 77.8 PFF challenge grade, 9th among all central midfielders at the tournament.


Done deal: Nottingham Forest land Keylor Navas on loan (22:26 GMT)

Nottingham Forest are close to announcing the arrival of Keylor Navas on loan from Paris Saint-Germain until the end of the season.

With playing time with the reigning French champions an issue, this will allow Navas to get plenty of minutes in a Premier League as Forest battle to ensure their survival.

Navas produced a 56.8 PFF shot-stopping grade at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the third-lowest among goalkeepers to face 15 or more shots.


Confirmation: Chelsea sell Jorginho to Arsenal for £12m (20:40 GMT

Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has completed a switch to London rivals Arsenal for a fee of £12m ($14.8m).

The Brazilian has signed a contract running to 2024, with the option of an additional year, to end a near five-year stay at Chelsea.

Arsenal had ramped up their search for a midfielder following a knee injury to Mohamed Elneny which requires surgery. It has been a position Arsenal have wanted to strengthen in recent windows, evidenced by the two bids of more than £60m ($74m) the club submitted for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo late last week.

But with Brighton's warding off any interest in Caicedo, Arsenal have now landed Jorginho.


Transfer window closes in Italy: Roma sign Leeds defender Diego Llorente (19:15 GMT)

The transfer window is now closed for Italian clubs with Roma being active on Deadline Day, signing Leeds United defender Diego Llorente on loan until the end of the season.

The arrival of Max Weber at Leeds had squeezed Llorente further down the pecking order at Elland Road, but his move to the Italian capital comes with an option-to-buy clause available to Roma.

Llorente's challenge grade of 72.7 in the Premier League this season ranks 49th out of 92 defenders.

Leeds United defender Diego Llorente
Picture: Mark Cosgrove/News Images LTD/Alamy Live News

Elsewhere, Bournemouth pulled the plug on a £26.4m ($32.5m) deal to sign Roma winger Nicolo Zainolo in preference of recruiting Sassuolo's Hamed Traore instead. This came after Zainolo initially rejected a move to Bournemouth last week.

And Everton's ongoing search for a striker will lie away from Italy now, having missed out on Udinese forward Beto. Reports in Italy suggest the Brazilian is more likely to leave in the summer.


Confirmed: Djed Spence completes loan move to Rennes from Spurs (17:43 GMT)

Spurs have confirmed Djed Spence will link up with fellow defender Joe Rodon at Ligue 1 club Rennes.

Spence starred for Nottingham Forest in their successful campaign in the Championship last season to return to the Premier League after a 23-year wait. His displays on loan at Forest from Middlesbrough earned him a move to Spurs but he has yet to feature regularly under coach Antonio Conte.

Playing time this season has amounted to a mere 26 minutes across four league appearances for Spence, who is expected to not be only right-back to move abroad on deadline day for Spurs.

Matt Doherty is set to complete a loan deal to join Atletico Madrid, the same club where Spurs defender Sergio Reguilon is currently playing.

Doherty ranks 12th out of 57 qualifying defenders with a challenges won per-90 rate of 5.4. That is the best of any full-back for Spurs and better than the average of 4.1 (min. 500 minutes played).


Medical: Enzo Fernández headed for medical as Benfica and Chelsea talks continue (17:21 GMT)

Benfica have given permission for Enzo Fernández to undergo a medical in Portugal ahead of a possible switch to Chelsea.

A fee is yet to be agreed but Fernández has a release clause of £105m ($130m), according to reports. Benfica's approval for a medical to go ahead is an indicator that talks are beginning to progress with the Premier League club.

Enzo Fernandez


Staying put: Host of Premier League clubs fail to meet Chelsea's terms for Gallagher (16:44 GMT)

Conor Gallagher is unlikely to move away from Stamford Bridge this window.

Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton had all held an interest in the England international. But Chelsea have stood firm in not allowing Gallagher to leave, and The Athletic is reporting it would take a significant offer to prise away the 22-year-old from west London.

Gallagher, capped four times by England, has graded out at 69.9 in passing this season for Chelsea. Among the three players he has faced competition from to start in Graham Potter's midfield, Gallagher ranks lowest in completed line-breaking passes per-90 with 1.9. That is far lower than Mateo Kovacic (10.1), Jorginho (6.6) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (4.2).


Fee agreed: Arsenal close to signing Chelsea midfielder Jorginho (14:53 GMT)

Fabrizio Romano reports that Jorginho has completed medical tests and is set to sign for Arsenal. The Chelsea veteran should be a solid addition to the Arsenal midfield — his average of 6.6 completed line-breaking passes per 90 minutes currently ranks seventh among all Premier League central midfielders.

His 85.3 PFF passing grade also ranks seventh, while his 2.1 tackles won per 90 is tied for 27th at the position.

 


Rumor: Manchester United plot emergency move for Marcel Sabitzer to cover injured Eriksen (13:52 GMT)

Christian Eriksen will be out until ‘at least’ late April after sustaining an ankle injury on Saturday in Manchester United’s 3-1 victory against Reading in the FA Cup.

The club released a statement saying: “There is hope that Christian can return in time to play a role in the final stages of the season. While investigations are continuing, initial assessments indicate that Eriksen is likely to be out until late April or early May.”

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Manchester United are looking for a replacement and have made an enquiry to Bayern Munich for Marcel Sabitzer.

Sabitzer’s 76.4 PFF Passing Grade is 11th among all central midfielders in the Bundesliga this season and his 67.0 Shooting Grade ranks 29th out of 76.

Sabitzer has only featured in 39% of available minutes in the Bundesliga this season so a loan move could be beneficial for both parties.


Fee agreed: Leicester to discuss personal terms with Harry Souttar (12:28 GMT)

Leicester have agreed to a £15m fee plus add-ons with Stoke to sign Australian center-back Harry Souttar.

The 24-year-old has been eyeing up a Premier League move after an impressive display at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with the Socceroos. Souttar excelled at the back for Australia and was a key part of a side that ran eventual winners Argentina close in the Round of 16.

He led all center-backs in the tournament with an 89.0 PFF aerial duel grade and won 71% of his aerial duels. He also won 66% of the challenges he was involved in and recorded an 80.3 challenge grade, which was 11th among all center-backs at the World Cup.

In the Championship this season Souttar has won 7.4 challenges per 90, which is the most among any Stoke defender this season. He has also won 66% of his aerial duels (4.8 per 90), which is second among Stoke defenders this season.


Confirmed: João Cancelo completes move to Bayern (11:43GMT)

Bayern Munich have officially announced the loan signing of Manchester City defender João Cancelo on a six-month loan deal.

News of talks between the two European clubs emerged yesterday with Cancelo seemingly out of the picture at the Etihad. Here, we took a look at how Cancelo's season has not reached the highs of a superb 2021-22 campaign.

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