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The January 2022 transfer window came to a close an hour before the end of the month and several clubs secured a number of deals for their targets. While some were over-priced for their own taste, a lot of clubs added quality to their squad and in abundance. Yet some players missed out on penning a deal for a new club.
The January transfer window did not work out well for every player
Fringe players are always demanding more action on the pitch, while others always hope to play for their dream clubs. In fact, with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon, everybody wants to play as much as possible to make it to their national teams. But some will always miss out on a move they hope will be completed as their parent clubs are hesitant to let them go.
On that note, let's take a look at the five players that failed to seal a move in the January transfer window.
#5 Diego Carlos (Sevilla to Newcastle United)
Diego Carlos has been one of the most sought-after defenders in La Liga in the last couple of years. The Brazilian ace joined Sevilla from Nantes in 2019 and was instrumental in their 2020 Europa League triumph. However, he wanted to call it quits at the Spanish club in this year's winter transfer window.
Newcastle United, who became the richest club in the world in October 2021, were ready to spend big in January to stave off relegation this season. They secured a number of transfer coups, including Bruno Guimares and Chris Wood, but had their eye on Carlos too.
Manager Eddie Howe was keen on adding a quality centre-back to the ranks, but Sevilla were not going to let their star leave so easily. The La Liga outfit refused two bids from the Northeast club and played hardball until the last day of the transfer window. Newcastle got the hint and went on to sign Dan Burn from Brighton & Hove Albion instead on deadline day.
Carlos remains at Sevilla despite trying to seal a move to England. It is hard to see whether the 28-year-old ace will receive one last big pay-check before he loses pace in his career.
#4 Alvaro Morata (Juventus to Barcelona)
Alvaro Morata has cut a largely unpleasant figure for over half a decade now. His time at Real Madrid was glorious but since then he has been a shadow of that player.
Chelsea were frustrated with his inconsistencies and Atletico Madrid decided to take the risk and sign the player. But they could not churn the best out of him either and loaned him out to Juventus in the summer of 2020.
The Spaniard has managed to score 55 goals and provide 35 assists in 166 appearances for the club so far but has not been convincing. He has not led the line as expected and has often been outshined by players like Federico Chiesa and Paulo Dybala.
Barcelona were looking to get him back to Spain and help them get back into the Top 4 this season. However, they were only ready to seal a loan move and Atletico did not want him to join another club on a loan deal. The move never panned out and the five-time European champions signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang instead.
Morata is likely to return to Madrid at the end of the season after Juventus brought in Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina this transfer window.
#3 Arthur Melo (Juventus to Arsenal)
The last five years have been something of a roller coaster for Arthur Melo. The Brazilian was touted as one of the best potential talents in world football when Barcelona signed him from Gremio in 2018. But the Spanish let him join Juventus in 2020, with Miralem Pjanic going the other way.
But Massimiliano Allegri is evidently not a fan of the player. He has preferred Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot and Weston McKennie over him in the last 18 months.
Arsenal, who could use a midfielder, were angling to secure a loan move for him in January. The 25-year-old ace is of a good age profile and is useful in possession and transitional play. Mikel Arteta would have liked a midfielder like him to dictate play in the center of the pitch but the two clubs never came to an agreement. Apparently, there was a disagreement over the duration of the loan deal.
Regardless, Arthur might have to wait until at least the summer before he decides to try and jump ship again from the Turin-based club.
#2 Jesse Lingard (Manchester United to Newcastle United/ West Ham United)
Manchester United have dealt in the most puzzling way with Jesse Lingard over the last 18 months. The Englishman performed well on his loan move to West Ham in the second half of last season. He scored nine goals and made five assists in just 16 appearances. Hence, he was promised game-time at the start of the current campaign. He remained at Old Trafford in the summer despite having only a year left on his contract.
But six months later, he has only managed 273 minutes of action across all competitions. Hence the 28-year-old ace was pushing to secure a cut-price deal away from \United in the final days of the January transfer window. Newcastle United and West Ham United were ready to fight for his signature, with both needing attacking reinforcements.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick also apparently gave the green light to the move but the board did not want the player to leave. It would have been tough on Lingard, especially after Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek got their respective moves sorted out in the same window.
Lingard can now leave the club on a free transfer in the summer as he looks to fight for a place in the England squad for the 2022 World Cup.
#1 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona exit)
Ousmane Dembele had quite possibly one of the biggest transfer sagas of last month's transfer window. The France international was expected to pen a new deal with Barcelona but talks collapsed and the club asked him to leave.
Several clubs were in the race to sign him on a cut-price move due to his contract situation. Paris Saint-Germain tried to negotiate a move but it fell through. The Spanish club offered him a swap deal with Arsenal involving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but he had no interest in that deal.
Tottenham Hotspur were mentioned but that move never got close. Chelsea apparently never opened talks with him while Manchester United were not keen on adding another winger to their squad.
Dembele can now leave as a free agent in the summer and is likely going to have a wide array of clubs to choose from when the time comes.
