Key signings of the 2020/21 winter transfer period so far

OK so the winter transfer period is always rubbish. But this year looks like it’s the worst one yet. To be fair most clubs are trying to stay afloat in the face of a pandemic rather than buy just one more striker. But that hasn’t stopped the transfer rumour mill springing into action and so we’re here just to reassure you that there’s no chance that Messi is going to Man City.

However, there’s still a couple of days left in the winter transfer window. So will Dele Alli sign to PSG or stay at Spurs to concentrate on growing some ridiculous facial hair? Is Paul Pogba going to leave Old Trafford, or has he remembered how to actually play football? Take a look below to see the biggest transfers of winter 2020/21 so far.

Mesut Ozil from Arsenal to Fenerbahce

Let’s face it. Mikel Arteta was probably more likely to have a decent shave than actually give Mesut Ozil some proper game time. While the German star has been hanging around the Arsenal dressing room like a bad smell for much of the season, it looks like Ozil is finally on his way to Fenerbahce.

The actual move looked like it was never going to happen. After all, Ozil was pretty happy earning £350,000 per week at Arsenal. Not bad considering that he didn't do much more than keep the subs bench warm. But with the Gunners having a nightmare start to their season, something had to be done.

After plenty of contractual wrangling, Ozil finally signed for a free transfer with the Turkish side Fenerbahce. While his exit was fairly sheepish, credit must be given to Fenerbahce for giving us about a week’s worth of dodgy promotional videos and photos to celebrate the occasion.

Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid to Arsenal

How to fill that Ozil-shaped hole on the subs bench? Simply buy another talented midfielder who doesn’t really fulfil his potential. This is what Arsenal have done by getting Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid. To be fair, Odegaard is actually a pretty good talent, but the 22-year old barely got a look in under Zinedine Zidane.

Odegaard joined Real Madrid from Stromsgodet (yeah, us neither) in 2015. Since then, the young Norwegian star managed to do very little other than give bored football journalists something to write about.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this fresh-faced fellow slots into the Arsenal midfield alongside out-and-out thugs like Granit Xhaka. But if Odegaard really is ‘the Norwegian Messi’, then we’ll forgive him for having a name that sounds like a deodorant brand.

Sebastien Haller from West Ham to Ajax

West Ham are one of the surprise packages of this season’s Premier League. Not that Sebastien Haller will be a part of it. The Ivory Coast national found himself bundled off to Ajax after just one season at the London Stadium.

Haller’s agent must be enjoying himself as the striker was West Hams’ record signing for £45 million, but now he’s heading off to the Netherlands for just £22 million. Even the notoriously grumpy Haller must be pleased with the transfer.

Haller only managed to scrape together 10 goals in 48 games for the Hammers. While some of these goals were pretty spectacular, they couldn’t force Haller to raise a smile. Not that West Ham boss David Moyes will be concerned. With both Michael Antonio and Tomas Soucek in fine-goalscoring form, it looks like the Hammers might actually finish in the top half of the table this season.