Lyon are confident FIFA will authorise the loan signing of West Ham’s Said Benrahma after a deadline-day move appeared to have fallen through.

The 28-year-old underwent a medical in France on Thursday afternoon ahead of a proposed loan switch leading to a permanent move from the east Londoners this summer.

But the deal collapsed late on deadline day and Lyon accused West Ham of a “lack of respect” and “incomprehensible behaviour” in strongly-worded statement.

However, the Algeria international could yet move to Ligue 1 after the French side provided proof to FIFA that they had entered the requisite information in the transfer portal in time.

Lyon chief executive Laurent Prud’homme spoke to the media on Friday and received a text message about the Benrahma situation during the press conference.

“It seems that FIFA has just accepted the validation (in the transfer matching system) so right now our efforts are paying off,” he said.

“The French Federation has asked the Premier League to accept within seven days. It seems that our efforts are bearing fruit.”

FIFA is not only looking into that transfer but also Pablo Fornals’ failed move to Real Betis.

The LaLiga side claim a computer problem scuppered their bid to complete a £7million move for the Spanish midfielder.

Lyon have been collaborating with Betis as the clubs appeal to FIFA for the moves to be ratified.

Betis CEO Ramon Alarcon told Spanish reporters: “There was a last-minute problem with Fornals, we think it was a computer problem.

“Betis sent all the documents correctly and on time and it seems West Ham had a computer problem.

“It wasn’t just with Betis, it was with other deals. We hope that it gets resolved in the next few days.

“It was done on both sides. We imagine that with a computer error it can be resolved. We are working on it and we are optimistic.”

While the transfer deadline edged closer on Thursday night, West Ham were labouring to a 1-1 draw at home to Bournemouth, notably without a left winger.

Fornals was at the match, having initially been named on the bench before boss David Moyes had to change his plans.

Speaking to Sky Sports on Friday morning, Moyes said: “It looks like there have been some problems with the paperwork (for Benrahma) at the last minute.

“But I only learned about it when I came off the pitch later on last night.

“(Lack of respect) is a big word to use before we get a chance to show exactly what happened or didn’t happen.

“It’s something we’ve never had to deal with before and I’m an experienced manager. We’ll have to see.

“He’s suspended for this week so he’s not available at the moment. We’ll deal with it when we get back into a period where we can play him.”

Asked if Benrahma will be committed to the club, Moyes said: “I would expect so, yep.”

He added: “I think there is a chance the Pablo deal will be ratified. I can’t confirm if it will or not at the moment though.”

Philippe Clement is unhappy at only being able to make three changes to his Europa League squad following a transfer window which left him “happy”.

The signing of Colombian winger Oscar Cortes on loan from Lens with an option to buy in the summer on deadline day was the third new recruit, following the arrival of Portuguese attacker Fabio Silva on loan from Wolves and Ivorian midfielder Mohamed Diomande on loan from Danish side Nordsjaelland.

Defenders Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun were left out of the Euro squad at the start of the season by then boss Michael Beale but have become key players under Clement.

Abdallah Sima, Kemar Roofe, Danilo and Kieran Dowell are long-term injured but could be fit for the latter stages of the Europa League if Rangers progress.
Ben Davies is out at the moment while Sam Lammers has joined Utrecht on loan and Jose Cifuentes could also be on his way out, the midfielder linked with a loan move to Brazilian club Cruzeiro.

Ahead of the cinch Premiership game against Livingston at Ibrox on Saturday – Rangers are five points behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand – Clement  revealed he had spoken to his players about the Euro squad for the last-16 ties in March.

The Belgian boss said: “I had discussions with the players about that this afternoon.

“I am not happy with the rule. But the rule is the rule of course for all the team and I also understand the idea behind it.

“I was not totally aligned with how the European list was at the beginning of the season but it was what it was and I can only make three changes now.

“So the reality is a few players I wanted on the list cannot be on the list.

“If you only have three position to change there is not much to think about but if you guys (media) think a bit logically, you will see the logic.”

Some Rangers fans expressed surprise that another striker to give competition to Cyriel Dessers was not brought in but Clement, who took over the Light Blues in October, explained his thinking.

He said: “I will never speak about what we wanted.

“Everyone in the building worked really hard and compared to a lot of other teams we did interesting things with the three guys we brought in.

“I am happy with the squad that is here now.

“About the striking position, everyone is saying that Cyriel has had a big evolution in the last three months, Fabio has already shown good things, he is still adapting, that is normal.

“Kemar is still in the building, I expect him to be fit this this season, we will see if Danilo is back or not at the end of the season, we will not risk him for two or three weeks but he will be in the building next season so we have to take those things into account.

“We also have Zak Lovelace also who has been out injured for three months and he has a bright future.

“So we could have six or seven strikers but you cannot put them all on so you have to take that into account.”

Chelsea broke the Women’s Super League transfer record even as their men’s team sat out the January window.

While Premier League spending was down across the board to a combined £100m over the month, compared to last year’s record £815m as estimated by finance company Deloitte, an increasingly active WSL market peaked with the Blues’ move for Colombia forward Mayra Ramirez.

An initial 450,000 euros (£384,000), as stated by selling club Levante, is the English top flight’s highest ever fee – with add-ons worth 50,000 euros (£42,600) making it a potential world record in the women’s game.

Ramirez was recruited to cover for Sam Kerr’s expected season-long ACL absence while Manchester City replaced the similarly injured Jill Roord with Aston Villa’s Laura Blindkilde Brown.

With WSL sides increasingly following the lead of the men’s game in turning to the transfer market in response to injuries, Calum Ross, assistant director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, told the PA news agency: “Player trading is a key part of any club’s business model, whether that’s in the women’s game or the men’s game.

“Obviously at the moment the values that we’re looking at are a lot more modest in the women’s game but we’d expect to see that growing in line with revenue.

“They’re all positive changes for the women’s game and it’s exciting to see that, and hopefully it does deliver the growth that it really deserves and is capable of.”

After lavish spending in recent windows, Chelsea were one of five men’s Premier League sides not to make a single January addition along with Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United.

The slowdown has been attributed to the threat of sanctions under the league’s profit and sustainability rules, with the Toffees already docked 10 points this season – though spending over the full season still hit £2.4bn, second only to last season’s £2.7bn.

Ross said: “I think compliance with financial regulations is a key part of it.

“We’ve obviously seen the Premier League’s response to breaches of their regulations, which is heightening clubs’ awareness to comply, and it’s the first year of UEFA’s new squad cost rules for clubs participating in UEFA competitions.

“There’s other reasons as well. In the summer we saw transfers like (Jude) Bellingham, (Declan) Rice, (Harry) Kane, which then create that domino effect across the market. We’re probably seeing a moment to pause and reset after they’ve done a lot of that business in the summer.”

Only £30m was spent on deadline day on permanent moves into the Premier League, the majority of that money heading into the Sky Bet Championship as Crystal Palace signed Adam Wharton from Blackburn and Aston Villa brought in Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers. Radu Dragusin’s move to Tottenham for a reported £26.7m on January 11 remained the biggest of the month.

For the first time since the Chinese Super League boom of 2019, the Premier League was not the biggest global spender as Ligue 1 clubs in France splashed out 190m euros (£162m) and Brazil’s Serie A over £123m.

The Saudi Pro League was not in that bracket, spending barely £20m after its headline-making summer splurge had echoed that previously seen in China.

Jordan Henderson returned to Europe with Ajax after six months at Al-Ettifaq and other high-profile signings expressed discontent, but Ross said: “I don’t think the bubble’s starting to burst. I think it’s a similar story (to the Premier League) – they’ve invested heavily in the summer and there’s an opportunity in this window to reflect and reset.

“I certainly expect to see them back in the market in the summer, whether that’s to the same levels that we saw this summer is to be seen. It does seem there are strong business plans behind the Saudi Pro League but there obviously is a need for them to prioritise financial sustainability over the long term.”

Pep Guardiola has dismissed suggestions from Spanish media that Erling Haaland is unhappy at Manchester City.

There have been claims that the prolific Norwegian striker dislikes the city – and its weather – so much that he wants to leave the club.

Perhaps inevitably, the reports suggest Real Madrid are monitoring the situation but Guardiola is not taking the rumours seriously.

“You have to ask the media from Madrid if he is unhappy,” said the City manager. “Maybe they have more info than we have.

“We don’t have that feeling that he’s unhappy. He was because he could not play – he was two months out injured – but maybe the media from Spain, especially Madrid, have more information than us.”

Haaland returned to action after 10 games out with a foot injury in the champions’ 3-1 Premier League victory over Burnley on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old could start as City travel to Burnley on Monday looking to add to the 19 goals in all competitions he has already scored this season and the remarkable 52 he netted last term.

Guardiola said: “We cannot say he didn’t adapt quickly and he was not fine since he arrived – it’s just the level he’s shown since day one.

“We cannot control what people say but the important thing is he’s happy. When he’s unhappy, he will take his decision.”

Haaland did not get on the scoresheet after coming off the bench against the Clarets but, even in his brief appearance, Guardiola felt his influence on the team was clear.

He said: “He played 25 minutes and every transition, every pass, all the players look at him. I know how important he is for us.

“We try for all the strikers to be happy, especially him, and it will depend how we play. If we play quite comfortable and good, he will get a lot of balls.

“This is what we want and after that he will do the rest.”

Haaland’s return to action coincided with Kevin De Bruyne’s first start since August and John Stones’ comeback from an ankle injury.

Asked if Haaland was now ready to start, Guardiola said at a press conference: “Yes, he’s ready.

“Everyone is ready right now because they are not injured as much. If they are on the bench, they are ready.”

Defiant AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has brushed off talk that Antonio Conte is being lined up to replace him.

Milan head into Saturday’s Serie A trip to Frosinone sitting in third place in the table but seven points adrift of Juventus in second and eight behind leaders Inter Milan, who have a game in hand on both.

The top two meet at the San Siro on Sunday evening, by which point Pioli’s men will hope to have closed the gap – although whether that would placate his critics is doubtful, with the club’s receding title hopes having been dealt a further blow by last weekend’s 2-2 home draw with Bologna.

Asked about the speculation linking former Italy boss Conte with his job, the 58-year-old told a press conference: “It doesn’t bother me at all. Maybe it bores me a little.

“What matters is that I and my players think we can do our best between now and the end of the season.

“The future doesn’t worry or bother me. We just want to demonstrate, the team and I, all our value.”

Milan will run out at the Stadio Benito Stirpe defending a seven-game unbeaten league run, with Atalanta the last side to beat them in the competition on December 9.

Wins over Monza, Sassuolo, Empoli, Roma and Udinese, coupled with draws against Salernitana and Bologna, since have helped them keep pace with Inter and Juve, if only just, but Pioli insists they simply have to concentrate on themselves as they attempt to claw back lost ground.

He said: “The season is still long and can give us further satisfaction. We have to put all our attention on the next match. Inter v Juve shouldn’t interest us.”

Frosinone will take to the field having halted a five-game losing run with a home victory over Cagliari followed by a draw at Verona, although the quality of the opposition this time around is significantly higher.

Eusebio Di Francesco’s men lost 3-1 at Milan on December 2 and have won only one of the eight league games they have played since.

Di Francesco will make late decisions on a lengthy list of injury doubts including Sergio Kalaj, Riccardo Marchizza, Anthony Oyono, Jaime Baez, Pol Lirola, Kevin Bonifazi, Mateus Lusuardi, Nadir Zortea, Marvin Cuni and Arijon Ibrahimovic.

Ivory Coast caretaker coach Emerse Fae has told the Africa Cup of Nations hosts not to get caught up in the hype as they prepare for Saturday’s quarter-final against Mali.

The Elephants saw off defending champions Senegal in a penalty shootout last time out but, despite that shock win, they have effectively limped to the last eight, having lost two of their last three matches, and having scored only three goals in four matches so far.

But while Fae has preached humility to his players, he did allow himself to suggest they could yet go all the way on home soil.

“We’re definitely not going to get excited,” Fae said. “We have come so far. We are going to continue to work on our solidity.

“We need to keep this state of mind which will give us the strength to perhaps go for the title.”

While they will have home support on their side, Ivory Coast are second favourites against a Mali side who have never lost at the quarter-final stage, having got this far on five previous occasions.

But despite that proud record, Mali have never lifted the trophy. Inspired by Lassine Sinayoko, who is bidding to become the first Malian to score four goals in a single edition of AFCON since Freddy Kanoute in 2004, they could well have a chance this year.

“We need to be humble and continue with hard work,” Mali coach Eric Chelle said.

“I am very happy for the players. We know that it will be difficult against (Ivory Coast), but we will bring our quality and give it our best against them. I want to emphasize the importance of humility in this victory.”

Defiant AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has brushed off talk that Antonio Conte is being lined up to replace him.

Milan head into Saturday’s Serie A trip to Frosinone sitting in third place in the table but seven points adrift of Juventus in second and eight behind leaders Inter Milan, who have a game in hand on both.

The top two meet at the San Siro on Sunday evening, by which point Pioli’s men will hope to have closed the gap – although whether that would placate his critics is doubtful, with the club’s receding title hopes having been dealt a further blow by last weekend’s 2-2 home draw with Bologna.

Asked about the speculation linking former Italy boss Conte with his job, the 58-year-old told a press conference: “It doesn’t bother me at all. Maybe it bores me a little.

“What matters is that I and my players think we can do our best between now and the end of the season.

“The future doesn’t worry or bother me. We just want to demonstrate, the team and I, all our value.”

Milan will run out at the Stadio Benito Stirpe defending a seven-game unbeaten league run, with Atalanta the last side to beat them in the competition on December 9.

Wins over Monza, Sassuolo, Empoli, Roma and Udinese, coupled with draws against Salernitana and Bologna, since have helped them keep pace with Inter and Juve, if only just, but Pioli insists they simply have to concentrate on themselves as they attempt to claw back lost ground.

He said: “The season is still long and can give us further satisfaction. We have to put all our attention on the next match. Inter v Juve shouldn’t interest us.”

Frosinone will take to the field having halted a five-game losing run with a home victory over Cagliari followed by a draw at Verona, although the quality of the opposition this time around is significantly higher.

Eusebio Di Francesco’s men lost 3-1 at Milan on December 2 and have won only one of the eight league games they have played since.

Di Francesco will make late decisions on a lengthy list of injury doubts including Sergio Kalaj, Riccardo Marchizza, Anthony Oyono, Jaime Baez, Pol Lirola, Kevin Bonifazi, Mateus Lusuardi, Nadir Zortea, Marvin Cuni and Arijon Ibrahimovic.

Celtic face being without Reo Hatate for six weeks while Cameron Carter-Vickers is also set for another lay-off, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.

Midfielder Hatate suffered another leg muscle problem playing for Japan at the Asian Cup – his fourth similar injury in the past 12 months. He has only had 19 minutes of action for Celtic since October.

“It looks like he has actually done both calves, from what I have seen, so he is probably going to be five to six weeks,” Rodgers said.

“Another part of this season where we have had no luck from an injury perspective to our top players. He will be back very soon and we will start treatment and get him back as soon as we can.”

The Celtic manager also confirmed he had prevented Gustaf Lagerbielke moving on loan after Carter-Vickers experienced further aggravation of recent injury problems after last weekend’s win over Ross County.

The centre-back has suffered several lay-offs this term with a hamstring problem after missing pre-season amid his rehabilitation from knee surgery.

“The medical team are saying probably around three weeks,” Rodgers said.

Hatate’s injury did not prevent Celtic selling David Turnbull to Cardiff on deadline day and Rodgers explained that was a different circumstance to his defensive situation.

“It goes back to the summer, knowing where David was at in his thinking,” he said.

“Obviously he was in the last year of his contract so I felt it was best for us and for him to get out and play.

“He has done well here. It hasn’t worked out quite how he wanted it to, but he is a good guy, he worked very hard and now he will have the chance to have a permanent place to play.”

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou admitted he was left disappointed with one failed move on transfer deadline day – missing out on Lewis Hamilton!

Spurs were one of the most active clubs in the winter window, signing Radu Dragusin during the first half of January in a deal that could rise to £25million and bringing in Timo Werner on loan.

The Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules contributed towards a largely drama-free deadline day, which was overshadowed by news that seven-time Formula One champion Hamilton would join Ferrari from 2025.

It allowed Postecoglou the chance to have some fun at the start of his press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton.

“Probably the only disappointing one was yesterday I thought there was a really good opportunity for us but the club just didn’t feel it was the right move for us so disappointed with that,” Postecoglou explained.

“But he ended up at Ferrari so we just have to cop it… look at you all! You were ready to type away.

“I was going to pause just to let his (press officer’s) phone blow up, but it was a good one, mate, a good one.

“You had a flat day so I’m trying to spark you.”

When Postecoglou did reflect on Spurs’ business over the past month, he deemed it a job well done, especially with Dragusin and Werner signing early enough to feature in matches with Manchester United, Manchester City and Brentford.

Tottenham also sent young prospects Ash Phillips and Alfie Devine to Plymouth, while Alejo Veliz completed a loan switch to Sevilla on deadline day.

Postecoglou added: “From our perspective we had some clear objectives. One was we had a real gap at centre-back, especially after letting Davinson Sanchez go, and getting Radu in early was great and getting Timo in early was also excellent for us.

“With the absences from injury we’ve had and particularly having (Son Heung-min) away (with South Korea at the Asian Cup), the beauty of getting them in early is they’ve already made a contribution.

“If you leave it until the last day it still takes guys time to settle, but they’ve both settled in really well.

“Even in terms of outgoings, we got some good loans. Alejo was developing well with us but great for him to get some game-time in a good league at a good club. Ashley Phillips, Alfie Devine too.”

Spurs were able to move towards one important deal on Thursday after they convinced Swedish teenager Lucas Bergvall to join the club over Barcelona, the PA news agency understands.

Bergvall had been set to sign for Barca, but the 18-year-old has now agreed to put pen to paper on a long-term deal at Tottenham with the transfer set to be finalised in the coming days.

Postecoglou would not be drawn on the midfielder, although did admit Spurs’ academy is an area where they must improve.

“I think we’ve got a lot of work to do in our academy and (academy director) Simon Davies is certainly one that is putting a lot of emphasis and priority there,” he said.

“I don’t think we have the production line other top clubs have, certainly not. Even currently that’s why we’re investing in some younger players, even for the first team. For us as a football club that’s definitely the way forward.”

Mauricio Pochettino admitted Chelsea lacked experience during Wednesday’s 4-1 hammering at Liverpool.

The Blues’ three-match winning run in the Premier League came to an abrupt end at Anfield, with Pochettino’s young side falling well short.

Despite the £1 billion-plus investment at Stamford Bridge since Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium took over the club in 2022, Pochettino highlighted the difference in quality between Chelsea and Liverpool’s team.

“We need to improve as a team. During the game I think we showed a lack of experience as a team,” Pochettino told a press conference ahead of Chelsea’s match against Wolves at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

“We showed that we are capable of playing in a different way and to do the things we practice, but sometimes you prepare for the game and you need to arrive and show the right energy, the right attitude, be brave and to show personality and character. Football is that.

“It wasn’t a reality check. But it was the difference between a team who is solid and consistently play together in the last four or five years and a team who want to reach that same level.”

British transfer record signing Moises Caicedo, who joined from Brighton for £115million in August, was substituted in the second half when Chelsea were 3-0 down.

Pochettino refused to single out the 22-year-old’s performance, insisting the squad overall need to improve their levels.

He added: “I think collectively we all need to improve. It’s not just him or it’s not just him and Enzo (Fernandez). I think we all need to improve as a team.”

Christopher Nkunku came off the bench to score Chelsea’s goal at Anfield.

The France international has played four Premier League matches after he sustained a knee and hip injury earlier in the season.

And Pochettino, who was happy with the striker’s impact, wants to be careful in how he builds Nkunku’s fitness when reintroducing him into the starting XI.

“It’s good to see him. Forty-five minutes was enough for him and we need to assess if he can start the next game,” Pochettino said.

“We hope he can cope with the demand of the next game. I think he’s started to show that he’s an option. He had one chance and was able to score a great goal and able to show his quality.

“We need to take care of his situation and to build his confidence and fitness. We are happy in the way he’s helping the team but we need to be careful.”

Erik ten Hag says it is “not a secret” that he wanted to bring in a striker and admits Manchester United’s inability to sign one means he will have to be a “little bit creative” for the rest of the season.

The January transfer window has been quiet across the Premier League, thanks in no small part to the threat of its profit and sustainability rules.

United were in action during the final hours of deadline day, with teenage star Kobbie Mainoo brilliantly firing United to a 4-3 victory at Wolves deep in stoppage time on Thursday evening.

Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund were among the goalscorers at Molineux, but Anthony Martial’s groin injury means there are no other proven options to lead the line.

Omari Forson, 19, came on in place of Hojlund and assisted Mainoo on his Premier League debut, with Ten Hag needing to be similarly imaginative as United look for Champions League qualification and FA Cup glory.

Asked if he was confident he has the squad required to achieve their objectives despite not bringing in a striker, the Red Devils boss said: “I think it’s not a secret that I wanted a striker extra.

“Because with the injury of Martial we don’t really have back-up there, but it was not possible because we have to match the FFP rules.

“We have Omari, we have Amad Diallo, of course we have Rashford who can play there. I think for the rest, all the positions are occupied. But, yeah, we have to be a little bit creative if it’s up to the number nine position.”

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Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Hannibal Mejbri were among those to leave on loan during a window that saw United focus on streamlining the squad.

But even getting wages off the books was not enough to free up the money required to sign the back-up striker he sought.

“There are some disadvantages on FFP,” Ten Hag said. “So, to make space for FFP, you actually have to sell players and you have to sell good players and I don’t think that’s the way how you build a team.”

United did, though, spend big over the summer, bringing in the likes of Rasmus Hojlund for a fee that could reach £72million and spending up to £47.2m on Andre Onana.

Mason Mount was the first through the door when joining from Chelsea for a fee rising to £60m but the England international has endured a nightmare first season at Old Trafford to date.

A hamstring issue and then calf complaint has restricted the 25-year-old to just 12 appearances, with the last coming against Luton on November 11.

“He was struggling from the second game of the season,” Ten Hag said of Mount, who has begun training on the grass as he steps up his recovery.

“He returns for a period and then picked up another injury, so of course that’s not great.

“That is very frustrating for him and I really feel for him, so I really want to be there for him because he had such high expectations and I had high expectations.

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“I’m sure he’s a very good player for us but, first of all, what’s now important, and we have to do it very secure, is to get him fit.

“Secure in the process, step by step, don’t force it, and then hopefully by the end of the season he can stay fit and find himself in the team, or at least that he play a role in this team.

“Absolutely, I expect him to return this season.”

The United boss does not expect Mount, Tyrell Malacia or Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to face West Ham on Sunday.

Sofyan Amrabat will return to training on Saturday after Morocco’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations and Ten Hag says Victor Lindelof is “on his way back” having returned to team training on Wednesday.

A quiet January transfer window in the Premier League is a short-term blip rather than the start of a new trend, according to leading finance company Deloitte.

English top-flight clubs spent just £100million, down from a staggering £815m last January and an average of just over £319m since the 2016-17 season, when the value of domestic television rights first jumped past £5billion for a three-year cycle.

The threat of sanctions under the league’s profit and sustainability rules, with Everton already docked 10 points this season, has been cited as a potential reason – though spending over the full season still hit £2.4bn, second only to last season’s £2.7bn.

Calum Ross, assistant director in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, told the PA news agency: “I think compliance with financial regulations is a key part of it.

“We’ve obviously seen the Premier League’s response to breaches of their regulations, which is heightening clubs’ awareness to comply, and it’s the first year of UEFA’s new squad cost rules for clubs participating in UEFA competitions.

“We’re seeing a lot more planning going into the window and different types of deals – loans with options and obligations to buy that is playing with the financial year they’re recognising those fees within.

“There’s other reasons as well. In the summer we saw transfers like (Jude) Bellingham, (Declan) Rice, (Harry) Kane, which then create that domino effect across the market.

“We’ve come off the back of three consecutive record-breaking windows so we’re probably seeing a moment to pause and reset – the fact they’ve done a lot of that business in the summer is probably a key factor as to why they’re not doing as much in January.”

Only £30m was spent on deadline day on permanent moves into the Premier League, the majority of that money heading into the Sky Bet Championship as Crystal Palace signed Adam Wharton from Blackburn and Aston Villa brought in Middlesbrough’s Morgan Rogers.

Radu Dragusin’s move to Tottenham for a reported £26.7m on January 11 remained the biggest of the month as Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United all opted not to make a single addition. Manchester City’s £12.5m signing Claudio Echeverri was loaned straight back to River Plate.

For the first time since the Chinese Super League boom of 2019, the Premier League was not the biggest global spender as Ligue 1 clubs in France splashed out 190m euros (£162m) and Brazil’s Serie A over £123m.

The Saudi Pro League was not in that bracket, spending barely £20m after its headline-making summer splurge had echoed that previously seen in China.

Jordan Henderson returned to Europe with Ajax after six months at Al-Ettifaq and other high-profile signings expressed discontent, but Ross said: “I don’t think the bubble’s starting to burst. I think it’s a similar story (to the Premier League) – they’ve invested heavily in the summer and there’s an opportunity in this window to reflect and reset.

“I certainly expect to see them back in the market in the summer, whether that’s to the same levels that we saw this summer is to be seen. It does seem there are strong business plans behind the Saudi Pro League but there obviously is a need for them to prioritise financial sustainability over the long term.”

Rasmus Hojlund believes Manchester United have a “generational talent” on their hands in teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.

Erik ten Hag has endured an often ugly second campaign in the hotseat and has had to deal with injuries aplenty while failing to get those that were available firing.

The impending arrival of the ambitious Sir Jim Ratcliffe as minority owner has provided a shot in the arm midway through a difficult campaign in which the progress of United’s young players has been the highlight.

Alejandro Garnacho, 19, has established himself as a key first-team player and Mainoo, 18, followed a run of eye-catching displays – including his first United goal in Sunday’s FA Cup win at Newport – with a jaw-dropping winner at Wolves.

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The midfielder’s bold run and curling stoppage-time finish stunned Molineux and secured his boyhood side a much-needed 4-3 victory after they had squandered 2-0 and 3-1 leads.

“I think it’s hard to sum it up,” summer signing Hojlund said after the chaotic clash. “A little bit annoyed because we switch off a little bit but so happy for us in the end. A generational talent in Kobbie Mainoo. He did well.”

It is high praise for a player that Hojlund hopes to join as a bedrock of the United team for years to come.

“We enjoyed things, spending time outside together,” the 20-year-old said of Mainoo. “I think I’ve said before that us young guys, we have a little group and we’re chatting to each other.

“It’s very cool to have other young players around the team and hopefully we can set an era for the club and be here many years together.”

Mainoo, like Garnacho, was part of the United side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2022 and caught Ten Hag’s eye shortly after his appointment that summer.

The Stockport-born midfielder joined the club at aged nine and has made 12 appearances this season – a figure would have been higher were it not for a pre-season injury sustained against Real Madrid in Houston.

“You can see his composure,” Hojlund said. “He is so relaxed on the ball, so much quality on the ball.

“Now he’s also starting to show that he has the scoring parts of his game as well. He’s a complete player.

“It’s not about taking the responsibility, he’s so relaxed, so calm. He knows his quality and he knows when he goes out there he’s going to perform.

“Everybody knows that from the team and you guys can see it as well now, he’s a top player.”

United’s belief in the raw 20-year-old striker Hojlund saw them pay Atalanta an initial £64million rising to a potential £72million to sign him in the summer.

Injury impacted Hojlund after his move and it took him until Boxing Day to score his first Premier League, having plundered five in the Champions League.

Hojlund’s bundled effort at Molineux took his top-flight tally to three goals and means he has scored in four of United’s last five matches in all competitions.

“We’re starting to understand each other better into the team and I think I’m getting used to the Premier League and the tempo and how we play as a team,” the Denmark international said.

“Of course (it is going to take time), but if you ask me I would have loved to score my first goal in September or October.”

Asked if he felt like his like his first Premier League goal would open the floodgates, Hojlund said: “Yes and no.

“I knew I could score goals and I’d shown it in the Champions League and at my previous clubs but of course opening the account it’s always like ‘OK, I can do it’.”

Cape Verde head coach Bubista has challenged his side to keep believing as they bid to reach the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations when they face South Africa in Yamoussoukro.

The small island nation, ranked 73rd in the FIFA standings, topped their group, beating Ghana and then fighting back to snatch a dramatic 2-2 draw with Egypt before a 1-0 win over Mauritania put them into the last eight.

The Blue Sharks are aiming to reach uncharted waters by making the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time.

Bubista feels there is still more to come from his side.

“We have our objective, which from day one has been to get to the semi-finals,” said the Cape Verde head coach, whose full name is Pedro Brito.

“We are one step away from that now and we are going to keep going, while obviously staying humble and respecting our opponents.”

Bubista told reporters: “But we believe – that is our focus and we are going to try and get there.”

South Africa produced one of the major upsets in the tournament with a 2-0 win over World Cup semi-finalists Morocco in the last round.

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, though, will not allow any sense of complacency in the camp.

“Our win over Morocco is history,” said Broos, who guided Cameroon to the AFCON title in 2017.

“Cape Verde are as determined as us to reach the semi-finals and we dare not underrate them.”

Broos told reporters: “At the beginning, it was very important that we grow in the tournament and I think South Africa grew in the tournament.

“We just hope that what we are telling the players is the right thing – and up until now it has been the right thing.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is more concerned about Darwin Nunez’s physical state than his mental one after the Uruguay international emerged as a doubt for the crucial trip to Arsenal.

Nunez set a new record for the number of times one player has hit the frame of the goal in a game with four in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Chelsea, taking his tally to nine in the Premier League alone and six more than anyone else.

The 24-year-old is regularly criticised for not scoring enough but Nunez has 11 goals in all competitions and an assist count also in double figures.

However, after an all-action display in which he provided the cross for Luis Diaz to score the fourth, he left Anfield in a protective boot having played for more than an hour with a foot problem which may keep him out of Sunday’s clash at the Emirates.

“I don’t know if Darwin will be available or not because after 20 minutes someone stepped on his foot (and it was) very painful after the game,” said Klopp.

“He only took the boot off after the game because he didn’t want to see it before. He knew there was something.

“Nothing broken, X-ray clear but swollen. We have to see if he can get his foot back in a football boot or not. That takes time.”

The injury did not appear to hamper Nunez too much and did not affect his confidence when he chose to step up for a penalty with regular taker Mohamed Salah sidelined – only to plant the spot-kick against an upright.

Klopp said that moment was a blow to the forward’s morale but his reaction proved there was no hangover.

“It impacts him of course, he is a human being. If it didn’t affect him that would be strange,” added the manager, whose press conference was briefly interrupted by a journalist’s phone on the desk receiving a call from his dentist which the manager seemed keen to answer.

“The penalty he missed that hit him definitely but he knows he will have another chance.

“But going through this game with the pain he had that shows so much more.

“I don’t judge Darwin because of the crossbar moments. I judge him for the assist for Lucho (Diaz).

“That is outstanding football-wise, not being bothered about your own bad luck, just staying in the game.”

But while Nunez can have numerous chances and not take one Liverpool also have a forward who is far more deadly.

While Nunez is averaging a goal every 186 minutes in the Premier League, scoring every 8.5 shots, with 32 of 60 shots on target, his team-mate is averaging one every 106 minutes, scoring every 2.3 shots, has had 12 of 19 shots on target and has not hit a post this season.

The Portugal international scored the opener against Chelsea in midweek in a run of four in as many games and 13 for the season.

“He just has it. He is a complete package. He knows that and everyone knows that,” said Klopp of Jota.

“Diogo gets in each game knocks like crazy: if I go through the list of medical reports since Diogo is here he is in each and every one, not as injured but has a bruise, has a knock.

“A few injuries at a wrong time and he is out for too long or his numbers would look different.

“But he is literally flying. On top of that he always is an extremely smart footballer and can play all three positions up front, which is important when Mo is not here.”