Aston Villa and Man City the big winners on deadline day as Spurs pull off coup

Aston Villa and Manchester City can claim they won the transfer window after adding eye-catching signings on deadline day to already strong winter recruitment, but Tottenham created the story of the day by persuading Mathys Tel to perform a remarkable U-turn.

Last Friday, teenage striker Tel told Spurs he didn't want to sign despite a fee being agreed with his club Bayern Munich - and expressed a desire to move to Arsenal or Manchester United instead.

But a rescue mission by Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, who spoke to the player personally, inspired a change of heart - with Spurs agreeing a loan move with a €55m option to buy (that includes a six-year-contract) - stealing a march on their rivals in the process.

Meanwhile, Villa’s hat-trick of deadline day loan moves saw Marcus Rashford arrive from Manchester United, three-times Champions League winner Marco Asensio join from Paris St Germain and defender Axel Disasi sign from Chelsea.

The lure of Champions League football has enabled Unai Emery’s side to raise their profile and attract a new level of player – with the aim of challenging the top four this season.

They also brought in striker Donyell Malen from Dortmund and wing-back Andres Garcia from Levante earlier in the window – before proving they can sell well, too, by sending Jhon Duran to Saudi Arabia for a remarkable €85m.

Manchester City, meanwhile, secured a €60m move for Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez late on deadline day and were the window’s biggest overall spenders.

Their swoop for the 23-year-old, who can play as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder, is designed to fill the hole left by a serious injury to Rodri and the player didn't take much persuading after signing a four-and-a-half year deal.

He said: "This is the perfect opportunity for me at this stage of my career. Look at the squad they have here, it's unbelievable. There isn't a footballer in the world who would not want to be part of this set up.

"I know the reputation Pep has and I cannot wait to work for him. In fact, I'm honoured he wants me in his team."

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “Nico is a very talented young midfielder. He is an ideal acquisition for Manchester City.

“It was a difficult transfer to complete because his performances this season have been outstanding and he has been such an important part of what FC Porto are doing. We are really happy we have managed to get this done before the window closed.

It takes the club's total spend in the window to almost €200m– which will no doubt be a source of jealous irritation across Manchester, where bitter rivals United have failed make the same impact on the market, choosing to keep their powder dry for the summer window instead City already had exciting Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush through the door before deadline day began, as well as Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis and Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov.

So, although the arrival of Gonzalez won’t entirely wash away the painful memory of a miserable season so far, with 11 games lost in all, it does leave City fans with a feeling their board and manager are doing something to turn the ship around.

United supporters may feel differently. Their team is 13th in the table but new manager Ruben Amorim has been left frustrated in the January market as the club's new regime ultimately opted to stand back and wait for the summer to begin their rebuilding project.

That decision was partly confirmed by United’s inability to find a buyer for Marcus Rashford in January, a failed attempt to persuade Villa to send them Leon Bailey in return and a decision to drop out of the race for Bayern's Mathys Tel.

So, with a total blank drawn on deadline day and the lights turned off at Carrington long before the 11pm shut-down, the only first team player delivered in January for Amorim was left wing-back Patrick Dorgu from Lecce for €35m.

That means no new striker and no replacements for Rashford or for winger Antony, who was loaned to Real Betis.

United legend Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, was cutting in his assessment of the club’s window and season.

He said: “When he took the job Ruben Amorim knew there wasn’t a massive pot of money there to spend in January. Everyone knew United were struggling to maintain their financial position. It will be a case of getting to the summer before they re-invest.

“But I’m disappointed. I thought the club and the team would do better since Amorim came in. The change of style, change of voice and enthusiasm he brings. But it hasn’t transmitted onto the pitch. In fact, it’s a lot worse.”

United weren’t the only club to struggle in the window. Many others were forced to opt for loan deals rather than big-money signings as the growing influence of profit and sustainability rules made last-minute deals even more difficult than normal to pull off.

Others, like Chelsea, concentrated on moving people out - with three players sent out on loan - Ben Chilwell to Crystal Palace, Carney Chukwuemeka to Borussia Dortmund and Disasi to Villa Park.

Likewise, Arsenal, desperate to add a striker to boost their title challenge, simply couldn’t find a solution - leaving Liverpool as even stronger favourites to finish the season as champions.

One important beneficiary of the loan system was Ireland hero Evan Ferguson, who joined West Ham from Brighton to link up with his former Albion manager Graham Potter.

What isn't clear is whether that means Ferguson still has a Brighton future, especially as Albion spent €24m on striker Stefano Tzimas, 19, from FC Nuremberg at the same time.

Ferguson, who made his debut under Potter at Brighton aged 17, said: “It was a big opportunity for me to come here and I know the gaffer well. I want to come in and do my best for the club, score goals and see where we get to.”

Rashford’s loan deal, however, is inevitably the one which will create the most discussion, and not everyone could see the value of the deal for United.

Former Arsenal striker Paul Merson believes it could leave Amorim, who has refused to select the winger because of a perceived lack of effort in training, under increasing pressure.

“I think his job is on the line with this one,” said Merson. “If Rashford goes there and scores 10 in 10 and United carry on as they are, then if you were on the board at United you’d be asking questions.”

That, of course, is the challenge for United. They want to avoid the embarrassing mistakes of previous windows and recruit more astutely in future – but the risk is they are overtaken in the meantime.

Chelsea dominated the market for the last two years, now City are back and Villa and Tottenham have joined the party. Keeping up is not going to be easy.

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