Transfer deadline day live updates: The new FPL arrivals

After what was a fairly quiet January of transfer activity, the winter window closes on Monday evening.

A late flurry of ins and outs is expected, however, with several clubs anticipated to be active on deadline day.

These late developments in the market could potentially affect Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers’ plans going into Gameweek 25 and beyond.

With that in mind, this live blog will be rounding up the confirmed deals that could present Fantasy bosses with new targets – or have a negative impact on existing assets.

The biggest arrivals will also get their own Scout Reports, which are more in-depth articles.

TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY – AS IT HAPPENS

14:00 – EVAN FERGUSON (BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION TO WEST HAM UNITED, LOAN)

Evan Ferguson‘s (£5.5m) much-anticipated loan move to West Ham is now rubber-stamped.

Ferguson reunites with ex-Brighton boss Graham Potter, who handed the 20-year-old Irish striker his Premier League debut in February 2022.

Since then, the highly rated forward’s career has been a bit stop-start. Injuries haven’t helped, nor has the change in manager; Fabian Hurzeler seems quite lukewarm on him.

Ferguson, indeed, started just two league matches this season, subbing in on a further 11 occasions. His strike in Gameweek 9 is his only goal of 2024/25 so far.

Even before Hurzeler’s arrival, Ferguson never graduated from hot young thing to regular starter. There were 10 starts and nine substitute appearances in 2022/23. Then, 15 starts and 12 run-outs off the bench in 2023/24. Both campaigns ended with six goals scored.

His expected minutes at West Ham may be helped by the lack of competition up top, with Niclas Fullkrug (£6.7m) and Michail Antonio (£5.3m) both sidelined for some time. However, it’s possible that Potter may want to use Jarrod Bowen (£7.3m) in a central role now that he’s fit again. The Hammers already have Carlos Soler (£5.0m), Lucas Paqueta (£5.7m), Mohammed Kudus (£6.2m) and Crysencio Summerville (£5.5m) competing for attacking midfield roles.

One to monitor, then, as a possible starting £5.5m forward is always welcome on the FPL front.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Evan in on loan until the end of the season. He’s a player we obviously know very well, so I’m grateful to the Board for bringing him in. “He’s got plenty of quality attributes as a striker that we believe will benefit the group over the course of the coming months. “We’re excited to integrate him into the squad and see him in action in the weeks to come.” – Graham Potter

10:05 – STEFANOS TZIMAS (NUREMBERG TO BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION, £20m)

Brighton have signed a new striker – but don’t fret, Joao Pedro (£5.5m) and Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) owners, he’s not going to cut into their game-time in 2024/25.

The Seagulls have captured teenage forward Stefanos Tzimas from Nuremberg but he will remain at the Bundesliga 2 side for the rest of the season.

In slightly confusing developments, Tzimas had only been on loan at the German club until they exercised the option to buy him from PAOK Salonika and then almost immediately sold him to Albion.

The 19-year-old Greek striker has scored 10 goals in 17 league appearances for Nuremberg so far. Just 13 of those were starts, so he’s been rattling along at a decent minutes-per-goal rate – albeit in the German second tier.

Nevertheless, given Brighton’s past success in unearthing hidden gems, he’ll be one to watch in pre-season.

“Stefanos is an exceptional young talent, an out-and-out centre-forward with a natural ability to score goals, and we are absolutely delighted to have signed him. “He will join up with us in the summer, ahead of next season, but we are really looking forward to working with him, and feel he has a very exciting future ahead.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Stefanos Tzimas

ROUND-UP OF THE WEEKEND TRANSFERS

There were a few notable transfers over the weekend.

MARCUS RASHFORD (MANCHESTER UNITED TO ASTON VILLA, LOAN)

Marcus Rashford‘s (£6.6m) loan move from Manchester United to Aston Villa was the real headline-grabber.

An outcast at United under Ruben Amorim, he’ll get the chance to revive his flagging career in the West Midlands.

Are his best days behind him? We thought that might have been the case heading into 2022/23, only for him to respond with a 17-goal, 205-point season in FPL.

Last season was a bit of a disaster, with Rashford barely scraping double figures for attacking returns as the Erik ten Hag era turned sour.

His fortunes looked to be on the up under Amorim, with three goals in the new United manager’s first two league matches in charge.

But a two-goal showing against Everton in early December turned out to be his final league start for the Red Devils. He hasn’t kicked a ball in the Premier League since Gameweek 15.

“I’ve had to choose somewhere where I feel my style of football is suited to, and can help them and help me rediscover and improve as a player.” – Marcus Rashford on his move to Aston Villa

While he’ll provide competition for Jacob Ramsey (£5.4m) down the Villa left, he’s also potentially relief for Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) – who picked up an injury on Saturday – up top. Villa, who could ‘double’ in Gameweek 25, are already short of centre-forward options since Jhon Duran departed for Saudi Arabia.

A full Moving Target article will follow on Rashford in the coming days.

PATRICK DORGU (LECCE TO MANCHESTER UNITED, £25M)

United have got one new body in through the door in the shape of Patrick Dorgu (FPL price TBC).

The versatile defender arrives from Lecce for a reported £25m and has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal.

He’s played all over for the Italian club – full-back, wing-back, winger – and indeed on both sides of the pitch.

It is thought, however, that wing-back will be his position in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, most likely on the left. It’ll bring competition to Diogo Dalot (£5.0m), Noussair Mazroaui (£4.3m) and even Amad Diallo (£5.6m), who has sporadically featured at wing-back of late. Diallo, of course, is more at home further forward, while we may see Mazroaui more at centre-back now that Lisandro Martinez (£4.4m) could be out for the season. Dalot can shift over to right wing-back, too.

Dorgu’s attacking numbers are quite eye-catching for a side in the lower reaches of Serie A. The Denmark international has scored three goals in 21 starts, registering 36 shots in the process. No FPL defender has registered as many attempts in 2024/25.

However, here’s the big caveat: almost half of Dorgu’s starts, and all three of his goals, came from a right-wing position. He’s probably unlikely to be starting there for United.

Still, his ball-carrying abilities and eye for goal will be something to monitor over the coming weeks.

“Patrick is a really exciting talent; his strong defensive and attacking attributes, adaptability and work-rate will make him a key part of Ruben Amorim’s squad.” – Jason Wilcox, Manchester United’s technical director, on Patrick Dorgu

United have also signed Arsenal youngster Ayden Heaven (£4.0m). The teenage centre-back has yet to make a Premier League appearance.

KEVIN DANSO (LENS TO TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, LOAN)

Swiped from under the noses of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Kevin Danso (FPL price TBC) has joined the north Londoners initially on loan. Spurs have an obligation to make the deal permanent in the summer.

A centre-back who typically operates from the right-hand side, he’ll provide cover/competition for Cristian Romero (£4.9m), whose recovery from a hamstring injury is dragging on for longer than expected. Archie Gray (£4.6m) has had to play at centre-half recently.

If you think Danso’s name is familiar, he had an unremarkable loan spell with Southampton in 2019/20. Making only three starts in the whole of the campaign, he was involved in the infamous 0-9 reverse against Leicester City.

He’s strengthened his reputation since then, becoming a regular with first Fortuna Dusseldorf and then Lens.

Danso hasn’t really turned his towering presence at set plays into goals: just one goal in each of the last two seasons and none in 2024/25.

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