City sign Álvarez, Eriksen to Brentford on transfer deadline day
Sports Desk, Jan 31 (EFE).- A host of deals were being sealed on Monday, the last day of the European winter transfer window, with Premier League clubs playing a prominent role in many of the day’s transfers.
Manchester City signed Argentine forward Julián Álvarez, who will remain at River Plate on loan until at least June depending on how far the Argentine club advances in Copa Libertadores.
The signing of the 22-year-old, who has collected 36 goals and 25 assists in 96 matches he has played with River, reportedly cost the Premier League club some 22 million euros.
“Julian is a player we have monitored for some time,” City’s Director of Football Txiki Begiristain said of the forward who was part of Argentina’s squad that hoisted Copa America last summer.
“He is capable of operating in a number of attacking roles, and we firmly believe he’s one of the best young attacking players in South America,” he added.
Everton, meanwhile, announced that Frank Lampard will take the helm as head coach, replacing Rafael Benítez, who was sacked a few days ago.
The hot seat at the 16th-placed Premier League side is Lampard’s third job as a manager, following Derby County and Chelsea, who fired him after a year-and-a-half spell.
“It is a huge honor for me to represent and manage a club the size and tradition of Everton Football Club,” the 43-year-old said after signing a contract that expires June 2024.
His first game will be on 5 February in the FA Cup fourth round against Brentford, who brought Denmark’s Christian Eriksen back to elite football months after collapsing at Euro 2020.
Eriksen signed a deal that ties him to the club, which is playing its maiden Premier League season, until the end of the current campaign after “completing a medical assessment,” Brentford said in a statement.
The 29-year-old began his career at Ajax, where he won three league titles, a Cup and a Super Cup, before excelling at Tottenham and Inter Milan, helping the latter win the Serie A last season.
During the winter transfer window, Adama Traoré became the third player to return to Barcelona under president Joan Laporta, following Dani Alves and Eric Garcia.
The 26-year-old returns to the club where he made his professional debut on a loan to the rest of the season after an English adventure that took him to Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, and Wolverhampton.
There were also changes at Tottenham, who saw Tanguy Ndombele return to Lyon, with manager Antonio Conte instead bringing in Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus. EFE
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