2022 Football Winter Transfers — The Best Young Player Signings (Part I)
Pepi, Kozlowski, Torres and more — some teams are not waiting until the transfer deadline to secure these wonderkids.
Ferran Torres
Manchester City » Barcelona FC (€55M)
After a number of dazzling exhibitions playing for club and country in 2021, star winger Ferran Torres has left the Premier League to join a struggling Barcelona in their fight for UCL qualification. His arrival could bring about a series of decisive performances that turn the tide for the Catalan club — or at least, that is what Barcelona’s boss Xavi is probably hoping for.
Daryl Dike
Orlando City » West Bromwich Albion ($10M)
The American goalscoring machine known as Daryl Dike is once again gracing Championship football pitches after spending four months on loan to Barnsley last year. This time, however, Dike is back for good, and his destination is the recently relegated West Bromwich Albion, who spent about 8.7 million euros on the Oklahoma native.
Giorgi Mamardashvili
Dinamo Tbilisi » Valencia CF (€0.85M)
The Georgian keeper arrived to Valencia this season as a discrete loan initially meant to play in the reserves team. His impressive pre-season form saw him start on Valencia’s first team for the first six LaLiga matches, surprising even the most skeptical fans with his performances.
Even though he has since then lost his place in the starting XI, the Spanish club has now paid the loan’s buyout clause to keep Mamardashvili at Valencia on a permanent basis.
Ricardo Pepi
Dallas FC » FC Augsburg ($20M)
Ricardo Pepi has dazzled MLS fans throughout 2021 with his undeniable talent and scoring ability. At just 18 years old, the Texas-native forward scored 13 goals in 31 games for Dallas FC, a feat that did not go unnoticed to one club in Bundesliga: FC Augsburg.
The Bavarian side is fighting to avoid relegation and have apparently gone “all-in” with Pepi, paying over 16 million euros to bring “the new American wonderkid” to the European stage in hopes that his brilliance will help the team stay in Germany’s top tier of football.
Erik Botheim
FK Bodø/Glimt » FC Krasnodar (€5M)
A groundbreaking force behind Bodø/Glimt’s recent club success, 22-year old forward Erik Botheim is leaving the Norwegian champions for the Russian Premier League. He has joined FC Krasnodar as the club finds itself in an extremely contested fight for European championship qualifying, with less than 10 points separating 3rd and 9th places in the league table.
Nathan Patterson
Rangers FC » Everton FC (€14M)
Scottish international at just 20 years old, Nathan Patterson has bid farewell to his hometown of Glasgow in order to join Premier League’s Everton. Together with Dinamo Kiev’s Vitaly Mykolenko, Patterson arrives to complement the Merseyside team’s need for young fullbacks with first team quality and international football experience.
Kacper Kozlowski
Pogon Szczecin » Brighton and Hove Albion (€11M) » Royale Union Saint Gilloise (Loan)
Polish international and one of U21’s “22 wonderkids for 2022” Kacper Kozlowski has finally moved from Ekstraklasa’s Pogon Szczecin to join Premier League’s Brighton, which in turn immediately loaned the midfielder to Belgian side Union Saint Gilloise. Kozlowski is expected to get playing time in USG’s first team and develop for the remainder of the season.
Kelvin Yeboah
SK Sturm Graz » Genoa (€6.5M)
Eleven goals and five assists in eighteen Austrian Bundesliga games.
That is why Genoa signed 21-year old forward Kelvin Yeboah for what could very well be considered a bargain. The nephew of iconic Ghanian striker Tony Yeboah has had a tremendous season with Sturm Graz and is now coming home to Italy, joining a Ligurian team in the throes of relegation. Perhaps Yeboah will be the spark Genoa needs to retain their place in Serie A.
Johnny Kenny
Sligo Rovers FC » Celtic FC (€0.15M)
At just 17-years old, Johnny Kenny was brought up from Sligo Rovers’ youth ranks to the first team. In less than a year, the Irish forward established himself as a starting XI player and one of the rising stars in Ireland’s top league, scoring 11 goals and 2 assists in 32 games.
The young goalscorer has now been signed by Celtic FC. It is unclear if Kenny will see playing time under Ange Postecoglou this season, but he is definitely a promising acquisition in the long-term future of the Glaswegian club.
