2022 Football Winter Transfers — The Best Young Player Signings (Part II)
Five players stand out from the crowd in a transfer window full of surprises.
(DISCLAIMER: We are talking about those players who have been permanently signed by a club. So no players “on loan,” even if the club paid a loan fee — sorry, Kulusevski!)
Dusan Vlahovic
Fiorentina » Juventus (€81.6M)
Serbian goal-scoring sensation Dusan Vlahovic has finally made his move from Fiorentina to Juventus for a little over 80 million euros, making him this winter’s most expensive transfer. “The New Ronaldo,” as some Juventus fans have started calling him, is expected to help solve the Old Lady’s problems on the attacking end with his prolific goal output.
At just 22-years-old, Vlahovic is already considered one of the top strikers in the world. His first performances for Juventus are certainly backing up that claim, as the forward has recently broke the record for fastest UCL debut goal in history against Villareal (32 seconds into the game).
Yuri Alberto
SC Internacional » Zenit St. Petersburg (€25M)
Another transfer that completely stunned this transfer window was Yuri Alberto’s move from the warm weather of Porto Alegre to the unforgiving winter of St. Petersburg. His eye-opening performances last season with SC Internacional convinced the Russian side Zenit to pay a whopping €25 million to bring the Brazilian player over to Eastern Europe.
The 20-year-old forward brings speed and finishing ability to the Russian champions, as well as the attacking versatility to crash the box through the center or the wings. He has been compared to fellow Brazilian forwards Firmino and Gabriel Barbosa and is seen by many as the future “9” of the Brazilian national team.
Julian Álvarez, ARG, 22, CF
River Plate » Manchester City (€17M)
As we mentioned in a previous article, Julian Álvarez had an outstanding season last year with River Plate, scoring 18 goals in 21 games of the Argentinian league — a time span of just five months!
His impressive stats led Manchester City to acquire the 22-year-old forward in this transfer window for €17 million, with Álvarez staying with River Plate on loan until the end of the 2021/22 season. The Cityzens can expect great things from this Argentinian prodigy, already considered to be the next centerpiece of La Albiceleste’s attacking end.
Kevin Paredes, USA, 18, LM
DC United » Wolfsburg (€6.68M)
I don’t think there has ever been a time when so many young, American talents are being signed from MLS clubs to play in Europe — but change is a good thing. And after Ricardo Pepi and Daryl Dike, it is left midfielder Kevin Paredes who makes the trip across the Atlantic.
Quick-footed and tenacious on and off-the-ball, Paredes arrives to a Wolfsburg team struggling to secure a spot in next season’s European competitions (despite having invested deeply in the summer transfer window). Hopefully the American midfielder will contribute positively and often before the end of season.
Patrik Walemark
Häcken » Feyenoord (€3.25M)
After a stellar year with 9 goals and 8 assists in 29 Allsvenskan games, Swedish winger Patrik Walemark is now gracing Dutch football with his speed and technique.
The 20-year-old has arrived to Feyenoord for a little over €3 million, one of only two permanent winter signings by the Rotterdam club, currently sitting third place in the Eredivisie. Despite having just arrived to the Netherlands, Walemark can yet come to play a decisive role in Feyenoord’s championship and UEFA Conference League ambitions.
