Arsenal’s Marquinhos is among four deadline day additions in this Championship team of January signings. Burnley’s new £9.7m striker also makes the cut.
GK: Karl Darlow (loan, Newcastle United to Hull City)
Darlow was on the bench for the Magpies earlier this week as Eddie Howe’s side booked their place at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.
He was never going to dislodge Nick Pope as number one and Newcastle are well-covered between the sticks with Martin Dubravka, Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie still around.
32-year-old Darlow is proven at Championship level and he needs games; Hull have pulled off a bit of a coup to get him in.
RB: Cody Drameh (loan, Leeds United to Luton Town)
James Bree departed Luton in January to link back up with former boss Nathan Jones at Southampton. As short-term replacements until the summer go, Drameh is about as good as it was going to get.
The 21-year-old had a great spell at Cardiff last season and a run of games for Luton should set him up to push Luke Ayling at parent club Leeds United in 2023/24. If not, Newcastle are willing to take him off of Jesse Marsch’s hands.
CB: Luke McNally (loan, Burnley to Coventry)
One of the best defenders in League One last season, McNally signed for Burnley in the summer from Oxford United but he has only managed four appearances under Vincent Kompany.
Following Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ injury, Kompany has used Louis Beyer and Charlie Taylor at centre-back, while McNally has joined Championship rivals Coventry on loan in what is a great move for all parties.
CB: Axel Tuanzebe (loan, Man Utd to Stoke)
The 25-year-old’s career has plateaued somewhat since he shone during Aston Villa’s promotion season in 2018/19. He only managed 13 appearances combined for Villa and Serie A giants Napoli in 2021/22.
He is getting to the stage where he needs to find a home away from Man Utd to play regularly. He’s even further behind Harry Maguire in the pecking order and that’s not a comfy spot to be in.
LB: Leo Hjelde (loan, Leeds United to Rotherham)
I was not exactly spoilt for choice at left-back, but Hjelde is the second Leeds United youngster to be selected. He is highly rated at Elland Road and he plays like someone beyond his age.
The Norway U21 international has hit the ground running in a couple of games at Rotherham United as part of Matt Taylor’s rejigged 4-3-3 formation.
RM: Marquinhos (loan, Arsenal to Norwich)
The £3m signing’s arrival went under the radar at Arsenal last summer compared to Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. But he is one for the future at the Emirates and he is among a growing list of promising attacking talents Mikel Arteta has at his disposal.
The winger has impressed in flashes for the Gunners this term and as seen with Sunderland loanee Amad Diallo, a spell in the Championship could be the making of him.
CM: Ben Pearson (loan, AFC Bournemouth to Stoke)
To be honest, Lewis O’Brien would have taken Pearson’s place had there not been a cock up with the Nottingham Forest man’s move to Blackburn Rovers. Bloody paperwork.
Pearson is still a decent inclusion. He added to what was a hectic deadline day for the Potters. The defensive midfielder has only started three times in the Premier League this term but he proved at Preston that he is a quality operator at this level.
CM: Dan Barlaser (£900,000, Rotherham to Middlesbrough)
As a Rotherham fan, I had to find a place for Barlaser in this team as he will be sorely missed at The New York Stadium. The Millers were fortunate to have him for as long as they did and he has more than justified his move to Boro.
Barlaser is joint-top of the assist table with new Middlesbrough teammate Ryan Giles and should fit right in by adding a fresh creative spark to what is already a strong team at Michael Carrick’s disposal.
LM: Cameron Archer (loan, Aston Villa to Middlesbrough)
Boro really had a cracking January transfer window. Barlaser is a great signing and so are Aston Villa duo Archer and Aaron Ramsey.
Archer scored seven goals in 20 Championship appearances for Preston last season and he is a player capable of turning up in the big moments as Middlesbrough look to earn promotion to the Premier League following their extraordinary rise since Carrick took over.
ST: Jordan Hugill (free transfer, Norwich to Rotherham)
The Millers beat a couple of rivals to sign the Norwich City striker. Hugill’s form has been up and down in recent seasons but his fruitful loan spell at Cardiff last season should fill Rotherham with the hope that he can fire them to safety this term.
Rotherham offering the forward a three-and-a-half-year deal shows that their hierarchy are investing in the club’s future at this level. And them typically being more direct than Norwich should bring the best out of Hugill, who is tough to handle in the Championship when fit and firing.
ST: Lyle Foster (£9.7m, Westerlo to Burnley)
The Clarets are five points clear of Sheffield United at the top of the Championship and have added a £9m+ striker to their squad. It’s pretty unfair on everyone else, really.
Eight goals in 21 Belgium Pro League games at the start of this season is a solid return. Burnley have recruited brilliantly in recent months and given Kompany’s vast knowledge of football in his home country, the chances are that they will be onto another winner with this signing.
