Bournemouth
How January’s Transfer Window Shaped the Premier League: Winners and Losers
City led winter spending; Semenyo’s fast impact, Jacquet’s signing and Palace’s chaotic January. Jan
The January transfer window lacked the headline-grabbing drama of the summer but still altered squads across the Premier League. Seventy-five percent of clubs added reinforcements, and a handful of moves carried clear immediate and future consequences.
Manchester City were the big winners. They signed Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for £64 million and Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace for an initial £20 million. Semenyo has made an immediate impact, scoring four goals in his first five appearances for the club in all competitions. The 26 year-old’s versatility and Premier League experience point to a long-term fit for Pep Guardiola’s side. Guéhi provides cover for current defensive injuries while adding an established centre back to City’s ranks.
Bournemouth will feel the loss but have leaned into their role as a profit-turning feeder club. Semenyo’s departure was anticipated after a release clause was inserted when he signed a new contract last summer. The Cherries have reinvested, bringing in backup goalkeepers Fraser Forster and Christos Mandas and signing youngsters Alex Toth and Rayan for a combined £35 million. Rayan, the 19-year-old ex-Vasco da Gama forward who had been linked with Bayern Munich, recorded his first assist on his club debut in the 2–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Jérémy Jacquet was the headline signing of Deadline Day. The 20-year-old, who will finish the campaign in France with Rennes, secured the first permanent transfer of his career when Liverpool agreed a deal worth up to £60 million. Despite links to Chelsea, “For Jacquet, snubbing Chelsea for Liverpool was a wise decision.” With Virgil van Dijk approaching 35, Ibrahima Konaté due to be out of contract this coming summer, Joe Gomez still injury prone and Giovanni Leoni recovering from an ACL injury, Jacquet has a clearer path into Liverpool’s defence and could be a starter by next season.
Yet Liverpool emerge as a January loser because the club did not add short-term defensive cover, leaving them exposed as they contest Champions League qualification and domestic silverware. Crystal Palace endured a disastrous month: after losing Eberechi Eze last summer they also lost Guéhi, saw Oliver Glasner confirm he will leave at season’s end, had a failed Mateta move to AC Milan, spent £48 million on Jørgen Strand Larsen from Wolves and called off a £20 million deal for Dwight McNeil. The Eagles sit nine league games without victory.
Tottenham’s situation worsened as Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies and Richarlison were added to an already stretched injury list, joining long-term absentees James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski — an unwelcome development with pressure growing on Thomas Frank.
Bournemouth
FPL Gameweek 33: Double-Gameweek Targets and Budget Options
Key FPL options for Gameweek 33: double-duty players, cheap defenders and forwards to target picks..
Gameweek 33 brings both headaches and opportunities for FPL managers as several teams play twice. The double fixtures make prioritising players from the right squads crucial, with Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds United and Manchester City all on double duty.
Goalkeepers
Karl Darlow (£3.9m) stands out because of his low price and fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) and Bournemouth (A). He has scored 16 points across his last three fixtures and looks nailed on for the remainder of the season. Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.6m) also offers two fixtures, Arsenal (H) and Burnley (A), but his inclusion uses one of three Man City slots managers may prefer to spend on midfield and forward assets. Đorđe Petrović (£4.6m) is a Bournemouth alternative after three clean sheets in his last six outings versus Newcastle United (A) and Leeds (H).
Defenders
Bournemouth defenders Marcos Senesi (£5.2m) and James Hill (£4.2m) present clean sheet potential and solid defensive contribution totals, while Adrien Truffert (£4.7m) provides more attacking upside via assists. Leeds options Pascal Struijk (£4.3m), Jayden Bogle (£4.4m) and Gabriel Gudmundsson (£3.8m) offer differing mixes of defensive reliability and attacking threat. Marc Cucurella (£6.0m) is the main Chelsea defender to consider despite matches with Manchester United (H) and Brighton (A) being tough for clean sheets. Nico O’Reilly (£5.0m) would be an obvious pick after a 14-point weekend and 52 points in six gameweeks, but he is an injury concern; Marc Guéhi (£5.1m) is a viable alternative if O’Reilly is ruled out.
Midfield and attack
Antoine Semenyo (£8.2m) remains an attractive midfield option despite high ownership. Rayan Cherki (£6.3m) offers a differential and Jérémy Doku (£6.4m) provides explosive potential. Cole Palmer (£10.5m) will start both Chelsea games and is on spot kicks. Bournemouth’s Marcus Tavernier (£5.4m) is notable for set-piece and penalty responsibility versus Rayan (£5.5m) and Alex Scott (£5.0m). Pascal Groß (£5.5m) and Yankuba Minteh (£5.5m) could be short-term Brighton values.
Forwards
Erling Haaland (£14.4m) is the obvious captaincy candidate across two fixtures, with particular promise in the Burnley match. João Pedro (£7.7m) is a reliable pick given Chelsea’s double and his 82 points since Liam Rosenior took charge; he faces little competition for his starting role.
Bournemouth
Where Marcos Senesi Could Fit: Five Premier League Suitors
Senesi will be a free agent on June 30; his experience and low cost interest several top clubs also.
Marcos Senesi will be available on June 30 when his Bournemouth contract expires, and his free agent status makes him an efficient short-term option for clubs seeking defensive depth. The 28-year-old joined England in 2022 following Bournemouth’s promotion and has spent four seasons with the Cherries. Aside from a major hamstring injury that restricted him to 17 Premier League appearances last season, Senesi has generally been a regular starter and has played almost every minute so far in 2025–26.
Senesi’s record in England shows a player capable of surviving the demands of the Premier League. He is not presented as an elite defender but as a dependable squad member whose availability without a transfer fee is attractive to higher-table teams mindful of budgets.
Liverpool could view him as a cost-effective reinforcement. The 2025–26 campaign exposed limitations in centre-back depth at Anfield, and Senesi would be a less expensive alternative to triggering a reported $94.4 million (£69.6 million, €80 million) buy-back clause for Jarell Quansah. He is known to Arne Slot, having played under Slot at Feyenoord in 2021–22, when he made 50 appearances and helped the Dutch club reach the UEFA Conference League final.
Manchester United have reduced centre-back requirements by switching back to a 4-2-3-1 from Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, yet persistent injuries to Lisandro Martínez and Matthijs de Ligt, the latter sidelined for the past four months, create uncertainty over numbers. When fit, Martínez and De Ligt, or Martínez and Harry Maguire, will start. Senesi could be a pragmatic free signing while resources are prioritised for two or more central midfield additions. There’s even a chance that Andoni Iraola ends up at Old Trafford in time for next season.
At Chelsea, a 28-year-old Senesi would arrive as one of the more experienced figures in an otherwise young defensive group. Chelsea expect to challenge for Premier League and Champions League honours, and there are question marks over Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoît Badiashile, who have been prone to costly mistakes. Trevoh Chalobah often operates alone, while Mamadou Sarr and Josh Acheampong have a combined age of 39 and remain very raw. Senesi’s experience and availability would therefore be of clear appeal.
Bournemouth
Iraola link could open route to Kroupi and Senesi at Manchester United
Iraola link to Manchester United could boost chances of signing Eli Junior Kroupi and Marcos Senesi.
Manchester United’s reported interest in Andoni Iraola has been linked to a possible advantage in recruiting two Bournemouth players, Eli Junior Kroupi and Marcos Senesi. Sources suggest Iraola would be open to a move to Old Trafford, and his availability is framed as an opportunity if United decide to replace Michael Carrick, whose contract runs only until the end of the season.
The Daily Mail says United have been looking at both targets and have “consider” Kroupi and Senesi among their options. Senesi is due to become a free agent in the summer, which would allow potential suitors to sign him without a transfer fee. United have recently tied Harry Maguire down to a new contract to secure the center back for at least one more season, but the injury histories of Lisandro Martínez and Matthijs de Ligt leave space for further defensive reinforcements.
Kroupi, aged 19, is the standout attacking prospect. He scored his 10th Premier League goal of the season against Arsenal on Saturday, becoming the first teenager in more than two decades to reach double figures in a debut top-flight campaign. Opta data shows his 10 goals came from an expected goals total of 6.6. Only three Premier League players have out-performed the predictive model by a larger margin this season. That overperformance prompts caution: few young finishers maintain such conversion rates across multiple seasons. Kroupi’s chances-quality is encouraging, especially given his single previous top-flight experience came off the bench for Lorient in 2023–24.
There are stylistic considerations too. Iraola’s teams thrive on a high press and regain model and are less effective when they hold the ball for prolonged periods. Bournemouth have recorded 55% or more possession in 12 games across all competitions this season and won only one of those matches. By contrast, in 22 games with less than 55% possession they picked up nine wins. Those tendencies influence how Senesi and Kroupi operate and how they might adapt to the demands of Manchester United. Recent transfer history shows Bournemouth have sold five players for more than $55 million over two summers, with Antoine Semenyo cited as the only undisputed success among them.
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