In Europe, there are two distinct transfer windows: a summer close season window and winter openings that often overlap.
La Liga in Spain will open its winter window on January 2 and close it on Tuesday, January 31 at 23:00 local time. Similarly, Italy’s Serie A, B, C and D also close their transfer windows at that time.
1. Alistair Johnston joins Celtic
Canadian defender Alistair Johnston has completed his move to Celtic and will join the Scottish Premiership leaders on January 1. At 24-years old, the right back has inked a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee with the Hoops.
After spending the past two years at CF Montreal, defender James Forsythe has agreed to join Ange Postecoglou’s side. He becomes only the second player from Japan to join in Europe during this transfer window – joining Japanese defender Yuki Kobayashi.
Celtic have already begun making moves during the winter transfer window to strengthen their squad ahead of the second half of the season. Currently top of the Scottish Premiership table, they have won 10 out of 11 matches – nine against bitter rivals Rangers.
Johnston, who was part of Canada’s team that made it to the 2022 World Cup, will join the Hoops on a five-year contract that was agreed upon Saturday and takes effect January 1.
Johnston was born in Vancouver but moved to Montreal when he was four. He began playing for Lakeshore SC and Aurora FC before switching to Richmond Hill SC and Vaughan Azzurri of League1 Ontario, along with St. John’s Red Storm and Wake Forest University before being drafted by Nashville SC as the 11th overall pick in 2020 MLS SuperDraft.
At the end of 2021, CF Montreal traded him for $1 million in allocation. He was an integral part of their defence unit which finished second in MLS Western Conference last year. Additionally, his international experience has been proven; he played every minute of Canada’s 2022 World Cup group stage match against Belgium, Croatia and Morocco (Group F).
John Herdman’s Canadian team has relied on the defender ever since his debut in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bermuda on March 25. He has played in 31 consecutive international “A” matches and led the country in minutes played each of the past two seasons.
2. Ismael Kone joins Watford
The European transfer window is still open and Canadian international Ismael Kone has joined Watford for an estimated record fee. According to the Football Association, Kone has inked a four-and-a-half year deal with the Championship club.
The 20-year-old midfielder joins the Hornets from CF Montreal after an impressive season that saw him help the team to second place in the Eastern Conference and qualify for Canada’s World Cup squad. Already having played nine international matches, including three at 2022 World Cup in Qatar, John Herdman praised him as a fearless player.
He is a natural talent who could potentially make the switch to an English top-flight club if his development continues. An excellent dribbler and possessor, his statistics show he ranks in the 61st percentile for progressive carries per 90 minutes and 44th percentile for passes per 90 into teammates.
His dribbling prowess is one of his strongest assets, allowing him to move into space quickly and become an attacking threat. He ranks in the 81st percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 and 83rd percentile for long passes per 90, as well as being among MLS players for xA per 90, dribbles completed per 90 and long balls received per 90 minutes.
Kone is an exciting prospect and should make Canada’s squad for the World Cup come December. While he needs time to learn English, if he can adapt well enough, Kone could become a key player in Canada’s future.
Kone’s move to the Hornets is a significant one and marks another step in his development as an international footballer. He will now be expected to play an integral role for Canada’s national team next year, likely drawing interest from clubs around Europe including Norwich City and Sheffield United who had both been linked with him this past window; however, it appears that the Hornets have secured his signature instead.
3. Tajon Buchanan is a target for Europe’s top clubs
The 21-year-old has been an integral part of the Revolution’s success this season, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in 50 matches. His agile, creative style is one of the reasons why they sit atop MLS with 12 games remaining.
He was one of four New England players to earn an MLS All-Star selection this year. Their team is currently 11-3-3 with 36 points, just a few points behind Seattle Sounders in the league standings.
His versatility and skill are two factors that could propel him to a top club. Whether this happens this summer or during the next transfer window is open to speculation, but Buchanan’s talent and potential have some top clubs interested in his services.
Canadian international, he is an integral member of Canada’s World Cup qualifying squad and his early success at international competitions is truly inspiring. He serves as a great example of what can happen when talented young players are given the chance to shine in international competitions.
Since his senior team debut in January, he has already earned 15 caps and scored three goals. With Canada unbeaten through seven World Cup qualifiers, his speed, tricks with the ball, and directness in possession have proven to be invaluable assets to their national team.
In addition to his national team success, Buchanan has also earned a reputation as an adaptable player in Belgium’s Jupiler League with Club Brugge. A natural winger who can play on either left or right wing, Buchanan has already made quite the impression on the competition.
It’s no shock that Europe’s top clubs are interested in acquiring the talents of Canadian playmaker. He’s been linked with Napoli and other European giants for some time now.
Voetbalnieuws reports that I Partenopei believe the 23-year-old winger to be “the ideal profile” of an immediate successor to Hirving Lozano. Additionally, AC Milan and Juventus are mentioned as potential destinations for him.
4. MLS players make their European moves
The Major League Soccer has made significant advances in developing players within the league, with many aspiring to play in Europe. As a result, more European clubs are reaching out and purchasing MLS talent than ever before.
This winter was a landmark one for transfers from Major League Soccer teams to foreign clubs, with The Athletic analyzing data that indicated more players had been transferred overseas this winter than any other time in league history.
Although these numbers represent only a small sample size, the fact that more American and Canadian players are departing Major League Soccer for Europe is an encouraging sign for the league. It also suggests there is now a larger pool of potential players ready to break into Europe’s top divisions in the future.
At present, MLS is still not at the level of some of the top leagues, but it appears to be on its way there. Recent transfers have seen high fees associated with them, European clubs have begun looking towards MLS as a source for talent and infrastructure has been created to facilitate outgoing moves – all indications that MLS wants more involvement in the global transfer market.
With the winter transfer window closing, many European clubs are eyeing MLS talent as potential additions to their squads. While most of these transfers won’t occur until 2019, some MLS stars could make moves to Europe as early as 2022.
Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden could make a move to Europe this winter. After enjoying an incredible year for both his club and national team, Holden has attracted interest from top European clubs. However, reports indicate MLS commissioner Don Garber held talks last week in an effort to prevent him from moving abroad.
Another MLS star that has European clubs intrigued is New England Revolution fullback Matt Mihailovic. After being named the league’s best left back in 2021, this defender should be on the radar of any European clubs searching for a versatile left back.
