5 losers of the January transfer window

Southampton

The Saints are currently in the relegation zone and have struggled for goals all season under Mauricio Pellegrino.

Their top goalscorer at the moment is Charlie Austin, who has scored more goals, six, than he has started games, five. Due to the English striker’s poor fitness record the club added Manolo Gabbiadini last January and the Italian got off to a strong start, but has slowed down significantly since.

Gabbiadini now has three goals in 10 starts and the scoring woes were particularly highlighted by the supporters’ jubilation at Shane Long’s goal in January, as it gave them hope that maybe the club did have a forward who could stay healthy and score goals.

It was all for nought though. Long hasn’t scored since.

Pellegrino was clearly on the hunt for a goalscorer this January and he had the funds for it after the £75 million sale of Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool. Eventually, he settled upon Guido Carrillo, who had fallen out of favor at Ligue 1 side Monaco, for £19.8 million.

The Argentine has managed two goals in only four Ligue 1 starts this season. Southampton are a club who have been known to find diamonds in the rough that is the transfer market, but Carrillo doesn’t look to be one of them.

A reach for an out of favor striker and the loss of the best player is a huge January loss for a club that is embroiled in a relegation battle.