It is the last day of the first month of the year and for the football world it is the deadline day of the winter transfer window.
With just hours left for clubs around Europe to get deals done for their transfer targets, a number of big clubs are busy in the final hours of the window working hard.
With not much quality up for grabs this month, clubs from around Europe have been fighting for star players and one such player who has now completed a move on the deadline day is Anwar El Ghazi.
The 21-year old is an academy graduate at Feyenoord and joined Dutch giants Ajax in 2013.
In the last couple of years, he has cemented a place in the first team at the club and was expected to help the Dutch outfit to a successful season.
However, he had a fallout with manager Peter Bosz and was frozen out of the first team earlier this season.
He was demoted to the junior side at Ajax for the whole of November and though he made a comeback to the senior side during December, he has now ended his time in Netherlands.
According to reports, the versatile attacker has signed a long-term contract with French outfit Lille on deadline day.
? [OFFICIEL] Anwar El Ghazi ?? (@AElGhazi7) ouvre le #MercatoLOSC
Le communiqué ➡️ https://t.co/M1LgveEa9v#WeAreLOSC ?⚪️ pic.twitter.com/2UPrOOONKJ
— LOSC (@losclive) January 31, 2017
It is understood that El Ghazi’s deal will keep him at the club till 2021 and this will come as a huge blow for a number of Premier League clubs who were looking to add him to their squad.
For his age, El Ghazi is a potential superstar and the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have been monitoring him for a while now.
Neither of the teams wanted him this January in spite of his situation at Ajax and Lille have now taken full advantage and have managed to tie up for a long time.
Speaking to the media after his move, the attacker said, “I am very happy to be at LOSC,” El Ghazi commented on his move. I had a very good feeling about this club ever since we started talks. I cannot wait to get started.”
“I know that [Patrick] Kluivert and Eden Hazard played here. They are big names and that proves Lille are a big club,” he added.
If his return in front of goal for Ajax is anything to go by, he will take the French league by a storm in no time. Do you think the PL clubs made a mistake not moving for the star this January?