Review Of The Day 6th January 2023

Review of the Day

Contracts

Middlesbrough have activated their 1-year contract extension option in Chuba Akpom’s deal, meaning the striker is now tied down until 2024.

Jack Lankester has agreed a new contract with Cambridge United which will run out in 2025.

Sean Scannell has extended his deal with Grimsby Town to run until the end of the season.

Teenage midfielder Ayman Kari has extended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain to expire in 2025.

New England Revolution of Major League Soccer have given their Spanish winger Nacho Gil a 2 year contract with club option for another year.

Also in MLS, Philadelphia Union’s Hungarian midfielder Daniel Gazdag has signed a similar deal with his also extended at the end of 2025 but with a club option for 2026 as well.

Transfers

In a surprising move, veteran defender Daley Blind has signed for Bayern Munich. The 32-year-old former Manchester United player was available on a free transfer after being released early from his Ajax contract ahead of the transfer window, despite featuring regularly for the Amsterdam giants.

Chelsea have completed the signing of Benoit Badashile from AS Monaco for £35m. The Blues have also been heavily criticised by Benfica head coach Roger Schmidt for their actions as they attempt to sign Enzo Fernandez from the Portugese. Schmidt said: “What the club is doing who wants Enzo, it’s disrespectful against all of us, against Benfica and I cannot accept what they are doing. To make the player crazy, and then to pretend they can pay the clause and later they want negotiate I think is not what I understand about a good relationship between clubs who maybe want to discuss about the player.”

Birmingham City have signed Kevin Long on a free transfer from Burnley. The defender has agreed a short-term deal with Birmingham.

Aberdeen have re-signed their former captain Graeme Shinnie on a loan deal from Wigan Athletic for the rest of the season. Also joining the Dons is Patrik Myslovic on loan from MSK Zilina with an option to buy.

Josh Bowler has returned to Blackpool on loan until the end of the season. The winger signed for Nottingham Forest in the summer as part of the huge spending spree, but was loaned straight out to Forest owner Marinakis’s other club Olympiakos.

Sean Morrison has been released by Cardiff City.

Millwall have released former Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Benik Afobe.

Manchester City have loaned young winger Morgan Rogers to Blackpool for…