Numbers to Know, Man City’s fast break shift and Semenyo’s replacement | OneFootball

Premier League clubs followed a record summer with a leaner winter, spending about £405million on 33 January transfers. According to NY Times, several deals stand out for how they solved clear needs.

Bournemouth paid £24.7million for Rayan from Vasco da Gama. He led Brazil’s Serie A with 33 carries ending in a shot last season, scoring five, and arrives to replace Antoine Semenyo after his move to Manchester City.

Since his 6 January Premier League debut, Taty Castellanos has taken the most shots from inside the box, 13 of 14 efforts there at an average of 13.3 yards. His 1.65 non-penalty xG leads West Ham since arrival, and a 98th-minute FA Cup winner against QPR ended a 10-game winless run.

Antoine Semenyo has eight fast-break goals since 2023, behind only Mohamed Salah on 11 and Jarrod Bowen on nine. City’s fast-break share of expected goals has climbed from 4.1 per cent in 2023-24 to 6.0 per cent last season and 14.7 per cent this term, and his two-footed, ball-carrying style fits that.

The shift leaves space behind, and recent fatigue and injuries have hurt them late in games. City have added Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace for £20million, a quick, front-foot defender, with Josko Gvardiol out for the season and Ruben Dias and John Stones sidelined.

Next up: Bournemouth host Aston Villa before Everton away. West Ham visit Burnley on Saturday, then host Manchester United on Tuesday. City go to Anfield on Sunday, then host Fulham on Wednesday.

Source: NY Times