5 deals that fell through on transfer deadline day

Here, theScore runs through the transfer talks that broke down during the January window’s final day.

Idrissa Gueye to Paris Saint-Germain

Everton stood firm. Paris Saint-Germain’s final offer for Gueye was worth £26 million, according to The Times’ James Joyce, but it was met with a strong rebuttal from the Toffees.

You can understand why. Marco Silva’s Everton are often frustrating, yet they have a quality nucleus with the Senegalese minesweeper and Andre Gomes sitting at the base of midfield. With greater understanding in the backline and an out-and-out striker, the Merseysiders can significantly improve in the summer.

Les Parisiens, meanwhile, still appear short of a ball-winner in the middle of the park. Leandro Paredes is an impressive acquisition, but he won’t necessarily bring the bite that’s been lacking when PSG have floundered in continental action.

Yannick Carrasco to AC Milan

Dalian Yifang’s attempts to take Torino’s Andrea Belotti and Lazio’s Ciro Immobile to the Chinese Super League collapsed, and that may have kiboshed Carrasco’s wishes to join AC Milan.

Calciomercato reported the Belgian winger was keen on joining the Rossoneri, but Dalian’s inability to recruit a replacement and Milan not submitting a high enough offer ended any chance of an agreement being reached.

Hakan Calhanoglu just hasn’t cut it on the left flank for Milan, and 25-year-old Carrasco could’ve been a vast improvement in that slot.

Luciano Acosta to Paris Saint-Germain

An excellent understanding with Wayne Rooney during the 2018 MLS season seemed to rocket Acosta’s reputation into a different stratosphere. It still came as a surprise, though, when the artful Argentinian attracted interest from one of Europe’s biggest outfits.

An offer worth just below €10 million was tabled by Paris Saint-Germain, Sky Sports News claimed, which trumped the $6.2-million approach from a Saudi Arabian club that was reported by Kristian Dyer of The Athletic. A later account from Gianluca Di Marzio stated PSG upped their offer to $11.5 million to try to capture the D.C. United star.

However, it’s understood the MLS club’s audacious $13-million valuation was not satisfied, so negotiations between the two teams and Acosta’s representatives collapsed. PSG must dip into their current attacking resources to address Neymar’s 10-week layoff, and may rue allowing Timothy Weah to move on loan to Celtic earlier in the window.

Gary Cahill to anybody

“It’s all about playing. Your career’s short enough as it is,” Cahill lamented in September. “I’ve got maximum respect for everybody here at the football club, for the fans, and all the players. But sometimes you have to make tough decisions to keep your career going forward.”

If Cahill’s situation didn’t improve, the Chelsea stalwart said he would “probably” move on in the January window in search of regular first-team action. Since that interview, Cahill has started six cup matches against a range of teams including MOL Vidi and BATE Borisov.

Nothing happened in January, and that may be the player’s fault. Sky Sports News reported that financial details for a permanent switch to Fulham were agreed between the two clubs, but Cahill wasn’t interested in making the nearby switch to Claudio Ranieri’s ranks. Juventus and Monaco also had rumored interest in the 33-year-old.

Christopher Nkunku to Arsenal

Despite Paris Saint-Germain still looking rather short in midfield, there doesn’t appear to be a future for Nkunku at the club. Cue interest from Arsenal.

His versatility in Unai Emery’s injury-hit squad would’ve been a huge plus, and his quality from dead-ball situations and technical ability would’ve greatly enhanced the Spanish manager’s weaponry in north London.

But Nkunku didn’t follow Denis Suarez in another loan move to Arsenal, with The Mirror’s Liam Prenderville understanding that the deal’s failure to materialize was down to the Gunners’ financial restrictions. This indicates there was a potential loan fee for Nkunku, or an option or obligation to buy at the end of this campaign for a hefty sum.