Brighton, Palace, South London Clubs Complete January Transfer Activity

The January 2025 transfer window saw significant activity for several South London football clubs, particularly Brighton and Crystal Palace. Brighton Hove Albion made a total of 23 deals, including seven arrivals and 16 departures, with a focus on clearing out their Academy, while spending £43 million on new signings like Paraguayan international Diego Gomez. The club's strategy was met with mixed reactions from fans, as many felt the departures weakened the squad, despite the rationale of facilitating player development and moving on from underperforming individuals. Crystal Palace, under new manager Oliver Glasner, made a more modest impact, securing two signings including the exciting young talent Romain Esse, who scored on his debut. However, the club faced criticism for not adequately addressing squad depth after key injuries to players like Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure. Overall, while Brighton embraced a transformative approach, Palace's window was characterized by a lack of ambition amidst ongoing injury challenges.