Champions League Fantasy Football: January signings

After the 16 teams still involved in the UEFA Champions League named their updated squads for the remainder of this season's competition, UEFA.com highlights some notable signings made during the January transfer window who might be worth considering on #UCLfantasy, presented by Playstation.

Luis Díaz (Liverpool)

Position: Forward
#UCLfantasy price: €8.1m

The highly-rated forward left Porto to sign for Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool on a five-and-a-half-year deal. The Colombian has shone on the domestic front this season, registering 14 goals and four assists in the Portuguese Liga, but also impressed in European competition. Two goals, ten ball recoveries and one Player of the Match award over the course of Porto's six Group B fixtures gave Díaz a score of 24 #UCLfantasy points across the group stage and the 25-year-old will be looking to play a key role for Liverpool going into the round of 16. Both of Díaz's group stage goals came against AC Milan, which bodes well given his new club have been paired with their city rivals Inter in the first knockout round.

Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal)

Position: Midfielder
#UCLfantasy price: €6.5m

The midfielder left Tottenham to return to Spain, signing for Villarreal on loan for the rest of the season. The last time the Argentinian played for a Spanish club was back in 2018/19 when he made headlines playing for Real Betis, scoring 16 times across 45 appearances in all competitions. Such form led to a big-money move but Lo Celso failed to replicate that goalscoring form at Spurs. However, being back in Spain could well lead to Lo Celso rediscovering his scoring touch from midfield – a mouth-watering prospect for Villarreal ahead of the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. Lo Celso has the potential to prove a differential diamond on Matchday 7, when Villarreal have home advantage for the first leg of their tie against Juventus.

Dušan Vlahović (Juventus)

Position: Forward
#UCLfantasy price: €9.5m

Up against Lo Celso and Villarreal is Juve's new signing, with Vlahović currently joint top of the Serie A goalscoring charts with 18 goals. The premium price the Turin team paid for his services is understandable when considering the 22-year-old's goal record. A breakout star last season for the Viola with 21 goals in 37 Serie A matches, Vlahović has taken his game to new heights in 2021/22, netting 20 times in just 24 appearances in all competitions. Vlahović will now aim to prove that he can show the same potency in front of goal in the UEFA Champions League, starting at Villarreal. If he can, then his #UCLfantasy starting price of €9.5m will seem like a bargain.

Reinildo Mandava (Atlético)

Position: Defender
#UCLfantasy price: €5.4m

Already a top performer in this season's UEFA Champions League, the defender swapped France for Spain during the January transfer window, moving from LOSC Lille to Atlético. Mandava was not only part of a LOSC team who kept three clean sheets on their way to the round of 16, but also finished the group stage with 48 ball recoveries to his name, the most of any player remaining in the competition. That added 15 points to his #UCLfantasy score, helping him to an overall total of 37 points, the seventh highest among defenders. Atlético head coach Diego Simeone will be banking on Mandava bringing some stability to a back line which kept just one clean sheet in their six Group B fixtures. With home advantage in the first leg against Manchester United on Matchday 7, Mandava could represent a shrewd investment.

Robin Gosens (Inter)

Position: Defender
#UCLfantasy price: €5.5m

Injury restricted Gosens to just two appearances for Atalanta in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League, and he has not featured in the competition since Matchday 2. The German international's only start came on Matchday 1 and the flying full-back duly found the net, registering eight #UCLfantasy points in the process. Although Atalanta failed to qualify for the knockout stage, Gosens still has a chance of featuring in the competition after signing for Inter on loan last month. A proven performer in the UEFA Champions League, the Italian champions are hopeful that Gosens will be fit to play a part during the round of 16 and if he is, then #UCLfantasy managers won't find many better options in terms of attacking defenders.

Alternate options

Having won three of their last four Group C matches, scoring 13 goals in the process to reach the round of 16 ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Sporting CP have further strengthened their offensive ranks with the signing of Marcus Edwards (€6.0m). The 23-year-old attacking midfieldehas impressed for Vitória SC, scoring seven goals in 18 league appearances so far this season, prompting the Portuguese champions to make their move. Edwards could make his UEFA Champions League debut against Manchester City, who failed to keep a clean sheet across the entire group stage.

Another player that should be on the radar of #UCLfantasy managers is forward Brian Brobbey (€5.9m), who has rejoined Ajax on loan from Leipzig. Since returning to the Dutch club, Brobbey has scored three goals in two Eredivisie games, although it should be noted that he has stiff competition for a starting spot in the Ajax attacking ranks heading into Matchday 7.