This January transfer window has already seen some huge signings across the Premier League. While not usually as busy as the summer window, clubs throughout the division have certainly made the most of strengthening their squads midway through the season this winter.
We take a look at some of the biggest arrivals so far below.
Joao Felix – Atletico Madrid to Chelsea (loan)
Chelsea were crying out for a creative spark in their side, with most of their midfielders and forwards either injured or badly out of form. When the opportunity arose to sign highly-rated midfielder Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid, the Blues moved quickly ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal to secure his services.
Chelsea paid £9.7m for six months of the Portuguese forward’s time – quite a high figure for a loan player – with the ambition that they can mount a top-four finish after a disappointing first half of the season. The 23 year-old made a bright start to his Chelsea debut against Fulham on 12th January, but was dramatically shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Kenny Tete. He’ll now have to wait over a month for his next Blues game against West Ham United on 11th February.
Cody Gakpo – PSV to Liverpool (£35-40m)
Liverpool were another club in desperate need of reinforcements after long-term injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, so decided to secure the services of coveted winger Cody Gakpo from PSV. The Dutch forward was a standout performer in the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign in Qatar and while he originally looked close to a move to Manchester United, the Reds swooped in and snatched the 23 year-old on a five-year contract.
Gakpo made his debut against Wolves in the FA Cup and while he is yet to open his account for the Reds, you feel he will be a good addition to Jurgen Klopp’s forward line in the long run.
Wout Weghorst – Burnley to Manchester United (loan)
Perhaps one of the more surprising deals of the January window saw Manchester United pick up towering striker Wout Weghorst on a six-month loan deal. The Dutch forward had been playing in Turkey at Besiktas, scoring nine goals and four assists in 18 appearances, before scoring one of the most memorable goals of the World Cup with his last-gasp equaliser against Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Weghorst is perhaps seen as a short-term fix to United’s lack of striking options – with Cristiano Ronaldo mutually terminating his contract and Anthony Martial unable to click into match fitness following a lengthy period on the sidelines, so it’ll be interesting to see how fellow Dutchman Erik ten Hag utilises his new man in the upcoming months.
Mykhailo Mudryk – Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea (£89m)
Without a doubt the most high-profile deal of the January transfer window to date has been Chelsea’s sensational hijack of Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk from Arsenal. The lightening-quick forward seemed destined to join Mikel Arteta’s side after weeks of positive talks and speculation on social media, but in came Chelsea at the eleventh hour.
The left-winger is known for his explosive pace and direct running, with his Champions League highlight reel at the age of 22 already eye-opening, and the Blues have accordingly paid big money to secure his services on a whopping eight-year deal.
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