The January transfer window has slammed shut in a fairly polite and unassuming manner (unless you’re Crystal Palace), with deadline day offering little in the way of surprise deals or last-minute drama.
Premier League clubs must now navigate the final 14 games of the season with the squads at their disposal, as both the title race and relegation battle remain finely poised.
While some sides kept their cheque books firmly closed – including league leaders Arsenal and a resurgent Manchester United – others scrambled to plug gaps in what is traditionally a difficult market to truly shift a club’s trajectory before May.
Transfer News Blitz writer Oliver Powell assesses the biggest winners and losers from the Premier League’s January transfer window.
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Winners
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s side spent the most money this window, but the calibre of talent acquired at the Etihad is remarkable for January.
City landed the two standout prizes available, beating stiff competition to secure the signatures of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi.
Semenyo’s £64 million release clause attracted interest from Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, yet the Ghanaian opted for City – and has wasted no time justifying the move, scoring four goals in his first five appearances.
Meanwhile, a £20 million deal for England international Guehi feels like outstanding value, even accounting for the defender entering the final six months of his Crystal Palace contract.
His arrival is perfectly timed, with injuries to Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol stretching City’s defensive options.
Liverpool – and Arne Slot in particular – may rue their collapsed pursuit of Guehi last summer, given their defensive struggles this season.
City also managed to sell Oscar Bobb for £27 million following Semenyo’s arrival, a commendable return for a player who had started just five Premier League games this campaign.
Aston Villa
Unai Emery’s January approach – effectively “getting the band back together” – must be considered a success given Villa’s need for depth amid a Europa League campaign and a push for Champions League qualification.
Former Villa players Tammy Abraham and Douglas Luiz returned to Villa Park, while Leon Bailey was recalled from his loan spell at Roma.
Abraham provides a much-needed alternative to Ollie Watkins, while injuries to Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans made Luiz’s loan return a no-brainer just 18 months after his move to Juventus.
Departures for Donyell Malen and Evan Guessand do place additional pressure on Abraham to contribute goals, but Villa’s increased depth across the pitch should prove crucial during the run-in.
West Ham United
West Ham needed to be winners – and they delivered – with the club six points from safety and supporter unrest reaching boiling point.
The departure of Lucas Paquetá ends a turbulent spell for the Brazilian, whose performances never quite matched expectations amid ongoing off-field uncertainty.
His £36.5 million return to Flamengo represents solid business.
Early additions Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe have been instrumental in an upturn in form, complementing Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville to form a potent attacking unit.
Deadline-day arrivals Adama Traoré and Axel Disasi add valuable Premier League and international experience.
Traoré, in particular, reunites with Nuno Espírito Santo, under whom he enjoyed success at Wolves.
With the leakiest defence in the division, loanee Disasi will need to find top form quickly if West Ham are to secure another season of top-flight football.
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Losers
Crystal Palace
This inclusion may yet look premature if Jørgen Strand Larsen and Brennan Johnson fire Palace to Conference League glory, but for now, the jury remains firmly out.
Palace brought in attackers Strand Larsen, Johnson and Guessand, players who have managed a combined three Premier League goals this season.
While last season’s returns (14 for Strand Larsen, 11 for Johnson) offer some optimism, the signings still carry a notable element of risk.
The failed £20 million pursuit of Dwight McNeil denied Oliver Glasner further squad depth, leaving Palace reliant on an injured and unsettled Jean-Philippe Mateta following his collapsed move to AC Milan.
Crucially, no replacement arrived for Marc Guehi, and with Glasner already confirmed to depart at season’s end, the next few months at Selhurst Park threaten to be turbulent.
Tottenham Hotspur
The Thomas Frank era at Spurs is yet to resemble the harmonious partnership the club hierarchy envisioned, and January did little to help.
Conor Gallagher is a strong addition who brings energy and quality to midfield, but beyond that, Tottenham’s squad remains threadbare following yet another injury-ravaged campaign.
Club captain Cristian Romero publicly summed up the mood, describing the squad situation as “unbelievable but true and disgraceful.”
The departure of Brennan Johnson, followed shortly by Mohammed Kudus’ injury, gave Spurs ample time to recruit attacking reinforcements. Instead, Frank was left empty-handed, aside from a hollow “we nearly signed Semenyo” consolation.
Full-back Souza arrived from Santos, but with just one senior season under his belt, he is far from the ready-made solution Spurs hoped to land in Andrew Robertson.
A nine-point cushion may ultimately be enough to avoid an unthinkable relegation scrap, but the fact that it can even be mentioned speaks volumes about the state of affairs in north London.
Burnley
Survival in the Premier League is never easy, but Burnley appear alarmingly passive in their attempts to achieve it.
A loan move for James Ward-Prowse was the sole addition to Scott Parker’s squad, who have not won a league match since late October.
Fellow strugglers Wolves at least used the window to reshape for the Championship, but Burnley seemingly sat on their hands – neither strengthening nor preparing for life below – with relegation appearing increasingly inevitable.
Leeds United may yet join them after failing to match the activity of their rivals, particularly by neglecting to sign a goalkeeper or striker, leaving Daniel Farke hoping Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness holds through the season.
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