With next month’s window opening in less than three weeks, we have looked at some January transfer records for the Premier League.
Teams up and down the table will be looking to strengthen in key areas and bring in additional firepower to bolster their ranks. But with Everton taking a ten-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules, might clubs be more careful with spending in 2024?
The Most Expensive January Transfers In Premier League History
Last season saw some of the biggest deals ever, with clubs breaking the bank to secure new arrivals. The most expensive January transfer in Premier League history happened in 2023, as Chelsea signed midfielder Enzo Fernandez on deadline day.
The Argentine international arrived from Portuguese side Benfica for a £105 million – a January transfer record. That deal also eclipsed the £100 million deal that saw Jack Grealish move to Manchester City from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021.
A British record transfer! ✅
Chelsea have agreed a deal in principle to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for £105m 🔵💰 pic.twitter.com/2lU4VSjUHB
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 31, 2023
Chelsea were also the buying club in the second-biggest January deal in Premier League history. Another 2023 arrival, Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88 million.
In 2018, Liverpool completed the signing of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk. The Netherlands captain has made 237 appearances for the Reds since then, winning a Premier league in 2020 and UEFA Champions League in 2019. His deal was worth £75 million, a then world record fee for a defender.
Two of the the next most expensive January signings both joined Manchester clubs. Manchester United signed Bruno Fernandes from Sporting CP in 2020 for £47 million, with the Portuguese star now a key member of Eric Ten Hag’s side.
Manchester City completed the signing of defender Aymeric Laporte in January 2018 for a fee of £57 million. He won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups before joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr for £25 million last season.
The Most Money Spent In A January Transfer Window
In 2023, Premier League clubs spent a combined £815 million, another January transfer record. The other so called “big five” European leagues only spent £220 million between then, demonstrating the financial might of the Premier League.
Not only did Premier League clubs spend four times as much as their rival leagues last year, they also forked out more in 2023 than they had in the previous four years combined.
An awful lot of that money came from Chelsea, with the Blues signing the likes of Fernandez and Mudryk. Since American businessman Todd Boehly took control of the club in June 2022, they have spent more then £1 billion on incoming transfers.
How Much Money Did Chelsea Spend In January 2023?
Last January, Chelsea almost singlehandedly outspent the other major European leagues. Whilst £105 million on Fernandez and £88 million on Mudryk were the headline deals, they also made a number of smaller signings.
In total, Chelsea spent close to £300 million in January 2023. While Joao Felix’s arrival from Atletico Madrid was only a six-month loan, they parted with £10 million to make it happen.
French defender Benoit Badiashile signed for £35 million from Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco, and Noni Madueke arrived from PSV Eindhoven for £29 million.
The Blues also brought in 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos for £18 million, along with Ivorian attacker David Datro Fofana form Molde for £8 million.
Fullback Malo Gusto arrived at Stamford Bridge in a £26m deal from Lyon, although he was loaned back to the French club for the remainder of the season.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
