Ranked: The Best Ever Premier League January Transfer Window Signings

The January transfer window can prove to be a notoriously tricky time for Premier League clubs who are looking to improve their squad.

Whether it’s a team gunning for a European spot or a club who is desperate to avoid the drop, new additions mid-way through the season don’t always turn out the way most expect.

However, some of the best signings in Premier League history have actually occurred during the January transfer window.

Granted, huge sums are often paid for players of the highest calibre owing to the January transfer window being halfway through the season.

If a signing turns out to be a shrewd acquisition, then Premier League sides won’t care too much about paying the inflated price.

Here at SportsLens, we take a look back the best January transfer window signings in Premier League history.

Best Premier League January Signings

Players such as Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll will go down as two of the worse Premier League January transfer window signings of all-time when in theory, they should have been two of the best. The money spent on the pair was astronomical at the time and they failed to live up to their billing.

However, when you think of the best ever Premier League January transfer window signings, the vast majority have been acquired for very modest sums. Certainly a lot less than what was paid for Mr Torres and Mr Carroll. Who are the first players that spring to mind when you think of the best ever Premier League January transfer window signings?

Virgil van Dijk, Luis Suarez, Jermain Defoe, Clint Dempsey, Seamus Coleman, Patrice Evra, Philippe Coutinho, Gary Cahill, Bruno Fernandes, Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic, Ashley Young, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nemanja Vidic are the likely contenders football fans will respond with; but there’s certainly others who are worthy of honourable mentions.

Other than Van Dijk, Aubameyang and Fernandes, not a huge amount was expected from the aforementioned players but they have certainly gone on to prove their doubters wrong and made their transfer fees look rather silly. Take Coleman for example, he was signed for just £60k and has gone on to have a brilliant career in England‘s top-flight.

Best Value For Money January Signings

In terms of the best value for money January transfer window signings, Seamus Coleman is certainly up there but the likes of Luis Suarez, Nemanja Vidic, Patric Evra, Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic and Gary Cahill all went on to win major honours after their mid-season switches. Granted, Virgil van Dijk and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also lifted plenty of silverware but they signed for vast sums.

Serbian hardman Vidic joined Manchester United in 2006 and went on to win five Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, three League Cups and five Community Shields. Evra, who joined at the same time as Vidic, also won the same number of trophies and they made up part of a rock solid United defence under the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Matic won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup during his time at Chelsea and is often regarded as one of the top-flight’s most underrated players. Former teammate Cahill went slightly better than the Serb, winning the title twice, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, two FA Cups and the League Cup. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions. Ivanovic however, trumped them all by winning nine major honours at Stamford Bridge.

Okay, so we might have slightly cheated here as Suarez only won one trophy at Liverpool (League Cup) but he is far by one of the best value for money January signings after his phenomenal spell at Anfield. Often the scourge of Norwich City, the Uruguayan striker’s dynamic and dazzling displays wowed fans from across the land and he won the Premier League Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe in the same season before moving on to Barcelona.

The Best Ever Premier League January Transfer Window Signings

1.  Nemanja Vidic – Spartak Moscow to Man Utd (£7m in 2006)
2.  Virgil van Dijk – Southampton to Liverpool (£75m in 2018)
3.  Patrice Evra – Monaco to Man Utd (£5.5m in 2006)
4. Branislav Ivanovic – Lokomotiv to Chelsea (£9m in 2008)
5. Luis Suarez – Ajax to Liverpool (£22.5m in 2011)
6. Gary Cahill – Bolton to Chelsea (£7m in 2012)
7. Nemanja Matic – Benfica to Chelsea (£21m in 2014)
8. Jermain Defoe – Toronto to Sunderland (Player exchange in 2015)
9. Philippe Coutinho – Inter to Liverpool (£8.5m in 2013)
10. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Dortmund to Arsenal (£56m in 2018)
11.  Bruno Fernandes – Sporting to Man Utd (£47m in 2020)
12. Seamus Coleman – Sligo Rovers to Everton (£60k in 2009)
13. Clint Dempsey – New England Revolution to Fulham (£2m in 2007)
14.  Ashley Young – Watford to Aston Villa (£9.65m in 2007)
15. Emmanuel Adebayor – Monaco to Arsenal (£3m in 2006)

• Don’t forget, the best UK betting sites have all the latest Premier League odds, player markets, enhanced accas and price boosts.