The January transfer window has closed and, barring anything unusual, we basically know what managers will have to work with between now and the end of the season. Many fans want and even expect signings, irrespective of whether there is any real need for them. As such, supporters of several clubs will have been left disappointed with what happened – or rather didn’t happen – in the latest transfer window.
That is not to say that a lot of money wasn’t spent. Teams from England’s top flight spent around £370m, compared to just £100m 12 months earlier. Manchester City alone spent approximately £180m, or 80% more than all clubs did in the winter window in 2024. In fact, the only league around the world to spend more than City was Serie A, and even then only just, with the Italian top flight’s clubs having spent almost £184m.
The £370m figure, almost half of which was spent to assist Pep Guardiola, dwarfed that of Serie A, was over double Ligue 1’s £169m outlay, and totalled around 18 times as much as the total spent by clubs in La Liga. But it was still hugely down on the record sum of £815m that PL teams paid in the winter window at the start of 2023.
There are a range of reasons for that but the most important is the ever-looming spectre of P&S regulations. Whilst all PL teams got the all-clear in the latest round of accounts, several are thought to be walking a fine line, giving relatively limited scope for spending. Some, who perhaps had a little more room to manoeuvre, opted to wait until the summer, when it is generally accepted it is easier to make better deals.
Nonetheless, as is almost always the case, the English top flight easily outspent rival leagues and some big deals were done. Here we take a look back at the biggest signings from January 2025, the winners and losers, and what it all might mean for the rest of the 2024/25 season.
Man City Dominate
It is easy to forget now that Man City started the season pretty well and the days of Rodri controlling the middle of the pitch and helping his side cruise to win after win seem long ago. After nine games of the PL campaign they were top of the table, unbeaten with seven wins and two draws. The Spanish Ballon d’Or winner was ruled out for the season on the 27th of September 2024, and so four games of that fine run were without him, but his absence soon began to tell.
City’s poor results over the past few months are not solely down to Rodri but they did lose six out of eight league games, winning just once, between the 2nd of November and Christmas Day. Their form since Rodri got injured has dipped alarmingly and it was clear that the club needed a big shake-up in terms of personnel. They have certainly got that, with Pep sanctioning the following signings:
- Omar Marmoush, £64m from Eintracht Frankfurt
- Abdukodir Khusanov, £34m from Lens
- Vitor Reis, £29m from Palmeiras
- Juma Bah, £5m from Real Valladolid
- Nico Gonzalez, £50m from Porto
Marmoush is an attacking player designed to offer backup and support to Haaland and the Egyptian bagged 20 goals in 26 games for Frankfurt this term prior to joining City. Gonzalez may be the most important signing though, with the former Barca youth, only just 23, seen as a potential long-term replacement for Rodri. The other three are defenders who provide depth at the back, while Bah in particular is one for the future – he has been loaned out to Lens immediately.
All five are young though, with City having been criticized for allowing their squad to grow old together. With Kyle Walker shipped out to Milan, the squad has a much more youthful feel, and Pep will hope the new faces can provide fresh impetus.
Villa Have a Strong Window Too
Villa are another team that has been very active this January, bringing in Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi all on loan, from Man United, PSG and Chelsea respectively.
Unai Emery is known for his ability to rejuvenate the careers of players who have seemingly lost their way and it will be interesting to see what he can do with Rashford. Villa also added Donyell Malen from Dortmund for £20.5m and Levante defender Andres Garcia for £6m.
Villa fans will be excited to see what options Asensio brings, whilst Malen brings goals and creativity too. The club brought in almost £100m, chiefly through the sale of Jhon Duran to Saudi for £65m and Jaden Philogene for over £20m (to Ipswich).
Relegation Battle Looks Interesting
Ipswich adding Philogene and also Julio Enciso (on loan from Brighton) could really help them score more goals, whilst Somto Boniface, signed from Chelsea, should tighten things up at the other end. Leicester City fans will be dismayed by their club’s lack of action though, with Woyo Coulibaly (signed for just under £3m from Parma) their only addition.
Southampton have also added little, their only outlay being the £4m+ they paid Valenciennes for defender Joachim Sanda. Wolves have brought in two defenders and a midfielder, which shows where their priorities lie. They paid £17m to Reims for Emmanuel Agbadou, and also added Red Star’s Nasser Djiga, plus Marshall Munetsi, again from Reims.
In truth it is unlikely that January signings will turn a club’s fortunes around but there is no doubt that the activity we have seen does little to cheer Leicester or Southampton fans. If Ipswich can get Enciso fit and firing, he could provide the spark they need, whilst Wolves have correctly priorities defence, and Ivorian Agbadou could be just the player they needed.
Little Major Activity Among Top Clubs
City splashed the cash and Man United also brought in Danish defender Patrick Dorgu for almost £26m, a player that should suit Ruben Amorim’s system. But by and large, there was very little spending done by the PL elite. None of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle brought in a single player. Whilst Mikel Arteta has expressed his disappointment with the window, as he wanted to sign a striker, Liverpool’s Arne Slot seemed content enough to wait until the summer.
Mikel Arteta outlines his perfect striker with a huge hint on next Arsenal transfer after January “disappointment” https://t.co/cB4kEJcWp3 pic.twitter.com/CWCEgRzuol
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) February 5, 2025
All in all, we would say that Villa are the team that has done the most to change the course of their season. City’s signings should see them secure a top-four position but it is Villa’s additions that could really help. Emery was really short on depth but has brought in some players with real class and if he can get the best out of them they could yet themselves challenge for a top-four finish and perhaps have a decent run in the CL.