The 2023 January transfer window has been nothing short of manic, with Premier League clubs and their respective owners (we’re looking at you Todd Boehly) spending like they’ve never spent before. A jaw-dropping £780.1 million was splashed on 52 permanent transfers, with an enormous number of loan deals also being struck.
Despite this, only £105m was brought in from player sales, meaning that the league’s net spend was an enormous £675m. Chelsea were by far the biggest spenders, shelling out a mind-boggling £323.3m alone, more than the Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 combined, highlighting the continued financial dominance of the Premier League.
In this article, we will take a look at the transfer window’s biggest deals, decide which team had the best window, and pick out three of the shrewdest signings made this time around.
What were the biggest deals agreed in January 2023?
We have compiled the top five below:
| Player | Club | Signed from? | Fee (including add-ons) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enzo Fernandez | Chelsea | Benfica | £106.8m |
| Mykhailo Mudryk | Chelsea | Shakhtar Donetsk | £88.5m |
| Anthony Gordon | Newcastle | Everton | £45m |
| Cody Gakpo | Liverpool | PSV | £45m |
| Georginio Rutter | Leeds | Hoffenheim | £35.5m |
Which club had the best window?
Well, whilst we have to give plenty of credit to Bournemouth and Leeds, who both had excellent windows, there is surely no other answer that we can give here other than Chelsea, who have undertaken the mammoth task of a full-squad rebuild, a process that normally takes years, in just two transfer windows.
Leeds have strengthened their squad, bringing in Max Wober to strengthen their ailing defence, and adding quality in midfield and attack through Weston McKennie and Georginio Rutter. And Bournemouth have added six new players that could well lift them out of the relegation zone. But there is little disputing the fact that Chelsea are the firm winners of this window. Backed by the infinitely deep pockets of Todd Boehly and co, the west Londoners have picked up eight new players.
These include British record-signing Enzo Fernandez, arguably the world’s premier young midfielder (along with Jude Bellingham), and Mykhailo Mudyrk, one of Europe’s most exciting attacking talents. Both players join the Blues aged just 22, and look ready to lift Graham Potter’s side up the table. Chelsea have also managed to bring in the supremely talented Joao Felix on loan, who will, along with fellow new boy Noni Madueke, look to bolster an attack that has so far only managed to score 23 goals in 20 league games this season, fewer than Erling Haaland!
Benoit Badiashile also looks like a shrewd signing, with the left-footed centre-half already slotting nicely into Graham Potter’s backline. Andrey Santos, Malo Gusto and David Datro Fofana, the club’s other three new acquisitions, might turn out to be more long-term signings, but could ensure that the club has plenty of cover in key areas, and also ensure that the next round of Cobham academy graduates has no place in the first team! If this new-look Chelsea are unable to immediately soar up the table, it could very quickly put Potter’s position in doubt. No pressure, Graham.
Which are the best signings this January?
It is a tough task to pin down which of this window’s enormous number of signings are the best. But we will endeavour to select three below that are particularly shrewd acquisitions, and rate them out of 10, discussing the instant impact they might have at their new clubs.
Leandro Trossard
- Club: Arsenal
- Fee: £27m
- Signed from: Brighton
- Our Transfer Score: 8.5/10
First up, we have Belgian winger Leandro Trossard, who departs Brighton, following a fall-out with manager Roberto de Zerbi, to join up with current league leaders Arsenal. An accomplished, Premier League-proven player, who will compete with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka for a place in Mikel Arteta’s side, Trossard will provide much-needed cover in forward areas, as he is able to play anywhere across the frontline. The 28-year-old has been in impressive form this season, contributing seven goals and three assists for the Seagulls, including a hat-trick against Liverpool, and should hit the ground running for the Gunners. He looks like a shrewd purchase that could just be the difference for Arsenal.
Weston McKennie
- Club: Leeds
- Fee: Initial loan, £30 million obligation in summer (if criteria are met)
- Signed from: Juventus
- Our Transfer Score: 8.5/10
Given the financial struggles Juventus are facing, the club seemed forced to let some players go, to bring in some much-needed cash and ease the pressure on their enormous wage bill. This has allowed Leeds to swoop in for midfielder Weston McKennie, who joins the west Yorkshire club’s current American trio of manager Jesse Marsch and players Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson. It represents another shrewd and ambitious signing on the part of the club’s ownership. A highly rated central midfielder, who brings Champions League experience, McKennie is blessed with a fantastic engine and work rate, giving him a great knack of winning the ball back. This, paired with an eye for goal, has drawn comparisons in the Italian media to former Juve midfielders Arturo Vidal and Edgar Davids.
McKennie could be an ideal partner for fellow USMNT centre-mid Tyler Adams and should be introduced into Marsch’s side very quickly. The 24-year-old, alongside fellow new signings Max Wober and Georginio Rutter, could very well help Leeds to Premier League safety, and perhaps even propel them to a solid mid-table finish.
Keylor Navas
- Club: Nottingham Forest
- Fee: Loan
- Signed from: PSG
- Our Transfer Score: 9/10
Last but not least, we have the strangest transfer of the window, one that leaves you rubbing your eyes in disbelief. But, having said that, it represents a very shrewd bit of business by Nottingham Forest. After all, it is not everyday that a relegation-threatened side are able to replace their injured goalkeeper with a three-time Champions League winner, who has previously been first-choice at both Real Madrid and PSG.
Navas, now 36, has been considered one of the best keepers in the world throughout his career, and has also represented his country Costa Rica, who he captains, at three World Cups. He therefore brings a wealth of experience at the highest level to a club that is looking to secure their Premier League status through any means necessary (including signing every player on Planet Earth). As a short-term replacement for Dean Henderson, Navas has to be the perfect choice and will be a huge boost for Forest.