Top 10 January transfers by Premier League clubs

The January transfer window is rarely ever used to haul in major targets for any club. But sometimes clubs go all out to fix broken seasons or to get a potential star available in the window from a smaller club.

And while there are loads of spectacular duds from the January transfer window (a story for another day), there have been the rare gems who have lit up the Premier League over the years.

Following are a few notables mentions that just missed out on the top 10 spots. Each one delivered high value to their team irrespective of the financial value of the transfer, but could not beat out the impact (for their respective teams, as per their aspirations) made by those in the top 10.

Notable mentions:

1) Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea to Liverpool for £13.5 million in January 2013) - Daniel Sturridge's career has been a bit of a stop-start process at every club that he has been in.

But just his stellar season with Suarez in the 2013-14 season where they almost bullied their way through to the title with one of the shoddiest defensive units that did its best to drag them down, was worth getting him a notable mention.

The £13.5 million they paid for him would have been a real steal if they had actually won the title in 2014, but irrespective it was a spectacular effort.

2) Theo Walcott (Southampton to Arsenal for £9.45 million in January 2006) - Theo Walcott is another story that reads along the same lines, albeit, an even more injury-riddled past. Walcott arrived at Arsenal with a lot of hype and he, has in spurts, delivered on a lot of that promise.

But they have always been in spurts. Every time he stays fit he does wonders for Arsenal by adding a new dynamic of speed and directness that they lack otherwise.

3) Seamus Coleman (from Sligo Rovers to Everton for £70,000 in January 2009) - Seamus Coleman would likely make one of the top positions on the list if this were a list that considered best investment to return ratio.

But irrespective of the amount paid, Seamus Coleman has been one of the best January signings of all time by forming one of the best wing back duos in the league.

Everton have often failed to meet their lofty ambitions, but never has it been due to the lack of quality or effort on the part of Baines or Coleman, who have had multiple opportunities to move to bigger clubs throughout the last few years, that they have refused.

Close misses:

Ryan Shawcross (Manchester United to Stoke City for £1.35 million in January 2008)

Asmir Begovic (Portsmouth to Stoke City for £3.5 million in January 2010)

Scott Dann (Blackburn to Crystal Palace for £1.75 million in January 2014)

Now, let's take a look at the 10 best January signings made by Premier League clubs:

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#10 Mikel Arteta (Real Sociedad to Everton - £2.5 million - January 2005)

Arteta joined Everton in 2005

Mikel Arteta joined Everton on loan with the option to buy in the January transfer window in 2005. He played an instrumental role in taking the club to the 4th position and helping them qualify for the UEFA Champions League in his first season, finishing above more fancied sides like Liverpool and Tottenham.

His signing was made permanent in the following summer transfer window and Arteta went on to make stellar contributions to the team landing him the club's player of the season honours multiple times and also the best midfielder of the season 2005-06 ahead of Player Of The Year, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Best season for Everton - 2006/07 (9 goals and 9 assists)

Arteta hit the ground running right from the start of the season with a goal in the very first game against Watford, and kept up the pace throughout the season with a direct contribution to 18 goals.

While Everton finished 6th in the Premier League, Arteta played with the Spanish swagger that the Premier League wasn't used to. His performance was at its peak in the 3-0 win Everton pulled off against bitter rivals Liverpool, that till date remains one of the biggest wins for Everton against Liverpool.

#9 Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg to Manchester City - £27 million - January 2011)

Edin Dzeko in action for Manchester City

Edin Dzeko faded slightly towards the end of his term at Manchester City due to injuries and competition, but it does nothing to take away his contribution to making City the relevant footballing force that it is today in the Premier League.

Arriving for a hefty price Dzeko was quick to hit the ground running with plenty of goals (typified by crucial goals against top 6 opponents) and a lot of team success.

It is a testament to his performances that in his 4 complete seasons with City, the club never finished below the 2nd position, and won two Premier League titles. He would be lot higher on this list had he not played second fiddle to the guy whose name ends with a lot of o's (Agueroooooooooo...) in both the title runs.

Best season for Manchester City - 2013/14 (26 goals and 16 assists)

The 2013-14 season was the last big season for Dzeko at City, but it was an extremely memorable one. Dzeko was a regular starter and repaid the faith of the manager with a superb statistical season, with 26 goals across all competitions.

City pulled the double over United in the league, that season and Dzeko played his part by netting 2 goals in the 3-0 win at Old Trafford.

#8 Riyad Mahrez (AC Le Havre to Leicester City - £450,000 - January 2014)

Riyad Mahrez with the Premier League Trophy

Riyad Mahrez was a completely unknown commodity when Leicester picked him up for less than half a million pounds in 2014. But he went from being completely anonymous to becoming the Premier League Player of the Year in just 18 months, after inspiring Leicester to the PL title in the 2015-16 season that is going to be one of the greatest underdog stories in football, and definitely the greatest one in the modern premier league era.

He almost followed in N'Golo Kante's footsteps, courting some of the biggest European clubs during the 2016 summer transfer window. But, none of the moves materialized and his performances since then have been up and down, that one season in itself, where he made the impossible, possible, is good enough to land him at number 8 on this list.

Best season for Leicester City - 2015/16 (18 goals and 10 assists)

There couldn't have been any other choice here. Mahrez was the PL player of the year in 2016 for a reason. His mazy runs, powerful strikes and delightful feeds to Vardy made this a perfect season for both Mahrez and Leicester City. He particularly shone in the big games with a goal and assist in wins over both Chelsea and Manchester City.

#7 Nemanja Matic (Benfica to Chelsea - £21 million - January 2014)

Matic is the perfect Mourinho player and followed him to United

Chelsea had to face the mockery of football fans after having to buy back the services of the player they had sold off in 2011 for a mere 4 million pounds, by paying an additional 17 million pounds to that fee only 30 months later.

But it was Chelsea who had the last laugh as Matic proved instrumental in helping the club win the Premier League title in his first full season with the club in 2015 and adding another in 2017. He is the perfect Mourinho player, adept at breaking play in the heart of the midfield, and while he rarely ventures high up the pitch, he has the flare for the spectacular with a deadly long-range shot with his left foot.

His strike in the FA Cup against Tottenham during the 16/17 season is one of the best goals scored from outside the penalty area.

With his sale in 2017, Chelsea managed to recover nearly twice the amount they paid for him in 2014 through his transfer to Manchester United.

While on the face of it the deal seems to be great monetarily, only time will tell if they will get to relive the misery of having let him go too soon, for a second time; which will be especially true if he goes on to help Manchester United get back to their glory days.

Best season for Chelsea - 2014/15 (Least goals (32) conceded in the Premier League)

Matic sticks to his role of playing the midfield enforcer and that provides for very little in term of statistical boost, but his ability to break up play and win back possession is world-class, and he used all his skills to help Chelsea keep the tightest defence in the league and win the Premier League title. He was also a part of the PL Team of the year that also featured 5 other Chelsea players.

#6 Jermain Defoe (West Ham to Tottenham - £7 million - February 2004 and Portsmouth to Tottenham - £15.75 million - January 2009)

Defoe is Spurs' top goalscorer in European Competitions

Another case of a Premier League club letting a player leave in a transfer window and scampering back to get him in the future. Spurs signed Defoe during the January transfer window of 2004, and barring one season where he played for Portsmouth, Defoe became a cult hero for the White Hart Lane faithful.

With goals aplenty (5th highest goal scorer in club history) and mesmerizing performances, Defoe became a fan favourite and led Tottenham to the new era, although much of his groundwork materialized only after he left for Toronto FC in 2014.

Spurs fans can also thank Defoe for some of Harry Kane's brilliance as Harry Kane always looked to Defoe for advice early in his career and its safe to say most the advice seems to have worked for him.

Best season for Spurs - 2009/10 (24 goals and 6 assists)

Tottenham Hotspur were still considered minnows in comparison to Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal during this period and 6th-place finishes were par for the course.

But Defoe's heroics in the 2009/10 season inspired a Tottenham side, that still hadn't seen the break-out version of Gareth Bale, to a 4th place finish above Manchester City and Liverpool.

#5 Gary Cahill (Bolton Wanderers to Chelsea - £7 million - January 2012)

Chelsea FC signed Gary Cahill in 2012

Gary Cahill has been a stellar servant of Chelsea FC in one of its most successful phases without often getting the credit he deserves. While not the fastest or the most technically sound player, Gary Cahill has been a bulldog on defence ever since his move to Chelsea, forming formidable partnerships with John Terry and later David Luiz.

His CV is adorned with titles including 1 UEFA Champions League trophy, 2 Premier League titles and 1 FA Cup, and all of it as a starter for the club. His no-nonsense style keeps him in the shadows but his record speaks for itself.

He now is the club captain and few can deny his importance to the Chelsea team. As he grows older he might soon be replaced by a younger defender, maybe even Kurt Zouma who he has partnered with in the past, but his contributions to the club make him one of the best defensive players in the club's history.

Best season for Chelsea - 2014/15 (17 Clean-sheets)

Like Matic, Gary Cahill and his defensive abilities were maximized under Jose Mourinho. John Terry and Cahill built the strong foundation for Mourinho's team as they kept 17 clean sheets and conceded only 33 goals throughout the season, (lowest in the Premier League) which set the club up for its 5th Premier League title.

#4 Javier Mascherano (West Ham to Liverpool - £20 million - February 2007)

Javier Mascherano in action for Liverpool

Exactly what the deal was between West Ham and Liverpool for the transfer of Mascherano is still unclear. There is no doubt, though, as to how great a signing Mascherano proved to be for Liverpool.

He progressed from a highly rated player to a star defensive midfielder in his time at Liverpool which finally lead to his move to Barcelona in the summer window of 2010.

Mascherano may not have won titles at Liverpool (he did well for himself at Barcelona though, obviously) but he was a stellar signing and Liverpool midfield has never been the same since the departure of Mascherano and Xabi Alonso.

Best season at Liverpool - 2008/09 (27 goals conceded and Liverpool finished 2nd in the Premier League)

Liverpool of 2008/09 were an incredibly fun team to watch with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard in their prime. They lost only 2 games throughout the PL campaign but were done in by 11 draws conceding only 27 goals.

They finished the campaign in the 2nd position at 86 points behind Manchester United's 90 points. This was the closest Liverpool had come to the title in many years and while the attacking flair of Gerrard and Torres are remembered best, the role of Mascherano and Alonso was more critical to their success as the departure of the duo proved to be the undoing of the club.

#3 Patrice Evra (Monaco to Manchester United - £5.5 million - January 2006)

Patrice Evra has become a social media phenom in the recent years

Patrice Evra was one of the best left-backs to have played in the Premier League era, and he was signed in the 2006 January transfer window as a relative unknown. But he soon cemented his spot in the United roster for years to come and his bombarding runs down the flank helped in changing the way English football considered the fullback position.

With 5 Premier League titles, and 1 UEFA Champions League title among a host of other trophies, Evra just missed out on being the best defender to be signed in January in the PL.

Evra was a starter for United until his move to Juventus in 2014, staying relevant for much longer than his other defensive partners in Vidic and Ferdinand.

He played a big part in Juventus' revival since his transfer to the club by using his guile and attacking talents effectively in the 3-5-2 formation used by Juventus that reduced his defensive duties and enhanced his attacking talents.

Best season at Manchester United - 2007/08 (Premier League and UEFA Champions League double winners)

The 2007/08 season saw Manchester United pick up the two most important trophies in the form of the PL title and the Champions League in their most successful season in the recent history.

This United team had the firepower of Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo and Evra enjoyed a hugely successful season playing in a free-flowing attacking role down the left flank as teams had massive trouble keeping up with the attacking talents of Ronaldo and Rooney.

Evra was a massive part of the defensive unit that set up the win for United in the PL and the Champions League.

#2 Luis Suarez (Ajax to Liverpool - £22.8 million - January 2011)

Luis Suarez was one of the best buys made in the January transfer window

It almost seems controversial to put Suarez and Evra next to each other on this list, but Suarez deserves the spot on this list due to his supreme talent and the memorable goals he provided during his time at Liverpool.

Ajax are not a club that tends to sell their players in the January transfer window, but after a string of controversies (one biting incident too), they decided to sever ties and were willing to let go of a great talent to shift the focus back on to the field.

Suarez had his ups and downs off the field during his time at Liverpool but his consistency on the field and his incredible knack to score goals was unparalleled. He almost single-handedly won Liverpool the title in the 2013-14 season, with his barrage of goals, but another controversy soon after, in the World Cup, when he took a bite out of Georgio Chiellini left Liverpool with a PR nightmare.

When Barcelona eventually came calling with a huge fee, Liverpool ostensibly breathed a sigh of relief, despite losing a phenomenal footballing talent.

Best season for Liverpool - 2013/14 (31 goals and 21 assists)

Statistically speaking, there have been no better seasons with respect to direct contribution to goals point of view in the premier league era. Suarez was simply unstoppable in this season, scoring freely against any and every team that came in his way.

His partnership with Daniel Sturridge and his subsequent selflessness saw him rack up a whopping tally of 21 assists in that season. One can only wonder what the team could have been, if they didn't have one of the biggest attack-defence mismatches in Premier League history.

#1 Nemanja Vidic (Spartak Moscow to Manchester United - £7 million - January 2006)

Nemanja Vidic - The Serbian beast

From 2007 till 2011, Nemanja Vidic was the most feared defender in the football world. Known for his combative tackling and imposing presence with an eerie knack to be at the right place at the right time, Nemanja Vidic formed the strongest defensive partnership in the Premier League era, alongside Rio Ferdinand, and his time at United was filled with trophies thanks, largely, to the stack of clean sheets kept by the defensive genius of Vidic.

During the 2008-09 season, the United defensive unit, spearheaded by Vidic kept 14 consecutive clean sheets, a record that still remains unmatched. When his career an United came to close, Vidic left as the PL player with the highest ever win percentage at a mammoth 70.6% and the second highest clean sheet percentage of 45%, behind only Arsenal Legend Tony Adams' 45.1%.

Best season for Manchester United - 2008/09 (1032 minutes without conceding a goal)

Manchester United's defense was so strong in the 2008/09 season, that all 4 of their starting defenders, Gary Neville, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were named in the PL team of the season (the only time this has ever happened).

But Vidic was, without doubt, the best defender of the 4 with his ability to track the runs of players and putting in the hard tackles, which made him a fan favourite at Old Trafford.

The defence led by Vidic, allowed only 24 goals through the entire campaign and kept 14 consecutive clean sheets with a total of 1032 minutes of play without conceding a goal, which is a record that no other team has come close to matching ever since.