Five shock January moves you didn’t expect

Konstantinos Mitroglou – Olympiakos to Fulham (£12.5m)

The Greek striker has been a revelation in his homeland this season, plundering 17 goals overall, with three in the Champions League to help his side to a last-16 tie against Manchester United.

He has created an impressive six chances, with one assist to his name in Europe too, and his performance score of 137 is surpassed only by the promising defender Kostas Manolas (182).

Mitroglou Chances Created

His move to Craven Cottage, then, has created more questions than it has answers with Mitroglou effectively sacrificing the chance to fire his side to a first European quarter-final in 15 years – and just a second ever – for a scrap to the very finish to preserve the Cottagers’ Premier League status.

That would appear a monumental task on Saturday’s evidence, with Rene Meulensteen’s side rolling over with a whimper as Southampton steamrollered their way past a feeble-looking outfit who now find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table.

The surprise is not so much on Fulham’s part with Meulensteen earmarking a striker of proven quality on the biggest stage and rightly pursuing a deal. Full marks to him for getting it over the line on deadline day amid late interest from West Ham United but the move on Mitroglou’s part and the Greek club’s appears miscalculated.

The striker has ultimately taken a sideways, if not downwards step, tasked with a nigh-on impossible job of rescuing his new employers while the Greek giants’ chances of an upset against United have diminished as a result, having had next to no time to draft in a replacement.

For Fulham, though, it will take more than the goalscoring output of their new prized possession to save them, they need a miracle.