Analyzing the transfer business of the Premier League's top 6 teams

This season saw the Premier League spending record for a January transfer window double with the total crossing £419m on deadline day.

The 'Big Six' alone spent £276m between them in a window that is usually known for its desperate purchases, and sales of only players that are surplus to requirements.

It was fairly surprising to see the big clubs actively targeting players that would improve them midseason.

Even Manchester City that seems to have all but secured the title, joined the party late on in the window. Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal are all vying against each other to ensure that they are not the ones to miss out on that all-important Champions League spot.

This probably prompted each of them to make at least one key addition to their squads before the deadline shut on 31st January.

Among them, Chelsea signed the most players (3). Virgil van Dijk's transfer from Southampton to Liverpool was the window's most expensive. There were also some important sales, most notably of Liverpool's Phillippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

Here's a look at how the "top 6" in the Premier League went about their business.

#1 Manchester City

Key In(s):

Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao, £57m)

Key Out(s):

Eliaquim Mangala (Everton, loan)

It would have hurt losing Alexis Sanchez to their bitter rivals and then, later on in the window, failing to sign Riyad Mahrez. Although not urgent requirements, they would surely have helped in providing quality squad depth, given that they're still competing on four fronts. With Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane missing, City would be hoping that their remaining attackers remain injury-free.

However, they strengthened what was probably their only area of weakness in the first team with the capture of Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao. While this would not only help ensure there are no unexpected slip-ups along their saunter to the Premier League title, it also significantly improves their chances in the Champions League.

#2 Manchester United

Manchester United have got a world class player in Sanchez

Key In(s):

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal, swap deal)

Key Out(s):

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal, swap deal)

There is no way Alexis would not improve the Red Devils, or for that matter, any team.

Having gotten him from under the noses of their noisy neighbors would also have been a psychological win for them.

Although it is unlikely to help them win the title this year, it will likely strengthen their hold on second place, and give them a push in the Champions League.

One possible negative was the loss of Henrik Mkhitaryan to Arsenal but given that he wasn't starting games lately, he will not prove to be much of a miss.

That his sale helped in getting a player of Sanchez's calibre without giving a penny would surely be considered a success.

#3 Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk will steady a leaky Liverpool defense

Key In(s):

Virgil van Dijk (Southampton, £75m)

Key Out(s):

Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona, £142m); Daniel Sturridge (West Brom, loan)

Long-term target Virgil van Dijk could not have dreamt of a better start at Liverpool than scoring the winner at Anfield against Everton at the Kop end! Although he will undoubtedly help in shoring up Liverpool's infamous defense, he will require some time to settle down as was evident in their losses to Swansea and West Brom.

Liverpool is certainly a more balanced side with van Dijk in it, but they will benefit even more from his leadership skills that have been sorely lacking in the Merseysiders.

However, the euphoria surrounding his capture was tempered by the sale of Phillippe Coutinho, who finally secured his dream move to Barcelona, without a replacement brought in.

Coutinho is simply a special player and there is nobody of his ilk at Liverpool. Against the teams that would set up with 10 men behind the ball, he would be the one to create something out of nothing.

His loss in the middle of the season is devastating. Fans will also hope that Danny Ings and Dominic Solanke can provide enough cover for Firmino with Daniel Sturridge loaned out to the Baggies.

#4 Chelsea

Chelsea now have a Plan B with Giroud

Key In(s):

Ross Barkley (Everton, £15m); Emerson Palmieri (Roma, £17.6m); Olivier Giroud (Arsenal, £18m)

Key Out(s):

Michy Batshuayi (Borussia Dortmund, loan)

One could argue that seeing Chelsea being linked with the likes of Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch was the craziest story of the window.

Eventually, after the Edin Dzeko move failed, they ended up with Olivier Giroud, who will provide the Blues with a different option up front.

They also signed left-back Emerson Palmieri from Roma on deadline day to provide cover for Marcos Alonso, to add to their somewhat controversial capture of Ross Barkley.

Michy Batshuayi was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund, but their business this window has improved their squad depth.

#5 Tottenham Hotspur

Moura could potentially be a game changer for Spurs

Key In(s):

Lucas Moura (Paris Saint-Germain, £25m)

Spurs had a relatively silent window compared to their rivals, but their deadline-day signing of Lucas Moura adds pace and depth to their squad and will help in their push for a top-four finish.

Having fallen down the pecking order at PSG, Moura would be looking to prove his quality in the Premier League, especially with the World Cup looming large, improving competition among Spurs ranks, and that is good news for both parties.

#6 Arsenal

Mkhitaryan will aim to be Arsenal's new talisman

Key In(s):

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United, swap deal); Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund, £55m)

Key Out(s):

Francis Coquelin (Valencia, undisclosed); Theo Walcott (Everton, £20m); Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United, swap deal); Olivier Giroud (Chelsea, £18m)

What was set to be a grim transfer window for Arsenal has turned out to be somewhat positive. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a more than average replacement for Alexis Sanchez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will add firepower to the attack.

Mesut Özil signing a new contract is a huge boost. Of course, only time will tell whether Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang can recapture the magic they produced at Borussia Dortmund, but they will certainly make the attack more potent.

They also cleared some deadwood with the sales of Coquelin, Walcott, and Debuchy. However, their failure to strengthen the defence, which has time and again been their Achilles' heel, combined with losing their talisman in Alexis Sanchez may well prove to be costly in the fight to get back into the Champions League.