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With the Premier League's January transfer window over, almost every club has taken the opportunity to bolster their squads ahead of a busy second half of the season.
Traditionally, the winter window was considered a chance for emergency surgical repairs, with teams rarely making big-money signings. However, in recent seasons that hasn’t been the case.
This window has seen the Premier League set a new record for January spending, breaking the previous record with over a week to go of the window. Thus, in theory, the quality of what remains of the season should be higher than ever.
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With that being said, let’s take a look at each Premier League club and who their best acquisition has been this winter.
Who has each Premier League Club signed?
AFC Bournemouth – Dango Ouattara (€22.5 million from Lorient)
In an effort to stay in the Premier League, Bournemouth have made somewhat of a risky move in trusting 20-year-old Dango Ouattara.
Playing only his second season in top-flight football, the winger has a respectable six goals and five assists in Ligue 1 so far this campaign. Ouattara has already made his mark in England, setting up a goal on his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest.
It would be a lie to say Ouattara isn’t something of an unknown quantity, but it certainly looks as if he’ll add some attacking flair to a struggling Bournemouth side.
Arsenal – Lenandro Trossard (€24 million from Brighton)
After losing top target Mykhaylo Mudryk to Chelsea, Arsenal were quick to nab Leandro Trossard ahead of rivals Tottenham.
The Gunners certainly needed some reinforcements in attack, and as a proven Premier League entity, Trossard looks terrific value for money €24 million.
In his three full seasons at Brighton, the Belgian has put up eight, 10, and 11 goal contributions, and is well on course to better that tally in 2022/23, with 10 goals and assists already to his name.
With Arsenal pushing for their first Premier League title in 19 years, the added depth of Trossard may be exactly what they need to help get over the line.
Aston Villa – Alex Moreno (€13.5 million from Real Betis)
As Aston Villa’s only notable move, left-back Alex Moreno earns the title as the club’s best transfer by default.
That being said, the Spaniard could well be a quality signing; providing competition to Lucas Digne with boss Unai Emery apparently not convinced by the Frenchman.
Moreno can offer an attacking threat from wide, having picked up five goals and four assists last season in La Liga, and already looks to be Emery’s preferred option - starting two of Villa’s last three Premier League games.
Brentford – Romeo Beckham (Loan from Inter Miami)
Admittedly, Brentford’s acquisition of Romeo Beckham is perhaps more commercially fuelled than anything else, but there’s no reason why the Englishman can’t become a fine player at the Bees.
Beckham joined Brentford on an 18-month loan deal, and at 20 years old has shown promise in his short career so far.
Playing in right midfield, Beckham picked up two goals and 10 assists in the MLS Next Pro league, and although he initially joined Brentford as a reserve team player, there’s no reason he can’t flourish into a fine footballer in the next year and a half.
Brighton – Yasin Ayari (€4 million from AIK)
It’s been a window more dominated by outgoings than incomings for Brighton, however, that hasn’t stopped them from signing another promising talent.
The Seagulls have developed a tendency to unearth hidden gems from nowhere, and fans will be hoping to have struck gold again with Swede Yasin Akayi.
As a highly-rated central midfielder, the 19-year-old is presumably the anticipated heir to Moises Caicedo, who will likely leave in the summer following his attempts to broker a move this winter.
Brighton usually get it right with transfers, so in truth, there’s no reason to assume Akayi will be anything but successful on the South Coast.
Crystal Palace – Albert Sambi Lokonga (Loan from Arsenal)
Another club to have welcomed just one player, Crystal Palace have brought in Arsenal's Albert Sambi Lokonga as a midfield reinforcement for the rest of the season.
With Arsenal landing Jorginho from Chelsea, Lokonga was surplus to requirements, however, his services could be useful at Palace with the Eagles looking somewhat thin in midfield.
The Belgian is a workhorse and should help shore up Palace's defense, primarily operating in a role which would see him shield the backline.
As loan moves go, this looks to make sense for all parties involved, as Lokonga could well become an important cog in Patrick Viera's side in the second half of 2022/23.
Chelsea - Enzo Fernandez (€121 million from Benfica)
Chelsea have had a winter window like no other club in history, welcoming eight new faces to Stamford Bridge after spending over €300 million.
The most expensive of these has been Benfica starlet Enzo Fernandez, with the Blues desperate for upgrades to rejuvenate an aging midfield.
At just 22 years old, Fernandez looks like a special talent, winning the young player of the tour as Argentina lifted the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Blues have spent all of January chasing the midfielder, finally agreeing to Benfica's valuation of the Argentine, making him the most expensive British transfer in history.
That being said, Fernandez is no doubt one of football's hottest talents, and could well sit at the heart of Chelsea's midfield for the next decade.
Everton – Sean Dyche
Whilst not quite a new player, Everton's appointment of Sean Dyche is a signing that may well save their season.
The former Burnley manager has been a relegation-battle specialist, keeping Burnley in the top flight for seven consecutive seasons and even guiding them to a record-high seventh-place finish, earning them their first-ever European campaign.
For a Toffees side who are winless in 10, Dyche is perhaps the perfect appointment, giving them a fighting chance to avoid their first-ever relegation from England's top division.
Fulham – Sasa Lukic (€9.10 million from Torino)
Fulham left it late, but in Sasa Lukic, they made their first signing of the window on deadline day.
Marco Silva's side have been flying so far this season, so in truth, there's little alteration needed on an already well-oiled squad. However, Lukic can offer depth in several positions throughout the spine of the team.
The Serbian primarily operates in a defensive midfield role, one where Fulham are perhaps a tad light, so his presence will certainly be useful for the remainder of the season.
Leeds – Georginio Rutter (€28 million from TSG Hoffenheim)
With neither Patrick Bamford nor Rodrigo being able to stay injury-free this season, it was inevitable Leeds were going to bring in a striker this January.
Opting for a club-record signing in Georginio Rutter, Leeds have secured what looks to be a young and promising forward.
The Frenchman has performed well over the last 18 months in the Bundesliga, boasting 10 goals and six assists at just 20 years old.
Boss Jesse Marsh will be hopeful Rutter can adjust quickly to life in England, as they need their record-signing to hit the ground running with relegation a looming threat.
Leicester – Victor Kristiansen (€14 million from Copenhagen)
It’s been a tough season for Leicester so far, with the Foxes badly in need of reinforcements all over the park.
Unfortunately, they’ve made just two signings – a left and right-back, with the arrival of Kristiansen looking the more exciting of the two.
The Foxes have been hit hard with injuries so far this campaign, so welcoming the Dane defender will likely bring a smile to Brendan Rodgers’ face.
Despite being just 20 years old, the defender has appeared over 70 times for Copenhagen and should quickly become a starter at the King Power Stadium.
Liverpool – Cody Gakpo (€42 million from PSV)
Cody Gakpo has been one of the most sought-after forwards in world football in the last year, with Liverpool once again displaying their transfer market mastery in securing his services for €42 million.
Still just 23, the Dutchman boasts a remarkable record of 55 goals and 50 assists in his 159 appearances for PSV, whilst having an impressive World Cup - netting three times in the Netherlands' run to the quarterfinals.
Gakpo is comfortable playing all across the frontline, meaning he is suitable cover in multiple positions and given his age will more than likely spend his best years on Merseyside.
This could well be the best signing of any Premier League club this January.
Manchester City – Maximo Perrone (€11 million from Velez Sarsfield)
It’s been a quiet window in the blue half of Manchester, with Pep Guardiola’s side welcoming just one player in the form of Maximo Perrone.
Even then, whilst the Argentinian midfielder will remain with City and train with the first team for the rest of the season, it’s unlikely we’ll see him in action until the summer. Like fellow countryman Julian Alvarez last January, he’s really one for the future, but then again that hasn’t worked out too badly.
Manchester United – Wout Weghorst (Loan from Burnley)
Following the sudden departure of legend Cristiano Ronaldo, manager Erik ten Haag was left with a striker-shaped void in his squad.
Subsequently, this has led Manchester United to turn to Burnley’s Wout Weghorst, paying Besiktas a €3 million fee to cut the forward's loan short in Turkey and bring him to Old Trafford.
The Dutchman is enjoying a good season, having scored eight goals and provided four assists in the Super Lig before netting twice in the World Cup - both against Argentina in the quarter-final.
The Red Devils will be hopeful Weghorst can carry this form into the Premier League in what will be a congested second half of the season whilst they compete on four fronts.
Newcastle – Anthony Gordon (€45.6 million from Everton)
In one of the more controversial transfers this January, winger Anthony Gordon has successfully forced a move from relegation-threatened Everton to high-flyers Newcastle.
At €45.6 million, Gordon could be seen as overpriced, but given he’s still just 21 and English, he boasts desirable attributes for a Premier League player.
With just seven Premier League goals to his name, the forward's output certainly needs to improve. Given Newcastle’s current talent, he may start as a bench option – although a good one at that.
However, Gordon has shown the defensive acumen that will make him a hit with manager Eddie Howe, whilst his attitude, passion, and work rate should quickly see him become a fan favorite on Tyneside.
Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood (Loan from Newcastle)
Another club to have made a multitude of good signings this January, Nottingham Forest may have secured a bargain in Chris Wood's loan from Newcastle.
The forward hasn’t quite taken off at Tyneside, scoring just five goals in 39 appearances and is now behind fellow strikers Calum Wilson and Alexander Isak in the pecking order.
However, Wood was something of a serial striker in his four-and-a-half years at Burnley, scoring 53 times as he continually helped ensure their survival in England’s top flight.
If Forest can get the best out of Wood, he should be able to ease the attacking burden on forward Brennan Johnson, even allowing the Welshman to play his favored right-wing role, and may help ensure their survival in their first season back in the Premier League.
Southampton – Mislav Orsic (€5.75 million from Dynamo Zagreb)
Currently rock bottom of the Premier League, Southampton were the one side who had to make a statement signing this winter, doing just that with Mislav Orsic.
Although he didn’t break the bank, Orsic is a quality player, showing his class most recently by playing a part in Croatia’s third-place finish in the World Cup.
Moreover, the 30-year-old has put up strong numbers at club level, scoring 20 goals and providing six assists last season and already having 13 goals and eight assists to his name this campaign.
Before January, Southampton looked in dire need of a creative, attack-minded forward; Orsic fits those criteria to a tee.
Tottenham – Pedro Porro (Loan from Sporting Lisbon)
It’s been a long, drawn-out window for Tottenham, with the eventual transfer of Pedro Porro turning out to be something of a saga.
After weeks of courting the Spaniard, a deal looked to finally be in place, only for negotiations to seemingly break down less than 24 hours later.
However, Spurs quickly returned and got their man, in turn finally addressing the issue of right wingback that has plagued their season so far.
As far as attacking and creative wingbacks go, there are few better than Porro, and his profile looks to be exactly like that of someone who will thrive under Antonio Conte.
His initial €5 million loan fee may have been more than what Spurs would've wanted to spend, but Porro will no doubt be an immediate and significant upgrade to their starting XI.
West Ham – Danny Ings (€12 million from Aston Villa)
After the statement signing of Gianluca Scamacca in the summer, West Ham likely weren’t anticipating returning to the market for another striker just six months later.
But with just three goals in 16 Premier League appearances, the Italian has hardly set the world alight, forcing David Moyes to turn to Danny Ings.
The Englishman is a prolific goalscorer, netting 32 goals in his last two seasons in the Premier League at Southampton and Aston Villa.
At 30, he’s hardly a long-term option, but he may have the immediate impact West Ham need to avoid the drop come May.
Wolves – Pablo Sarabia (€5 million from PSG)
Wolves are one of the few teams with several candidates as January’s best signing, with Craig Dawson of West Ham and Matheus Cunha of Atletico Madrid both deserving of an honorable mention.
However, given the low fee and pedigree of Sarabia, it’s hard to overlook the Spaniard, previously being part of well-oiled PSG and Sevilla sides.
Granted, the hasn’t played a lot of football since arriving in Paris, but in truth that speaks to PSG’s quality rather than his own.
Sarabia enjoyed a successful loan spell at Sporting Lisbon last season, picking up 21 goals and 10 assists in 41 appearances, with Wolves fans hoping he can bring some of that form to the Premier League with them being the current lowest scorers in the division.
