Analysis: Who had the best January transfer window?

After a busy Deadline Day, Football writer Alex Keble rounds up each Premier League club's transfer business to see who had the best January window.

Arsenal fail to get a striker

Mikel Arteta made no secret of his desire to bring in forwards after injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus but nothing materialised for Arsenal despite links to Alexander Isak and a reported late bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Perhaps the five goals scored against Manchester City, with Ethan Nwaneri again on the scoresheet, has lessened the need for reinforcements.

Nevertheless it’s clear Arsenal could end up regretting the failure to strengthen up front as they try to hunt Liverpool down.

Arsenal need to make up six or eight points over the last few months of the season, but they’ll have to do it without a real No 9 – and without talisman Saka for at least some of their remaining 14 matches.

Arsenal's major ins and outs

Aston Villa bring in big-name signings

The flurry of activity at Villa Park tells us Unai Emery hasn’t been happy with his team’s league performance this season.

Villa have stuttered somewhat and, despite being only being six points off the top four, have nine points fewer than at this stage last season.

Emery’s response, despite an injury crisis in defence, has been to dramatically reshape the attack.

Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio are big-name players and both come with risks, although Emery has a history of reviving careers and reportedly believes he is the right person to get the best out of both.

It certainly shakes things up in the final third, potentially offering Villa more creativity and consistency compared with Jhon Duran, who departed for Al Nassr after the Midlands club felt they couldn’t turn down a big bid.

Aston Villa's major ins and outs

Villa lacked pace, too, which will no longer be the case if Rashford and Donyell Malen, arriving from Borussia Dortmund, are in the team.

Those two directly replace the departing Jaden Philogene, who has joined Ipswich Town, and Emiliano Buendia, who has been loaned to Bayer Leverkusen.

As for the defence, a loan for Axel Disasi went through just in time, averting a big problem following Diego Carlos’ sale to Fenerbahce.

Villa could have done with another defender, but all-in-all it was a good window that leaves Emery’s side in a stronger position than when it opened.

Bournemouth look to the future

AFC Bournemouth were hoping to sign a striker after the injuries to Evanilson and Enes Unal but Andoni Iraola had said several times that it was the most difficult position to recruit for, and given the excellent season the Cherries are having, it is no disaster that instead the club have looked to the future.

They have completed the signings of a number of teenagers, the pick of the bunch being Julio Soler, signed from Lanus.

The 19-year-old left-back will act as competition for Milos Kerkez, whose trajectory at Bournemouth will be inspiration for Soler.

Bournemouth's major ins and outs

Brentford add a right-back

It’s a similar story for Brentford, who did no significant business in January after an impressive first half of the season.

But supporters may have hoped for defensive signings. Only five teams have conceded more goals than Brentford’s 42, and given that Thomas Frank’s side have scored the sixth-most, it is only their defensive openness that has prevented a challenge for Europe.

Then again, perhaps right-back Michael Kayode, signed on loan from Fiorentina, can help things. Brentford have conceded more attacks down their right (39 per cent) than any other area of the pitch.

Brentford's major ins and outs

Brighton sign more young gems

Despite spending close to £200million in the summer, Brighton & Hove Albion have added three more players this month, and in typical style are hoping to unearth young gems.

New centre-back Eiran Cashin has looked good at Derby County, but it remains to be seen how he will cope with the step up, considering how exposed Brighton’s defenders have been in Fabian Hurzeler’s expansive system.

Meanwhile, Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez has arrived from Inter Miami where he contributed seven goals and seven assists in his 40 appearances. The 21-year-old represented his country at the Olympics last summer.

By far their most interesting move, however, has been the £20m capture of FC Nurnberg’s Stefanos Tzimas.

Brighton’s lack of firepower has been a problem for some time; Hurzeler needs goals and in Tzimas, he’s got them. The 20-year-old has scored 10 goals in 17 matches in the Bundesliga 2 this season.

However, the Greece Under-21 international will not be filling the hole left by Evan Ferguson's loan move to West Ham United; Tzimas has been loaned back to Nurnberg for the rest of the current campaign.

Brighton's major ins and outs

Chelsea focus on departures

An uncharacteristically quiet transfer window probably comes as a relief to Chelsea supporters and to Enzo Maresca, who’s done exceptionally well to create a coherent squad - and probably didn’t want any more additions.

Joao Felix’s late move to AC Milan shouldn’t be an issue, considering he only started three Premier League matches, while Disasi’s move to Villa was offset by recalling Trevoh Chalobah back from his loan at Crystal Palace.

Chelsea's major ins and outs

Crystal Palace hold onto Guehi

It’s with a huge sigh of relief that the window shut with Marc Guehi still a Palace player.

After Chalobah’s departure, Oliver Glasner could not afford to lose another centre-back, although Palace did not manage to find a replacement for the man who returns to Chelsea.

But Palace are in a very good place at the moment, after winning five of their last seven matches in all competitions, and were in no rush to do business.

What they did do already looks to have paid off. Romain Esse – strong, quick, and skilful in the dribble, like a classic Palace signing – scored with his first touch against Brentford at Selhurst Park a fortnight ago.

Crystal Palace's major ins and outs

Everton make one late move

A quiet month for Everton isn’t a surprise considering their recent financial difficulties – and considering just how much David Moyes is squeezing out of the players at his disposal.

In the 4-0 victory against Leicester City, Beto and James Garner were the latest fringe players to excel.

But right at the end of the window, Everton completed the loan signing of Carlos Alcaraz, a central midfielder last seen in the Premier League at Southampton in 2022/23.

While not excelling during Saints’ relegation year, Alcaraz, now 22, returns to England a more mature and versatile player.

Everton's major ins and outs

Fulham bring in Willian

Injuries to Harry Wilson and Kenny Tete left Fulham searching for two new signings on Deadline Day, and they filled half of that void by bringing in Willian.

The Brazillian re-joined the Cottagers on a free transfer after leaving Olympiacos at the end of December, and given Fulham’s strong position in the league, they could afford a quiet window.

Fulham's ins and outs

Ipswich make four savvy signings

Ipswich were one of the most active teams in the transfer window, suggesting Kieran McKenna realises a lack of quality has held them back in the Premier League this season.

You would expect Ben Godfrey, once of Everton, to help with the defensive side of things, while flair has been added in the final third in the shape of Philogene and Julio Enciso.

These three all add much-needed Premier League experience, while in goal, Alex Palmer arrives to provide competition for Arijanet Muric, whose mistake proved costly against Southampton at the weekend.

Those four signings look savvy. But could Ipswich have done with a few more?

Ipswich's major ins and outs

Leicester may regret not doing more

Leicester were noted for their inactivity in the window. Could it cost them?

It isn’t difficult to pinpoint where they needed to improve. Only Southampton (54) have conceded more goals than Leicester (53), whose wide-open defence has not improved since Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge.

However, only one new arrival came in – right-back Woyo Coulibaly from Parma for £1.2m – despite Leicester sitting in the bottom three for most of the 2024/25 season.

Leicester's major ins and outs

Liverpool calm despite no business

An empty summer was criticised at the time but has come to look like a masterstroke, with continuity helping Arne Slot calmly tweak an already-successful team.

That probably explains why Liverpool have decided to do exactly the same thing in January. No incomings and no outgoings seemed alarming in August. Nobody is panicking this time.

Liverpool's ins and outs

Man City kickstart their rebuild

Pep Guardiola knows that a dramatic rebuild is required of his ageing squad. It looks like it has already begun in earnest.

No fewer than four big-money signings have been made for a reported outlay of around £170m, which is more than every other club spent combined.

Nico Gonzalez, the late £50m addition from Porto, could help to be the Rodri replacement Man City so badly need. He stands out as the most important acquisition in Guardiola’s pursuit of a top-four finish.

There is no guarantee Gonzalez will hit the ground running in a new league, of course, as we know from watching Abdukodir Khusanov struggle on his debut a fortnight ago.

Omar Marmoush has settled better, although it remains to be seen where such a direct runner will fit into Guardiola’s tactical system. Finally, 19-year-old defender Vitor Reis, from Brazil, is an exciting prospect for the future.

Put together, that’s quite a few unknowns. Guardiola has plumped for the next generation over established stars, perhaps indicating he is looking more to 2025/26 than the remainder of the current season.

Man City's major ins and outs

Man Utd add wing-back but miss out on forward

Ruben Amorim’s decision to field Kobbie Mainoo as a “false nine” in Man Utd's defeat to Palace suggests he would have liked a forward through the door after letting Rashford go, but despite reported late moves for Christopher Nkunku and Leon Bailey nothing materialised.

There was no move to find a replacement for the injured Lisandro Martinez either, leaving left wing-back Patrick Dorgu as the only major signing.

It's a good signing, though. Wing-backs are crucial to Amorim’s immoveable 3-4-3 formation and Dorgu is a creative player who should inject much-needed energy into United’s wide play.

Nevertheless, the Amorim revolution is moving slowly, while the decision to let Rashford leave to a Premier League rival always has the potential to backfire.

Fans wanted a big-money No 9 and few think the Amorim era can really get going until one arrives.

Man Utd's major ins and outs

Newcastle don't add any depth

Eight Newcastle United players have taken part in at least 22 of their 24 Premier League matches this season, suggesting that Eddie Howe is either very loyal to a core group, or – more likely – would like a deeper bench.

Newcastle supporters will be disappointed, then, that the club didn’t manage to make any signings this month, with a window largely governed by exits, such as Lloyd Kelly.

Newcastle's major ins and outs

Nottingham Forest feel no news is good news

Why would Nottingham Forest want to change anything? Their sensational season shows no sign of slowing down, and to add new players in January would risk affecting the dressing-room buzz.

There was always the risk of Europe’s top clubs sniffing around, too. No news is good news for Forest fans.

Nottingham Forest's major ins and outs

Southampton keep hold of Dibling

Understandably, Southampton appear to have already started planning for next season.

Let-back Welington has arrived after a deal was struck with Sao Paulo back in July, while teenager Joachim Kayi Sanda joins the reserves and hard-working forward Albert Gronbaek arrives on loan.

Holding on to Tyler Dibling is the best news Saints fans could have hoped for.

Southampton's major ins and outs

Spurs leave it late but have good window

Out of nowhere, Spurs fans can celebrate a very good window.

The deadline-day arrival of Mathys Tel is quite the coup for Spurs and should lift spirits inside the dressing room, while Kevin Danso looks like a smart loan to help cover for Ange Postecoglou’s defensive injury crisis.

Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky is another player brought in to relieve the injury situation, completing a good month for Spurs.

They don’t look quite so stretched at the back any more, and should Tel provide a lift in the final third, Spurs can get out of the bottom half and begin to revive the Postecoglou era.

Spurs' major ins and outs

West Ham hope Ferguson can hit ground running

West Ham needed a striker. That somehow always seems to be the case, yet the issue has rarely been more urgent since the absence of Michail Antonio.

Graham Potter sides don’t historically score many goals, either, so a lot rests on the performances of loan signing striker Ferguson, the forgotten man at Brighton who excelled under Potter’s tutelage.

West Ham's major ins and outs

Wolves strengthen exactly where they needed to

Wolverhampton Wanderers have invested heavily in ball-playing centre-back Emmanuel Agbadou from Rennes and were busy on deadline day, too, bringing in defender Nasser Djiga and defensive midfielder Marshall Munetsi.

Those are precisely the areas in which Wolves are weakest, suggesting the January window might boost their season, especially given that nobody moved for Matheus Cunha.

Wolves' major ins and outs