The Premier League’s January transfer window saw limited movement among the traditional top-six clubs, with only Manchester City making significant investments. Elsewhere, some teams made strategic signings, while others struggled to strengthen their squads.
Arsenal endured a frustrating window, failing to reinforce their attacking options despite a surprise bid for Ollie Watkins and interest in Mathys Tel. Mikel Arteta kept hold of Kieran Tierney and Jorginho, hoping to sustain their title push without fresh signings.
Aston Villa made one of the most eye-catching moves by securing Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United. Alongside Donyell Malen, Marco Asensio, and Andrés García, Unai Emery bolstered his squad while selling Jhon Durán, Jaden Philogene, and Diego Carlos for nearly £100m.
Bournemouth needed attacking reinforcements after injuries to Evanilson and Enes Unal but ended up with two young defenders, Julio Soler and Matai Akinmboni. They did add Eli Junior Kroupi but loaned him back to Lorient.
Brentford had a quiet window, bringing in Michael Kayode from Fiorentina while keeping key players Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo. Brighton, meanwhile, continued their big spending, signing Stefanos Tzimas and Diego Gómez while loaning out Evan Ferguson to West Ham.
Chelsea’s transfer strategy appeared disjointed, with Trevoh Chalobah returning from loan, while João Félix, Ben Chilwell, and Carney Chukwuemeka departed on temporary deals. Mathis Amougou was their only permanent signing.
Crystal Palace brought in Ben Chilwell and Romain Esse but had to keep Marc Guéhi after Tottenham’s late bid. Everton, dealing with financial constraints, could only sign Carlos Alcaraz on loan from Flamengo, leaving them with one fit striker.
Fulham missed out on targets that could have strengthened their European push, while Ipswich added Jaden Philogene and Alex Palmer but failed to land a proven striker. Leicester’s only addition was full-back Woyo Coulibaly, leaving their attack underpowered.
Liverpool opted against strengthening, prioritizing young players’ development with loans for Kaide Gordon and Stefan Bajcetic. Meanwhile, Manchester City, despite typically avoiding January signings, spent £172m on four players, including Omar Marmoush and Nico González.
Manchester United endured a frustrating window, losing Rashford and Antony without signing replacements. Their only arrival was defender Patrick Dorgu. Newcastle’s lack of spending could prove costly, as financial constraints led to Miguel Almirón’s sale and Lloyd Kelly’s loan departure.
Nottingham Forest took a cautious approach, only signing third-choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and young prospect Joel Ndala. Southampton focused on survival but made only minor signings, while Tottenham left it late to bring in Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel.
West Ham addressed their striker shortage by reuniting Evan Ferguson with Graham Potter and recalled James Ward-Prowse from his loan. Wolves made defensive additions in Emmanuel Agbadou, Marshall Munetsi, and Nasser Djiga while retaining Matheus Cunha.
Overall, the window reflected financial caution across the league, with most clubs opting for short-term solutions rather than major investments.
