Top Premier League 2023 January transfer window arrivals

This January transfer window slammed shut last Tuesday, bringing to a close the biggest winter window in the history of the Premier League. While not usually as busy as the summer window, clubs throughout the division have certainly made the most of strengthening their squads midway through the season.

We take a look at some of the biggest arrivals below.

Joao Felix – Atletico Madrid to Chelsea (loan)

Chelsea were crying out for a creative spark in their side, with most of their midfielders and forwards either injured or badly out of form. When the opportunity arose to sign highly-rated midfielder Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid, the Blues moved quickly ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal to secure his services.

Chelsea paid £9.7m for six months of the Portuguese forward’s time – quite a high figure for a loan player – with the ambition that they can mount a top-four finish after a disappointing first half of the season. The 23-year-old made a bright start to his Chelsea debut against Fulham on 12th January, but was dramatically shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Kenny Tete. He’ll now have to wait over a month for his next Blues game against West Ham United on 11th February.

Cody Gakpo – PSV to Liverpool (£35-40m)

Liverpool were another club in desperate need of reinforcements after long-term injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, so decided to secure the services of coveted winger Cody Gakpo from PSV. The Dutch forward was a standout performer in the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign in Qatar and while he originally looked close to a move to Manchester United, the Reds swooped in and snatched the 23-year-old on a five-year contract.

Gakpo has struggled to make an impression in the early stages of his Reds career, failing to score in any of his opening six appearances so far, although a lot of that can be attributed to Jurgen Klopp’s side being in dire form generally.

Wout Weghorst – Burnley to Manchester United (loan)

Perhaps one of the more surprising deals of the January window saw Manchester United pick-up towering striker Wout Weghorst on a six-month loan deal. The Dutch forward had been playing in Turkey at Besiktas, scoring nine goals and four assists in 18 appearances, before scoring one of the most memorable goals of the World Cup with his last-gasp equaliser against Argentina in the quarter-finals.

Weghorst is perhaps seen as a short-term fix to United’s lack of striking options – with Cristiano Ronaldo mutually terminating his contract and Anthony Martial unable to click into match fitness following a lengthy period on the sidelines. He scored his first United goal against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup semi-final and looks a decent addition to a purring United side.

Mykhailo Mudryk – Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea (£89m)

Perhaps the most dramatic deal of the January transfer window was Chelsea’s sensational hijack of Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk from Arsenal. The lightening-quick forward seemed destined to join Mikel Arteta’s side after weeks of positive talks and speculation on social media, but in came Chelsea at the eleventh hour.

The left-winger is known for his explosive pace and direct running, with his Champions League highlight reel at the age of 22 already something to behold, and enjoyed an eye-catching debut for the Blues against Liverpool two weeks ago. The Ukrainian was however passive in his full debut against Fulham, with manager Graham Potter citing illness, so perhaps expect a degree of inconsistency from a clearly talented young player finding his feat in the Premier League.

Leandro Trossard – Brighton to Arsenal (£27m)

Arsenal would have been unhappy with their failed pursuit of Mykhailo Mudryk, but immediately set upon finding an alternative left winger to bolster their attack. Brighton’s Leandro Trossard, who had recently had a falling out with Seagull’s boss Roberto de Zerbi, was swiftly picked up for under £30m in what appears to be a shrewd piece of business from the Gunners.

The fleet-footed Belgian is a versatile player who has a wealth of Premier League experience and looked very lively in his recent cameos against Manchester City and Everton. You often feel Arsenal are a couple of injuries away from derailing, so Mikel Arteta should be commended for adding to his squad depth here.

Enzo Fernandez – Benfica to Chelsea (£108m)

As if new Blues owner Todd Boehly hadn’t broken the bank enough this window, transfer deadline day served as just enough time for Chelsea to break the British transfer record on Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez for a whopping £108m. The Argentinian midfielder was one of the standout performers at the World Cup in Qatar, scooping the Young Player of the Tournament Award to go alongside the World Cup trophy.

Despite only being in the country for 24 hours, the 21-year-old was thrown straight into the starting XI for Chelsea’s game against Fulham last Friday, and was arguably the standout performer for the Blues on the night. With Jorginho moving to Arsenal on deadline day, there will be extra responsibility placed on the shoulders of the young Argentine, who signed a staggering eight-and-a-half-year deal with the west Londoners.

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