The 2024 January transfer window has been incredibly quiet, with Premier League clubs spending just £55 million on new signings. This is barely 7% of the cumulative spend recorded in January 2023, which included the £107 million spent by Chelsea on midfielder Enzo Fernandez alone.
Much of this has to do with the enforcement of the EPL’s ‘Profit and Sustainability Regulations’ (PSR), which have seen both Nottingham Forest and Everton charged in recent weeks. The Toffees were even hit with a 10-point deduction, while further sanctions could follow before the end of the season.
Even Newcastle and Chelsea are more likely to sell players than buy during the January window, with the Magpies having posted a £73.4 million annual loss. Manchester United can also not add to their squad despite a long-term injury to reserve centre forward Anthony Martial.
But which teams have been active in January, and what are the highest-profile moves so far? Let’s take a look.
Radu Dragusin (Genoa – Tottenham, £25 Million)
21-year-old centre-back Radu Dragusin is the biggest signing of the January window so far in the EPL, with the Romanian having joined Spurs from Genoa for an estimated £25 million.
This powerful, athletic defender starred in Serie B last season, playing 40 games and scoring four goals as his side clinched promotion to the Italian top flight.
He earned 13 caps for his country and won the prestigious ‘Romanian Footballer of the Year award in December 2023, while he’ll provide exceptional cover for Cristian Romero and Micky van der Ven at the heart of Spurs’ defence.
The signing of Dragusin is also one of the few permanent transfers completed so far, with many deals taking the form of temporary loans.
Valentic Barco (Boca Juniors – Brighton, £7.87 Million)
Brighton have a penchant for unearthing unheralded gems in all four corners of the globe, from Alexis Mac Allister to Moises Caicedo (who signed for just £4 million in February 2021 before departing for Chelsea for a British record £115 million barely two years later).
Whisper it quietly, but Brighton’s recruitment team may have discovered another budding star: left-sided utility man Valentic Barco.
The versatile Argentinian is comfortable both at left-back and in a left-sided midfield role, while he has joined the Seagulls on a four-and-a-half-year deal from Boca Juniors for the initial fee of just £7.87 million.
Make no mistake; the 19-year-old is considered one of the most exciting prospects in South American football, while he has already been capped at U-23 level with the Argentinian national team.
Ben Brereton Diaz (Villarreal – Sheffield United, Loan)
During his five-season stint at Blackburn Rovers (during which he scored 47 goals in 176 games across all competitions), Ben Brereton Diaz was regularly linked to Premier League clubs and top-flight teams overseas.
Despite this, things haven’t quite worked out for the Chilean international since joining Villareal on a free transfer last summer. However, after 20 goalless appearances for ‘The Yellow Submarine’, the English-born 24-year-old has moved to Sheffield United on a six-month loan.
Diaz has already registered his first EPL goal for the Blades, an all-action and powerful forward, helping them to a dramatic 2-2 draw against West Ham.
This marked his Premier League debut, too, so fans will be hopeful that he can provide the energy and goals to help United remain in the top flight into next season.
Timo Werner (RB Leipzig – Tottenham, Loan)
While some may have scoffed when Spurs agreed a loan deal with RB Leipzig for former Chelsea flop Timo Werner, it’s easy to overlook the German forward’s career record of 151 goals in 407 matches.
He also operates primarily from the left flank, where his pace, movement and energetic pressing will be ideally suited to Ange Postecoglu’s intense, high-octane style of play.
Spurs could also remain without the prolific Son Heung-min until the middle of February, with the South Korean international playing in the AFC Asia Cup.
So, for all of his inconsistency and occasional wastefulness in front of goal, Werner will provide experienced cover for Son and is more than capable of offering immense value off the ball.
Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City – West Ham, Loan)
Last but not least, we come to Kalvin Phillips, whose career has unfortunately stalled since his £45 million move from Leeds to Manchester City.
In addition to ongoing injury and fitness issues (Phillips arrived back from the World Cup slightly overweight in December 2022), Phillips has also had to serve as an understudy for the outstanding and perennially fit Rodri. This has limited the English midfielder to just 31 appearances in two seasons, many of which have come from the bench.
Now, Phillips has secured a loan move to West Ham until the end of the season, which seems like an excellent deal for both parties.
Indeed, Phillips will get significantly more game time in the Hammers’ midfield, especially with the club’s European campaign resuming in March. As for West Ham, they’re getting a high-quality international player with a superb passing range, which may make the side a little better and more progressive in possession.
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Despite the relative shortage of January deals, EPL clubs like Spurs, West Ham, and Sheffield have bought in players who could impact their seasons. More deals may also be completed before the end of the window, influencing your betting picks and choice of EPL markets.
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