The January transfer window is a vital period for all Premier League teams. Each side has around a month to identify and follow up on targets as they look to achieve their aims. Whether it’s a title challenge, a push for the European places or a battle to avoid relegation, one good signing can make all the difference. All twenty clubs in the division have the opportunity to add to their squads, but who enjoyed the best January transfer window of 2025?
City Slackers
Defending champions Manchester City started the season with hopes of making it five EPL titles in succession. Initial football betting markets made them favourites to lift the trophy once again, but a dreadful run of form before Christmas saw Pep Guardiola’s side slip out of contention. City have just a slim chance of catching Liverpool, and they are in serious danger of dropping outside of the Champions League qualification places.
The club responded and were the biggest spenders of the January transfer window. Among their acquisitions was midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Porto, along with defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov, plus striker Omar Marmoush. It was clear that Manchester City needed those reinforcements, and while it may take time for the new players to gel, it was a positive window for the club.
Villa Land Major Targets
Aston Villa’s rise from mid-table underachievers to a Champions League club has been a remarkable one. While they have enjoyed a significant injection of cash, the calibre of players joining in January shows that Unai Emery’s men are serious contenders moving forward.
The most high-profile deal was clearly the loan signing of Marcus Rashford. Having fallen out of favour at Manchester United, the attacker needed a team to match his ambition and talent, and Villa fit that profile.
Striker Jhon Duran was sold to Saudia Arabian club Al Nassr, but Rashford can cover, while the Villains also picked up Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia, Axel Disasi and Marcos Asensio. It’s another big overhaul, but if the new players can click, Aston Villa should be able to cement their challenge for Champions League places.
Spurs Leave it Late
An injury crisis at Tottenham Hotspur meant that the club had to get involved in the transfer market, irrespective of whether Chairman Daniel Levy wanted to make more purchases. Spurs moved quickly to sign a back up goalkeeper, but they left it until deadline day to make two further acquisitions.
Antonin Kinsky joined from Slavia Prague to cover for injured keeper Guglielmo Vicario, and he was eventually followed by loan signings Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel.
Tottenham made some high-quality purchases, but the late timing of their arrival was strange. They are potentially good buys for the future, but they may have come too late to save Spurs’ season.
Ipswich Roll the Dice
All of the newly promoted sides are in danger of relegation, and while Southampton and Leicester City made some moves, Ipswich may have done the better business. Among three new acquisitions was Jaden Philogene from Aston Villa and he made an instant impact.
Philogene scored in Ipswich’s 4-1 FA Cup win over Coventry City, and along with fellow new arrivals Ben Godfrey and Julio Enciso, he’ll be hoping to keep the Tractor Boys in the Premier League.
Wolves are also battling to avoid the drop and in January, the club were the second biggest spenders behind Manchester City. With new manager Vito Pereira keen for reinforcements, Wolves spent £42 million on Marshall Munetsi, Emmanuel Agbadou and Nasser Djiga.
The team should be stronger at the back, but the best news for Wolves fans concerned a transfer that didn’t happen. Brazilian international Matheus Cunha had been linked with several major sides around Europe, but Wolves fought off the attention, and he’ll be staying until the summer at least.
Cunha’s goals have kept the team in touch with safety, and along with those three new arrivals, Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed an impressive window.
Elsewhere, Manchester United, Brighton and Chelsea were among the clubs to spend more carefully. It was felt that United needed a bigger overhaul under new manager Ruben Amorim, but the Old Trafford faithful will have to wait until the summer for further transfers.
Not every club made a move in the January window. Arsenal, Newcastle United, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool and West Ham spent no money at all. Those sides clearly feel they have enough talent to meet their targets, but will they regret those decisions at the end of the season?
Of the clubs that did enter the market, Manchester City were the biggest spenders, but Aston Villa may have made the more significant purchases. If the new players can settle quickly, Villa will have the quality to finish inside the top four and lay a platform for next season.
