20. West Ham
In: Joao Mario (loan), Jordan Hugill (£8m)
Out: Diafra Sakho (Rennes, £8.8m), Martin Samuelsen (Burton, loan), Reece Oxford (Borussia Monchengladbach, loan), Andre Ayew (Swansea)
Lots of irons in lots of fires, but not quite enough done to appease a disappointed fanbase. Joao Mario is a good player and was thought of very highly before his career went south with Inter, but the midfielder could be damaged goods and is not actually West Ham’s player. Failing to add a defender certainly seems like a mistake.
David Moyes’s contract only runs until the end of the season, so the club were presumably unwilling to back his direction to any great extent, but there remains a chance of West Ham getting pulled into a relegation fight. Really, they should have done more and will likely spend the rest of the year relying on other clubs being worse.
19. Newcastle
In: Islam Slimani (loan), Kenedy (loan), Martin Dubravka (loan)
Out: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham, loan), Jack Colback (Nottingham Forest, loan), Rolando Aarons (Hellas Verona, loan), Henri Saivet (Sivasspor, loan), Freddie Woodman (Aberdeen, loan), Ivan Toney (Scunthorpe, loan)
Very slapdash. Losing out to West Brom for Daniel Sturridge was obviously a blow - and likely humbling - but Newcastle invited trouble upon themselves by leaving their move so late.
When Sturridge declined the chance to move to St James’ Park, the club were left with a mad scramble to find an alternative, eventually falling on Islam Slimani. He’s excellent in the air and suits the kind of football which Rafael Benitez is trying to play, but his form is wildly unpredictable and he’s not the kind of forward who comes with any guarantees.
The conclusion which is impossible to resist, ultimately, is that Newcastle have again tried to do everything on the cheap. Three loan deals for three players who are all leaps of faith; Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley never learn this lesson, do they?
18. Swansea
In: Andre Ayew (£18m), Andy King (loan), Jack Withers (loan)
Out: Roque Mesa (Sevilla, loan), Jay Fulton (Wigan, loan), Adam King (Mansfield, loan), Joe Rodon (Cheltenham, loan) Oliver McBurnie (Barnsley, loan)
Roque Mesa has gone, so the defining memory of a bad summer has pushed out of view, while Andre Ayew has returned to join his brother at the top of the pitch. Andy King is a strange one, though, particularly for a side who were well represented in midfield but in urgent need of improvement at full-back.
It’s been more productive than it could have been (or was expected to be), but Carlos Carvalhal will still have to extract more than the sum of this squad’s parts if relegation is to be avoided.
17. Watford
In: Gerard Deulofeu (loan), Didier Ndong (loan), Dodi Lukebakio (£4.5m), Pontus Dahlberg (£2.5m)
Out: Isaac Success (Malaga, loan), Mauro Zarate (Velez Sarsfield, loan), Pontus Dahlberg (IFK, loan)
The players aren’t really the issue at Watford, because unless Javi Gracia is quick to grasp his squad any arrivals will be incidental. Still, given the Pozzo family’s model of ownership a swirl of activity is always expected and first-team relevance should never be assumed. Gerard Deulofeu is what he is: good on his day and atrocious when not. The 20-year-old winger Dodi Lukebakio has evidently been snagged from deep within the depths of the scouting network and should pique the interest.
Nothing strange and nothing dramatic, but there are bigger concerns elsewhere - and the late addition of Didier Ndong will bolster a midfield which has been decimated by injury.
16. Burnley
In: Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (loan), Aaron Lennon (Undisc.)
Out: Luke Hendrie (Shrewsbury), Jimmy Dunne (Accrington, loan), Tom Anderson (Doncaster, loan)
Tricky to gauge. Both incoming players will provide a degree of width and a bit more pace than Burnley currently possess, but neither - for opposing reasons - are really at the right stages of their career to be that useful. They will broaden Sean Dyche’s range of options, though, and that’s clearly positive.
15. Southampton
In: Guido Carrillo (£19.2m)
Out: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Marcus Barnes (Yeovil, loan)
Van Dijk leaves a hole, of course, but he was a disengaged player who really had to go. The big rebuild will presumably take place in the summer and, with form improving gently, the club were probably right not to panic. Argentine striker Guido Carrillo comes with a flaky reputation and will have to suffer through the mandatory adjustment, while a late effort to sign Quincy Promes was unsuccessful.
14. Bournemouth
In: None
Out: Benik Afobe (Wolves, loan), Lewis Grabban (Aston Villa, loan), Ryan Allsop (Lincoln, loan)
Nothing much to see here other than Lewis Grabban bouncing back from a loan and then heading straight out again to Aston Villa. Benik Afobe has also been sent back to the Championship, having found Premier League life increasingly trying.
However, Bournemouth are a rapidly improving team - evidenced by their slightly freakish 3-0 battering of Chelsea - and there was really no need to tamper. Eddie Howe is gradually welcoming back a few of his injured players, too. Keeping his powder dry until summer is a smart move.
13. Chelsea
In: Olivier Giroud (£18m), Ross Barkley (£15m), Emerson Palmieri (£17m)
Out: Michy Batshuayi (Borussia Dortmund, loan), Jake Clarke-Salter (Sunderland, loan), Ike Ugbo (MK Dons, loan), Kenedy (Newcastle, loan), Charly Musonda (Celtic, loan), Todd Kane (Oxford, loan), Kasey Palmer (Derby, loan)
Nothing of any huge consequence. Ross Barkley will never be a full-time starter at the club and Olivier Giroud is a reactionary purchase which wouldn’t have been made under normal circumstances, but neither signing has cost the earth and both were risks worth taking.
Emerson? The Brazilian left-back could be anything, but it’s interesting that Chelsea seem determined to uproot Marcos Alonso from their side, especially given how well he’s played and how regular his contribution has been.
12. Stoke
In: Badou Ndiaye (£14m), Moritz Bauer (£5m), Moussa Niakate, Kostas Stafylidis (loan)
Out: Julien Ngoy (Walsall, loan)
Looking through that list, it’s obvious that Stoke have gambled. But maybe that’s OK. It had gotten awfully stale at the bet365 Stadium and fresh blood should at least challenge that stasis. Austrian right-back Bauer looks like a capable player from his first few appearances and, even though the others are unknown quantities, they will at least challenge the status quo.
Of the group, Badou Ndiaye is perhaps the most interesting: a little-known Senegalese midfielder who has spent the last three years in Turkish football, he represents a big spend on what has been a long-term problem area.
11. Liverpool
In: Virgil van Dijk (£75m), Tony Gallacher (£200k)
Out: Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona), Daniel Sturridge (West Brom, loan), Marko Grujic (Cardiff, loan), Lazar Markovic (Anderlecht, loan), Jon Flanagan (Bolton, loan), Cameron Brannagan (Oxford), Ryan Kent (Bristol City, loan)
Liverpool supporters have been getting themselves in a muddle about this window. True, Coutinho has gone and he’ll be missed, but Van Dijk’s arrival will - has already - strengthened an area of far greater concern.
Ultimately, there’s not a vast amount wrong at Anfield. Given how much the club is known to have made from that record Coutinho sale, it would have been very difficult for them to find any sort of value in January. Summer is the right time to look at a replacement and, surely, a new goalkeeper.
10. Crystal Palace
In: Erdal Rakip (loan), Jaroslaw Jach (£2m), Alexander Sorloth (£8.8m)
Out: Keshi Anderson (Swindon, loan), Noor Husin (Notts County), Sullay Kaikai (Charlton, loan), Freddie Lapado (Southend)
Anyone who claims to have an intimate knowledge of these three signings is probably lying, but Palace’s recovery has come from within this season and so it was really more important to prevent any departures. The club’s tough stance on Wilfried Zaha has successfully scared off any interest and, with the injury list also now lightening, mid-table looks more than achievable.
After an early season full of panic, the last thing the club needed was a big influx of new faces at considerable cost. Norway international striker Alexander Sorloth is the most interesting acquisition, but this was a sensible rather than extravagant window.
9. Leicester
In: Fousseni Diabate (£3.5m), Callum Wright
Out: Leonardo Ulloa (Brighton, loan), Ahmed Musa (CSKA, loan), Andy King (Swansea, loan), Islam Slimani (Newcastle, loan)
Leonardo Ulloa and Ahmed Musa had both been non-factors for a while, so won’t be missed - and from the goals Fousseni Diabate scored in the FA Cup over the weekend, he looks like an interesting addition.
Most importantly, though, they resisted Manchester City’s attempts to snag Riyad Mahrez on the final day. There might be a cost to pay with the player’s state of mind, but losing him would have been far worse for collective morale.
8. Huddersfield
In: Alex Pritchard (£10m), Terence Kongolo (loan)
Out: Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest), Martin Cranie (Middlesbrough)
There’s nothing seismic here, but then Huddersfield don’t seem to depend on that type of transfer. Holland international Terence Kongolo is a loan, so will provide short-term depth in defence, while Alex Pritchard is very much a rough diamond - diminutive, skilful, but ultimately unproven in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old signing from Norwich will need polishing and is maybe an addition with the club’s future in mind rather than their short-term survival. No harm in that.
7. Everton
In: Cenk Tosun (£27m), Theo Walcott (£20m), Eliaquim Mangala (loan)
Out: Aaron Lennon (Burnley), Ross Barkley (Chelsea), Kevin Mirallas (Olympiakos, loan), Sandro Ramirez (Sevilla, loan), Ademola Lookman (RB Leipzig, loan), Muhamed Besic (Middlesbrough, loan)
One main plus has been finding a resolution to the Ross Barkley affair; that saga has dragged on for too long and was helping nobody. Elsewhere, Cenk Tosun has looked physical in his few appearances and should make Everton less lightweight at the top of the pitch.
Theo Walcott, in spite of his flaws, will also add another layer of goal threat. Or at least he will do on his good days.
6. Manchester United
In: Alexis Sanchez (swap), Matej Kovar
Out: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal), Axel Tuanzebe (Aston Villa, loan), James Wilson (Sheffield United, loan), Demetri Mitchell (Hearts, loan), Charlie Scott (Hamilton, loan) Matt Willock (St Johnstone, loan)
The value of the Alexis Sanchez signing is self-evident, even if his wages might cause some ripples through the Manchester United dressing room. The Mkhitaryan departure was clearly important too, given the complete breakdown of his relationship with Mourinho.
As a club, United are about star power and allure and Sanchez obviously satisfies those aims, but - a dreadful performance against Tottenham aside - he should provide a further jolt of dynamism to an already highly mobile attack, too.
5. Manchester City
In: Aymeric Laporte (£57m), Jack Harrison (£4m)
Out: Eliaquim Mangala (Everton, loan), Jack Harrison (Middlesbrough, loan)
When you’re the king, you can do what you want. Laporte has long been regarded as an elite prospect and is clearly intended to be John Stones’s long-term partner. The fee was astronomical but, really, so what? City have been searching for a pair of convincing centre-backs for some time and, finally, they might now have what they want – curing this team’s only remaining weakness in the process.
Jack Harrison has also joined from New York City FC and will be immediately loaned to Middlesbrough. Presumably that was a tough, tough negotiation.
4. West Brom
In: Daniel Sturridge (loan), Ali Gabr (loan)
Out: Tyler Roberts (Leeds)
It’s tempting to believe that Daniel Sturridge’s decision to choose The Hawthorns over St James’ Park is more damning of the latter than it is an endorsement of the former, but he has been loaned and he should - if fit - provide a great upgrade in attack.
The best bit of business was something which didn’t happen, though, with the club's outstanding defender Jonny Evans staying in spite of interest from sides higher up the table. Good, solid window from West Brom.
3. Tottenham
In: Lucas Moura (£25m)
Out: Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Burnley, loan)
Very interesting. Go back a few years and Lucas Moura was one of the hottest South American talents going and so, despite the slight decline in his reputation at PSG, Tottenham have likely got themselves a good deal.
The Brazil international will bring speed, which is something Mauricio Pochettino has been desperately short of, but also the ability to stand opponents up and go past them. If it is a risk, it’s one which was definitely worth taking and this team will obviously benefit from having another match-winning option in attack.
2. Brighton
In: Jurgen Locadia (£14m), Leonardo Ulloa (loan), Warren O’Hora
Out: Kazenga LuaLua (Sunderland)
It will depend on how well club-record signing Jurgen Locadia adapts to English football. He was certainly a well-regarded player in Holland, but forwards from the Eredivisie usually prove to be either fantastic value or spectacular busts.
The addition of Leonardo Ulloa, who does have Premier League credentials, will provide something of a safety net, though. Potentially a really good window for Brighton, who have improved their attacking options without parting with much, as they continue to plot a considered course towards safety.
1. Arsenal
In: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (swap), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£56m), Konstantinos Mavropanos
Out: Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Francis Coquelin (Valencia), Theo Walcott (Everton), Marcus McGuane (Barcelona), Mathieu Debuchy (Saint-Etienne)
Very much a ‘wait and see’ window. On the surface, it makes sense: a malcontent Sanchez has been jettisoned and two established stars of the game have arrived in his place - what’s not to like? From a different perspective, though, Arsenal have lost their very best player, allowed one of the most valuable secondary options in the league to move to a cross-town rival, and bet the house on a volatile character as well as an attacking midfielder who has had his spirit crushed at Manchester United.
So - yes - there’s doubt, but it shouldn’t be overlooked that Arsene Wenger has also managed to burn some of the fat from this squad and make some significant revenue in the process. Whether this works is another matter, but for once Arsenal’s window should make sense to everyone.
