The January transfer market has often proved difficult to do business in, but some of the Premier League's best ever signings have been completed in the winter window.
There have been cases where clubs have signed players for significant sums and come to regret their purchase, and these transfers have often materialised out of desperation to address glaring weaknesses.
The infamous swap deal between Manchester United and Arsenal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexis Sanchez in January 2018 was disastrous for all involved, with neither forward settling at their new teams.
However, there are countless examples of players arriving in the winter and going on to win major silverware, or becoming legends at their respective clubs.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the 10 best Premier League January transfers of all time.
Top 10 January transfers of all time
10. Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers to Everton, 2009)
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Everton made the decision to part with a mere £60,000 to sign a young Irishman in 2009 by the name of Seamus Coleman from Sligo Rovers, and under the tutelage of David Moyes, he became arguably one of the most rounded full-backs in modern Premier League history.
Coleman was just 20 years old when he signed for the Toffees but has since gone on to make 367 appearances in the Premier League, meaning he has cost the club just £163.50 per game in the top flight.
As far as value-for-money deals go, the 36-year-old's transfer to Everton is undoubtedly among the best the division has seen.
9. Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea to Liverpool, 2013)
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Daniel Sturridge started just one match for Chelsea in the 2012-13 Premier League season when he made the switch to Liverpool for £12m in January 2013.
The Englishman would go on to score 50 goals for the Reds in the top flight and form a formidable partnership with Luis Suarez in 2013-14, scoring 21 goals while producing seven assists in 29 league appearances.
Sturridge's career at Anfield was beset by injuries that curtailed his immense talent, but the striker still went on to win the Champions League under Jurgen Klopp in 2018-19, finding the back of the net against Paris Saint-Germain in a crucial match in the group stage.
8. Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon to Newcastle United, 2022)
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Bruno Guimaraes was linked with a host of elite European sides in the summer of 2021-22, but the Brazilian stayed at Lyon until January before signing for Newcastle United for a fee of £40m.
The midfielder joined despite the Magpies being in the midst of a relegation battle, and he has been instrumental in the team's rise up through the division since, leading the club to Champions League football in 2022-23.
Guimaraes has never shied away from his defensive duties – the midfielder ran more than any other player in the Premier League in 2023-24 (423km) – and it came as no surprise that he was named captain in August last year.
7. Branislav Ivanovic (Lokomotiv Moscow to Chelsea, 2008)
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Chelsea made the move to bring Branislav Ivanovic to the club from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2008 for just £9.7m, and he would go on to play for the Blues for nine seasons.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, the right-back won three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one EFL Cup, one Champions League and one Europa League.
Ivanovic was never a specialist full-back in the final third, but there are not many in Premier League history that can claim to have been as strong defensively as the Serbian.
6. Patrice Evra (Monaco to Manchester United, 2006)
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Patrice Evra arrived at Old Trafford for a transfer fee of just £5.5m, and much like Ivanovic, the left-back enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in England, claiming five Premier League titles and a Champions League winners' medal.
The Frenchman played 379 times for Manchester United and was a truly modern defender, capable of contributing at both ends of the pitch.
Though many consider Ashley Cole to be the greatest ever left-back in the division, Evra's performances for the Red Devils warrant him to at least be in the conversation.
5. Andrew Cole (Newcastle United to Manchester United, 1995)
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Andrew Cole made switch from Newcastle United to Manchester United for a then British-record fee of £7m in January 1995.
The striker scored 121 goals for Ferguson's side in 275 appearances and won five league titles, including three consecutively between 1999 and 2001.
During his time at Old Trafford, Cole was paired with Dwight Yorke up front, and the duo struck fear into the hearts of defenders across the Premier League.
4. Luis Suarez (Ajax to Liverpool, 2011)
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Luis Suarez might have been a controversial figure in the Premier League, but there is no denying the impact he had on Liverpool.
The Uruguayan striker was purchased from Ajax for a fee of roughly £22m in January 2011 and managed to score 82 goals and provide 46 assists in 133 games for the Reds.
Suarez's performances in 2013-14 were phenomenal, with the striker netting 31 goals and registering 12 assists in the Premier League in just 33 matches during what was one of the best individual seasons in the competition's history.
3. Nemanja Vidic (Spartak Moscow to Manchester United, 2006)
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Many consider Nemanja Vidic to be a bargain given the centre-back only cost Man United £7m, and yet he played a starring role in United's dominance in the late 2000s.
The Serbian is perhaps best known for the partnership he formed playing alongside Rio Ferdinand, and his aggressive, physical playstyle made opposition forwards hesitant to take him on.
It is odd to think that Sir Alex Ferguson was criticised by some for bringing Vidic to Old Trafford, but the legendary manager was proven right, with the defender making 300 appearances, winning five Premier League titles and claiming one Champions League trophy during his time in England.
2. Philippe Coutinho (Inter Milan to Liverpool, 2013)
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When Philippe Coutinho arrived at Anfield in January 2013 for just £8.5m from Inter Milan, few could have imagined that the club would go on to sell him for a fee of £146m to Barcelona in January 2018.
The Brazilian produced countless moments of magic during his time with the Merseysiders, scoring 54 goals and providing 38 assists for the Reds in 201 appearances.
However, his biggest contribution to Liverpool was arguably allowing them to purchase Alisson Becker thanks to his transfer to Barca, as well as the next player on the list of the Premier League's best ever January transfers.
1. Virgil van Dijk (Southampton to Liverpool, 2018)
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Liverpool had tried to sign Virgil van Dijk in the summer of 2017-18 but were forced to back down after Southampton's complaints to the Premier League, though Klopp finally got his man in January for £75m and the Reds have not looked back since.
The Dutch centre-back led the club to the Champions League final in his first season, before spearheading them to Champions League and Premier League glory in the subsequent two campaigns.
Van Dijk also finished second in the Ballon d'Or rankings behind Lionel Messi in 2019, and he is arguably the best defender in the world despite being 33 years old.
Lewis Nolan
