Who won the Premier League's quiet transfer window?
Tottenham Hotspur's Radu Dragusin during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
The January transfer window of 2024 will go down as one of the Premier League’s quietest, delivering precious few headlines as even the biggest and richest clubs kept their money in their pockets.
Last year, clubs spent a remarkable €915m in the winter window. This year the total looks unlikely to stretch much past €100m as financial fair play finally took its toll.
But what were the biggest, and most notable deals on show? And who got themselves a bargain?
Here’s a rundown on the deals to remember from January 2024, including those completed on deadline day.
Spurs splashed out €29m on Romanian defender Dragusin, said to be Ange Postecoglou's number one target this winter. The transfer barely made a ripple in terms of publicity, but it's turned out to be the biggest one of the window (and is also enough to make Dragusin the most expensive Romanian of all time). Last January, however, the biggest deal was Chelsea’s €121m swoop for Argentina's World Cup hero Enzo Fernandez. Quite a contrast.
When Phillips joined City from Leeds for almost €53m in 2022 he was one of the most highly prized defensive midfielders in the Premier League, and already an established England international.
His fall from grace at the Etihad has been unexpected. But for one reason or another he has made little impact under Pep Guardiola and found himself either injured or left on the bench.
It seems impossible, at 28, that he is finished. So, West Ham have a real opportunity to revive him and put themselves at the top of the queue should City decide to sell in June. If it all works out, it could prove an excellent piece of business – beating the likes of Newcastle and several European clubs to his signature.
Tottenham’s loan deal to bring German striker Timo Werner back to England from RB Leipzig raised eyebrows. The forward was widely mocked for missing so many chances during an ill-fated spell at Chelsea, one of Tottenham’s most bitter rivals. So, you can imagine the chants at Stamford Bridge.
Werner showed encouraging signs of fitting well into Ange Postecoglou’s attacking style in north London in this week’s victory over Brentford. So far, so good. But many people still believe he is not well suited to Premier League football despite his obvious pace and talent. Only time will tell if Spurs have come up trumps.
Palace have a real eye for a player coming through the Football League ranks – think Michael Olise from Reading and Eberechi Eze from QPR.
Now they have added Blackburn midfielder Wharton in a transfer deadline day deal that could be worth up to €26m. The 19-year-old looks a prospect and has signed a five-and-a-half year deal.
Heard about the €4.7m bargain deal for a top-class striker? That’s what Fulham paid for Chelsea’s Broja, but it comes with a twist. The money is not to sign him permanently, but a hefty loan fee to their local rivals. Broja, who is still only 22, looked outstanding at Southampton but injuries have set him back at Stamford Bridge. Can he recover his confidence at Craven Cottage? If he does, then he’s worth every cent.
As always, Manchester City did their business early and without fuss, picking up another exciting talent in River Plate’s attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri for €14.65m. The only snag for City fans is that the dribbling genius has been sent back to Argentina on loan until January 2025. All the signs are that the 18-year-old is a canny buy, however.
This one has topped the charts for quite a long time, because the bones of the deal was done way back in the summer. The official figure is €30m, but there are up to another €30m in extras if the transfer goes well. It’s still a good deal for a striker regarded as one to watch at the age of just 18.
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