It is that time of the year again when clubs look to wrap up their squad rebuild for the season, with last-moment singings before the January transfer window slams shut on Tuesday
The winter transfer window has seen some extraordinary deals on deadline day and Premier League clubs have dominated the financial side of it. Ahead of January 31, 2023, here are the five most expensive signings on deadline day.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Dortmund to Arsenal – 2018 – £56m
The top scorer in Bundesliga in 2017, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund for a record transfer fee, breaking the previous record of Alexandre Lacazette.
His move completed involved a triangle of transfers, wherein Olivier Giroud joined Chelsea from Arsenal and Michy Batshuayi was loaned to Dortmund from Chelsea.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring for the Gunners. | Photo Credit: Reuters
After scoring 98 goals in 144 appearances for the Bundesliga side, Aubameyang went on to score 92 goals and assist 21 more for the Gunners. He won the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield in 2020 with Arsenal.
After falling out with manager Mikel Arteta, though Aubameyang has struggled to maintain his consistency, he would always be the striker who led Arsenal to two trophies after a three-year drought.
Bruno Fernandes – Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United – 2020 – £54m
Bruno Fernandes joined United from Sporting CP, following Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Marcos Rojo from the Portuguese club.
The then Man United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – who had been chasing Bruno’s signature since that summer – finally signed him on the last day of the window.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes in action against Reading in the FA Cup semifinal. United won the match 3-1 at home. | Photo Credit: AP
While he has not won silverware with the side so far, he played a crucial role as Man United finished second in the 2020-21 Premier League season. This season, the midfielder has six goals and as many assists in 29 appearances.
Fernando Torres – Liverpool to Chelsea - 2011 – £50m
Fernando Torres, also known as El Nino, was in the form of his life at Anfield when Jose Mourinho signed him for Chelsea with a British transfer record in January. Torres became the then-most expensive Spaniard in the League.
Though the striker’s goalscoring rate reduced after the move, he found the net in some iconic moments, such as the goal against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg, which eliminated Lionel Messi’s Barca.
Chelsea’s Fernando Torres from Spain, left, celebrates after scoring the decisive goal against Barcelona that took his team into the Champions League final. | Photo Credit: AP
With the Blues, Torres won the FA Cup, the Champions League and the Europa League.
Andy Carroll – Newcastle United to Liverpool - 2011 – £35m
From Torres to the player who replaced him at Liverpool, Andy Carroll, joined the Reds just in time before the window shut, becoming the then-most expensive British footballer.
While Carroll scored 11 goals in the first half of the season for Newcastle United, he arrived at Liverpool with an injury and it took three months for him to return to match fitness.
For Liverpool, Carroll scored 11 times – the number of Premier League goals he had scored for Newcastle United in just one-half of a season. | Photo Credit: AP
Though the striker scored in the FA Cup semifinal against Everton and won the League Cup with Liverpool, he failed to have a significant effect on Liverpool’s attack, which saw Luis Suarez rise to the occasion.
Follow all January deadline day stories here:
- Transfer deadline day: All you need to know about the January 2023 winter window
- Transfer Market Deadline Day: Players expected to sign on January 31
- Premier League Transfer news live: Full list of January 2023 signings
- La Liga winter transfer window: Complete list of ins and outs of players in January 2023
- January transfer window: Biggest winter signings which flopped at their new clubs
- Deadline day transfers: Suarez to Bruno, most impactful signings in the January winter window
In 58 appearances for the club, he scored 11 times – the number of Premier League goals he had scored for the Magpies in just one-half of a season.
Willian - Shakhtar Donetsk to Anzhi - 2013 - £30m
Before Mykhailo Mudryk, another Shakhtar Donetsk player had attracted major interest from Chelsea, nine years ago.
Willian, who, before his move to Stamford Bridge, took a detour to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in what was one of the most expensive deadline-day deals.
Willian of FC Anzhi Makhachkala acknowledges fans before the start of the Russian Premier League match between FC Anzhi Makhachkala and FC Alania Vladikavkaz at the Anzhi Arena Stadium. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
In 17 appearances for the club, under former Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink, Willian scored just once and assisted six more before moving to the Premier League in six months.
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