Premier League Records Quietest Ever January Transfer Deadline Day As Only Seven Deals Are Completed
Premier League Experiences Quiet January Transfer Deadline Day
LONDON — The Premier League recorded its least eventful January transfer deadline day on record, concluding Monday with just seven finalized deals. Remarkably, no new players were officially announced before the 19:00 GMT deadline. The first transfer was revealed four minutes later, as Crystal Palace confirmed the signing of striker Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The deal, which could escalate to £48 million, marked a notable addition for the club.
According to league regulations, clubs may extend the window by up to two hours if a deal sheet is submitted before the cutoff time. This provision allowed teams to finalize paperwork after the deadline.
Five additional transfers were confirmed post-window. Sunderland acquired Ecuadorian winger Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht for £17.5 million. Meanwhile, Wolves secured midfielder Angel Gomes on loan from Marseille and replaced Strand Larsen with Adam Armstrong in a £7 million deal.
Overall, Premier League spending for the January transfer window surpassed £390 million. Liverpool managed to reach an agreement to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet on deadline day; however, the £60 million transfer will not be registered until the summer.
Crystal Palace was central to the day’s major narratives, highlighted by both the completion of Strand Larsen’s signing and the collapse of Jean Philippe Mateta’s proposed move to AC Milan due to medical concerns. In contrast, the traditional top six clubs were largely inactive, with none making late additions.
A significant departure from the league saw former England midfielder Kalvin Phillips join Championship side Sheffield United on loan from Manchester City for the remainder of the season. This transfer occurs four years after Manchester City initially acquired him for £45 million from Leeds United.
Late deals on deadline day also included Nottingham Forest’s acquisition of Borussia Monchengladbach defender Luca Netz, Chelsea winger Tyrique George’s loan to Everton, and several academy signings by Tottenham and Arsenal.
Despite a total expenditure of approximately £397 million for the window, January transfers have historically been quieter than those in the summer. Premier League clubs invested a record £3.1 billion during the previous summer window, diminishing the urgency for mid-season signings.
Financial planning is another factor influencing this January’s activity, as a new Financial Fair Play structure is set to take effect next season. Starting in the 2026-27 campaign, the upcoming Squad Cost Ratio will limit overall squad costs to 85 percent of a club’s revenue.
Manchester City emerged as the most active team during the window, bolstering their squad in pursuit of Arsenal in the title race. They signed forward Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for £64 million on January 9 and added defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace for £20 million the following week.
Crystal Palace was also among the heavier spenders, committing a total of £83 million, which included the earlier signing of Brennan Johnson from Tottenham for £35 million.
Aston Villa was the only other club from the top six to pay transfer fees, spending £18.25 million to re-sign Tammy Abraham from Besiktas and an additional £10.5 million on winger Alysson from Gremio. In contrast, Premier League leaders Arsenal made no winter signings, while Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool also opted for a quiet window.
