The most expensive January Deadline Day signings ever
- Clubs around Europe have been suckered into 'panic buys' on January deadline day in the past
- Chelsea have forked out huge sums for Enzo Fernandez and Fernando Torres
- Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll signed for Liverpool in 2011 winter window
By Mitch Wilks
It doesn't get much more exciting across the football calendar than transfer Deadline Day.
Clubs frantically trying to get last-minute deals over the line, players driving hopelessly up and down the country and sitting outside training grounds in the hope that a move goes through - yes, we're looking at you, Peter Odemwingie - and reporters being crowded by rabid fans as the night draws in and the clock ticks down.
Desperation often takes hold on the final day of the window, resulting in huge fees being splashed for players who usually aren't worth the valuation. Sometimes, however, such transfers prove to be inspired later down the line.
Here are the most expensive signings in the history of the January transfer window's Deadline Day.
20. Olivier Giroud to Chelsea - £18m
Chelsea snatching Olivier Giroud away from Arsenal in 2018 on Deadline Day is arguably one of the most underrated pieces of business in recent times.
The wily operator won the Champions League with the Blues before moving on to AC Milan where he has continued to look comfortable at the highest level.
19. Giannelli Imbula to Stoke City - £18.3m
Stoke paid a club-record fee to bring Giannelli Imbula to the club from FC Porto at the death in 2016, but he never found his feet and was caught up in a cycle of loans by 2017.
18. Mario Balotelli to AC Milan - £19m
There is slight uncertainty over the actual fee AC Milan paid for Balotelli in 2013, but it was around the £19m mark.
His time at the Rossoneri proved to be his last truly impressive spell at the top level.
17. Hamed Traore to Bournemouth - £20m
Andoni Iraola has turned heads with an enterprising style of play at Bournemouth, though £20m arrival Hamed Traore has played little role in that.
The Ivory Coast international has since joined Napoli on loan and might not be seen strutting his stuff at the Vitality Stadium again.
16. Odion Ighalo to Changchun Yatai - £20m
After bursting onto the scene in the Premier League with Watford, there was plenty of interest in Odion Ighalo in the mid-2010s.
He rebuffed it all, however, and headed to China in 2017 to sign for Changchun Yatai, returning to England briefly for a loan spell with Manchester United before joining the Saudi Pro League revolution.
15. Miguel Almiron to Newcastle United - £21m
Miguel Almiron's 2019 move to Newcastle from Atlanta United remains the highest fee ever paid for a player from Major League Soccer to date.
It took a while for the Paraguayan to get up and running at St James' Park but a Ballon d'Or-worthy run of form after being taunted by Jack Grealish has enhanced his reputation.
14. David Luiz to Chelsea - £21m
When David Luiz joined Chelsea from Benfica for the first time in 2011, a certain Nemanja Matic was also included in the deal to get it over the line.
Matic would eventually return and the pair would win a Premier League together.
13. Andre Schurrle to Wolfsburg - £22m
Officially, Andre Schurrle's move from Chelsea to Wolfsburg in 2015 was completed on 2 February, but we'll let it slide.
The German has since retired having fallen out of love with the game.
12. Jarrod Bowen to West Ham United - £22m
Whenever West Ham United are involved on Deadline Day, things tend to be pretty fun.
Their move for Jarrod Bowen in 2020 has proven to be an inspired piece of business. The former Hull City winger scored the Hammers' winner in the final of the Europa Conference League and has been an England international since 2022.
11. Kamaldeen Sulemana to Southampton - £22m
Signing from Rennes, forward Kamaldeen Sulemana arrived at a Southampton side leaking goals in defence and lacking threat up front.
His transfer in 2023 was followed by relegation for the Saints and the striker will hope for another crack at England's top flight sooner rather than later.
10. Luis Suarez to Liverpool - £22.7m
While the signing of Andy Carroll was the more memorable Deadline Day acquisition for Liverpool in 2011, it was Luis Suarez who arrived from Ajax for a cheaper fee and went on to achieve greatness.
9. Lucas Moura to Tottenham Hotspur - £25m
After five years in the French capital, Lucas Moura swapped winning silverware for fun with Paris Saint-Germain for a fresh start in north London in 2018.
His performances took Tottenham to a Champions League final in 2019, but that's as good as it got.
8. Juan Cuadrado to Chelsea - £26.8m
You'd be forgiven for forgetting that Juan Cuadrado signed for Chelsea from Fiorentina in 2015, because he was straight out of the door again come the summer window.
7. Willian to Anzhi Makhachkala - £30m
Before the days of Willian in the Premier League, his talent at Shakhtar Donetsk had already been spotted by a billionaire-backed Anzhi Makhachkala - remember them?
Their rise and fall coincided with the Brazilian jumping ship to Chelsea in 2014.
6. Jackson Martinez to Guangzhou Evergrande - £32m
Jackson Martinez ended a disappointing spell at Atletico Madrid in early February 2016 when he headed to Guangzhou Evergrande before the deadline, setting a then-record fee for a transfer by an Asian club.
5. Andy Carroll to Liverpool - £35m
One of two men tasked with replacing Fernando Torres upon his departure to Chelsea, Andy Carroll only came close to replicating the Spaniard in the hair department.
Great locks, not so great a Liverpool career.
4. Pedro Porro to Tottenham Hotspur - £37m
Not everyone was a fan of Pedro Porro when he arrived as an Antonio Conte signing at Tottenham, looking out of place as his defensive skills were put to the test.
However, the Spaniard is performing remarkably under new boss Ange Postecoglou, impressing with his creativity and final ball.
3. Fernando Torres to Chelsea - £50m
Despite setting a record with the transfer fee and arriving after years of lighting up the Premier League at Liverpool, Fernando Torres' legacy at Chelsea is a one of a big-money flop.
He did, however, score a famous Champions League semi-final goal at Camp Nou and lifted the trophy in 2012.
2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal - £56m
Aubama-who? Aubama-what? Aubama-ouch, he cost quite a lot actually, didn't he? Was it worth renewing his contract?
The Gabon international joined the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund in 2018 and scored 92 goals for the club. Drama with Mikel Arteta saw him leave in 2022 and moves to Barcelona, Chelsea and Marseille have followed.
1. Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea - £107m
Enzo Fernandez arrived at Chelsea shortly after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, which almost certainly inflated his price tag somewhat.
Regardless, the Blues were happy stumping up a British transfer record fee for the midfielder, who is now a key part of Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI.
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