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It’s now been over a month since the January transfer window closed, and the players brought in by the Premier League’s clubs have all had plenty of time to settle into their new surroundings. Naturally, some have made a far bigger impact than others, with a couple seemingly changing their club’s fortunes entirely.
Whether these players can make the impact of the all-time great January signings – the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Luis Suarez and Nemanja Vidic – only time will tell, but they certainly appear to be well on their way.
Here are the Premier League’s 5 best January 2020 signings.
#1 Bruno Fernandes
Thus far at least, no other January signing this year has had as much of an impact as Portuguese international Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United. The attacking midfielder, who had been trailed by the Red Devils for some time, cost an initial £47m from Sporting Lisbon, but already it appears that his fee could represent a bargain.
Fernandes made his debut in United’s dour 0-0 draw with Wolves on February 1st, but since then, United have performed better than they’ve done throughout the 2019-20 season, and the playmaker has already put together a record of 3 goals and 3 assists in his first 8 games with the club.
More than that, though, Fernandes appears to have given Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad the swagger that they’ve been missing seemingly since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013. Suddenly, United feel like a team to be feared again, as the Portuguese international has not only performed well himself, but he’s also inspired his teammates to step up as well.
It’s still early days for Fernandes at Old Trafford – remember that Angel Di Maria looked great in his early days too – but if he continues on his current trajectory, he could be the best January signing since Van Dijk.
#2 Steven Bergwijn
Signed by Tottenham in a £26.7m deal from PSV Eindhoven, Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn made an instant impact during his debut match for Jose Mourinho’s side, becoming a hero in North London by scoring a remarkable opening goal in Spurs’ 2-0 win over Manchester City – arguably the club’s best performance to date under Mourinho.
Admittedly, Bergwijn’s performances haven’t quite matched up to the quality of that debut since, but he’s still been a massive help to Tottenham, who have suffered with an injury crisis in their attacking department as of late, with star striker Harry Kane now joined on the shelf by their next-best goalscorer, Son Heung Min.
Thus far, the Dutchman has largely been an ever-present for Mourinho’s side, and he’s added to that debut goal by scoring in Premier League action against Wolves, while also drawing a penalty against Aston Villa that was then dispatched by Son.
Bergwijn has since picked up a sprained ankle which is expected to rule him out for a couple of games, but judging on his form thus far, he looks like an excellent investment for Tottenham and at the age of 22, he could be a star for the club for years to come.
#3 Pepe Reina
One of the strangest signings during the January transfer window saw veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina – who has won honours such as the Bundesliga, the FA Cup and both the World Cup and European Championship with Spain – move to Aston Villa in a loan deal from AC Milan. The transfer took many fans by surprise, especially given Reina is 37 years old and only played 12 games in 2018-19.
Thankfully for fans of Dean Smith’s struggling side, Reina has settled into life at Villa Park well, and since arriving in the Midlands, he’s been one of the Villains’ most consistent players. His debut for the club saw him make some remarkable saves in a 1-1 draw with Brighton, and in his second appearance, he was able to help Villa to a vital 2-1 win over fellow relegation battlers Watford.
Reina’s best showing yet actually came in a loss – the 2-3 defeat to Tottenham that saw him make a total of 7 excellent saves – but while Villa’s results haven’t improved massively since his arrival, he has brought an air of calm to the club that could be extremely important for them going forward in their fight against relegation.
#4 Jarrod Bowen
After scoring a remarkable amount of goals in the EFL Championship for Hull City – a total of 16 in 20 appearances this season - it always felt like a matter of when, not if Jarrod Bowen would make it into the Premier League. Struggling West Ham were the side that chose to take the plunge, spending an initial £18m on the forward, and he’s already had a solid impact.
Sure, Bowen has only scored 1 goal for his new club in his first 4 appearances, but it’s the added effect he’s had on the pitch that means Hammers fans can have new hope in their fight against relegation. Prior to his arrival, David Moyes’ side looked awful in attack, struggling for goals, but the former Hull man’s all-action style seems to have stirred the likes of Sebastien Haller and Michail Antonio from their slumbers too.
If Bowen can keep up his current form and begin to score goals at the rate he was at Hull then he will surely help the Hammers to retain their Premier League status. If he can do that, then his big transfer fee will be repaid instantly – and while there’s a long way to go yet, the early signs for the forward look good.
#5 Giovani Lo Celso
Technically speaking, Giovani Lo Celso arrived at Tottenham Hotspur as a summer signing, but some issues with a selling-on fee from Real Betis to Paris St. Germain meant that initially, the London side only took the Argentine playmaker on loan. Well, that deal was made a permanent one in January – for a fee of £27m – and it’s safe to say that thus far, he’s been worth it.
The Argentine has easily been Tottenham’s most impressive player as of late, and his ability to dribble and drive forward with the ball – as well as involve himself with defensive work, often making hard, sliding tackles – has endeared him to Spurs fans who had become disillusioned with his predecessor in the playmaker spot, Christian Eriksen.
Lo Celso has practically been an ever-present since his permanent signing; he was fantastic against both Manchester City and Aston Villa, and was arguably Spurs’ only impressive player in their losses to RB Leipzig and Chelsea. And this weekend saw him completely change the game against Burnley, helping Mourinho’s side to secure a vital point.
Reports are already beginning to emerge that Mourinho intends to build his side around the Argentine next season – and it’s hardly surprising given how he’s performed for the Portuguese boss to date.
