Top 5 Premier League signings from the January transfer window

The month of January has always held a special significance to football clubs in Europe, as it provides them with an option to strengthen their squad. The start to this year was similarly eventful as clubs scrambled to compete for the players of their choice. In the Premier League, teams indulged in the market but did not restrict their search for talent in the country alone; players were targeted from around Europe and the world.

While things began a bit slowly, the winter transfer window picked up pace by the second half of the month and ended with a bang on a very active transfer deadline day. While Chelsea, Manchester City, and Bournemouth allowed players to leave but refrained from making additions to the squad, other clubs in the league made at least one signing in the month.

From loan deals to permanent moves, January saw a lot of activity in the Premier League, but who are the top 5 signings from the winter transfer window? Read on to find out.

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#5 Sander Berge (Genk to Sheffield United, £22m)

Sander Berge

The Norwegian midfielder joined Sheffield United from Genk on the penultimate day of the transfer window, in a deal worth £22m. It was a club-record move for the Blades, who have enjoyed a fantastic run in the Premier League this season. And Sander Berge could yet turn out to be the perfect man to take them forward.

The 21-year-old is one of the hottest properties of Europe at the moment and has shown a lot of promise in his career so far. The Norwegian was linked with Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, and Burnley, so the Blades certainly managed a coup of sorts by convincing him to make the move to Bramall Lane.

Ardent followers of Norwegian football have very high hopes from Berge and consider him to be of the same class as Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard. Besides playing in the Champions League and starring in the Belgian league for his former club, the Norwegian has also picked up 20 caps for his country so far, so he could turn out to be a fantastic piece of business.

Sheffield United are currently 6th in the table, a point behind Tottenham Hotspur on 5th and 5 behind Chelsea on 4th. Despite performing exceedingly well, Chris Wilder was wary that his team needed to continuously improve to stay among the big boys, so the arrival of the Norwegian will delight him.s

#4 Daniel Podence (Olympiacos to Wolverhampton Wanderers, £16.9m)

Daniel Podence

Daniel Podence completed his move from Olympiacos to Wolverhampton Wanderers on the 30th of last month, in a deal that cost the Premier League side £16.9m. The Portuguese winger signed a 4 and a half year deal with the Wolves and even made his debut against Manchester United just before the start of the Premier League winter break.

The Portuguese rose through the ranks at Sporting Lisbon and joined Olympiacos in the summer of 2018. Since then, Podence has made a name for himself as a versatile attacker who has operated in a variety of roles. Basically a left-winger, the Portuguese is equally comfortable as a No. 10 or on the right flank, which makes him a fantastic prospect for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Podence appeared 27 times for Olympiacos this season, scoring 5 goals and picking up 5 assists. The numbers indicate that he could be a stellar addition to an already blistering Wolves attack. The Portuguese will be hoping that he can become an integral part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side like his new teammates Rui Patricio and Joao Moutinho, who are both products of the Sporting Lisbon academy.

#3 Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle United) [loan]

Danny Rose

Danny Rose joined Newcastle United from Tottenham Hotspur in a loan deal that cost the Magpies around £2m plus loan fees. The English fullback’s future had been under doubt ever since reports of a spat with Spurs manager Jose Mourinho had surfaced a couple of weeks ago. Whether that played a part in the player moving on to the St. James’ Park might never be known, but it is clear that Rose’s presence in the team will be a big boost for Newcastle United.

The Englishman has been a consistent performer in the left-back role for the Lilywhites in the last few years, but he was close to leaving the club earlier in the summer. However, a move never materialized and Rose went on to play 16 times for Spurs this season. The Englishman is a fantastic option for the left-back role in the Newcastle team and Steve Bruce will be delighted to have the player who started in the champions league final for Spurs last season. However, the deal does not include an option to buy at the end of the season.

Rose has appeared 214 times for Tottenham so far and has also scored 10 goals. His experience could be a huge bonus for a Newcastle side who are currently 12th in the league and pushing for a place in the top half of the table.

#2 Steven Bergwijn (PSV Eindhoven to Tottenham Hotspur, £26m)

Steven Bergwijn

Tottenham Hotspur allowed Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose to leave this winter, but Mourinho did make a couple of signings of his own. Gedson Fernandes arrived from Benfica in an 18-month loan deal with an option to buy, but it was the arrival of Steven Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven that had Spurs fans excited.

The Dutchman joined the Lilywhites on a permanent deal, signing a 5-and-a-half year contract and was immediately handed the No. 23 shirt vacated by the departure of Eriksen. Bergwijn arrived with a reputation; he was fast, he was skilful and he could score goals. In 146 appearances for PSV, the Dutchman had scored 31 times and had shown his abilities on the left side of the field.

At the Dutch side, Bergwijn was the star of the team, and after scoring in his debut for the Lilywhites, it is clear why Spurs paid £26m for the 21-year-old. The Dutchman was thrown amid the sharks by Mourinho, as the Portuguese named him in the starting eleven against Manchester City. Bergwijn responded by scoring with a fantastic volley to announce himself to the Spurs fans.

#1 Bruno Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, £46.6m)

Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes’ arrival at Old Trafford did not materialize until the last couple of days of the transfer window. It was a transfer saga that was stretched a lot longer than normal; United fans endured a ride of contrasting emotions as rumours arising from Portugal both confirmed and shrugged away the deal with equal confidence throughout the month.

However, United’s interest in Fernandes was real, which culminated in the Premier League giants paying Sporting Lisbon £46.6m for his services.

The Portuguese was immediately drafted into the first eleven against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, and had an impressive debut, despite having very little time to acclimatise to a new league and a new country.

It could be a sign of things to come because, in a team containing Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, and Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes will certainly make a difference in the final third.

The Portuguese has made a name for himself thanks to his proficiency in front of goal for Sporting in the last couple of seasons.

Besides his ability to score, Fernandes also has a tendency to pick up assists; his willingness to take risks in the final third could be a welcome change from United’s current style of play.

Another important attribute he brings to the table is his character; the Portuguese is a natural leader, which will be a huge boost in a United dressing room devoid of natural leaders. Needless to say, Fernandes is the best Premier League signing of the January transfer window.