The January transfer window is finally over! The Premier League clubs have spent a record fee of £430m during the winter transfer window this year, which is much more than the total sum spent during the summer of the 2013/14 season.
There has been a lot of good buys this January along with some bad ones but in this article, we will pick out three of the smartest signings made during the January transfer window this year.
[Note: This list may not necessarily include all the big name signings but the signings who can effectively help out their new teams regardless of their price-tags]
3. Gerard Deulofeu – Barcelona to Watford
Barcelona finally decided to let go of their club academy product Gerard Deulofeu this January, with head coach Ernesto Valverde often deciding to overlook his option of giving Deulofeu the chance to shine for his home club.
Therefore, the former Everton star was once again shipped on loan to a Premier League side and this time it was Watford to seize the highly talented Catalan winger, a move which could potentially turn out to be one of the best signings of the season.
Gerard Deulofeu has already shown his ability and skill in the Premier League with Everton, scoring eight goals and providing 19 assists in 75 matches. The 23-year-old has the ability to make an instant impact and would surely be an upgrade to Isaac Success on the flanks.
2. Olivier Giroud – Arsenal to Chelsea
Signing French international Olivier Giroud from Arsenal at the last minute was an absolute masterstroke from the Chelsea management.
Head coach Antonio Conte had been desperately looking for an apt back-up for Alvaro Morata for quite some time now but in Olivier Giroud, the Italian has now found more than just a backup.
The Arsenal hitman has proved to be a real asset for the Gunners over the years. In fact, he has been the club’s fifth most lethal goal-scorer in the history, with 105 goals in 253 games. The Frenchman is definitely a veteran in the Premier League and could massively boost Chelsea’s attacking department for the remainder of the season. It would be interesting to see if he can score a few goals against his former club next season.
1. Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal to Manchester United
Manchester United’s coup of Alexis Sanchez has been by far the best signing of the January transfer window this year. The Red Devils have definitely bagged a bargain by signing the former Arsenal superstar just by swapping out of sorts midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The Chilean International is highly regarded as one of the best attackers in world football – boasting the ability to make a major difference at any moment of the game with his astonishing skill-set and overall quality.
Head coach Jose Mourinho has been often criticized for his team’s lack of offensive thrust but with the addition of Alexis Sanchez, that won’t hopefully be a problem in the nigh future.
