Virgil van Dijk tops January transfers
Sunday 20 January 2019 17:22, UK
The January transfer window can be a tricky time for clubs to make signings, but there has still been plenty of money spent in the Premier League in recent years.
Liverpool broke the January record for a Premier League signing last year when they bought Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for £75m.
Will that be topped this month? Here are the top 10 most expensive Premier League January signings to date...
It was a lot of money, but Van Dijk has been worth it so far. The defender has helped transform Liverpool's defence, making them one of the most formidable units in the Premier League. Van Dijk completed his move from Southampton on January 1, 2018, having seemingly come close to moving to Anfield in the previous transfer window. He was named the Premier League Player of the Month in December after Liverpool conceded three goals in seven matches.
Van Dijk's first 50 games in stats
Arsenal broke their transfer record to sign Aubameyang from Dortmund last year. He did not take long to settle into his new surroundings as he scored 10 goals in 12 Premier League starts in the second half of last season. He has been just as impressive in 2018/19 and is currently the joint-leading scorer in the Premier League on 14 goals.
Although Pulisic will not join Chelsea until the summer, his move from Dortmund has been confirmed this month. The United States international becomes the second most expensive outfield player in Chelsea's history, after Alvaro Morata. A number of English clubs were previously linked with Pulisic, who has found his first-team opportunities limited this season by the emergence of England international Jadon Sancho at Dortmund.
Laporte was in and out of City's title-winning side after joining in January 2017, but this season he has been a regular in defence and has emerged as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. He has started 21 of 22 Premier League matches and Pep Guardiola has sung his praises. "At the end I can move the squad but when one player plays good, good and good, it gives me confidence so I give you another opportunity. It is not complicated."
Chelsea's capture of Liverpool's star striker in January 2011 looked like a guaranteed success but Fernando Torres' drop-off in performances following his move to Stamford Bridge was remarkable. After netting 65 league goals in three-and-a-half seasons with Liverpool, the Spain international managed just 20 over the same period with Chelsea. A semi-final strike against Barcelona in the Champions League was a rare highlight.
Chelsea's two-time player of the year was sold to Manchester United in January 2014, when the Spain international appeared to be surplus to Jose Mourinho's plans. While Mata took time to re-find the form that made him a hit at Stamford Bridge, he enjoyed an encouraging 2014/15 campaign which included a memorable scissor-kick goal against Liverpool. He has since made over 300 appearances for United, although he is out of contract in the summer.
One of the most remarkable Deadline Day signings was Carroll's switch to Liverpool in January 2011. After firing boyhood club Newcastle back into the Premier League and scoring 11 goals in the first half of the following Premier League season, Carroll was signed by Kenny Dalglish. However, a mixture of injuries and style brought Carroll's Liverpool career to a close in May 2013 when he joined West Ham, where he had spent the previous season on loan. Carroll has struggled with injuries in recent years and is out of contract at the end of the season.
The Bosnian striker scored 66 goals in 111 games in Germany, helping Wolfsburg win the Bundesliga in 2009 and Roberto Mancini came knocking for him in 2011. Despite being a regular scorer at City and winning the Premier League twice, Dzeko struggled to establish himself under both Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini. He left to join Roma on a permanent deal in the summer of 2016 and had flourished in the Italian capital until this season, as he has struggled to hold down a first-team spot.
One of the main reasons Dzeko was ushered out the door at City was the arrival of Bony from South Wales in the 2015 winter window. In a deal that made him one of the most expensive African footballers of all-time, the former Vitesse Arnhem striker went to City having been the Premier League top scorer in 2014 with 20 goals. However, like Dzeko, Bony struggled to provide a sufficient replacement for first-choice Sergio Aguero. He spent the 2016/17 season on loan with Stoke and then returned to Swansea last summer.
When Tosun was signed by Everton last year he said that manager Sam Allardyce was a "big part" of his decision to move to Goodison Park. Tosun was a regular starter under Allardyce and showed some encouraging signs, but this season he has been used mainly as a substitute by Marco Silva. There has even been speculation that he could leave Everton, having netted just two Premier League goals in the 2018/19 campaign.