Transfer window verdict: how every Premier League club fared | Premier League

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta’s hopes of strengthening his squad never materialised, no doubt to his frustration and that of every Arsenal supporter, despite the surprise bid for Ollie Watkins and interest in Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel. The feelgood factor generated by the famous thrashing of Manchester City will not last long if a lack of attacking options means they cannot sustain their challenge in the Premier League. Arteta, who would not allow Kieran Tierney or Jorginho to leave with their contracts expiring in the summer, will be hoping that some winter sunshine in Dubai next week can give his players extra spark when they return. Ed Aarons

Key ins: None

Key outs: None

Aston Villa

Marcus Rashford was the headline-grabbing signing for Unai Emery and it will be down to the Spaniard to get the forward back to his best after a lengthy Manchester United malaise. Donyell Malen, Marco Asensio and Andrés García were smart moves to add depth to a squad that has struggled with the hectic schedule brought by playing in the expanded Champions League. The accountant will be extremely happy, too, after Jaden Philogene, Diego Carlos and Jhon Durán were sold for a combined total of almost £100m. Will Unwin

Key ins: Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund, £20m), Andrés García (Levante, £6m), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United, loan), Marco Asensio (PSG, loan), Axel Disasi (Chelsea, loan)

Key outs: Jhon Durán (Al-Nassr, £64.4m), Jaden Philogene (Ipswich, £20m), Diego Carlos (Fenerbahce, £9.3m), Kosta Nedeljkovic (RB Leipzig, loan)

Bournemouth

With Evanilson and Enes Unal sidelined for the long term with a broken foot and ACL injury respectively, Andoni Iraola was hoping to bring in cover up front. Bournemouth failed to do so, with Iraola ending up with two promising defenders instead. Julio Soler and Matai Akinmboni may be untested in the Premier League but the club’s recent record in the transfer market suggests they are ones to watch. The club did make a late addition in attack in the form of Eli Junior Kroupi, but the 18-year-old forward will remain with Lorient on loan until the end of the season and, as such, the loss of two influential forwards could hamper their push up the table. Will Magee

Key ins: Julio Soler (Lanús, £6.6m), Matai Akinmboni (DC United, £2.1m), Eli Junior Kroupi (Lorient, £10m)

Key outs: Mark Travers (Middlesbrough, loan), Max Aarons (Valencia, loan), Philip Billing (Napoli, loan)

Brentford

A relatively low-key window after Nottingham Forest’s bid for Yoane Wissa briefly unsettled things. Forest and a host of other clubs are likely to be back in the summer for the DR Congo forward and for Bryan Mbeumo but the Brentford manager, Thomas Frank, will be relieved to not have to answer questions about either for a few months. The promising Fiorentina right-back Michael Kayode was the only major incoming, replacing the long-serving Mads Roerslev. EA

Key ins: Michael Kayode (Fiorentina, loan)

Key outs: Mads Roerslev (Wolfsburg, loan)

Brighton

The club finished 2024 as the fifth-biggest spenders in Europe, the arrival of Diego Gómez and Stefanos Tzimas continuing a trend. There has been a sizeable turnover of players in this window as Fabian Hürzeler attempts to refine his squad, with Evan Ferguson allowed to join West Ham on loan and a number of younger players moving on. Tzimas – a highly rated 19-year-old coveted by several other clubs – will be loaned back to Nürnberg until the end of the season. EA

Key ins: Stefanos Tzimas (Nürnberg, £20.8m), Diego Gómez (Inter Miami, £12m), Eiran Cashin (Derby, £9m)

Key outs: Jakub Moder (Feyenoord, £1.6m), Julio Enciso (Ipswich, loan), Evan Ferguson (West Ham, loan)

Chelsea

A strange window. Trevoh Chalobah solved a defensive crisis by returning from his loan at Crystal Palace, even though he was pushed out last summer. There were calls for more depth in midfield and attack. The upshot was a deal for a 19-year-old midfielder, Mathis Amougou. Meanwhile there were constant stories about fringe players going, even though some had only just arrived. Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka left on loan and the squad looks light with the departure of João Félix – signed for £45m from Atlético Madrid and handed a seven-year deal last summer – for Milan for the rest of the season due to be confirmed. Jacob Steinberg

Key ins: Trevoh Chalobah (Crystal Palace, loan ended)

Key outs: Cesare Casadei (Torino, £12.5m), Renato Veiga (Juventus, loan), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund, loan), Ben Chilwell (Crystal Palace, loan)

Crystal Palace

Oliver Glasner will be pleased to have finally brought in another exciting prospect from the Championship in the form of Romain Esse and Chilwell adds much-needed cover at left wing-back after being exiled by Chelsea. After the west London club recalled Chalobah and Chadi Riad sustained a season-ending injury, Palace had no choice but to reject a late bid from Tottenham for captain Marc Guéhi given that Glasner only has three frontline central defenders left. Guéhi looks set to depart in the summer when he enters the final year of his contract, with Liverpool and Chelsea among several other interested clubs. EA

Key ins: Romain Esse (Millwall, £12m), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea, loan)

Key outs: Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea, loan ended), Jeffrey Schlupp (Celtic, loan)

Everton

David Moyes said at his unveiling as Everton’s new/old manager that the club should be “getting some elite players” for the elite stadium they will be playing in next season, but inherited issues put that ambition on hold until the summer. Everton offset the loss of Orel Mangala to a season-ending knee injury by signing the attacking midfielder Carlos Alcaraz on loan from Flamengowith an option to buy but PSR constraints and a lack of proven and available options willing to join a relegation fight thwarted numerous attempts to strengthen in attack. Moyes must do with one fit striker, Beto, until at least March. Andy Hunter

Key ins: Carlos Alcaraz (Flamengo, loan)

Key outs: Harrison Armstrong (Derby, loan)

Fulham

There may be some frustration at the lack of incomings given that Marco Silva’s side have an outside chance of challenging for Europe. Fulham had designs on bringing in a right-back and a winger but nothing transpired. Will it cost them? At least Silva has not lost any key players since selling João Palhinha to Bayern Munich last summer. At what point, though, will he start to get itchy feet? A sprinkling of quality could have helped Fulham push from ninth place. JS

Key ins: None

Key outs: None

Ipswich

A mixed window for Ipswich finished with a late move for the West Brom keeper Alex Palmer, necessitated by injury and uncertain form afflicting their existing options. Loan moves for Ben Godfrey and Julio Enciso, along with the £20m addition of Jaden Philogene, had been longer in the making and add quality to a squad that faces its work cut out to stay up. But Ipswich did not land the seasoned centre-forward relief for Liam Delap that they sorely lack, and they could also have done with a robust midfield addition. A late nibble at their former player Flynn Downes, unsettled at Southampton, came to nothing. At least the sought-after Delap will stay put for now. Nick Ames

Key ins: Jaden Philogene (Aston Villa, £20m), Alex Palmer (West Brom, £2m), Julio Enciso (Brighton, loan), Ben Godfrey (Atalanta, loan)

Key outs: George Edmundson (Middlesbrough, £500,000), Harry Clarke (Sheffield United, loan), Ali al-Hamadi (Stoke, loan)

Leicester

Leicester have looked especially short up front under Ruud van Nistelrooy but their only signing was a defender. Woyo Coulibaly can play on either side of the back four and should add counterattacking threat but, with one senior career goal, he is unlikely to solve the scoring problems. Leicester have netted nine goals in 11 league games under their latest manager and, although their defence has also been erratic, they will not stay up with so little output. Van Nistelrooy will have to use the tools at his disposal to remedy that shortfall after a dishearteningly quiet window. WM

Key ins: Woyo Coulibaly (Parma, £3m)

Key outs: Tom Cannon (Sheffield United, £10m), Hamza Choudhury (Sheffield United, loan)

Liverpool

Arne Slot was in no rush last summer to replenish the squad he inherited from Jürgen Klopp and even less inclined to do so in this window with Liverpool flying on all fronts. The level of player who could make a difference for the Premier League leaders was not on the market. With strength in depth, particularly up front, Liverpool’s priority was to get more game-time for emerging young talent. Kaide Gordon joined Portsmouth on loan until the end of the season and Jayden Danns’ proposed loan to Sunderland is due to be confirmed on Tuesday morning. As for those three contracts … AH

Key ins: None

Key outs: Kaide Gordon (Portsmouth, loan), Stefan Bajcetic (Las Palmas, loan)

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola consistently mentions how he and the club are reluctant to do business in the winter window so signing four frontline players – the forward Omar Marmoush, Nico González (midfielder), Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov (defenders) – is indicative of City’s disappointing campaign. The manager has been supported with a total spend of £172m so Guardiola’s task is to secure a Champions League berth and mount a challenge for the third FA Cup of his tenure. Jamie Jackson

Key ins: Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt, £59.1m), Nico González (Porto, £49.8m), Abdukodir Khusanov (Lens, £33.8m), Vitor Reis (Palmeiras, £29.6m)

Key outs: Kyle Walker (Milan, loan)

Manchester United

Ruben Amorim, parachuted in during autumn when he preferred summer, has to be disappointed (and worried) regarding a contender for the club’s poorest-ever window. Rashford is United’s finest forward but he and the head coach fell out so he was loaned to Villa. Antony, who lacks Rashford’s talent, has also gone on a temporary deal, to Real Betis. So Amorim is down two forwards and has been handed zero replacements by the Sir Jim Ratcliffe-led football department. United made three recruits: Patrick Dorgu, a left-sided defender/wing-back; Ayden Heaven, an 18-year-old centre-back prospect; and, on a pre-contract, Diego León, 17, a defender. But however good they prove the squad will remain a disjointed mess. JJ

Key ins: Patrick Dorgu (Lecce, £25.1m)

Key outs: Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa, loan), Antony (Real Betis, loan)

Newcastle

If Newcastle fail to win the Carabao Cup and do not qualify for Europe it will be easy to pin the blame on an absence of spending in this window. Although the Saudi Arabian owners are not exactly short of cash, they are concerned about potentially breaching Premier League spending rules and told Eddie Howe he would be selling rather than buying. It means Newcastle’s manager has lost Miguel Almirón to Atlanta for £8m and Lloyd Kelly to Juventus on an initial loan which will become a £20m July transfer. The idea is that balancing the books now will enable Howe to restock his squad in the summer but there remains an inherent risk. If Newcastle miss out on Champions League qualification Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon may demand to leave. Louise Taylor

Key ins: None

Key outs: Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United, £8m), Lloyd Kelly (Juventus, loan)

Nottingham Forest

Arguably this has been Nottingham Forest’s most successful transfer window since returning to the Premier League because they were happy to sign no one for the starting XI, a true sign of a maturing operation. The only arrivals were the return of the third-choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who has been training at the club for a while as he recovered from injury, and the long-term prospect Joel Ndala on loan from Manchester City. They made a serious attempt to sign Wissa but their bid was knocked back by Brentford. They have held their nerve in the market, neither panicking nor buying players for the sake of it as they chase the European dream. WU

Key ins: Wayne Hennessey (free agent)

Key outs: James Ward-Prowse (West Ham, loan ended)

Southampton

The main aim from here is making sure not to break Derby’s record for the lowest number of points in a Premier League season. Survival still seems a long way off, even after victory over Ipswich. Southampton have been quiet, restricting themselves to a handful of unremarkable signings. The positive, though, is that they have managed to hold on to Tyler Dibling. The young winger has impressed and has interest from a host of clubs in England and Europe. He looks certain to go in the summer. JS

Key ins: Joachim Kayi Sanda (Valenciennes, £4.2m), Albert Grønbæk (Rennes, loan), Wellington (São Paulo, free)

Key outs: Ben Brereton Díaz (Sheffield United, loan), Gavin Bazunu (Standard Liège, loan)

Tottenham

Ange Postecoglou made no secret of his need for reinforcements and the idea was to be able to play them in January as injuries ravaged his squad. Apart from the goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who was signed on 5 January, that did not happen. Spurs left it late to add the centre-half and forward they so badly needed in Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel. And there is irony in that the bulk of the walking wounded are expected to return to training in the next seven days or so. That does not apply to Radu Dragusin, who is a long-term knee ligament casualty. Was Postecoglou disappointed not to add another centre-half? With Cristian Romero still out, it was a worry when the manager put Micky Van de Ven back on ice for Sunday’s trip to Brentford after the centre-half made a 45-minute comeback against Elfsborg last Thursday. David Hytner

Key ins: Antonin Kinsky (Slavia Prague, £12.5m), Kevin Danso (Lens, loan), Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich, loan)

Key outs: None

West Ham

The priority had to be signing a striker in response to Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug being sidelined with long-term injuries. A number of options were considered and Graham Potter’s patience was rewarded when Brighton’s Evan Ferguson arrived on loan. Potter gave Ferguson his debut at Brighton and will hope to kickstart the youngster’s career after a difficult 18 months. It will not be easy but West Ham have a player with high potential. A shortage of bodies in midfield was solved by bringing back James Ward-Prowse from his loan at Nottingham Forest. JS

Key ins: Evan Ferguson (Brighton, loan), James Ward-Prowse (Nottingham Forest, loan ended)

Key outs: None

Wolves

The appointment of Vítor Pereira in December was likely to instigate work in the market because he saw the failings within the squad. Unfortunately, it was not the smoothest month at Wolves; rumours swirled around the future of Matheus Cunha and signings proved hard to come by, demonstrated by missing out to Tottenham on Danso. The impressive Emmanuel Agbadou joined from Reims to bolster the defence and was soon reunited with his former club-mate Marshall Munetsi and joined by Nasser Djiga. Wolves hope those two will settle as quickly. Most importantly, Cunha stayed. WU

Key ins: Emmanuel Agbadou (Reims, £16.6m), Marshall Munetsi (Reims, £16m), Nasser Djiga (Red Star Belgrade, £10m)

Key outs: None