Written by Yaro Pavlenko

In the world of football, the January transfer window is a chance for clubs to add fresh impetus to their teams mid-way through a season, whether signing a player that pushes them towards higher goals like cups, league titles, European qualification, promotion and the like, or for those struggling nearer the relegation mire and aim to find themselves a hidden gem who might provide a much-needed spark.

However, finding the right players in January can be a very complex science, with issues often arising in terms of finding true value, finding top players to be available for sale midway through a season, and the high risk nature of buying players with the expectation that they hit the ground running, unlike summer signings who have a whole pre-season to adapt and find their fit in a new club.

With this in mind, and as we witness another Deadline Day in January, Spreadex Sports lists our Top 10 Best & Worst January Transfers!

FIVE OF THE BEST EVER JANUARY TRANSFERS

bruno fernandes - sporting lisbon to man utd - 2020

Portuguese maestro Fernandes joined the Red Devils on deadline day back in 2020 and has been an undeniable success story in a period of trials and tribulations for his club, with the 31-year-old having produced (at time of writing) 103 goals in 313 appearances, as well as providing almost 100 assists in all competitions.

Fernandes continues to be a leading light for Utd and a key focal point as the Manchester giants aim to reclaim a place at the top of English football. Whether he can guide the side to that ultimate goal in his remaining time with the club remains to be seen, but nobody will argue that Fernandes has not paid back on his transfer fee.

luis suarez - ajax to liverpool - 2011

Uruguayan frontman Suarez went on to establish himself as one of the greatest strikers of all time after a historic spell as part of the 'MSN' trio with Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona, but what led him to the move to Spain was an excellent spell at Liverpool after signing from Ajax in 2011.

In a spell lit up by hat-tricks, incredible finishes, and passion that sometimes flared into controversy and scandal, Suarez returned 82 goals and 29 assists in just 133 matches in all competitions, leaving Anfield as a cult hero and a great value investment for the £22.8million that the Reds paid.

nemanja vidic - cska moscow to man utd - 2006

Serbian centre-back stalwart Nemanja Vidic arrived on these shores in 2006 as a relatively unknown quantity, with it being fair to say few at the time expected him to become the dominant rock at the back who was a huge part of Man Utd's success in the mid-to-late 2000s, and the start of the 2010s.

Known for his defensive resilience, iron will and a penchant for delivering important headed goals, Vidic won two Premier League Player of the Season awards in 2008/09 and 2010/11, becoming the only defender to ever win the prestigious award more than once. Winning 15 trophies in his time at Old Trafford, Red Devils fans still remember the Serb with great fondness.

VIRGIL VAN DIJK - SOUTHAMPTON TO LIVERPOOL - 2018

Although this transfer came with a huge fee when Liverpool splashed out a record £75 million for van Dijk's services from Premier League rivals Southampton, history will write that it may have been the most instrumental in Liverpool's renaissance which led to the Reds winning their first Premier League titles and another Champions League crown.

Van Dijk is widely considered one of the most influential defenders of the modern era, and his cool and composed nature at the back became a dependable backbone for Jurgen Klopp's 'gegenpressing' system, while the Dutchman put himself in the conversation for Ballon D'Or awards with several nominations over the forthcoming years after his move.

seamus coleman - sligo rovers to everton - 2009

A transfer that certainly flew under the radar compared to some of the other high profile moves, Irishman Seamus Coleman moved to England in 2009 from Sligo Rovers for a nominal fee of just £60,000. The right-back did not make an instant impact, but gradually grew in importance and impact for the Toffees and earned a reputation as one of the best in his position in the Premier League.

A dependable full-back who astutely performed his defensive roles while bombing up the wing and pitching in with his fair share of crucial goals, Coleman became club captain and remains at the club 17 years later, having notched (at time of writing) 433 appearances in all competitions, along with 28 goals. Having made 57 goal contributions in total, this breaks down to £138 per appearance and little more than £1,000 per goal or assist!

FIVE OF THE WORST EVER JANUARY TRANSFERS

fernando torres - liverpool to chelsea - 2012

Spanish striker Torres arrived in England from Atletico Madrid and made an instant impact for Liverpool with his blend of pace, power and deadly finishing ability. He became a cult hero at Anfield almost immediately with a debut season return of 33 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions, including 24 league goals in 33 matches.

His powers seemed to be slightly on the wane as his numbers dropped in the next three seasons, but this didn't stop league rivals Chelsea from making a £50 million January swoop in 2012. Unfortunately for Torres and Chelsea, the move proved to be an unmitigated disaster considering the financial outlay, especially in the first season where the Spaniard netted just once in 18 appearances.

kostas mitroglou - OLYMPIAKOS TO FULHAM - 2014

Greek striker Mitroglou was signed from Olympiakos by Fulham in 2014 and at least one thing was expected as a return for the almost-£14 million investment - crucial goals in Fulham's relegation battle.

However, the disastrous move saw just three appearances made and a total of zero goals, with not much more to be said about a move that will certainly never be remembered with fondness by anyone at Craven Cottage.

GUIDO CARRILLO - MONACO TO SOUTHAMPTON - 2018

A move that is interestingly linked to one of the best ever January transfers, Guido Carrillo was a signing made by Southampton after receiving the windfall for van Dijk's transfer to Liverpool. With £75 million burning a hole in their pocket, Southampton decided to splash out over £19 million for Monaco's Argentinean striker, which seemed a strange fee and move in general considering Carrillo's last season in France saw a modest return of 8 goals in 24 matches.

It was perhaps unsurprising then that Carrillo thoroughly struggled to make any impact for the Saints, appearing just 10 times and netting 0 goals before being shipped off to Leganes in Spain.

ALEXIS SANCHEZ - ARSENAL TO MAN UTD - 2018

Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez first moved to the Premier League with Arsenal after previously having a successful spell at Barcelona, and was one of the most exciting players in the league during his spell at the Emirates. Having netted 80 times in 166 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, Sanchez was known as a high-energy, creative force with an excellent work rate and attitude to go with his end-product.

It seemed therefore baffling that the player that joined Man Utd in a swap deal involving cash and Utd's Henrikh Mkhitaryan would fail so significantly at Old Trafford. Contributing just 5 goals in 45 matches for the Red Devils, Sanchez was a shadow of himself throughout his spell and proved to be one of the worst signings in Utd's history - and a painful financial reminder - having reportedly earned wages of at least £300,000 a week for minimal return.

CHRIS SAMBA - ANZHI TO QPR - 2013

Finally, our 'worst' list is rounded off by Congolese centre-back Chris Samba, who was signed by QPR for a fee of around £12 million and exorbitant wages of around £100,00 a week in 2013. Harry Redknapp expected Samba to be a defensive rock who could help QPR retain their Premier League status, but the move proved to be a disaster.

A series of poor defensive displays meant QPR were unable to stave off relegation, but they could perhaps mitigate the Samba investment by immediately selling him back to Anzhi for the following season, and making only a minimal loss in terms of the transfer fees involved.

Will any new names be added to this list in the future following this year's January window? Watch this space.