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Summer and winter transfer windows were introduced by UEFA in 2002.
Brought in to “ensure a partial stabilization of club squads during the season” and stop the confusion that followed the Bosman decision, they meant European clubs had to plan their transfer business more effectively.
Most big transfers still happen in the summer, with a player more likely to move on or be allowed to leave at the end of the season.
However, there have been some notable trades in January over the years. Here’s a look at the biggest transfers in the winter window…
Alex Teixeira (Shakhtar Donetsk to Jiangsu Suning)
A key player in Shakhtar Donetsk’s dominant period in Ukrainian football, the Brazilian helped the miners to five league titles and three cups in five and a half seasons.
The striker was eventually sold to Chinese side Jiangsu Suning in January 2016 for €50 million. Teixeira won one Chinese Super League crown in five seasons at the club, before joining Beşiktaş in 2021 before returning to Brazil the following year.
Luis Díaz (Porto – Liverpool)
After impressing for two and a half seasons in Portugal, Luis Díaz left Porto for Liverpool in January 2022 in a €52m transfer.
The Colombian winger quickly became a favorite with the Reds, helping Jürgen Klopp’s side to several domestic honors and starting in the 2022 Champions League final loss to Real Madrid in Paris.
Ferran Torres (Manchester City – Barcelona)
Ferran Torres left Manchester City for Barcelona in January for a fee of €55m after falling out of favor in his second season mainly due to injury problems under Pep Guardiola.
Torres, a LaLiga and Supercopa winner with Barca in 2022/23, was also part of Spain’s Euro 2024 squad, although he did not feature when La Roja beat England in the final in Berlin.
Fernando Torres (from Liverpool to Chelsea)
Fernando Torres had an almost telepathic understanding with Steven Gerrard at Liverpool and was adored by the Reds fans.
But something broke in January 2011. The striker was unhappy as he struggled to get back into shape, pushing his body to the limit to play at the 2010 World Cup for Spain. He joined Chelsea for €58.5m in the winter and won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with the Blues, but he was never the same player and returned to Atlético Madrid in 2015. short stint in AC Milan.
Oscar (SIPG from Chelsea to Shanghai)
Oscar, a Premier League winner with Chelsea, also helped the Blues to the League Cup and Europa League in four-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge.
The Brazilian midfielder, one of a number of stars to move to the Chinese Super League amid heavy investment from the competition, joined Shanghai SIPG in a €60m move in January 2017 and led the club to a string of titles over the next few years. .
Diego Costa (Chelsea to Atlético Madrid)
Diego Costa left Atlético Madrid to join Chelsea for €35m in the summer of 2014 and the Brazilian-born forward’s goals have helped the Blues win two Premier League titles in three seasons.
Informed by text message that he was not in manager Antonio Conte’s plans for the 2017/18 season, Costa eventually moved back to Atleti in January 2018 in a €60m transfer. However, the second time was much less successful and he returned to Brazil in 2021.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund – Arsenal)
After four and a half seasons and more than 100 goals for Borussia Dortmund, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sold to Arsenal in January 2018 for a fee of €63.8 million.
Originally a hit for the Gunners, Aubameyang fell out of favor with manager Mikel Arteta and was sold to Barcelona in January 2022 before returning to the Premier League with Chelsea in the summer.
Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea)
Christian Pulisic left Borussia Dortmund for Chelsea in January 2019 for 64 million euros.
The deal made Pulisic the most expensive North American player of all time, but the winger was sold to AC Milan in the summer of 2022 for just over a third of that amount.
Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP to Manchester United)
Manchester United have paid Sporting CP a fee of around €65m to bring Bruno Fernandes to Old Trafford in January 2020, with the total amount potentially rising to €80m.
A virtually ever-present under several managers since then, Fernandes helped United win the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup the following season.
Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club to Manchester City)
Manchester City paid Aymeric Laporte’s €65m release clause to take the centre-back to the Etihad from Athletic Club in January 2018.
Laporte quickly became a key player for City, helping the Sky Blues to five Premier League titles and a treble in 2022/23, before moving to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.
Gonçalo Ramos (Benfica to Paris Saint-Germain)
Benfica have made huge profits in recent years by selling players to top clubs across Europe and Gonçalo Ramos is one of the Eagles’ biggest recent sales.
The striker left Lisbon for Paris Saint-Germain initially on loan and in January 2024 he signed a permanent contract worth 65 million euros.
Mykhailo Mudryk (Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea)
Both Arsenal and Chelsea wanted to sign Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.
The Gunners were eventually put off by the huge asking price in the bidding war, but the Blues were not and paid €70m for the 22-year-old winger.
Dušan Vlahović (Fiorentina to Juventus)
Amidst interest from top clubs across Europe, Juventus moved quickly to sign one of Serie A’s hottest properties in January 2022.
Dušan Vlahović joined Juve from Fiorentina on his 22nd birthday for a total fee of around €81.6m and the Serbian scored against Atalanta to win his first trophy, the Coppa Italia, in May 2024.
Virgil van Dijk (Southampton – Liverpool)
With Philippe Coutinho sold to Barcelona for a huge fee in January 2018, Liverpool decided to strengthen their back line by bringing in Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.
The Reds paid Saints 84.7 million euros for the Dutch defender. It was a huge fee at the time, but his huge contribution to their success in recent years makes him one of the club’s best signings ever.
Enzo Fernández (Benfica to Chelsea)
Enzo Fernánez impressed in Argentina’s quest to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the midfielder was on the move the following month.
The Portuguese club, who spent just six months at Benfica, demanded his release clause be paid in order for the move to go ahead and Chelsea pledged to pay €121m for the 22-year-old. The move was a British record transfer fee at the time.
Philippe Coutinho (from Liverpool to Barcelona)
After Paris Saint-Germain triggered Neymar’s €222 million release clause to bring Neymar to the Parc des Princes in the summer of 2017, Barcelona had money to spend.
But the Catalan club did not spend it wisely. After splashing out on Ousmane Dembele at the end of the summer, Barça splashed out €135m on Philippe Coutinho. The transfer ultimately strengthened Liverpool more than Barca, with the Reds using the funds to address key weaknesses in the squad and winning the Champions League the following season. Meanwhile, Coutinho was sent on loan to Bayern Munich and eventually sold to Aston Villa at a huge loss.
