Although we were expecting business in this January transfer window, not many predicted just how much business would be done.

It was an extremely and unexpectedly busy January, as Premier League teams spent £295m. This was a massive rise from 12 months ago when the spending was only £85m and in comparison, in January 2020 Premier League teams spent £230m.

Below is my team by team review……

ARSENAL

Austin Trusty – Colorado Rapids, Undisclosed

I am sure all Arsenal fans are extremely disappointed with their business, or lack thereof this January. Especially as they had high hopes of getting back into Europe, which is certainly up for grabs.

It seems Arsenal are being very deliberate in their direction with four players going out permanently and no less then thirteen out on loan, but may regret not bringing another striker in. Colorado Rapids defender Trusty was the only incoming, naturally not much is known about him and he will not be joining until the summer.

So, it’s very much as you were for Arsenal, who are sadly out of all the cup competitions, so will now look to or hope to, capitalise from the one game a week and go all out in the last third of the season.

ASTON VILLA 

Philippe Coutinho – Barcelona, loan
Lucas Digne – Everton, £25m
Calum Chambers – Arsenal, undisclosed
Kerr Smith – Dundee United, £2m
Robin Olsen – Roma, loan

Steven Gerrard wasted no time in the transfer market and the Villa faithful has to be impressed with his business. Coutinho has already made an impact and will be a big game player.

Chambers looks a good little move for his experience, especially for what’s been estimated as low as £2m. Another with a vast amount of experience is Digne, who I think will be great going forward but will need that extra support on the defensive side, but would work well in a 352.

Smith is a teenage defender whose already played in the Scottish Premier League, and Olson is an experienced Swedish goalkeeper who has played in the league before with Everton.

BRENTFORD

Jonas Lossl – FC Midtjylland, loan
Christian Eriksen – Unattached, free

With just two incomings, it would normally be a very low-key January window for Brentford, but it was far from that with the signing of Denmark’s Eriksen.

We all remember those harrowing scenes at the Euro’s, and I am sure everyone will be happy to see him back, let alone Brentford. However, there is no doubt Eriksen himself will not want any sympathy and the aim now is to get back to something of normal life.

Brentford will hope he can regain his Spurs form which will be needed for the coming months. In addition, Lossl was also brought in, an experienced goalkeeper who played in the league with Huddersfield.

BRIGHTON

Kacper Kozlowski – Pogon Szczecin, £8m
Deniz Undav – Royale Union, £6m
Benicio Baker-Boaitey – Porto, loan

This is quite an intriguing but largely unknown trio of signings made by Graham Potter, with the emphasis mostly on youth and potential.

However, it’s no secret that Brighton have been in need of a striker and they will hope Undav, the 25-year-old German can hit the ground running. He is quite a physical player with a great scoring record, albeit at a much lower level, so may take time to adjust.

Kozlowski is a Polish teenage midfield who has already been capped at all levels for Poland and has bags of potential. Baker is a winger and a former West Ham and Bayern Munich youth player who is still just a teenager.

BURNLEY

Wout Weghorst – Wolfsburg, £12m

It’s no surprise that the always modest Burnley did little business this window. Sean Dyche will probably say something like it’s about quality not quantity.

So, with one striker going out, in was a must they brought at least the one in. The jury is out on whether Weghorst has what it takes and can get those vital goals to spearhead their relegation battle in the coming months.

That said, at 6ft,6in, there is no doubt he will certainly be a handful for many Premier League defenders.

CHELSEA

NONE

I was really surprised at this. Especially as this is the second January in a row, they’ve not done any business and traditionally are one of the clubs that are always busy in any transfer window.

But not only that, although they have a deep looking squad, it has been stretched lately with a few key injuries, especially in the wing back positions that has affected their season in recent weeks.

However, Tuchal didn’t seem to think anymore was needed or maybe they didn’t get the targets they were after, so it’s as you were for Chelsea.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Jean-Philippe Mateta – Mainz 05, undisclosed
Luke Plange – Derby, £1m

Not much business this window from Patrick Viera’s Palace but he will however, be very happy in securing striker Mateta’s services permanently.

The Frenchman has fitted in well since his summer loan move from Germany and now a fully-fledged Palace player, will hope to kick on and add to the two goals he’s scored this season.

Plange was a surprise signing, the teenager and former Arsenal youth, broke into Derby’s first team this season and did not look out of place at all, he could prove to be a real shrewd bit of business.

EVERTON

Vitaliy Mykolenko – Dynamo Kiev, undisclosed
Nathan Patterson – Rangers, £16m
Anwar El Ghazi – Aston Villa, loan
Donny van de Beek – Manchester United, loan
Dele Alli – Tottenham, £40m
Billy Crellin – Fleetwood Town, undisclosed

This is probably one of the more intriguing transfer dealings this window.

New manager Frank Lampard wasted no time bringing players in and it will be extremely interesting to see if he can get the best out of Alli, where most managers have failed, but there is no doubt he has talent.

That could also be said about van de Beek who was an Ajax stand out a few seasons ago, but has since been stranded on the Man Utd bench.

If Lampard can get them playing, added to what is already there, Everton could have a promising end to the season. This is added to El Ghazi who has Premier League experience and could be a surprise package with goals from midfield.

Mykolenko is a relatively young left back, whose been capped at all levels for Ukraine. Patterson is a young right back capped at all levels for Scotland and comes as bit of a prospect. Crellin is a young goalkeeper who has played for England U17’s-U20’s.

LEEDS UNITED

Mateo Joseph Fernandez – Espanyol, undisclosed

With all their injury issues, I am really surprised to see just the one come in this window. Although it could be not for the want of trying.

However, Leeds have really had a torrid season thus far and if their injuries do not improve, they could get sucked into that relegation vortex if they are not careful. Fernandez is a young teenage striker who has a very good scoring record at academy level.

However, I doubt we will see him playing in the Premier League anytime soon and I do worry for Leeds if they don’t get all their players back soon.

LEICESTER

Amani Richards – Arsenal, undisclosed

Leicester are another team who I am very surprised at not bringing more in, considering their issues with injuries, especially in defence.

I think they are hoping to get a few back when the league resumes, but I am still very surprised at their lack of business.

Richards is a 17-year-old attacking midfielder who will play with the academy team and hope to progress through the ranks. It was somewhat of a surprise he left Arsenal as he only joined them a year ago from Chelsea’s academy.

LIVERPOOL

Luis Diaz – Porto, £33m

Its quality over quantity again for Liverpool, which now seems to be their tradition over the recent years.

If reports are believed, Liverpool were not expecting to make this signing in the January window, but other teams forced their hand, so they sprang into action and got Diaz, who looks a real exciting prospect with pace, skill and athleticism, adding to an already scary frontline.

They almost got a second but failed with their deadline swoop for Fulham’s Fabio Carvalho, who they are still expecting to get in the summer.

MANCHESTER CITY

Julian Alvarez – River Plate, £14m

It may come as a surprise to see Man City not really splashing the cash, as we are so used to it.

However, when you consider they spent over £100m in the summer then you look at their squad and how Pep juggled his team with ease, while all around were struggling with injuries and Covid issues, it’s not that big of a surprise.

That said, City were in need of an out and out striker and South American player of year Alvarez, must be licking his lips at the prospect of playing in this team and all the chances he will get, especially as he was the Argentinian league’s top scorer last season.

MANCHESTER UNITED

NONE

I am really surprised Man Utd did not try to bring anyone in this window, considering all that’s gone on this season and in recent weeks.

I am not sure they even tried but they are currently sitting in fourth and in the Champions League last 16, so I would have thought some business would have been done to help their push for some much-needed success in the final third of the season.

Only time will tell why they had not done any business or if they will regret this decision.

NEWCASTLE

Kieran Trippier – Atletico Madrid, £15m
Chris Wood – Burnley, £25m
Bruno Guimaraes – Lyon, £40m
Matt Targett – Aston Villa, loan
Dan Burn – Brighton, £13m

As expected, Newcastle were big players in this window, spending over £90m on players and this is just for starters.

Undoubtedly, Guimaraes is the jewel in this window’s crown. A fully fledged Brazilian international who will both stop and dictate play in the heart of midfield. Bringing Trippier back from Spain looks a very good signing with his experience and free kick taking.

Burn, who is a Newcastle man is also a very impressive acquisition with his experience at the back. With Newcastle in need for more goals, Wood will relish the prospect of being the main man up front and Targett will also use his own experience to add to the squad which now looks promising for the Geordies.

NORWICH

NONE

This is another surprise, especially as Norwich are fighting for the lives at the wrong end of the table.

Although manager Dean Smith has done very well since his appointment, we all know its fine margins between relegation and survival, so at least one player in to bolster the defence or another goal threat would or could make a major difference.

But they must either be very happy with Smith’s work or money is very tight.

SOUTHAMPTON

NONE

Last January they only brought in one signing so maybe it does not come as much of a surprise to see them do no business.

Southampton have not exactly been struggling with injuries and have not done too badly this season, as they seem comfortable in mid-table, so I can understand no need to spend unnecessary cash and just keep on keeping on I guess, which is a credit to Hasenhüttl really.

TOTTENHAM

Rodrigo Bentancur – Juventus, £21.5m
Dejan Kulusevski – Juventus, loan

It was gearing up to be an extremely disappointing window for Spurs.

With numerous missed opportunities, but to their credit, they persevered and in the end, got a double swoop, which sees them come out of the window in very good shape.

Bentancur is an experienced and versatile Uruguayan international midfielder, who can be used in a number of positions that will be very useful to Spurs. Kulusevski is a young, physical and pacy attacking midfielder, who has been capped at all levels for Sweden and seems tailor made for the Premier League.

WATFORD

Hassane Kamara – Nice, undisclosed
Samir – Udinese, undisclosed
Edo Kayembe – Eupen, undisclosed
Samuel Kalu – Bordeaux, undisclosed

After sacking Ranieri and quickly replacing him with Hodgson, Watford continued to be busy in the window, in hope of giving their new manager all the help he can get, although not much seems to be known about the four players they have brought in.

It will help that Kayembe has already played two games in Watford’s midfield and seems comfortable. Kalu is a pacy winger who has previously been capped for Nigeria.

Samir is a very experienced Brazilian defender to add some steel at the back and Kamara is a left back whose been capped by Ivory Coast after turning down Gambia.

WEST HAM

NONE

Although West Ham’s had a very decent season thus far, they will be disappointed with not bringing anyone in this January, especially as they may need that extra push for maybe a Champions League place, as well as still being in the Europa League.

However, it was stated that they did try on several occasions to get some players in, but for one reason or another it did not happen. They will hope for no major injuries as they move into the business end of the season.

WOLVES

Hayao Kawabe – Zurich, undisclosed
Chiquinho – Estoril, £3m
Hwang Hee-chan – RB Leipzig, £14m (starts on July 1)
Jeong Sang-bin – Suwon Samsung Bluewings, £1m

Wolves manager Bruno Lage continues to impress since taking job. He’s brought in a few names and it will be interesting to see how they get on.

Starting with the permanent deal of South Korean forward Hwang, who did very well scoring four goals while on loan this season. Chiquinho is a young, tricky Portuguese winger, recently capped for Portugal U21’s and given some time, could be a diamond in the rough.

Teenager Jeong is another South Korean forward, who scored on his debut for his national team, but looks one for the future. Kawabe is a quick and nippy Japanese midfielder, who has been capped for his country four times and scored once.