The five best January transfers in football history

The January transfer window is in full swing and will be for a while. The biggest and most expensive transfers usually happen in the summer, but occasionally great transfers happen in January that pay off extremely well over time. This is our pick of the top five.

5. Erling Haaland – 2020

Everyone already knew about his great talent, and everyone wanted Erilng Haaland in January 2020. He netted 29 goals and added 7 assists in 27 games for Salzburg, and it was clear that whoever got the then 19-year-old talent would have a big gem on their hands.

In the end it was Borussia Dortmund and it was a great deal for both parties. Haaland racked up a staggering 86+23 in 89 games in the yellow and black jersey and Dortmund subsequently sold him for a big profit to Manchester City.

4. Kevin de Bruyne – 2014

Kevin de Bruyne had a lot of potential in him but somehow didn’t unlock it at Chelsea. Jose Mourinho was not softened by a successful loan spell at Werder Bremen, where KDB racked up a 10+10 record in one season.

The Portuguese coach didn’t want the Belgian midfielder and sold him light-heartedly to Wolfsburg for €22 million in January 2014. De Bruyne took the Bundesliga by storm, scoring 20 goals and adding 37 assists in 73 games, he also won the Bundesliga Player of the Year award.

He was subsequently sold by Wolves for a huge profit of 75 million euros to Manchester City, which also proved to be a fantastic buy for the English side.

3. Virgil van Dijk – 2018

The penultimate piece of the jigsaw that Jürgen Klopp needed for his transformation of Liverpool. He arrived from Southampton for a record fee for a defender (£75 million) and immediately raised the Reds defence several levels.

During the spring of 2018, he helped Liverpool to the Champions League final, the next season he had already lifted the trophy above his head, moreover, in his first full season the Reds conceded only 22 goals. He also won the league title with Liverpool after 30 years.

2. Nemanja Vidic – 2006

Sir Alex Ferguson has signed plenty of great talent during his 26-year tenure at Manchester United, but Vidic has to be one of the absolute top. And if there is talk of a January transfer, the Serbian stopper will be at the top.

After Arsenal’s Invincibles and Mourinho’s Chelsea special, United were looking to get back to the trophies. It is no coincidence that after Vidic’s arrival, Manchester United won the Premier League three times in a row (2007,2008, 2009). In 2008, he also contributed to winning the Champions League.

Together with Rio Ferdinand, he formed an extremely solid stopper duo that intimidated the strikers for a long time.

1. Marcelo – 2007

The legendary Marcelo started just 30 games for Fluminense before being given the difficult, almost superhuman task of replacing the iconic Roberto Carlos at left-back for Real Madrid at the age of 19.

After 15 years, we can assess that this is undoubtedly the best transfer that has ever taken place in January. Marcelo has become the player with the most trophies at the most successful football club in the world, having played 546 games in the white jersey and won the Champions League five times, no other player has more trophies in the most prestigious competition.

He captained Real Madrid before the 2021/22 season and was the first non-Spanish captain of the Royal Club since 1904. According to many, he is the best left-back of all time.

Source: Transfermarkt