January transfer window: assessment of the big signings in men's football

Once again, men's football clubs across Europe spent an incredible amount of money to sign players in the summer transfer window, breaking multiple records.

According to Deloitte, Premier League clubs' gross spending of £2.36bn was almost £440m higher than the previous record (£1.92bn) set last summer, while (with the exception of Spain's LaLiga) the Gross spending on transfers increased in all European countries. The best leagues too.

Saudi Pro League clubs did their bit and paid £245m to sign Premier League players, so can we expect the same in January? Typically the one-month window is a little slower, but in January 2023 Premier League clubs spent a record £815m, 90% more than the previous record of £430m in 2018.

Here are the ratings for all the major confirmed summer transfers in men's football, with each day's moves listed in order of highest fee.

All rates are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk.

.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)

12th of January
Chelsea: C+

Dortmund: B

Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Levi Colwill are all ahead of Maatsen in the left-back pecking order at Chelsea, so it's clear he has no future at the club and a move seems best for everyone involved. However, the Blues lose points for sending him out on loan only when they really wanted a permanent deal after a £31m move to Burnley fell through last summer.

Dortmund needed a left-back following Raphaël Guerreiro's departure to Bayern last summer and should be able to offer Maatsen an opportunity. He is still 21 and could thrive at the club.

January 11
Man United: D-

Dortmund: A+

The very fact that Man United have to send Sancho out on loan means they will get a low rating. Whatever happened to coach Erik ten Hag, surely they could have found a way to reintegrate him into the team? A loan is a solution, but it is sad for a player of such potential and United will continue to pay around half of his £300,000-a-week wages.

Dortmund was able to deposit 85 million euros for the transfer of Sancho in 2021 and now recovers it on loan. The 23-year-old winger should be able to get back to his old self in familiar surroundings and the move is relatively low risk for his former club.

January 9th
RB Leipzig: C+

Tottenham: B-

Leipzig spent a cool €30m to re-sign Werner in 2022 and his two goals in 14 games this season are a world apart from his first spell when he scored 95 in 159. The club still made a decent profit after moving him to the Chelsea. for 50 million euros in 2020, so not everything is bad. But they wouldn't have expected him to have enough difficulty getting a loan.

Tottenham need a backup striker, but it is difficult to understand why they were impressed by what they saw during his time at Chelsea (23 goals in 89 games). A loan deal means he is low risk, his pace could be useful for Ange Postecoglou's system and it is a good move for a player who needs game time ahead of Euro 2024 if he is to break into the Germany squad. But it feels like a workaround and usually doesn't work.

January 4
City of man: C-

Colorado Rapids: A

Steffen signed for City for $7 million from the Columbus Crew in 2019 and made just 21 appearances between loan spells at Fortuna Dusseldorf and Middlesbrough. The USMNT international could never unseat Ederson as number one and a move is best for him given he is still only 28 years old.

The Rapids have achieved a lot. Steffen was left out of the US squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by coach Gregg Berhalter and a move to MLS, where he will play regularly, should put him back in the national team conversation.

January 3
Atlético Paranaense: A-

Barcelona: B+

The 18-year-old scored 28 goals in 80 appearances during his brief time in the first team, 21 of those goals in 44 games in 2023 before injury limited his participation. Atlético couldn't keep him when a big European team arrived and got a very decent fee for his services.

Barça has gambled by parting with so much money given its financial situation, but it clearly sees something of Luis Suárez in the young Brazilian forward. It is difficult to rate his transfer given that he is only 18 years old, but if he fulfills his potential, Barça will consider him a bargain.

January 1
Benfica: A+

PSG:B

Benfica knows how to do business. Ramos came through the youth ranks, so the €65 million is just earnings and he could get another €15 million in performance-related add-ons. Yes, they are missing his 46 goals in 106 games, but Santos' Marcos Leonardo looks like he could be a decent replacement.

Three goals and one assist in 18 games is not stellar form, but PSG are clearly preparing for the possible departure of Kylian Mbappé and the 22-year-old Portuguese international has plenty of potential. However, he will have to start hitting the net more regularly, if we don't want the move to be considered a failure.
São Paulo: A

PSG:B

The Brazil Under-20 international has been linked with a host of clubs, so Sao Paulo were always going to have a hard time keeping him. A fee of €20 million seems decent, especially considering he is central.

PSG needed some depth in defense and has a lot of potential, although they can learn a lot from Marquinhos, who was key in their decision to move to Paris.
Man United: C-

Eintracht Frankfurt: B+

Another example of a big United transfer gone wrong. Van de Beek signed for €45 million from Ajax in 2020 and looked like he could be a perfect fit for Ten Hag, having played with him before. But it does not work.

Frankfurt have done a good deal here and will pay United a minimal fee for the loan and will cover the majority of Van de Beek's salary. An option to sign him permanently amounts to €11 million, which is affordable, and he is the type of player who could impress in the Bundesliga if he regains their trust.
Tottenham: D+

LAFC: A

Clearly not part of Ange Postecoglou's plans, Lloris has been out of the picture for six months despite captaining the club last season. Under contract until the summer, Spurs did the right thing by letting the 37-year-old go for nothing mid-season, but it is a sad end to his 11-year career in north London.