The January transfer window 2019 is closed. Unlike in years previous, this year’s January transfer window had fewer big player and big money moves.
Despite spending slashed in the Premier League, there were transfers made around the world with sizeable sums of cash shelled out. The 10 most expensive January transfer window 2019 moves may surprise you as some of the names are far from household.
January Transfer Window 2019 – The most expensive player transfers
10. Anderson Talisca – Benfica to Guangzhou Evergrande; £16.7m
Anderson Talisca joined Guangzhou Evergrande for the second half of the Chinese Super League season in 2018. He tallied a fantastic 16 goals in 18 appearances. Guangzhou paid an initial £5.1m for the loan before paying a further £16.7m for him in the closed season.
9. Jonny Otto – Atletico Madrid to Wolverhampton Wanderers; £18m
Jonny Otto has been stellar for Wolverhampton Wanderers in their return to the Premier League. Thanks to his excellent form, Wolves shelled out £18m to sign him on a permanent four and a half year contract.
8. Dominic Solanke – Liverpool to Bournemouth; £19m
Dominic Solanke was highly rated when Liverpool signed him from Chelsea in 2017. However, the striker couldn’t break into the Reds first-team and was sold for a £13m profit to Bournemouth.
7. Miguel Almiron – Atlanta United to Newcastle United; £21m
Newcastle broke their transfer record by signing attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron. It is a risky move due to Almiron having played in Major League Soccer. It is a league often considered to be a combination in quality of England’s League One and the Championship.
6. Lucas Paqueta – Flamengo to AC Milan; £30m
Despite being hamstrung by UEFA Financial Fair Play rules, AC Milan splashed the cash once more this transfer window. The Rossoneri added 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta to the side.
5. Krzysztof Piatek – Genoa to AC Milan; £30m
AC Milan also captured striker Krzysztof Piatek from rivals Genoa. The Polish international rose to fame in the autumn scoring 13 goals for Genoa. Piatek is highly rated and compared to compatriot Robert Lewandowski. He scored in his Milan debut to help the club into the Coppa Italia semifinals.
4. Leandro Paredes – Zenit St. Petersburg to Paris Saint-Germain; £35m
Paris Saint-Germain didn’t do much in the January transfer window 2019, but they still shelled out £35m for midfielder Leandro Paredes. They don’t seem to need him, but when you have the money, why not spend it? The deal could rise to £40m with add-ons.
3. Paulinho – Barcelona to Guangzhou Evergrande; £37m
Barcelona loaned Paulinho to Guangzhou in the summer of 2018. After scoring 13 goals in 19 games, the Chinese club exercised their option to make the deal permanent.
2. Christian Pulisic – Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea; £58m
Chelsea paid an unbelievable amount for US international and Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic. Apparently, Chelsea didn’t watch many of Dortmund’s games before paying £58m for Pulisic. The player hasn’t played much this term having lost his place in the team to Jadon Sancho, a former Manchester City youth player.
1. Frenkie de Jong – Ajax to Barcelona; £66m
Frenkie de Jong continues the long line of players moving from Ajax to Barcelona. He won’t officially join until July, but the deal has been agreed. De Jong is a 21-year-old defensive midfielder and will be the new backbone to Barcelona’s ageing midfield. He had been wanted by nearly every big team in Europe.