The January window isn’t famend for being filled with giddy pleasure; last year the biggest mover was a child becoming a member of Barcelona who’s now on mortgage at Actual Betis. Not one 2024 switch made the list of 20 biggest January deals ever.
However that might all change in 2025 with Manchester United and Manchester Metropolis each needing to arrest some fairly horrible kind.
Listed below are the largest transfers on the planet in January 2025:
1) Seko Fofana (Al Nassr to Rennes) – £16.6m
A yr on mortgage with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq from Al Nassr was greater than sufficient for the Ivorian midfielder, who jumped on the likelihood to return to France with the Ligue Un mid-tablers. Had he not heard highest-paid footballer on the planet Ronaldo declare the Saudi league to be stronger than the PSG parade?
2) Paulinho (Atletico-MG to Palmeiras) – £15m
No, not that Paulinho. Or that one. However the one-cap Brazilian striker and former Bayer Leverkusen flop who has joined the Brazilian giants for a tidy payment simply two years after returning to Brazil on a free switch.
3) Kevin Denkey (Cercle Brugge to Cincinnati) – £12.7m
It’s an MLS switch file for the Togolese worldwide striker (full title: Ahoueke Steeve Kévin Denkey) who was the Belgian Professional League prime scorer of 2023/24.
4) Antonin Kinsky (Slavia Prague to Tottenham) – £12.5m
Not signed in time to stop Brandon Austin from having to make his full debut, 21-year-old Kinsky has been drafted in so Fraser Forster will be put again in storage.
5) Diego Gomez (Inter Miami to Brighton) – £10.8m
Following within the footsteps of Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Alister amongst others from South America comes the Paraguayan midfielder who can play as an 8, a ten or on both wing. Chelsea will likely be watching…
6) Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven to San Diego) – £10m
The Mexican veteran who’s someway nonetheless on 29 is the primary Designated Participant for the brand new MLS group after profitable the second of two Dutch titles with PSV.
7) Facundo Torres (Orlando to Palmeiras) – £9.5m
One other big-money signing for the Brazilian membership, this time reuniting the Uruguayan worldwide with Joaquin Piquerez.
8) Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey to Austin) – £8m
After a yr spent in Mexico, the US worldwide ahead can signal for Austin as a Designated Participant and be paid outdoors the wage cap. Was that the plan all alongside?
9) Present Orban (Olympique Lyon to Hoffenheim) – £7.5m
Only a yr and 5 targets after becoming a member of the French membership, the Nigerian striker is on the transfer once more to his fourth European nation.
10) Leonardo Fernandez (Toluca to Penarol) – £5.7m
River Plate had three bids rejected earlier than Penarol swooped to make Fernandez the most costly participant in Uruguayan league historical past.
11) Jeffinho (Olympique Lyon to Botafogo) – £4.4m
Two years after becoming a member of Lyon from Botafogo and a yr after he headed again to Brazil on mortgage, Little Jeff makes the transfer everlasting for a diminished payment.
12) Carlos Palacios (Colo-Colo to Boca Juniors) – £3.8m
It’s been an enormous month for South People to this point…Palacios is a Chilean worldwide. No relation to Wilson.
13) Hercules (Fortaleza to Fluminense) – £3.8m
One other Brazilian, Hercules has realised his dream by signing for the Rio giants.