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All 10 transfers rated
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The January transfer window is often closely associated with 'panic buys'. If a team's season isn't going to plan, pressure can ramp up from supporters to inject new life into the squad at the half-way stage. If we then look at deadline day deals in the winter window, this notion is multiplied tenfold. Down the years we have seen infamous January deadline day signings not quite work out. Fernando Torres' big-money switch from Liverpool to Chelsea or Andy Carroll swapping St James' Park for Anfield spring to mind. If a team loses a player, trepidation in a club's recruitment department may be even more present.
With all this in mind, here at Transfermarkt, we have decided to rewind the clocks by 12 months to the cold brisk winter of 2025, and look at the 10 most expensive deadline day signings that got over the line this time last year. Last season's winter window deadline day fell on February 3. We have picked out the 10 most lucrative transfers from that chaotic day and rated them out of 10 on their success 12 months down the line. Just two of the 10 players have a higher market value now than the fee paid for them one year ago.
The 10 most expensive signings of 2025 winter deadline day
Nico González | Porto to Man City | €60m | 5/10
Manchester City capped off a busy window last winter by splashing out €60 million for Porto midfielder Nico González amid a season-ending injury for star player Rodri. He had a market value of just €18m at the time. Nevertheless, despite Rodri being out, González started just nine Premier League games last term and failed to have much of an impact. The Spaniard did however begin to really assert himself this season harnessing his reputation among the City faithful. But just as he did that, Rodri returned from his latest setback and González found himself back on the bench. His current market value stands at €45m - €15m less than the fee paid. Not a huge impact, especially considering the fee, but some positive signs.
Santiago Gimenez | Feyenoord to AC Milan | €30.2m | 3/10
Santiago Gimenez's big-money signing from Feyenoord to AC Milan last winter for €30.2m has not gone to plan. The Italian giants made no qualms of hiding the fact they tried to sell the Mexican striker in the summer. However, they failed to do so and in October Gimenez picked up an injury that will keep him out until around April. In all competitions, he has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 30 games for AC Milan, which isn't terrible numbers, but it would seem he is not part of the club's plans. His market value has since dropped to €20m and his future likely lies elsewhere.
Stefanos Tzimas | Nurnberg to Brighton | €26.5m | 5/10
Brighton's recruitment has been up there with the best for the past decade or so. They usually like to extend their scouting far and wide to pick up young talents that can develop and be sold on for a hefty profit. In the past, many of these signings have taken time, so it's hard to read too much into Stefanos Tzimas' first 12 months at the club after his €26.5m signing from Nurnberg last year. He also stayed at German club Nurnberg on loan for the remainder of last season. But in his first six months on the South-coast he has had some limited opportunities and has scored three goals in 12 matches. He has only recently turned 20, so there is plenty of time ahead. His current market value stands at €22m.
Marshall Munetsi | Stade Reims to Wolves | €18m | 4/10
Marshall Munetsi has certainly not pulled up any trees since moving from Stade Reims to Wolves for €18m last winter, but he has caught the eye for one thing - being the ultimate utility man. Of the Zimbabwean's 31 appearances for Wolves, he has played eight games as a centre-midfielder, 14 games as an attacking midfielder, two games as a defensive midfielder, and seven games as a striker. Munetsi though failed to nail down any of those positions and after starting just 43% of Wolves' Premier League games this term, he was loaned out to Paris FC in January. The 29-year-old's market value now stands at just €12m.
Mathis Amougou | St Etienne to Chelsea | €15m | 4/10
It's often hard to keep track with Chelsea's transfer business, such is the vast amount of players coming in and out of the door each window, and you could be forgiven for forgetting the €15m transfer of Mathis Amougou from St Etienne took place last winter. Amougou played just 22 minutes for the Blues before being the latest player loaned to sister club Strasbourg in the summer. In France, most of his starts have come in the Europa Conference League, otherwise occasionally off the bench in the league. Many could have expected a stronger impact from this prospect - his market value currently stands at just €10m.
Anastasios Douvikas | Celta Vigo to Como | €14m | 6/10
Anastasios Douvikas arrived at Como without much hype last winter, following his €14m move from Celta Vigo, but he has developed into a solid player for the Northern Italian club. He has shown signs of improvement this season, and has racked up eight goals in 22 Serie A matches. His current market value stands at €10m although this figure is probably set to rise in the next market value update in March to take into account his recent good form.
Anthony Rouault | Stuttgart to Stade Rennes | €13m | 5/10
Anthony Rouault's €13m move from Bundesliga's Stuttgart to Ligue 1's Stade Rennes has so far been a fairly mediocre transfer. He has been solid when he's played but he's had less impact than Jérémy Jacquet and Lillian Brassier, and of this trio of CBs Rennes signed last winter, he is the one who most often finds himself on the bench to make room for Alidu Seidu or Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal. His current market value stands at €9m.
Eli Kroupi | Lorient to Bournemouth | €13m | 9/10
By far the best business of last season's deadline day deals has to be Bournemouth's acquisition of forward Eli Kroupi from Lorient for just €13m. The Frenchman spent the remainder of last season on loan at the French club and finished the campaign with 22 goals in 30 games in Ligue 2 as his team were promoted. This season, it was unclear whether he would get many minutes in the Premier League, but every opportunity he has had, the teenager had grabbed with both hands. He has scored seven goals in just 713 minutes - that's a goal every 102 minutes. Kroupi has already been linked with many of the division's top clubs. His market value is already at €22m - €9m more than the fee paid - and is likely to rise again in the next update this March.
Cucho Hernández | Columbus to Real Betis | €13m | 7/10
Behind Kroupi, the second most successful signing on this list has to be Real Betis' transfer of Colombian striker Cucho Hernández last winter for €13m. He has scored 15 goals in 38 appearances for the LaLiga side and is the club's top scorer this season. His market value has risen accordingly to €18m - €5m more than what was paid - but a recent injury has set him back somewhat. This signing seems to have been a smart piece of business for the former Watford wonderkid.
Nasser Djiga | Red Star to Wolves | €12m | 3/10
Nasser Djiga was probably signed more as one for the future for Wolves, but the early signs haven't been great, and considering the club look doomed to relegation, it doesn't bode too well. Djiga made just five Premier League appearances for the Midlands club last term, making just one start, in which he was dragged off at half-time. In the summer, he was loaned to Rangers, but his time in Scotland hasn't quite gone to plan, making some dreadful errors. He has failed to nail down a place as a regular starter and didn't play a single minute at this winter's AFCON with Burkina Faso. His market value has now fallen to €6m.
