From Gakpo to Fernandez: Grading the biggest January window transfers
Following a hectic January, FootballTransfers grades the major Premier League deals that happened in the winter window.
The Premier League once again flexed its financial muscle during the 2023 January transfer window, with the English top flight spending extortionately while other clubs around Europe continued to count their pennies.
Chelsea were the main culprits, with Todd Boehly cornering the market in an attempt to save his club’s season after a dismal run of results under new head coach Graham Potter.
However, most Premier League clubs were guilty, with 13 of them each spending more than €10 million on one player alone.
To put that into context, OGC Nice, Lyon, and Lorient were the only other three clubs in Europe’s top five leagues to sign a single player for more than €10m.
Grading the major transfers in January 2023
So, how good was the Premier League’s January business?
We looked at a number of factors to come up with grades for some of the biggest signings - including our own transfer valuations (xTV or Expected Transfer Value) and also fit for their new clubs.
Cody Gakpo: PSV to Liverpool - €42m
After months of Manchester United interest, Liverpool stole a march in late December and sealed a deal to sign PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo for an initial €42m.
The Dutchman shone at the World Cup and had been in terrific form in the Eredivisie for several years prior. However, the move has failed to address Liverpool’s main issue - central midfield - and has instead further cluttered the forward line.
Injuries to Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz have left Jurgen Klopp’s side slightly short going forward, but the Reds effectively signed Gakpo as a stopgap until that aforementioned trio return to fitness.
Klopp has mostly used Gakpo through the middle, which doesn’t suit his strengths, while it means they now have four players capable of playing on the left flank, all of whom thrive in the half-space between the opposition’s right-back and centre-back.
A bizarre and completely unnecessary transfer.
- Grade: D
Mykhailo Mudryk: Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea - €70m
Mykhailo Mudryk was involved in arguably the biggest transfer saga of the month, and after much speculation he joined Chelsea for an initial €70m fee, which could rise to €100m with add-ons.
The Blues have made a serious investment in a player who has never played outside Ukraine and has less than 70 senior club appearances in his career. We valued him at only €30m via our xTV algorithm, a mere fraction of Chelsea’s massive outlay.
The Blues have taken a huge gamble on such an inexperienced player, especially given the fee. However, they now have a very special player on their hands.
Mudryk set the fastest top speed of any player in the Premier League this season on his debut against Liverpool and he has the work ethic to suggest Chelsea might have a game-changer in their team.
Given the lack of one vs one threat at the club, Chelsea needed an injection of pace, which Mudryk brings in abundance.
None of that alters the fact though that his transfer fee was way too high.
- Grade: C
Georginio Rutter: Hoffenheim to Leeds - €28m
Leeds need goals and they need them fast. However, they’ve turned to a man with just two in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season.
Not ideal.
Georginio Rutter is a very talented player, but he’s not an out-and-out goalscorer, with his dribbling ability one particular strength.
With Patrick Bamford misfiring, Leeds need Rutter to hit the ground running, which is a lot of pressure for a 20-year-old. He has the tools to become a massive success story at Elland Road, but it may take time.
Patience is needed and our grade reflects that.
- Grade: C
Anthony Gordon: Everton to Newcastle - €45m
Everton will be kicking themselves after rejecting Chelsea’s advances for Anthony Gordon last summer, only to sell him for a reduced fee to Newcastle six months later.
Still, the Toffees still received a very handsome sum (his xTV is still only €25.9m) for a player who lacks any real threat in the final third of the pitch.
Gordon’s defensive numbers stand out massively, which indicates he’ll fit like a glove at St James’ Park given Eddie Howe’s demands for workrate from his forward line.
He’s not as talented than Allan Saint-Maximin, but the Englishman will be preferred for his pressing and ability to help out his full-back defensively. However, Howe will need to work miracles in order for Gordon to improve on his record of 7 goals in 65 Premier League appearances.
Gordon is still only 21 years old, but it’s an extremely large fee for a player who as yet has never stood out in the Premier League.
- Grade: C
Benoit Badiashile: Monaco to Chelsea - €38m
Kalidou Koulibaly’s poor form and Wesley Fofana’s injury woes meant Chelsea were required to dip into the centre-back market, despite the fact Levi Colwill is set to return from his loan spell at Brighton this summer.
For €38m, Benoit Badiashile was excellent business and far better value for money than RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, who had been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Badiashile has already slotted in seamlessly next to Thiago Silva, and he looks perfectly suited for the Premier League. His sheer size combined with range of passing make him the ideal Graham Potter centre-back.
The only reason this deal doesn’t get an ‘A’ is because it may yet block Colwill’s path to regular first-team football.
- Grade: B
Noni Madueke: PSV to Chelsea - €35m
When Noni Madueke is fit, he is one of Europe’s most dangerous wingers. The problem is, that hasn’t happened much recently. He has managed to play just nine times in all competitions during the first half of this season.
But, like Mudryk, he’ll provide Chelsea with much-needed threat on the flanks and his ability to beat a man without relying on his pace is extraordinary. That should give the Blues an extra weapon when trying to break down defences, something which has been a problem this term.
If Potter can keep Madueke fit, then he’ll be a brilliant signing, especially for a fairly modest €35m fee. That is still a big ‘if’, however.
- Grade: B
Enzo Fernandez: Benfica to Chelsea - €121m
Chelsea broke Jack Grealish’s British transfer record on Deadline Day by signing Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for €121m.
This made Enzo the fifth most expensive footballer of all time, and it also meant that Chelsea broke the record for money spent by a club in one transfer window; €364m.
In terms of quality and necessity, this is potentially a great transfer for Chelsea. The Blues have been crying out for a top central midfielder this season. Enzo was one of the best in his position at the World Cup and also one of the most impressive in the group stage of the Champions League. He is already proving his quality at the highest levels.
Chelsea also needed to renew an ageing central midfield, which has recently featured injury-prone N’Golo Kante and fellow ‘thirtysomething’ Jorginho. The former is due to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season and the latter joined Arsenal on Deadline Day.
Fernandez is only 22 and has his whole career ahead of him.
On the negative side, €121m is one very, very large fee for a player with only six months experience in European football (current xTV is just €24.3m).
For this reason, there is a gamble element and no Grade A.
- Grade: B
Leandro Trossard: Brighton to Arsenal - €24m
After losing out on the aforementioned Mudryk to Chelsea, Arsenal quickly turned their attentions to a proven Premier League performer in Leandro Trossard.
The Belgian had been displaced by Kaoru Mitoma at Brighton, and his reported dispute with Roberto De Zerbi meant a January departure felt like the only likely scenario.
While Mudryk may have demanded a starting berth had he moved to the Emirates Stadium, Trossard will accept a back-up role behind Gabriel Martinelli and provide brilliant depth for the league leaders.
To add a player of his quality for a relatively cheap fee in this market is superb business for a team bidding to end its Premier League title drought.
- Grade: A