The winter window has slammed shut for another year, and GOAL has passed judgement on all the biggest deals from the past month
It barely feels like yesterday since the 2024 January transfer window flung open, but it has now slammed shut again after teams spent the past month looking to get key business done that will help see them through the rest of the campaign.
January is a notoriously difficult time to do business, and it seems that 2023's record-breaking windows forced teams to be more careful with their finances this time around. Despite that, there were still some headline-grabbing moves, with out-of-favour stars moving onto pastures new while injury-hit clubs bolstered their options for the long run-in.
GOAL was there every step of the way to pass judgement on all the biggest deals as they happened, awarding grades to both the clubs involved for the business they did, as well as whether it was the right move for each player.
Check out how we graded all the most headline-grabbing moves…
Getty ImagesJanuary 31: Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund to Nottingham Forest, loan)
For Dortmund: The right call. Dortmund no longer had any need for Reyna following the return of Jadon Sancho to Signal Iduna Park, with the Manchester United winger having already done more in three Bundesliga games than the United States international has all season. Of course, if Reyna is revitalised in England, BVB could well bring him back, but one imagines that they're simply hoping that Forest will take up their option to buy the attacking midfielder this summer. Dortmund stand to make pure profit on a player they picked up from New York City FC for nothing five years ago. Grade: B-
For Forest: Something of a coup. After all, Forest weren't even the only Premier League side sniffing around Reyna, who was also heavily linked with teams in Italy, France and Spain. As a result, the former European champions have done remarkably well to sign a talented young player that is desperate to impress. Of course, things haven't worked out particularly well with Callum Hudson-Odoi (another prodigy that had fallen on hard times at a big club), but if Reyna is used in his best position (No.10), he could undoubtedly add something to Nuno Espirito Santo's attack. And if he doesn't, Forest are under no obligation to buy. Grade: B
For Reyna: An underwhelming and risky choice, though the American's desperation is certainly understandable. It's clear that Edin Terzic doesn't really rate Reyna, who started just one Bundesliga game during the first half of the season. A transfer was imperative. But the previously mooted move to Brentford made an awful lot more sense, given the sensible way in which the Bees are run and Thomas Frank's suitable style of play. By complete contrast, Forest are in financial trouble and renowned for their scattergun approach to player recruitment. The relegation-battlers have undoubtedly improved under Nuno, and a dose of realism is required when it comes to appraising Reyna's talent, which has been exaggerated for quite some time by the American press. The lower rungs of the Premier League is probably the right level for the 21-year-old.. Nonetheless, at this delicate stage of his development, Reyna needed stability and there are legitimate concerns over whether he'll find any at the City Ground. Grade: C-
AdvertisementGetty ImagesJanuary 26: Kalvin Phillips (Man City to West Ham, loan)
For Man City:A bit of a strange one, in the sense that Pep Guardiola is pursuing a second consecutive treble with a squad that is not exactly flush with defensive midfielders. On the other hand, the Catalan clearly doesn't think Phillips is remotely good enough to fulfil the Rodri role, even when the Spaniard is unavailable, so why bother keeping him around when he has centre-backs that could do a better job in the engine room? City are obviously hoping that Phillips will play well enough between now and the end of the season to enable them to recoup a significant chunk of the £42 million they paid Leeds for the England international in July 2022. Grade: C+
For West Ham: A no-brainer. David Moyes has some good players in the middle of the park, with the Declan Rice money having been very well reinvested in the likes of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse. The problem is that they're easily affected by injuries and suspensions, as underlined by the lack of control and solidity the Hammers suffered from in last weekend's draw at Sheffield United due to the absence of Alvarez. Phillips should at the very least, then, add some much needed strength in depth, but with the real possibility that he could prove a bargain buy if he comes close to recapturing the form that made him a key figure in the England team that reached the final of Euro 2020. Grade: B+
For Phillips: An absolutely imperative move. It's easy to understand why he was reluctant to give up on making it in Manchester last summer, after just one season at the Etihad, and his willingness to try to fight for his place was admirable. But his situation hasn't improved at all in the interim, with Phillips having featured in just four Premier League games during the first half of the 2023-24 season. He simply had to get out of City to give himself a chance of representing England in Germany this summer, and he definitely has a better chance of making an instant impact at West Ham than Juventus, who were also interested in his services. It's likely that he would have taken time to settle in Turin and Phillips doesn't have a lot of it right now, with the Euros less than six months away. There is, of course, no guarantee of playing time at the London Stadium. On current form, Phillips wouldn't get into Moyes' starting line-up ahead of Alvarez, Ward-Prowse or Tomas Soucek – but he's given himself a shot at kick-starting his career and that's more than he had when the window opened. Grade: A-
Getty/GOALJanuary 25: Claudio Echeverri (River Plate to Man City, £12.5m)
For River Plate: A necessary evil. Even South America's greatest clubs are forced to sell their most promising academy products before they've even made it out of their teens. It's the nature of the game these days, with Europe's elite hoovering up the next generation of superstars. Just look at the way in which Real Madrid have plundered Brazil for its most exciting young players. In that context, River never had a chance of holding onto Echeverri for very long, and while the money isn't great, the Argentines have, at least, managed to hold onto the attacker for another year. It's a sad state of affairs – this is a player that a Copa Libertadores-winning team could have been built around for years to come – but probably the best they could have done in the circumstances. Grade: C+
For Man City: A no-brainer. Money is no object to the Abu Dhabi-backed club and £12.5m ($16m) represents a snip for a player of enormous potential. Echeverri spending another season at the Monumental also suits them down to the ground, given he clearly needs time to grow and to improve – and he wouldn't have got any at the Etihad in 2024, given City's squad is already overflowing with world-class attacking players. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see Echeverri immediately loaned to Girona when he does eventually arrive in Europe. We shall see, of course; much will depend on how he develops over the next year. Plenty of players have previously struggled with the 'new Messi' label. What we do know, though, is that City have snapped up one of the most coveted young players in world football for pittance. Grade: A+
For Echeverri: A remarkable rise to prominence. Remember, he's only made four appearances in the Argentine top-flight. However, his performances for the national team at the recent Under-17 World Cup, which included a hat-trick against Brazil, illustrated precisely why there's so much hype surrounding 'El Diablito'. The challenge now is to live up to those lofty expectations – and that's never easy. Endrick had his struggles at Palmeiras last year after his move to Madrid had already been confirmed, before finishing this season with a flourish. Echeverri will be hoping to do likewise in 2024. Were it not for Barcelona's financial problems, the mooted move to Catalunya would have made more sense. From a cultural, climatic and linguistic perspective, it would have been far easier for him to settle in Spanish football. However, at City, he will get the chance to emulate compatriot Julian Alvarez by taking his game to a whole other level working under the best coach in the game today. Grade: A-
Getty ImagesJanuary 18: Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq to Ajax, free)
For Al-Ettifaq: A dreadfully embarrassing development for both the club and the Saudi Pro League (SPL). Henderson may not be one of the best players in the world, but Al-Ettifaq signing a former Liverpool captain represented a colossal coup. So, the fact that Henderson has bailed just six months after sacrificing his reputation cannot be construed as anything but a PR disaster for everyone involved. Players will now be asking themselves, how unsatisfying must it be playing Saudi Arabia if the ridiculously well-paid England international couldn't bring himself to even complete a season? So, while Henderson has lost face, and struggling Steven Gerrard has lost an influential midfielder, the SPL has also lost an awful lot of credibility. Grade: F
For Ajax: A seriously strange signing. Let's face it, while Henderson may have been underrated for many years, even at the peak of his powers at Anfield, he never looked like an Ajax player. It's also worth pointing out that the Dutch giants' form has improved over the last two-and-a-half months, after a truly shocking start to the season, so it's not as if they needed a technically limited 33-year-old who was struggling in Saudi Arabia. Still, Ajax are, at least, signing a man who will be desperate to impress, given his place in Gareth Southgate's England squad is on the line. Grade: D
For Henderson: An embarrassing but essential return to Europe. Henderson is already being mercilessly mocked for giving up so quickly on his stated mission to the Middle East to change Saudi Arabia for the better with his "views and values" – but it is clear that he is, at least, prioritising football over money with this move. Henderson may be one of Southgate's favourites, but he knows that if he is not playing regularly at a high level, there is a very real chance that he will miss out on Euro 2024. Joining a Premier League team would have made a hell of a lot more sense, but say what you will about Henderson and the strength of the Eredivisie, the Johan Cruyff ArenA undeniably provides him with a platform to prove his worth to England over the next six months. Grade: B+