The six greatest Premier League January transfers ever

New year, new you, new resolutions – new signings arriving for your football team!

But January transfer window bargains are thin on the ground, with clubs reluctant to sell their star men midway through the season or demanding far too much cash.

Here are the six best mid-season deals that did make the grade….

Luis Suarez (Ajax to Liverpool, £22.5M, 2011)

In January 2011, Liverpool had just completed the most expensive signing in their history, Newcastle’s Andy Carroll. Who would have known that the man they signed alongside him would go on to be one of the club’s all-time greats?

Luis Suarez’s time at Anfield was filled with controversy but he was still able to provide the Kop with bites of brilliance.

He played an instrumental figure in Liverpool’s 2013-14 campaign, where the club finished second to Manchester City, falling short at the final hurdle. Suarez left Anfield after that, taking with him the Premier League Golden Boot and PFA Player of the Year awards to his name.

Since his departure, Suarez has accomplished much at his current club Barcelona – already winning La Liga twice, the Copa Del Rey three times, the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League – all in just three and a half years in Catalunya.

Patrice Evra (Monaco to Man Utd, £7M, 2006)

Signed midway through the 2005-06 from AS Monaco, former Manchester United full back Patrice Evra went on to become a cult hero at Old Trafford.

Initially surpassing Gabriel Heinze as the club’s first choice left back, Evra would equal the likes of Ashley Cole and Dennis Irwin as one of the greatest in Premier League history.

During his spell at the club, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions during a period where United won five league titles between 2007 to 2013.

Signing for just £7 million, he is one of the great bargains of the Premier League era.

Nemanja Vidic (Spartak Moscow to Man Utd, £7.2M, 2006)

Voted by Manchester United fans as the club’s best January transfer window signing ever, things didn’t start off well at Old Trafford for Nemanja Vidic.

Signed alongside Patrice Evra in 2006, the centre half went on to play a major part in one of the most successful periods in United’s history after his initial struggles, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups, one Champions League trophy and the FIFA Club World Cup.

His greatest season in a United shirt came in the 2008-09 season, when he scooped the Manchester United Fans and Players’ player of the year award.

Vidic departed the club in 2014, before eventually retiring in 2016 after an unsuccessful stint with Inter Milan.

Nemanja Matic (Benfica to Chelsea, £21M, 2014)

There couldn’t have been a bigger compliment to Serbian International Nemanja Matic, than when Chelsea re-signed the midfielder from Benfica for £21 million back in 2014.

The player, who was initially written off at Stamford Bridge, played a key role in two title winning campaigns for Chelsea during his three-and-a-half-year spell with the club, and was even named in the PFA team of the year back in 2013.

Matic was surprisingly sold to Manchester United this summer, and Antonio Conte’s men have struggled to replace him in the opening months of the new season, whilst United have gone on to solidify themselves in the top four.

Gary Cahill (Bolton to Chelsea, £7M, 2012)

Not considered significant at the time, but when Chelsea signed Bolton defender Gary Cahill back in 2012, who would have known the heights the former Aston Villa youth product was going to reach.

Since joining the club, the England international has played a pivotal role in Chelsea winning two Premier League titles, the coveted Champions League trophy, one FA Cup, one League Cup and the Europa League.

Now Chelsea’s club captain, Cahill is still playing regularly for a side, who at present, are challenging on all fronts both domestically and in Europe.

Online bookmakers don’t believe that Cahill and his Chelsea teammates will regain the Premier League title this season, with bookies odds currently standing at 66/1.

Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg to Man City, £31.5M, 2011)

A surprising inclusion for some, but it’s hard to discredit the contribution that the former Manchester City striker made when the club won their two Premier League titles to date.

The striker failed to win over the entire City faithful during his stint at the club, but left with an impressive strike ratio of a goal every 2.6 games.

Sadly, his departure from City went unnoticed back in 2015, but has since gone onto great things at Roma, finishing last season as the top goal scorer in Serie A. Betting odds are at 34/1 for the Bosnian to repeat the feat this season.

With the January window fast approaching, punters around the country will be using their free bets on the transfer betting markets in the coming weeks.

The rumour mill is already in full swing, and with many Premier League players’ contracts expiring in the summer, sides may be forced to cash in rather than losing out on frees in the summer.