(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Tue 3 February 2026 15:00, UK

Premier League clubs enjoyed a typically busy January transfer window once again in 2025-26.

The 20 top-flight clubs combined to spend just over £400million during this edition of the winter transfer window, which represented a rise of around £9.3m from last year’s January spend.

Jorgen Strand-Larsen’s move to Crystal Palace ended as the most expensive signing on a quiet deadline day, as he made the switch from Wolves for a fee which could rise to £48m.

Kalvin Phillips and Angel Gomes were among those to get late mid-season moves, while the deals for Axel Disasi and Tyrique George to leave Chelsea for West Ham and Everton respectively were concluded well after the deadline had passed.

They were just two of the many transfers that took place in the Premier League throughout the window, and with that in mind, Football Insider rates the quality of each club’s business out of 10.

Exceptional Manchester City lead the way in the Premier League

Manchester City’s move for Antoine Semenyo was the headline transfer of this year’s winter window, as the Citizens splashed out £64m to win the race for his signature.

Pep Guardiola’s side fought off competition from almost all of the division’s top clubs to land the Bournemouth star, which served as a sign that their project remains just as appealing as ever, despite recent concerns.

The Etihad Stadium outfit also secured Marc Guehi for the paltry sum of £20m, as they snatched the England international away from Crystal Palace just six months before his contract was due to expire at Selhurst Park.

We have grown used to City being relatively careless with their spending in recent years, but that wasn’t the case this time around, as they netted £27m from Fulham for Oscar Bobb, who had started just five games this season, to effectively offset their Guehi purchase.

City’s business may not prove enough to see them catch Arsenal in the race for the league title, but it already leaves them in a strong position to return to their dominant best next term.

It was a typically exceptional window from Guardiola and Co., and their business was worthy of a near-perfect 9/10 rating.

Burnley seal their relegation with 1/10 window

Burnley have been in serious relegation trouble for several weeks now, but the 11-point gap to Nottingham Forest will now feel like a mountain to climb after an unsuccessful window.

The Clarets have won just three league games all season, and desperately needed a significant investment to provide their survival fight with a much-needed shot in the arm, but their business was ultimately underwhelming.

The signing of James Ward-Prowse on loan from West Ham is a shrewd acquistion, considering that the midfielder is a canny operator at this level and also brings his set-piece prowess.

However, Scott Parker needed so much more than that being their only new addition of the window.

Several clubs failed to make a single new signing, but in the context of what was needed compared to what they got, Burnley’s window has to stand as the worst in the league.

With that in mind, their work in the market is worthy of little more than a 1/10 rating.

Every Premier League club’s winter business rated

Arsenal – 4/10

Aston Villa – 7/10

Bournemouth – 6/10

Brentford – 5/10

Brighton – 3/10

Burnley – 1/10

Chelsea – 5/10

Crystal Palace – 2/10

Everton – 6/10

Fulham – 5/10

Leeds – 4/10

Liverpool – 5/10

Manchester City – 9/10

Manchester United – 5/10

Newcastle – 4/10

Nottingham Forest – 6/10

Sunderland – 6/10

Tottenham – 6/10

West Ham – 7/10

Wolves – 4/10