The 20 biggest transfers in the world in the 2025 January transfer window
The January window is not renowned for being full of excitement; last year the biggest mover was a kid joining Barcelona who is now on loan at Real Betis. Not one 2024 transfer made the list of 20 biggest January deals ever.
But that could all change in 2025 with Manchester United and Manchester City both needing to arrest some pretty terrible form.
Here are the biggest transfers in the world in January 2025:
1) Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli to Paris Saint-Germain) – £59.1m
We would be surprised if this figure is beaten. PSG have finally got their man, but who will replace him? Alejandro Garnacho? Marcus Rashford? Karim Adeyemi?
2) Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund to Aston Villa) – £21.1m
After not getting a chance at Arsenal, Malen is back in England with a point to prove. The Dutch winger has scored five goals in 21 matches so far this season and brings even more pace to an already speedy Aston Villa attack.
3) Jaden Philogene (Aston Villa to Ipswich) – £20m
There are some strong PSR summer vibes from Villa, who welcome one forward while waving goodbye to another for basically the same fee. Philogene only returned to his boyhood club a matter of months ago for £18m but has been shipped back out with a Champions League start against Bayern Munich in between.
4) Emmanuel Agbadou (Reims to Wolves) – £16.76m
There is no doubt that Wolves needed a central defender and they have acted quickly to bring in the Ivory Coast international. “We analyse a lot of players, and he has the profile that I like. He likes to play with the ball, he has quality to build the play, he’s fast and physically strong,” said Vitor Pereira.
5) Seko Fofana (Al Nassr to Rennes) – £16.6m
A year on loan with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq from Al Nassr was more than enough for the Ivorian midfielder, who jumped at the chance to return to France with the Ligue Un mid-tablers. Had he not heard highest-paid footballer in the world Ronaldo declare the Saudi league to be stronger than the PSG parade?
6) Paulinho (Atletico-MG to Palmeiras) – £15m
No, not that Paulinho. Or that one. But the one-cap Brazilian striker and former Bayer Leverkusen flop who has joined the Brazilian giants for a tidy fee just two years after returning to Brazil on a free transfer.
7) Antonin Kinsky (Slavia Prague to Tottenham) – £14m
Not signed in time to prevent Brandon Austin from having to make his full debut, 21-year-old Kinsky has been drafted in so Fraser Forster can be put back in storage.
8) Kevin Denkey (Cercle Brugge to Cincinnati) – £12.7m
It’s an MLS transfer record for the Togolese international striker (full name: Ahoueke Steeve Kévin Denkey) who was the Belgian Pro League top scorer of 2023/24.
9) Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge to Wolfsburg) – £12.7m
Despite sitting a place above Real Madrid in the Champions League table, Skov Olsen has traded in Belgian trophy-hoarding for a crack at the Bundesliga.
10) Maxence Caqueret (Lyon to Como) – £12.65m
There’s money at Como and they spent a fair whack this January on a French central midfielder who had been on the fringes at Lyon.
11) Romain Esse (Millwall to Crystal Palace) – £12m
Palace have made a habit of signing young attackers from the Championship and Esse – who becomes Millwall’s club-record sale – is the latest to join Oliver Glasner’s side.
12) Brice Samba (Lens to Stade Rennes) – £11.7m
The French club have their successor to Steve Mandanda in the French international and former Nottingham Forest keeper.
13) Alberto Costa (Vitoria to Juventus) – £11.6m
Almost a year to the day since he made his professional debut, 21-year-old defender Costa secured his inevitable move from the Portuguese league with an eye-catching Juventus move.
14) Diego Gomez (Inter Miami to Brighton) – £10.8m
Following in the footsteps of Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Alister among others from South America comes the Paraguayan midfielder who can play as an 8, a 10 or on either wing. Chelsea will be watching…
15) Mika Biereth (Sturm Graz to Monaco) – £10.94m
Former Arsenal Academy Dane has landed himself a big move after 14 goals during the first half of the season.
16) Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven to San Diego) – £10m
The Mexican veteran who is somehow still on 29 is the first Designated Player for the new MLS team after winning the second of two Dutch titles with PSV.
17) Assane Diao (Real Betis to Como) – £9.9m
Diao’s move to Cesc Fabregas’ Como takes their transfer spend for the season past £50m as they battle to avoid relegation from Serie A.
18) Facundo Torres (Orlando to Palmeiras) – £9.5m
Another big-money signing for the Brazilian club, this time reuniting the Uruguayan international with Joaquin Piquerez.
19) Jesús Orozco Chiquete (Chivas to CD Cruz Azul) – £9.06m
Young centre-half joins the Mexican league leaders. Tale as old as time.
20) Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey to Austin) – £8m
After a year spent in Mexico, the US international forward can sign for Austin as a Designated Player and be paid outside the salary cap. Was that the plan all along?