Ranked! The 25 best foreign January Premier League signings

Overseas aces

It's often remarked that there's no value to be found in the January market, but the players listed in this slideshow would beg to differ. We've ranked the top 25 mid-season additions from overseas, including multiple title winners and world-class superstars...

25. Daniel Agger, Brondby to Liverpool (2006)

Agger made a total of 232 appearances for Liverpool, but it would have been an even higher tally had he had better luck with injuries. The Reds paid just £6m for the centre-back in January 2006, but he played no part in the club's FA Cup triumph later that year.

Agger did help Liverpool win the League Cup six years later, by which time he had established himself as one of the Premier League's best centre-backs when fit. He also had an eye for goal and scored several spectacular ones during his career on Merseyside.

24. Chris Samba, Hertha Berlin to Blackburn (2007)

Samba was struggling to break into the Hertha Berlin team when he was acquired by Blackburn boss Mark Hughes at the start of 2007. The Congo international was an instant hit at Ewood Park, and by the end of his first year at the club he was already one of Rovers' most valuable assets.

Samba later impressed under Sam Allardyce, who occasionally deployed him up front if Blackburn were in need of a goal. He was sold to Anzhi Makhachkala in 2012, before a disastrous stint at QPR the following year.

23. Papiss Cisse, Freiburg to Newcastle (2012)

Newcastle were unlikely contenders for the top four midway through 2011/12, even after a 5-2 defeat by Fulham on the day they signed Cisse. The Senegalese striker proceeded to score 13 goals in 14 Premier League appearances in the second half of the season, although the Magpies missed out on a Champions League spot by four points.

Cisse was never quite as effective after his debut campaign and eventually departed St James' Park in 2016, joining Shandong Luneng in the Chinese Super League.

22. Christophe Dugarry, Bordeaux to Birmingham (2003)

“I’m happy with everything I've seen here. I spoke with Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Laurent Blanc and Fabien Barthez and they told me to sign as quickly as possible,” Dugarry said shortly after joining Birmingham in January 2003.

Quite why such esteemed names were so keen for their international colleague to join a relegation-threatened side is unclear, but the loan signing of Dugarry was a masterstroke: the Frenchman scored five goals in 16 games to help the Blues avoid the drop.

21. Ryan Nelsen, DC United to Blackburn (2005)

Blackburn didn't spend a penny in signing Nelsen in January 2005, with the defender out of contract at DC United. The New Zealand international was a reliable performer throughout his seven years at Ewood Park, with Blackburn securing four top-half finishes while Nelsen was on the books.

The centre-back played 208 matches for Rovers in all competitions, before surprisingly joining Tottenham in 2012. He then spent the next season at QPR, before hanging up his boots at the age of 35.

20. Edin Dzeko, Wolfsburg to Manchester City (2011)

Of the numerous strikers that have been forced to play second fiddle to Sergio Aguero this decade, Dzeko was perhaps the most successful. Manchester City paid £27m to buy him from Wolfsburg in January 2011, even if he only managed two goals in his first half-season at the Etihad.

Dzeko notched 14 as City won the title the following campaign, before striking on 16 occasions when they again finished on top of the pile two years later. In total Dzeko scored 72 times in 189 games in all competitions - not bad for a player who was never his team's principal goal-getter.

19. Luka Milivojevic, Olympiacos to Crystal Palace (2017)

A Sam Allardyce signing midway through the 2016/17 campaign, it didn't take long for Milivojevic to stamp his authority on the Crystal Palace midfield. The Serbia international is now club captain and an integral part of Roy Hodgon's side, setting the tempo of Palace's play from deep in the engine room.

He's also among the Premier League's most effective penalty takers; despite never having taken one before his arrival at Selhurst Park, Milivojevic has scored from the spot 21 times in the last three years.

18. Henrik Larsson, Helsingborg to Manchester United (2007)

Larsson's career at the elite level of European football appeared to be over when he left Barcelona for Helsingborg in summer 2006. But a few months later, Alex Ferguson snapped the Swede up on a short-term loan deal until the end of the campaign.

It was an inspired decision. Larsson only scored once for United in the Premier League, but his experience and know-how helped get the Red Devils over the line in the title race.

17. Youri Tielemans, Monaco to Leicester (2019)

A talented youngster who had nevertheless failed to kick on at Monaco, Tielemans' loan move to Leicester in January 2018 could have gone either way. The Belgium international didn't take long to make his mark, though, impressing at Wembley as the Foxes locked horns with Tottenham.

The midfielder was superb for the remainder of the season, before signing for Leicester permanently last summer. A £40m outlay already looks like good value for money.

16. Martin Skrtel, Zenit Saint Petersburg to Liverpool (2008)

Not many Liverpool fans knew what to expect when the club signed Skrtel from Zenit at the beginning of 2008. The Slovakian stopper was named Man of the Match in two of his earliest appearances against Chelsea and Everton, feats which endeared him to the Anfield faithful from the start.

By the time of his departure in 2016, the centre-back had made 320 appearances in all competitions. He helped the Reds win the League Cup in 2012, but that was the only piece of silverware he had to show for his time on Merseyside.

15. Brede Hangeland, Copenhagen to Fulham (2008)

Hangeland was linked with a host of Premier League clubs in summer 2007 - including Manchester City - but didn't arrive in the division until Fulham signed him the following January. The towering centre-back helped Roy Hodgson's side finish seventh in his first season at the club, before an improbable run to the Europa League final in 2009/10.

Hangeland was a model of consistency for the Cottagers, and was virtually ever-present in his first five full seasons in London. After 270 appearances for Fulham, he moved across the capital to Crystal Palace.

14. Nemanja Matic, Benfica to Chelsea (2014)

Matic only made two Premier League appearances in his first spell at Chelsea, before he was shipped out to Benfica in search of more regular game time. He returned to Stamford Bridge in January 2014, as the Blues board swallowed its pride and sanctioned a £21m move for the midfielder.

It was a sound investment. Matic impressed as Jose Mourinho's side won the Premier League title in his first full season back in London, while he also helped Antonio Conte's men claim the prize two years later.

13. Clint Dempsey, New England Revolution to Fulham (2007)

With Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra already part of their squad, Fulham decided to add a third American to their ranks in January 2007. Dempsey cost just £2m and turned out to be arguably the greatest bargain in the Cottagers' recent history.

Dempsey was a key member of the team that finished seventh under Roy Hodgson in 2008/09, and even more important when the Cottagers reached the Europa League final the following year. On an individual level, his most impressive campaign came when he netted 17 Premier League goals in 2011/12.

12. Emmanuel Adebayor, Monaco to Arsenal (2006)

Arsenal forked out just £3m to add Adebayor to their squad in January 2006. The former Monaco man scored four goals in his first 13 Premier League outings for the north Londoners, before failing to hit double figures in his first full campaign with the club.

Adebayor took off in 2007/08, notching 30 goals in all competitions and earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year. Arsenal were disappointed to lose him to Manchester City in 2009, but they did make a £22m profit on the Togo international.

11. Antonio Valencia, Villarreal to Wigan (2008)

Wigan initially signed Valencia on a season-long loan in 2006, and then extended the deal for another year the following summer. In January 2008, though, they decided to acquire the winger on a permanent basis, paying just £5m for the privilege.

Valencia only remained at the JJB Stadium for another 18 months, but the fact he left the Latics for Manchester United shows well he performed for his first English employer.

10. Gabriel Jesus, Palmeiras to Manchester City (2017)

After arriving in the Premier League straight from Brazilian football, many felt Jesus would require a bedding-in period at Manchester City. Instead, the striker scored seven times in his first 10 top-flight appearances for a Manchester City side that was still learning Pep Guardiola's methods.

Jesus often found himself behind Sergio Aguero in the centre-forward pecking order in the next two seasons, but he still contributed 20 goals as City won back-to-back Premier League titles.

9. Aymeric Laporte, Athletic Club to Manchester City (2018)

Recently hailed as the world's best left-sided centre-half by Pep Guardiola, Laporte has barely put a foot wrong since joining Manchester City in January 2018. The uncapped Frenchman won the Premier League title a few months into his City career, then added another winner's medal to his collection in 2018/19.

Guardiola's side are unlikely to make it three championships in a row this term, which is in part down to Laporte's absence through injury between September and January.

8. Lucas Moura, PSG to Tottenham (2018)

Deemed surplus to requirements by PSG in January 2018, Lucas was sold to Tottenham in a deal worth £25m. The Brazilian didn't immediately become a regular in his first half-season at the club, but he enjoyed a memorable 2018/19, scoring 15 goals in all competitions - including a famous hat-trick against Ajax in the semi-final of the Champions League.

Lucas is a player who feels like he's been around forever, but the forward is still only 27. The absence of the hamstrung Harry Kane gives him an opportunity to impress Jose Mourinho between now and the end of the campaign.

7. Mikel Arteta, Real Sociedad to Everton (2005)

The Arsenal boss has now spent 15 years in English football, having first arrived on these shores in January 2005. Signed by David Moyes to boost Everton's top-four challenge, Arteta initially joined the Merseyside outfit on loan before signing a permanent deal a few months later.

The Spanish schemer spent six and a half seasons at Goodison Park, during which time he became a fans' favourite. Arteta's only regret was failing to win a trophy with the Toffees.

6. Branislav Ivanovic, Lokomotiv Moscow to Chelsea (2008)

Italian trio Milan, Inter and Juventus were all thought to be keen on Ivanovic in January 2008, but it was Chelsea who won the race for his signature. The defender didn't make a single appearance until the following season, when he gradually established himself as an important player for the Blues.

A versatile performer who played right across the backline, Ivanovic made 377 appearances for Chelsea between 2008 and 2017, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League along the way.

5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal (2018)

Having captured Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon a few months earlier, some questioned whether Arsenal really needed Aubameyang in January 2018 - particularly as the striker was approaching his 30th birthday.

Aubemeyang has been magnificent ever since, however, scoring 10 goals under Arsene Wenger and then earning a share of the Golden Boot with 22 Premier League strikes last term. Unsurprisingly, he's also Arsenal's top scorer this season.

4. Patrice Evra, Monaco to Manchester United (2006)

Inter thought they had won the race for Evra's signature in January 2006, only for the Frenchman to join Manchester United after expressing a preference for the English outfit.

The left-back became a near-permanent part of Alex Ferguson's defence thereafter, winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League under the Scot. He remained at Old Trafford until 2014, when he was permitted to join Juventus for just £1.5m.

3. Philippe Coutinho, Inter to Liverpool (2013)

Inter were only too happy to get Coutinho off their books in January 2013, with the Brazilian having failed to impress since his move to San Siro five years earlier. Liverpool spent just £8.5m on his signature, allowing them to earn a whopping £96.5m profit when they sold him to Barcelona in 2018.

The Reds arguably improved once Coutinho had departed, but there's no denying the attacking midfielder's impact during his five years at Anfield. Coutinho scored 54 goals in 201 appearances in all competitions, and came close to winning the Premier League title under Brendan Rodgers in 2013/14.

2. Luis Suarez, Ajax to Liverpool (2011)

Suarez's arrival at Anfield was somewhat overshadowed by the more expensive purchase of Andy Carroll on the same day. Only one of the two went on to become one of Liverpool's greatest players of the Premier League era - and he didn't have a ponytail.

Suarez showed flashes of his quality in the first few months of his Liverpool career, but he truly announced himself on the scene with 17 goals in 2011/12, He then struck 30 in all competitions the following season, before surpassing that tally in the Premier League alone in 2013/14, as the Uruguayan almost inspired Liverpool to the title.

1. Nemanja Vidic, Spartak Moscow to Manchester United (2006)

The £7m Manchester United spent on Vidic is one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history. After a shaky start, the Serbian’s partnership with Rio Ferdinand become one of the greatest English football has seen, and produced five league titles, three League Cups and one Champions League in Vidic's nine and a half seasons at Old Trafford.

And to think, the move nearly didn't happen. Fiorentina were in pole position to sign the stopper from Spartak Moscow in 2006, but United sniffed an opportunity when the Serie A side found that they didn't have enough space in their squad for another non-EU player.