7M - Only Seven Signings on the Premier League's Quietest Deadline Day Ever

Monday saw the quietest winter transfer deadline day in Premier League history, with only seven deals finalized.

The first completed signing was not confirmed until 19:04 GMT—four minutes after the official window closed—when Crystal Palace announced the acquisition of striker Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves in a deal potentially worth up to 48 million pounds.

Clubs can complete signings for up to two hours after the official deadline, provided a deal sheet is submitted before 19:00 GMT to grant extra time for finalizing paperwork.

Five further deals were confirmed after the deadline, including Sunderland's signing of Ecuadorian winger Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht for 17.5 million pounds. Wolves brought in midfielder Angel Gomes on loan from Marseille and replaced the departing Strand Larsen by signing striker Adam Armstrong from Southampton for 7 million pounds.

These transactions pushed the Premier League's total spending for the winter window beyond 390 million pounds.

Liverpool did agree a deadline-day deal to sign defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes; however, both the transfer and the payment of the 60 million-pound fee will be completed in the summer.

What else happened on deadline day?

The day's major developments involved Crystal Palace: the signing of Strand Larsen and the collapse of fellow striker Jean-Philippe Mateta's move to AC Milan due to issues in his medical examination. Otherwise, the day was notably lacking in dramatic transfers, with none of the top-six clubs making any moves.

One of the more notable deals involved a Premier League departure, as former England midfielder Kalvin Phillips moved from Manchester City to Championship side Sheffield United on loan for the remainder of the season. This comes four years after City signed Phillips from Leeds for 45 million pounds.

Other late-confirmed moves included Nottingham Forest's signing of defender Luca Netz from Borussia Monchengladbach, Chelsea winger Tyrique George's loan to Everton for the rest of the season, and academy signings announced by both Tottenham and Arsenal.

Why was deadline day so quiet?

Premier League clubs spent a record 3.1 billion pounds in the summer window, far exceeding typical winter spending. This winter's total of around 397 million pounds is not drastically lower than previous years, as January is traditionally a more challenging and subdued period for recruitment compared to the summer.

Completing deals on deadline day is especially difficult, and this one proved exceptionally quiet for several reasons. The substantial spending last summer was a significant factor, alongside potential concerns regarding the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules set to replace the current Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) starting next season. From the 2026-27 season, overall squad costs in the Premier League must be limited to 85% of a club's revenue.

Paul Macdonald of FootballTransfers.com commented, "There's always going to be a degree of anxiety about keeping your financial house in order ahead of a far more active market in the summer. Clubs wanted to ensure they were in a compliant position rather than facing the additional headache of being hamstrung under the new rules."