The winter transfer window is over for another year.
For some it meant a month of strengthening ahead of a title challenge, a push for European football or simply maintaining their Premier League status.
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Others, however, may look back with a tinge of regret or a sense of frustration at their inability to close the deals they wanted.
The Pitch Prospect’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook takes a look at which Premier League clubs were the big winners and losers of the January window.
We start with the winners from the last money-grabbing month.
Crystal Palace
January was a pretty chaotic month for Crystal Palace.
They lost their club captain in Marc Guehi, manager Oliver Glasner confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the season and Jean-Philippe Mateta made no secret of his desire to leave, although a move never materialized.
Despite the gray skies that loomed over Selhurst Park in January, Palace made some impressive moves and broke their transfer window not once but twice, securing Brennan Johnson and then Jorgen Strand Larsen on deadline day.
A significant overhaul to their offense has Crook believing the Eagles will have “more than enough” firepower to stay up.
“They got a reasonable transfer fee for captain Marc Guehi rather than losing him on a free transfer,” Crook said.
“Palace then signed Brennan Johnson and Jorgen Stand Larsen, three Premier League-proven players.”
“You should have more than enough to stay up.”
The January window of Crystal Palace
Into the: Jorgen Stand Larsen (Wolves, £43m), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham, £35m), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa, on loan)
Outs: Marc Guehi (Manchester City, £20m), Naouirou Ahamada (AJ Auxerre, free), Romain Esse (Coventry City, on loan), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Stoke City, on loan), Owen Goodman (Barnsley, on loan)
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Bournemouth
The Cherries’ season could very easily have been derailed given the departure of star striker Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City.
However, the Cherries believe Rayan’s arrival will help fill the void left by Semenyo.
Rayan gave an insight into why Bournemouth hit a nine-figure release clause in their 2-0 win over Wolves on January 31 when he provided the assist for Alex Scott’s goal that secured the vital three points.
“The Cherries received a club record transfer fee for Antoine Semenyo,” said Crook.
“Then they reinvested the money in in-demand Brazilian teenager Rayan, who is considered such a talent that he has a €100 million release clause in his contract.”
“Bournemouth have also signed a much-needed competitor for Djordje Petrovic and retained sought-after defender Marcos Senesi.”
Bournemouth’s January window
Into the: Rayan (Vasco de Gama, £24.7m), Alex Toth (Ferencvaros, £10.4m), Christos Mandas (Lazio, on loan), Fraser Forster (free agent)
Outs: Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City, £62.5m), Julian Araujo (Celtic, on loan), Romain Faivre (AJ Auxerre, on loan)
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Manchester City
Pep Guardiola has never experienced two consecutive seasons without a Premier League title since arriving at City and he wants to maintain that statistic.
Although City only signed two players in January, the signings of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi prove Guardiola’s side mean business.
Semenyo has already made a blistering start to life at City with four goals and an assist in his first five games, while Guehi already looks at home in City’s back line.
Time will tell whether the duo’s arrival can give Guardiola his seventh Premier League title, but they will certainly be a strong force going forward.
“Pep Guardiola’s side have signed two of the best players in the league this season in Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi,” said Crook.
“Semenyo hit the ground running and Guehi immediately improved his defense.”
“They also released Kalvin Phillips on loan to Sheffield United and sold Oscar Bobb for £27m.”
Manchester City’s January window
Into the: Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth, £62.5m), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace, £20m)
Outs: Oscar Bobb (Fulham, £27m), Stefan Ortega (Nottingham Forest, £500,000), Claudio Echeverri (Girona, on loan), Kalvin Phillips (Sheffield United, on loan)
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So Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and City were the three big winners of the January transfer window.
But who were the losers?
Manchester United
Given that Michael Carrick is only acting as interim manager until the end of the season, it is understandable that Manchester United have decided not to break the bank in January.
But as Crook points out, the Red Devils have won all three games under Carrick’s management since he replaced Ruben Amorim.
Although United only have the Premier League and FA Cup to worry about, meaning it is a rather light schedule compared to some of their English rivals, Crook felt there would not have been much harm in adding a few extra players to the squad.
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“Old Trafford was not expected to be busy and the sudden departure of manager Michael Carrick gave the board almost the perfect excuse not to invest,” Crook said.
“But I feel they missed a trick by not supporting Michael Carrick after the brilliant start to his term.”
“United still look weak in midfield, especially with the unfortunate Manuel Ugarte coming on and they are just one injury to Bruno Fernandes or Bryan Mbeumo away from having a real problem.”
“It would be a shame for Carrick if they missed out on a Champions League place due to a lack of squad depth.”
Manchester United’s January window
Into the: None
Outs: Toby Collyer (Hull City, on loan), Harry Amass (Norwich City, on loan), Ethan Wheatley (Bradford City, on loan)
Tottenham Hotspur
If Spurs fans were promised the world by owner ENIC following Daniel Levy’s departure, then the January window gave them an atlas.
Conor Gallagher was the only notable addition, and even then the Englishman’s signing was due to a long-term injury to his central midfield colleague Rodrigo Bentancur.
Given Spurs’ lack of depth at the top, Crook fears the team will lack quality should star striker Dominic Solanke succumb to injury again.
“What happened to the brave new beginning of the post-Daniel Levy era?” Crook asked.
“Owners ENIC hinted at a change in transfer policy when Levy left just days after the summer window closed, but ultimately Conor Gallagher is the only new addition to the senior squad in a window that left long-suffering Spurs fans frustrated.”
“If Dominic Solanke’s injury problems come back to haunt him, I’m worried they will lack firepower. Likewise, they needed another quality centre-back.”
Tottenham’s January window
Into the: Conor Gallagher (Atlético Madrid, £35m), Souza (Santos, £13m)
Outs: Brennan Johnson (Crystal Palace, £35m), Manor Solomon (Fiorentina, on loan), Kota Takai (Borussia Monchengladbach, on loan), Min-hyeok Yang (Coventry City, on loan), Dane Scarlett (Hibernian, on loan)
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Newcastle United
Death, taxes and Newcastle are hampered by PSR restrictions.
It was a familiar story in January when the Magpies, despite competing in the Champions League, ended the window without a single new signing.
Admittedly, Yoane Wissa’s return to fitness may have felt like a January signing, as he joined the club last summer but had to wait several months before making his debut in the famous black and white striped jerseys.
But aside from Wissa, there was little for Toon fans to be happy about.
Newcastle’s growing injury list hasn’t helped either.
“Eddie Howe has every right to feel aggrieved after the PSR restrictions once again proved a hindrance to the Magpies,” Crook said.
“However, at the start of the season it would have been difficult to predict that Newcastle would not sign a single player.
“The Magpies are within spitting distance of the European places and in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
“But with some of their summer signings struggling for form, the away form poor and the injury list long, it is difficult to see a successful second half of the season at St James’ Park.”
Newcastle’s January window
Into the: None
Outs: Antonio Cordero (Cadiz, on loan), Harrison Ashby (Bradford City, on loan), Joe White (Bradford City, on loan)