Manchester City easily topped the spending charts in the January transfer window with the signing of Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez on Deadline Day to complete a busy month for the ailing Premier League champions.
City have endured a testing time on the pitch and sit fifth in the Premier League table with their hopes of a record-extending fifth successive domestic championship in tatters.
But the rebuild appears to have started in earnest with more than 180 million pounds ,$223.58 million, spent by Pep Guardiola’s outfit more than the combined amount paid by the other 19 English top-flight clubs in a relatively quiet window.
City’s spending was the second-biggest outlay ever worldwide by a club in the January transfer window behind Chelsea’s 274 million pounds in 2023, according to Transfermarkt.
City paid Porto 60 million euros ,$62.06 million, for 23-year-old Gonzalez their fourth major signing in the window.
Defender, Abdukodir Khusanov joined from Lens for £33 million, Egypt forward Omar Marmoush arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for £59 million while defender Vitor Reis was signed from Palmeiras for £29 million.
It is quite a change of direction by City who usually do not feel the need to make big signings in mid-season. The last time they made a significant signing in January was 2018 when they brought in Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte.
While fullback Kyle Walker left to join AC Milan on loan, Guardiola will be content that his squad has been bolstered for the second half of a campaign that features a looming Champions League playoff against Real Madrid for a last-16 spot.
While City splashed the cash, Premier League leaders Liverpool made no signings and second-placed Arsenal also failed to bolster their forward line despite injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka.
Aston Villa cashed in on Colombia striker Jhon Duran for whom Al-Nassr paid 64 million pounds but manager Unai Emery will be satisfied that Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford joined last week on loan.
Three-times Champions League winner Marco Asensio has also arrived at Villa Park on loan from Paris St Germain in a deal completed on Deadline Day.