Since 2000 

Klopp 3rd & Mourinho 8th – Biggest spending managers in January window

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The January transfer window is beginning to heat up after a slow start with very few major deals being finalised. Donyell Malen’s €25 million move from Borussia Dortmund to Aston Villa remains the biggest deal this month but that will soon be eclipsed. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is closing in on a €80m move from Napoli to PSG, and Darwin Núñez’s mooted Liverpool exit for Saudi Arabia could exceed that fee.

The January window is naturally quieter than in the summer months with clubs already spending the majority of their budgets and they are left to explore financially viable market opportunities. But there’s still been some massive deals completed in January with two transfers in history eclipsing €100m – Phillipe Coutinho’s move to Barcelona and Enzo Fernández joining Chelsea. But which managers have spent the most in the January market since 2000? Let’s find out.

Which managers have spent the most in the January window?

Graham Potter comfortably takes top spot with €380m spent on 58 players across his career. Unsurprisingly, Potter’s transfer record is dominated by signings during his short spell at Chelsea with his top five record signings all arriving at Stamford Bridge – Fernández (€121m), Mykhaylo Mudryk (€70m), Benoît Badiashile (€38m), Noni Madueke (€35m) and Malo Gusto (€30m). The rest of Potter’s top ten biggest signings arrived during his spell at Brighton with Moises Caicedo ranking 6th overall – the midfielder eventually moved to Chelsea. As the graphic below illustrates, Arsenal legend Arsène Wenger ranks second with Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang his record January signing at €64m.

Former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss Jürgen Klopp ranks third in a top ten list littered with iconic managers. Klopp has spent €219m on 22 players in January, with Virgil van Dijk’s €85m move to Anfield his record. Eddie Howe’s inclusion on the list may raise a few eyebrows but Newcastle United backed him heavily in January 2022 with over €100m invested in the likes of Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes. José Mourinho ranks in eight place, having spent just €1m less than Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in January this century with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola taking ninth spot.