Let's get one thing straight: this transfer window has been unlike any before as the spread of COVID-19 has limited travel and the economic impact of the pandemic has hit football clubs hard.
In January 2020, according to transfer tracking website Transfermarkt, Premier League clubs spent just over €242 million on 88 arrivals; in January 2021, the difference is clear, with spending of just €85m on 46 arrivals.
Europe sees a similar story with German Bundesliga clubs (€196m in 2020 vs. €48m in 2021), Spanish La Liga clubs (€152m vs. €36m), Italian Serie A (€215m vs.