There is no doubt about the most unusual clause of this transfer window. Internazionale signed Robin Gosens on loan from Atalanta with an obligation to buy him for €25m (£20.8m) when they score their first goal of 2023. But perhaps the most interesting theme of the month was what it showed about clubs who have a clear strategy and those who do not.
This was a typical January window, with slow weeks followed by a crazy final few days, but whereas some clubs moved late and had real moments of panic, others had an obvious plan. Aston Villa did good business relatively early by bringing in Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne, and Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City are also examples of clubs with a policy.
