5 best signings of the January transfer window

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 05: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates as he scores their second goal during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on January 5, 2018 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

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ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – JANUARY 31: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS) New signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Arsenal training ground at London Colney on January 31, 2018 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) /

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal

There are many factors that make Aubameyang the best signing of this window, even with the £57.38 million transfer fee.

Strikers with a goalscoring record like Aubameyang’s are rarely available on the market, especially in January. The Gabonese international netted 22 goals in his 28 appearances for Dortmund this season. If that goalscoring form comes to the Emirates, Arsenal could potentially turn their season around.

The investment from Arsene Wenger on the center forward is also very sound. A three-and-a-half year deal means the contract will expire before his 32nd birthday. This means Arsenal will avoid the worst parts of Aubameyang’s decline even if he see’s out the remainder of his deal. At £180k a week he’s also making far less than Sanchez made at Arsenal. All the financial terms of this transfer benefit Arsenal.

Next: Olivier Giroud signing among the savviest of the window

Signing a forward of Aubameyang’s quality, to this contract, and to a non-Champions League side in January is almost too good to be true. Factor in the report of Mesut Ozil agreeing to a contract extension with a club because of this signing, and it becomes the best transfer of the January window by far.

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