JANUARY is not a time when many clubs want to make big transfers, but here are some of the most blockbuster transactions for the window.

Mario Balotelli

Transfer: Manchester City to AC Milan

Fee: £19m

The controversial Italian striker left fellow Italian Roberto Mancini, but shouldn’t weaken City too much as the Sky Blues still have three top-class strikers on their books. Balotelli returns to the San Siro where he used to play for AC’s rivals Inter.

Wesley Sneijder

Transfer: Inter Milan to Galatasaray

Fee: £8.5m

One of the top playmakers in Europe, the Dutchman was linked with Liverpool, but was eventually snatched up by the Turkish club Galatasaray in their quest to compete with the giants of Europe.

Nuri Sahin

Transfer: Real Madrid to Borussia Dortmund

18-month loan with option to buy

After disappointing on his Liverpool loan and being sent back to Real Madrid, the Turkish playmaker was swiftly re-loaned by Jose Mourinho. He returns to Dortmund as a prodigal son and may well be bought at the end of the season.

Daniel Sturridge

Transfer: Chelsea to Liverpool

Fee: Undisclosed, but rumoured to be £12m

The young English striker was the first deal of the January transfer as Brendan Rodgers quickly recruited him to take some of the burden off Luis Suarez. He has since struck up what seems to be a fruitful understanding with the Uruguayan for Liverpool.

David Beckham

Transfer: Free Agent to Paris Saint Germain (PSG)

In a transfer deadline day deal, Beckham announced that he would be signing a 5-month contract with the big-spending French outfit and that all his wages would go to charity. He joins other big names like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva.

— Yakum Fitz-Henley