The January transfer window is not actually all that bad. Other than the fact it's cold, damp and dark, January can be a good time for Premier League clubs to spend some of their ‘hard-earned’ dosh and keep us all entertained.

Obviously, some refuse to believe this and prefer to splash the cash mindlessly in the summer then wonder why they aren’t playing like 2009 Barcelona.

It’s a time of needs-must, either because a player is going to be swept from your clutches in summer or your squad needs a boost halfway through the season. The January window, then, is reserved for clubs who are willing to pay premium for a short-term boost to their results.

Short-termism isn’t always bad. It can save teams from relegation, it can win titles or it can guarantee the riches of Champions League football for the following campaign.

Now that all sounds great, so here are FIVE examples of January signings that went according to plan…

Andrei Arshavin

One of the most dramatic January transfers in history, Arshavin’s legacy at Arsenal is not as good as it should be. The Russian’s transfer was only confirmed 24 hours after the deadline and, despite a poor end to his time at the club, his period in north London was a success.

Strong returns in 2009/10 and 2010/11 were accompanied by some dazzling appearances during his first half-season with the club, including that four-goal display against Liverpool in 2009. At his best, Arshavin was one of the Premier League’s best players to watch and a he was a star that Arsenal would probably not have signed if they had waited until summer.

Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez’s move to Liverpool was the only transfer that worked out positively from that crazy January deadline day in 2011. Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll saw their careers fade at Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, while Suarez’s move to Liverpool led to him becoming the world’s best striker.

Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll saw their careers fade at Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, while Suarez’s move to Liverpool led to him becoming the world’s best striker. For a player signed as a result of a rushed, deadline-pressured sale, Suarez was a pretty damn good signing. The Uruguayan was astonishing at times for Liverpool and so very nearly carried them to the Premier League title in 2013/14.

Nemanja Matic

Re-signing a former player whom you used as a makeweight in a transfer is not usually great business. Even for the £21 million Chelsea paid, though, the Blues got a real bargain when they took Nemanja Matic back to the club from Benfica.

Having developed as a player and adopted a deeper midfield role, the Serbian has become a vital component in their team since being lured back. He was undervalued in their 2014/15 title win and continues to be as such during their stellar campaign to date.

Juan Mata

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Like Matic, Juan Mata continues to be under-rated. So often Manchester United’s man for the big occasion, he is one of the few lasting positives from the David Moyes reign at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard was a pricey signing at a then club-record £37.1m in 2014, but players of his quality are seldom available at any price. ManUnited have got great value out of him already - they did well to seal his signature when they did.

Jermain Defoe

As January signings go, Jermain Defoe might just be the best of the lot. At the time, £8.5m and a long, highly-paid contract for a veteran who had been playing in MLS seemed a severe risk. It was a risk, for sure, but it paid off in glorious fashion for Sunderland.

Having joined the Black Cats in January 2015, Defoe helped pull the club away from relegation peril in that season and was influential in their escape in 2015/16, too. Still the shining light for Sunderland, Defoe’s value continues to show for Moyes’ side.

Whatever his age, and however foolish the contract seemed at the time, Defoe’s return of 31 goals in 71 Premier League games speaks for itself.