China's Evergrande top winter transfer spending with $93m

BEIJING - Seven-time Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Guangzhou Evergrande spent the most money in the winter transfer window with $93 million, followed by English Premier League side Chelsea and Italian Serie A club AC Milan as the window closed on Thursday.

Evergrande, runners-up in the 2018 CSL, made Brazilian midfielder Paulinho's loan stay permanent by paying $48 million to Spanish giants Barcelona. The Chinese side also paid $22 million to Benfica to sign their attacking midfielder Anderson Talisca permanently, after a successful loan spell at the CSL outfit.

Another January recruit for the Guangzhou side was English defender Tyias Browning, who joined from Premier League side Everton for $5 million.

Chelsea ranked second in winter spending, splashing $83 million. The Blues' acquisition of Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund for $73 million was the second costliest deal in January.

Chelsea also paid $10 million to loan Gonzalo Higuain from AC Milan, who in turn replaced the Argentinian striker by spending $40 million each on forward Krzysztof Piatek and attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta, bring their total January outlay to $80 million.

Also in the top ten for winter spending was Chinese club Dalian Yifang, who shelled out $35 million, 22 million of which went on Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik. The Slovakian international is Napoli's record goalscorer and appearance holder, banging in 121 goals from 520 appearances to overhaul the tally plundered by the legendary Diego Maradona.