On this day: five Premier League winter transfers on January 22

With this season’s winter window in full-swing, the majority of top-flight sides will aim to take advantage and strengthen their squads for the remainder of this Premier League campaign.

The January transfer market first began in 2003, so Coral take a look at five of the best deals that took place on this day, January 22, in previous Premier League seasons.

Diego Forlan
On this day in 2002 Manchester United, odds-on 4/9 with Coral for a top four finish this season, confirmed the signing of Uruguay striker Forlan from Argentinian side Independiente. However, the forward struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford, going 10 months without a Premier League goal until netting his side’s equaliser against Aston Villa in October.

Forlan went on to score six goals that season as United clinched the 2002/03 title, but soon departed and enjoyed a better spell at Villarreal, sharing the European Golden Boot with Thierry Henry in his first term in La Liga. The Uruguayan also starred for Atletico Madrid, scoring their winning goal in the 2010 Europa League final against Fulham, before joining Inter Milan and later Brazilian club Internacional.

Nolberto Solano
Veteran midfielder and Premier League legend Solano signed for Leicester City on this day in 2010. The Peruvian signed for the Foxes after a successful trial at the club, following his release from his native home club Universitario de Deportes.

Solano, well-known for his superb set-piece abilities, also spent a 10-year top-flight career at Newcastle United, twice, Aston Villa and also West Ham United. Despite not scoring for Leicester, the potent Peruvian netted 37 goals for the Magpies during his two stints at St James’ Park, making 210 appearances.

Dean Ashton
Former England international Ashton was forced to retire from football at just 26, following a fatal ankle injury. He joined the Hammers United in 2006 from Norwich City in a deal worth a reported £7.25m.

The towering target man got his wish of an England call-up later that year, but it proved to be the ruination of him, breaking his ankle during international training and ruling him out of the majority of the campaign. After a series of attempted comebacks, Ashton was forced to end his career in 2009..