Ranking Southampton's January transfer deals from worst to best

It was a difficult situation to be in for the club, with their head of recruitment, Joe Shields, leaving just months into his role to join Chelsea earlier this season.

Sport Republic CEO Rasmus Ankersen took the lead on the project, with Saints needing something to help lift themselves off the bottom of the Premier League.

They also had a manager who had a conflicting style of play to that of his predecessor and successor – so clarity of direction can not have been at an all-time high.

READ MORE: Predicting Southampton's final six results - is it enough to survive? 

We rank the five signings from worst to best below after their early impressions and evaluate exactly why we think that…

5: Mislav Orsic

The signing and subsequent involvement of Mislav Orsic is as perplexing as it is wasteful, as the Croatian international has played just six minutes in the Premier League.

The 30 year old starred at the World Cup just a month before arriving at St Mary’s and everyone has seen or read about his goals versus Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham in Europe.

But Orsic has not played in the league since January, making Ruben Selles’s squads just twice, and he failed to make an impact in three cup starts – including against Grimsby Town.

As an older, seasoned professional he is probably not on the cheapest wage in the group – even if he did come from the Croatian league, where fees and wages are much lower.

It looks as though he is not going to get a chance in the final six matches of the season, although Selles is not averse to chucking in a forward from the cold. He’ll probably leave in the summer.

This is undeniably the worst business of the window for Saints – regardless of whether it is due to Orsic being off the pace or poor management of him.

4: Paul Onuachu

Striker Paul Onuachu, 28, has actually featured more than one other player higher on this list but the fact is that he cost £18million to acquire.

He was signed to be Nathan Jones’s outlet before the Welshman was sacked just weeks later. Onuachu is yet to score his first goal in English football.

After starting and impressing in Selles’s first game as boss, his sub-par performance at Leeds United cost him his starting berth and the Spaniard has opted to play Che Adams or no striker since.

Six-foot seven-inch Onuachu, who was hoped to be the solution to the club’s scoring problems, now gets off the bench but he seems like a momentum player and is not making an impact.

Onuachu could have a longer future at the club but there is understandable confusion among those close to him at his immediate role.

As the marquee number nine signing, he has not delivered. He was clearly a signing for a specific style of manager whose era was already doomed – and he has not fit in since.

3: James Bree

Former Luton Town defender James Bree gets ahead of Onuachu in the list despite having started a lower percentage of Premier League games and having played less minutes.

Bree was also clearly signed as he was a known entity by his former manager, Jones, but he will likely play an important role in the Saints squad in the near future.

He did not cost much and is on relatively low wages as a squad player, and is already proven to be a top-level Championship full-back with interesting attacking attributes.

Bree recently asked Selles to play for the B team to maintain his fitness – going on to score a screamer – and seems a ready-made replacement for Kyle Walker-Peters if relegated.

If James Ward-Prowse is also to leave and Bree finds himself in the team, he can take set pieces too. This was a low-risk signing and maybe the reward, although low now, is yet to come.

2: Kamaldeen Sulemana

Probably a little bit fortunate to find himself second on the list and indicative of the wider issue in the ineffectiveness of the January window is Kamaldeen Sulemana.

The Ghanaian international is said to be the club’s record signing, costing at least £23million, in his deadline-day move from Stade Rennes.

Kamaldeen, 21, is far from a finished product but he is yet to provide a goal or assist in 12 Premier League appearances.

He is probably not the signing Saints needed for right now, despite still improving the first XI and clearly showing he has the skill and speed that can indicate potential.

But I think it is a very pricey deal for a man who had netted just once in 14 French league games so far this season – and clearly, Saints still need more in the attack.

If he stays next season – in the Premier League or Championship – perhaps that is when he will start to pay off his hefty transfer fee.

1: Charly Alcaraz

Charly Alcaraz is far and away the best bit of transfer business done by Saints this January – signed through digital marketplace TransferRoom, no less.

The 20 year old has scored three Premier League goals in 12 appearances – three more strikes than the other four signings combined.

Argentine attacking midfielder Alcaraz stole the show during Friday’s 3-3 draw at Arsenal, with a goal, assist and goalline clearance in just 45 minutes of action.

He is direct and brave and as clinical as he is creative – Alcaraz is just what Saints have needed all season, it is a shame they have only had him since January.

If he stays next season, he could end the year as the club’s most integral player – and he will only ever be sold for an immense profit, joining from Racing Club for £12million.

Do you agree with our ranking? How much do you think it will change over time?