1 Wilfried Bony, Swansea to Manchester City

Manchester City’s lack striking depth was highlighted in December when Manuel Pellegrini was forced to field David Silva and James Milner up front, so the £28m Bony was a logical addition to provide competition for Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic as Sergio Agüero’s strike partner.

The Premier League’s top goalscorer in the calendar year of 2014, Bony will play a slightly different role with City, probably coming towards the ball more to allow Agüero to sprint in behind. While renowned for his strength, Bony’s link-up play is impressive, which might become more obvious at City.

2 Enzo Pérez, Benfica to Valencia

Pérez established himself in the Argentine side midway through last summer’s World Cup and it was only a matter of time before he transferred to a major European league. A tough-tackling defensive midfielder who breaks up play and distributes the ball reliably, he’s the player Valencia have lacked since David Albelda retired in 2013.

Pérez was outstanding on his debut in a 2-1 victory over the European Champions, Real Madrid, and immediately looks at home in a rejuvenated Valencia side who should be back in the Champions League next season. Even at £19.5m, he looks good value.

3 Gabriel Paulista, Villarreal to Arsenal

Arsenal have been short at centre-back this season and this is a typical Arsène Wenger transfer – a move for a promising young defender who has excelled in a technical side.

The £11.2m Gabriel is a front-foot defender, someone who commits to challenges and wants to win the ball quickly. Only two other players made more interceptions in La Liga this season – with Wenger citing statistics as a key reason for his purchase – and while Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny will continue as the first-choice partnership, Gabriel may establish himself fully next season.

4 Seydou Doumbia, CSKA Moscow to Roma

Having been top goalscorer in three countries – Ivory Coast, Switzerland and Russia – Doumbia will finally have the opportunity to test himself in a major European league after Roma paid about £11m for his services.

Doumbia fits into Rudi García’s plans perfectly – he is a quick, counterattacking player who guarantees goals and has the experience of playing alongside Gervinho for his national side. With those two offering pace from the flanks, Francesco Totti can continue to pull the strings. With six draws in their past eight matches, Roma need a lift – but Doumbia will be at the Africa Cup of Nations for the next week.

5 Juan Cuadrado, Fiorentina to Chelsea

Cuadrado might be José Mourinho’s ideal wide player – he specialises on the counterattack with quick, direct dribbling and has turned into a prolific goalscorer over the past 18 months. Crucially, however, his experience of playing as a wing-back means he boasts tremendous defensive discipline too.

A star of Colombia’s run to the quarter-finals at last summer’s World Cup, the £26m Cuadrado is an improvement on Willian in terms of attacking potential and unlike André Schürrle, who prefers the left, Cuadrado is a natural on the right. He could take time to settle but Cuadrado looks a fine purchase.

6 Kevin Kampl, Red Bull Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund

Currently sitting bottom of the Bundesliga, Jürgen Klopp’s side desperately need an injection of energy in the centre of the pitch – and Kampl could be the man to provide it. He ran further than any other player during an impressive debut in the goalless draw with Leverkusen at the weekend, which could be vital for a visibly fatigued Dortmund side.

7 Matija Nastasic, Manchester City to Schalke

The Serbian defender enjoyed a wonderful first season in English football, looking remarkably assured alongside Vincent Kompany in the Manchester City defence. Manuel Pellegrini did not take to him, however, in somewhat mysterious circumstances – which means Schalke have pounced with a loan move.

Roberto Di Matteo’s side will enjoy the services of a composed, intelligent and proactive defender whose style fits the Bundesliga nicely. He performed well in the 1-0 win over Hannover and this could easily be turned into a permanent move at the end of the season.

8 Víctor Valdés, free agent to Manchester United

With increasing speculation that David de Gea will leave for Real Madrid at some point – perhaps in the summer – Manchester United now have an ideal replacement.

Víctor Valdés would be an ideal replacement for Manchester United if David de Gea does leave. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Valdés is considerably older than De Gea but signing a three-time European Cup winner on a free transfer is a fantastic dea. Valdés is perfect for Louis van Gaal’s intended system: capable of sweeping behind a high defensive line, entirely comfortable with the ball at his feet and superb in one-on-one situations. He also brings considerable experience to a section of the Manchester United side currently packed with youngsters.

9 Manolo Gabbiadini, Sampdoria to Napoli

Rafael Benítez has been keen to strengthen his attacking options, especially with the surprise summer signing Michu failing to make a significant impact. Gabbiadiani has long been considered among the finest young players and has been in exceptional form for Sampdoria this season, hitting seven goals in 13 games.

A great all-round attacker who can strike for goal from long-range – perhaps comparable to a young Enrico Chiesa – Gabbiadini will offer a more attacking alternative to the trio who play behind Gonzalo Higuaín and is likely to be a Napoli fan favourite for years to come.

10 André Schürrle, Chelsea to Wolfsburg

It never really worked out for Schürrle in the Premier League but he was sensational in his final season at Leverkusen and should thrive in a dynamic, high-tempo Wolfsburg side that thrashed Bayern Munich 4-1 on Friday night.

Part of Schürrle’s problem at Chelsea was his positioning. At Leverkusen he depended upon cutting inside from the left flank and shooting powerfully with his right foot but with Eden Hazard commanding the left-wing position at Chelsea, his opportunities there were limited. Back in the Bundesliga, expect him to shine.