Between Jan. 3 and Feb. 2, the English Premier League’s transfer window opened to mark the halfway point of its season. The transfer window allows teams to acquire a final piece to help them win a league title — like Manchester City and Chelsea — or avoid relegation like Leicester City.

Though there were plenty of rumors around the league about different movements or possible summer signings, most of the high-profile moves that were discussed were intra-EPL — except for what was arguably the biggest addition that an EPL team made during the window.

Juan Cuadrado, a right-winger who played for Serie A’s (Italy) Fiorentina, completed a move to Chelsea in exchange for £23.3 million. Mohammad Salah was loaned from Chelsea to the Italian team to complete the transaction. Cuadrado had impressed the entire world during the 2014 World Cup with his display of incredible pace and agility as well as elite dribbling and passing skills.

Cuadrado will be replacing left-winger Andres Schurrle, who left Chelsea and joined the Bundesliga’s (Germany) VFL Wolfsburg. With Cuadrado, one of the top-10 players in the world, Chelsea has undeniably bolstered its wing attack.

The addition of Cuadrado, an undeniable scoring threat, will also lessen Chelsea superstar left-wing Eden Hazard’s burden. The Belgian wing is the heart and soul of the Chelsea team, often leading them to victory with his goal scoring or his chance-creating play. Adding Cuadrado only enhances Chelsea’s chances going forward. With Diego Costa — who has scored 17 goals this season — up front and pacey dribbling artists Hazard and Cuadrado running up the wing, the Blues’ attack has the potential to be even stronger than it already is.

In another potential benefit for Chelsea, the Cuadrado addition will push Willian, Chelsea’s current right-wing, to improve. Even if Cuadrado fails to live up to his international billing or perform up to his market value, Willian’s potential improvement resulting from his competition with Cuadrado may very well leave Chelsea with three top-tier wingers in Willian, Cuadrado and Hazard.

Other transactions conducted within the EPL could offer significant benefits. Second-place Manchester City landed Ivory Coast native and former Swansea City striker Wilfred Bony for approximately £28 million, a move that is somewhat questionable given Bony’s mixed performances and lack of speed up front. Moreover, Bony is joining a team that already possesses a formidable strike force in Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko.

Still, the signing may not be so much about skill level as it is about team chemistry. Chelsea’s star midfielder, the world-renowned Yaya Toure, also hails from Ivory Coast, and the two national teammates have been excelling together in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, as their team has advanced to the finals of the tournament. As the Man City squad looks to catch Chelsea in the EPL standings, Bony will look to be on the receiving end of Toure’s passing, as he aims to bolster an already impressive attack.

Southampton’s two new signings, Eljero Elia and Ryan Bertrand, further solidify a team that is reaching its peak and is in contention for a top-four spot in the table. Elia has already impressed in his first few games for the Saints, while Bertrand’s deal was just made permanent, as he was previously on loan from Chelsea. Though neither of these players are particularly well-known names, lower-profile moves like these have previously propelled Southampton into contention for a Champions’ League berth along with a top-four finish.

Unfortunately, teams also sign players not only to increase their chances of winning at the highest level but also to avoid relegation. Relegation occurs when the bottom three teams in the EPL table are demoted to the Football Championship, England’s second-most prestigious soccer league. Leicester City has one of the worst defenses in the Premier League, allowing 37 goals over its 23 matches this season. As a result, it signed veteran center back Robert Huth in an effort to shore up a weak and vulnerable defense. Huth previously played in the EPL for Stoke City and Chelsea. Overall, Leicester City is two points behind Queens Park Rangers and Hull City and three points behind Burnley, the 17th place team and the last team to avoid relegation. Huth is a preventative measure to try to rescue Leicester City’s erratic season, and his signing adds to the £130 million spending total from this year’s January transfer window, the same amount as last year’s.

Although there were no huge superstar signings for EPL teams other than Cuadrado, a steady amount of spending distributed across several teams can lead to subtle changes that add up over time and continually make the English Premier League the most exciting domestic soccer league in the world.

Paolo Santamaria is a freshman in the College. SAXA SYNERGY appears every Friday.