January Deadline Day 2022: What we learned

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was spared his blushes, Burnley signed a giant, the Frank Lampard era began in earnest at Goodison Park, and Christian Eriksen is returning to the Premier League.

Those were just a few of the highlights as the 2022 winter transfer window closed.

Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a nervy day.

The 32-year-old had travelled to Barcelona under the auspices of a family holiday, but also apparently in anticipation of a move to the Nou Camp.

For a while, though, the deal looked to be in jeopardy.

The whole thing evoked one of the most famous transfer deadline-day moments of all time — when Peter Odemwingie drove to Queens Park Rangers' training ground in January 2013 only for the deal to fall through and him have to drive back to West Brom.

Even Odemwingie got in on on the analogy, tweeting this image of an award for longest drive.

In the end, the parties managed to negotiate a free transfer for Aubameyang and he was spared what could have been a very chastening trip back to London.

Burnley sold big man up front Chris Wood to Newcastle for £25m and replaced him with an even bigger man up front -6ft 6in striker Wout Weghorst.

People seemed to think it was a good marriage with Clarets boss Sean Dyche.

It's nice to be reminded that this silly old game of ours can still make us feel something pure.

Christian Eriksen's return to the Premier League was the real good news story of the window.

He hasn't played since he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Euro 2020, but will return at Thomas Frank's Brentford.

There were well-wishes from some of friends, including his former club Tottenham.

Brentford have got a seriously exciting proposition on their hands too.

Much of the talk before the window