Millionaire poker star, sleepy Real Madrid loanee and FA Cup winner who had broken back among most bizarre January transfers

There are just some football transfers that make you stand up and say, 'Is this a joke?'

As clubs around the globe look to strengthen their squad at the midway point of the season, inflated prices often see teams having to get creative.

Utilising the loan market or trying to get a cut-price deal on soon-to-be free agents, the winter window has seen some truly bonkers signings.

And it should come as no surprise that most of these transfers were not worth the gamble.

In most cases, the players failed to win over their new managers - leaving fans perplexed as to how they were even considered in the first place.

There is always that one transfer every January that leaves supporters scratching their heads.

Whether that is Liverpool's swoops for Nat Phillips and Steven Caulker or Aston Villa deciding that Eric Djemba-Djemba was worth a punt after his ill-fated Manchester United spell.

talkSPORT.com runs you through five of the most bizarre transfers that have taken place in January.

Roberto Mancini - Lazio to Leicester - 2001

A legend in Italian football, Mancini became Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant manager while still playing for Lazio.

Still, Leicester decided the then-36-year-old could perform at the highest level as they brought him to the East Midlands on loan.

Despite being in the twilight of his career, Leicester fans were delighted by the arrival of the two-time Serie A winner.

But he made just four Premier League appearances before returning to Italy - citing personal reasons.

And he gave the Foxes the worst possible Valentine's Day gift by informing them he wouldn't be returning to England.

He subsequently landed his first managerial role at Fiorentina later in February.

Mancini's second spell in England was a happier time, where he guided Manchester City to FA Cup and Premier League glory.

Though he was ultimately sacked in 2013 after the FA Cup final, where Wigan produced one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.

Thomas Gravesen - Everton to Real Madrid - 2005

In the midst of their Galacticos era, Madrid decided they needed to toughen up their midfield, and turned to the Everton cult hero.

With his contract set to expire, 'Mad Dog' was brought in for £2.5million, and it's fair to say he lived up to his wild reputation.

The ex-Celtic star threatened to kill Robinho following a training bust-up as well as knocking out one of Ronaldo's teeth after a wrestle.

His altercation with Robinho left Fabio Capello to state: "He's just a little bit peculiar. I don't mess with him, he works well tactically.

"His behaviour is like this, and I don't like it. Everything has to be done like he wants it to be done."

Gravesen was even involved in a flare-up with a baby-faced Fernando Torres during Real's derby clash against Atletico Madrid in March 2006.

He failed to cement himself as a regular starter during his 18-month stay, before making the move to Scotland.

Following his retirement, he relocated to Las Vegas where it has been widely reported he earned £80m from playing poker.

What a man.

Julien Faubert - West Ham to Real Madrid - 2009

Four years on from signing Gravesen, Real didn't learn from their lesson when they raided yet another English side - this time West Ham for versatile right-back Faubert.

At his official presentation, club legend Alfredo Di Stefano stared at Faubert in bewilderment when presenting the player to the media.

But no one was more surprised than the Frenchman himself, who thought it was a prank call when he was contacted by a Real spokesperson.

He told The Athletic: "I received a call from this French guy at Real Madrid, and he said to me, 'Hi, I work for Real Madrid, and we have to talk to you.'

"I told him I have an important game to prepare for and I don't have time for this bulls****."

But Real weren't kidding - though just as everyone has suspected - they should have been.

He featured in just two games totalling 54 minutes, with Faubert infuriating the fan base after he was pictured allegedly having a snooze on the bench during a match against Villarreal.

Faubert insisted that he just had his eyes closed as he was 'bored', but he didn't help himself after he missed a day of training having thought he had the day off.

He was subsequently dropped for the match and unsurprisingly, Real never took up their buy option.

Kim Kallstrom - Spartak Moscow to Arsenal - 2014

Few would have questioned Arsenal's move for the Swedish midfielder had it been in the mid-to-late 2000s.

At that time, he was one of the top players in France having helped Lyon win back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, with goalkeepers having nightmares over his free-kick abilities.

But by the time 2014 rolled around, he was plying his trade in Russia with Spartak Moscow - and was injured with a fractured vertebrae.

But with setbacks to Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Aaron Ramsey, Arsene Wenger wasn't put off by Kallstrom's broken back, and signed him on loan to aid Arsenal's title pursuit.

It was two months after his arrival on deadline day that he played his first of four games - but he still played a minor pivotal role in ending the club's nine-year trophy drought.

It what was his only major contribution in an Arsenal shirt, Kallstrom scored in the FA Cup semi-final shootout victory over Wigan, with the Gunners beating Hull after extra-time in the final.

Speaking to Arsenal's website in 2020, he joked: "Hey, remember me? It’s Kim Kallstrom but you might know me as the guy with the broken back."

Despite his lack of action, he remains a fond figure among fans, though supporters are still confused by his signing.

Kevin Prince-Boateng - Sassuolo to Barcelona - 2019

With Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho forging a formidable attacking trio, Barca decided they needed an extra forward to boost their Champions League dreams.

And they opted to go for.... midfielder Prince-Boateng.

The former Tottenham and Portsmouth man enjoyed a relatively successful start to the 2018/19 campaign where he was deployed as a false nine by Sassuolo.

With four goals in 13 Serie A matches, Barca swooped in to sign him on loan with a view to a £7m permanent switch.

He failed to score in any of his four appearances in what will go down as one of Barca's strangest and worst transfers in recent history.