(CNN) -- January can be a grueling month. Christmas is but a distant memory, with the only reminder of the festive period the credit card bills which keep tumbling through the letter box.
It is often a time for cutting ones cloth as once profligate football clubs are finding out, though the likes of English Premier League club Queen Park Rangers have gone on a spending spree in a desperate bid to avoid relegation.
English Premier League clubs splashed out a combined £120 million ($190 million) on new players during the January transfer window -- double the £60m spent during the same period in 2012 -- but those figures can be deceptive, with QPR, Liverpool and Newcastle United accounting for over half of the money spent in England's top flight.
But, in truth, the increase in spending contradicts the mood of austerity which is blowing like tumbleweed through European soccer.
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Mario Balotelli was mobbed by fans outside a restaurant as he returned home to Italy to complete his $30 million move from AC Milan to Manchester City.
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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini was photographed grappling with his firebrand striker Mario Balotelli during a training run on Thursday, prompting coaching staff to intervene to separate the pair. Mancini later downplayed the tussle, sparked by Balotelli's hostile tackle on a fellow player, as "nothing unusual."
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"There were relatively few active spenders in the winter window, with over half of this January's total transfer spending coming from three clubs," said Dan Jones, partner in the sports business group at Deloitte, as he analyzed spending trends in the English Premier League.
"Winter window activity tends to be driven by the on-pitch competition at the upper and lower ends of the Premier League table."
The elephant in every club boardroom is the need to factor in European governing body UEFA's new financial rules that are designed to prevent big spending clubs spending beyond their means and posting unsustainable yearly losses.
"Clubs are now in a reporting period that will count towards the first assessment of UEFA's financial fair play break-even requirement for international competition and Premier League clubs are also considering the implementation of additional cost control regulation at a domestic level," added Jones.
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"Their apparent relative restraint in this transfer window may reflect an increasing focus on clubs achieving more sustainable levels of expenditure relative to revenues."
Like QPR, the motivation for Newcastle, currently 15th in the table, to bring in reinforcements was to ensure Premier League survival. And the arrival of the cavalry at both clubs is already starting to have an effect.
France striker Loic Remy scored on his debut for QPR in a 1-1 draw with West Ham United, while Newcastle's new French midfielder Moussa Sissoko dominated the game during Tuesday's 2-0 win at relegation rivals Aston Villa, who preferred a strategy of financial prudence, which may yet backfire.
David Beckham made an immediate impact at Paris Saint-Germain, with victories in his first two appearances against French rivals Marseille.
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Whether striker Demba Ba will be playing for Newcastle after January has been the subject of intense speculation. The Senegal international is in talks with Chelsea after the London side triggered a £7 million ($11 million) release clause in his contract which became active again on January 1. It is "even (money) whether he'll stay or go," said Newcastle manager Alan Pardew.
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Premier League survival is more important than ever this term, with a record-breaking television deal set to offer clubs and unprecedented bounty next season.
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"Premier League clubs have been relatively restrained in their player transfer fee spending, in spite of the upcoming uplift in their broadcasting revenues of between £20m and £30m each from next season," added Jones.
"Whilst the clubs' total spending was £120m, after taking into account transfer income, the Premier League clubs' net transfer spend was £70m."
The transfer window system has been in place across European since 2003. In 11 January windows, English clubs have traditionally outspent their continental rivals, and the trend continued in 2013.
The second highest spending league this January was Italy's Serie A, which spent roughly 70% of the EPL's total.
The most high-profile of those transfers was that of controversial striker Mario Balotelli, who joined AC Milan from English champions Manchester City.
Spending in France and Germany was dwarfed by that in England and Italy. The total amount spent in both countries was between 30 and 45% of that recorded in England, with an exodus of players across the English Channel the trend during France's transfer window.
One Englishman who bucked the trend was soccer icon David Beckham, who joined Paris Saint-Germain on a deal which will see his wages donated to a local childrens' charity.
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Balotelli made his Inter Milan debut in 2007 after being signed by the club at the age of 15. He scored the first goals of his senior career in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina in December of that year.
Balotelli joined Manchester City from Italian club Inter Milan. His relationship with Inter coach Jose Mourinho endured numerous ups and downs. Disciplinary issues littered his time at the San Siro and the situation came to a head in March 2010, when Balotelli was left out of Inter's squad for a Champions League tie after an altercation with Mourinho.
He was unveiled at the Parc des Princes on the final day of the January 2013 transfer window, and announced that he will donate the pay he receives during his five-month contract to a children's charity in Paris.
Beckham celebrated his second MLS Cup success with Los Angeles Galaxy in December 2012, when he decided to leave with a year left on his contract as he sought one final career challenge in Europe.
Beckham swiftly progressed into the England team and was part of Glenn Hoddle's squad for the 1998 World Cup in France. In a second-round match against Argentina, Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone. England lost the match on penalties and were eliminated, with Beckham becoming a hate figure for some fans.
Beckham rebuilt his reputation and in 1999 was a key part of the Manchester United team which became the first English club to win the Premier League, FA Cup and European Champions League in the same season. The Old Trafford side, led by Alex Ferguson, secured the treble thanks to a stunning late comeback against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.
Beckham's redemption was complete in 2000, when caretaker England manager Peter Taylor made him captain of the national team. He retained the role under Sven-Goran Eriksson, leading England at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and the 2004 European Championships.
In 2003, after a turbulent final few months at United which involved Ferguson accidentally kicking a boot at Beckham, he joined Real Madrid's "Galacticos".
But Beckham's spell in Madrid didn't produce the trophy rush he had hoped for. His sole title came in 2007, under future England manager Fabio Capello, thanks to a win against Real Mallorca on the final day of the season.
Beckham made the switch to Los Angeles Galaxy in the U.S.'s Major League Soccer in 2007. His stated aim was to raise the profile of soccer in the country.
Football fans wear masks depicting Beckham at the London 2012 Olympics. He was not picked for the GB team, but played a big role in his hometown being awarded the Games.
Inter Milan's Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who has not played for the Serie A club since September following a dispute over his contract, is another international likely to move during the January window.
Paris St. Germain spent $55 million to sign midfielder Lucas Moura from Sao Paulo. The 20-year-old becomes the sixth Brazilian at the ambitious French club.
Fernando Torres joined Chelsea from Liverpool for $80 million in January 2011. He has struggled at Stamford Bridge, but the Spaniard's goalscoring form has been transformed since the arrival of new interim manager Rafa Benitez.
Liverpool bought Andy Carroll to replace Torres, but the former Newcastle striker found himself out in the cold at Anfield under new manager Brendan Rodgers last summer and is now on loan at Premier League rivals West Ham.
After Carroll's departure, Liverpool have been heavily reliant on Luis Suarez's goals this season. In a bid to provide more support for the Uruguayan striker, the Anfield club signed Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge on the second day of the January transfer window.
The future of veteran Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is also in doubt, with his present deal to expire in July. He is now free to agree pre-contract terms with a foreign club in January.
"I'm proud that so many great clubs have manifested an interest in me, but they will have to wait until the end of the season, then we will see what might happen," said Atletico Madrid's top scorer Radamel Falcao recently. "Leaving Atletico in the winter transfer window is absolutely not on."
AC Milan's Brazil international forward Alexandre Pato has been negotiating with Corinthians over a return to his homeland as he seeks to revive his career ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
Former England captain David Beckham is another player looking for a club. French second division side Monaco had been interested in signing the 37-year-old former LA Galaxy midfielder.
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