If the summer transfer window is an exercise in long-term planning, the January transfer window relies upon players making an immediate impact.

And given one of football’s oldest truism is that successful clubs don’t make signings in winter, footballers who do move in January come with heightened expectations. They are the midfielders who must turn a mid-table team into promotion contenders, the strikers whose goals must stave off the threat of relegation.

Some, however, not only live up to the hype but manage to be even better than expected. In that respect, Joel Pohjanpalo is a case in point.

The Finland international has scored four goals and set up another in five appearances since joining Palermo for €4m from Venezia two months ago. Only Matteo Brunori and Roberto Insigne have scored more, but their five goals have come in 26 and 23 appearances respectively, while Jeremy Le Douaron has four in 26.

Three of Pohjanpalo’s goals have been crucial too. The 30-year-old opened his account by scoring the equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Mantova, before netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Brescia and rescuing a point in a 1-1 draw against Sampdoria on Saturday.

At a rate of 0.86 goals per game, he is comfortably outperforming his 0.47 xG, which is Palermo’s second-highest behind Brunori and the same applies to his goals contributions, which at 1.07 per 90 minutes are both a team high and considerably better than his 0.52 xG+xAG (expected goals and assists per game).

Donning the No19 shirt that Salvatore Schillaci made famous at Italia ’90, Pohjanpalo is already a cult hero at the Renzo Barbera.

Palermo, who had lost twice on the bounce when the Finnish striker arrived from Venezia, are now unbeaten in five as they desperately cling on to the final play-off berth.

With 39 points, the Rosanero are ahead of ninth-placed Bari on goal difference alone, but such is the competitive nature of Serie B this season that fourth-placed Cremonese are only six points ahead.

Palermo are desperate to return to Serie A for the first time in eight years and City Football Group, who have owned the club since 2022, strengthened the team to the tune of €5m (£4.2m) worth of signings in January after spending almost twice as much in the summer transfer window.

Pohjanpalo was the headline arrival in winter, while Giangiacomo Magnani signed from Verona for €600,000 and former Sampdoria and Juventus goalkeeper Emil Audero signed from Como on a loan deal to add vital experience. 

The Finn may have come with a hefty price tag, but one which was justified by his reputation.

He fired Venezia to promotion with 22 goals in 33 Serie B games last season after netting 19 in 37 in his debut campaign and had scored six in 20 Serie A outings this season before moving south.

The former Bayer Leverkusen striker is still the Lagunari‘s top scorer, two goals clear of Hans Nicolussi Caviglia, Venezia’s second-most prolific player this season with four goals.

Reluctant to lose their talisman, the Venetians were swayed by Palermo’s bid.

“Palermo made a significant offer to the player, which he found very appealing, and consequently, he decided to accept it,” Venezia sporting director Filippo Antonelli said in February.

“Joel wanted to embark on a new challenge in a division where he had already proven his worth with Venezia. Considering his desire and the offer of approximately five million, we decided to accommodate him.”

Venezia’s loss has been Palermo’s gain so far and the Rosanero‘s investment will be worth every penny if Pohjanpalo fires them back into calcio‘s top tier come May.