Transfer window signings: 10 things you didn't know

Which footballer embroidered criticism on his own football boots?

Heard about the Premier League newcomer who has represented his country in another sport?

How about the World Cup player who turned a social media campaign against him into a business? And which lower league signing impressed Wayne Rooney on a television programme?

These are just some of the more unusual snippets about players bought by British clubs in the January transfer window.

Here, BBC Sport picks 10 stories that have caught the eye:

Matt Grimes (Swansea City, £1.75m from Exeter City)

The 19-year-old midfielder is a national champion in ultimate frisbee. He was voted most valuable player in the 2011 final and has represented Great Britain in the sport.

Find out more (Exeter Express & Echo, and AirBadgers website)

Victor Valdes (Manchester United, free agent)

The former Barcelona goalkeeper's love of the ocean prompted him to give his first-born child the Welsh name Dylan, which translates as 'great tide'.

Find out more (Con la roja)

Miguel Layun (Watford, undisclosed fee from Granada)

The attacking left-back had the hashtag #TodoEsCulpaDeLayun (It's all Layun's fault) embroidered on his football boots as a reminder of the barrage of criticism he received for years from Club America fans on social media. He has now turned the hashtag into a clothing brand.

Find out more (Fifa)

Jazz musician Al Jarreau was the inspiration for the naming of Eljero Elia

Eljero Elia (Southampton, loan from Werder Bremen)

His unusual first name is the phonetic spelling of his sister's favourite jazz musician, American multiple Grammy Award winner Al Jarreau.

Find out more (FourFourTwo)

Andrej Kramaric (Leicester City, £9m-plus from Rijeka)

Croatia boss Niko Kovac has said the forward "throws the whole stand off balance" with his dribbles, and one piece of fancy footwork by Kramaric put opposition defender Lee Addy in hospital last February with a ruptured cruciate ligament.

Find out more (FourFourTwo)

Darvydas Sernas (Ross County, free from Wigry Suwalki)

The Lithuania international's debut as a substitute for Australian side Perth Glory last season was delayed as he was deemed to be wearing illegal socks and had to change them.

Find out more (Sportal)

Wilfried Bony (Manchester City, initial £25m from Swansea City)

The Ivorian can speak fluent Czech.

Find out more (Daily Mail)

Jermaine Hylton appeared on a Wayne Rooney football skills TV programme in 2009

Jermaine Hylton (Swindon Town, free from Redditch United)

The striker, now 21, reached the final of Wayne Rooney's Street Striker TV programme in 2009.

Find out more (Birmingham Mail)

Jordon Mutch (Crystal Palace, initial £4.75m from QPR)

Mutch was denied the chance to become the youngest player to appear in the League Cup, aged 15 years and 298 days, in 2007 when his then club Birmingham City were told of a new FA ruling forbidding under-16s to play senior football.

Find out more (Daily Telegraph)

Dele Alli (Tottenham, £5m from MK Dons)

His first touch of the ball on his professional debut was a cheeky back-heel to an MK Dons team-mate in an FA Cup tie against Cambridge City.

Find out more (BBC Sport)

Compiled by Noel Sliney, Katie Wright and Sophie Brown.