Another year, another January window passes by. Although, to be fair, the lack of movement saw very few realise the January Window was nearly over by the time deadline day hit. So, in a quiet, somewhat sobered, time period, here’s the Winners and losers from the January Transfer Window.
WINNERS:
Chelsea:
IN: Juan Cuadrado (£23.2m)
OUT: Mohamed Salah (18 month loan), Andre Schurrle (£22m), Marko Marin (loan), Fernando Torres (Free), Tomas Kalas (loan), Todd Kane (loan), Ryan Bertrand (undisclosed)
Procuring Juan Cuadrado was always looking like good business from the off, though the way in which they managed to salvage most of the transfer fee back through Andre Schurrle’s transfer to VFL Wolfsburg demonstrates the acumen with which Chelsea operate in the transfer market. A wide attacker by trade: but one willing to track back when needed and apply pressure on the opposition fullbacks: Cuadrado’s £23.2 million pound move to Chelsea is atypical of Mourinho’s Chelsea: uncompromising in their need for perfection (having a similar, yet slightly less proficient winger already in Willian at their disposal) and mathematically savvy: spending just over a million in net spend on their flanks: with Andre Schurrle’s transfer compensating for the fee, upgrading the right side for minimal expenditure.
Swansea:
IN: Nelson Oliveira (Loan), Jack Cork (undisclosed), Matt Grimes (£1.75m), Kyle Naughton (£5m)
OUT: Wilfried Bony (£28m)
Receiving £28 million or Wilfried Bony seemed a premium when it came to compensation: and Swansea will be licking their lips with their newfound cash, and the replacement for Bony: Nelson Oliveira; is certainly not a major step down. The Portugese talisman struggled to find the next level of his insisted potential in Portugal, but Swansea could very well be the place where he is able to take the next step in his progression. Add to that the ever-efficient Jack Cork, and the money received from the Wilfreid Bony sale will surely be invested upon in the summer.
Southampton:
IN: Eljero Elia (Loan), Ryan Bertrand (Undisclosed), Filip Djuricic (Loan)
OUT: Jos Hooiveld (Loan), Jack Cork (undisclosed)
Southampton, having had a stellar Summer transfer window that saw them bring in a remarkable supplement of players as an entire replacement to the core of their side, Ronald Koeman has shown his prowess in the transfer market once again. Eljero Elia has already made his impact on the side: the Dutch connection proving fruitful for the flanks, as supply to Graziano Pelle – and sometimes even the shifting of personnel amongst the front three – continues to lead Southampton towards an unlikely charge to the top four. Similarly, nailing down Ryan Bertrand: whose career would only stagnate at Chelsea, was shrewd business to ensure that Southampton’s incredible progress could continue past the heroics of this season. Jack Cork’s loss was turned into something of a gain with the previously untapped potential of Filip Djuricic – on loan from Benfica – able to be nurtured by one of the Premier League’s best new managers.
LOSERS:
QPR:
IN: Mauro Zarate (Loan)
OUT: Jordan Mutch (Undisclosed)
0 away points; let that sink in for a second. Despite the supposed excuse of knee surgery as the reasoning behind Harry Redknapp’s departure: the timing of the move and circumstances surrounding it all point to a QPR heading for the dumps, again. One movement in the transfer market saw Mauro Zarate loaned in, only for an attempt to trade his signature for Matt Jarvis to be rejected by the FA. Having a player that you don’t really want, coupled with the doubts surrounding a new manager and a relegation scrap surely dictated some kind of movement in the transfer market: especially with a defence as flimsy as QPR’s looks away from home. Something has to change: though the new manager will have to make these changes without the luxury of a transfer window.
Liverpool:
IN: None
OUT: None
The lack of movement in January was frustrating: if unsurprising, for most Liverpool fans, especially considering their poor start to the season. Their current run of form perhaps dictates patience with the administration’s lack of movement, and goalkeepers are notoriously difficult to procure in the winter market: but Simon Mignolet’s inability to improve upon an inconsistent string of performances saw him frozen out of the Liverpool starting eleven, and though names were thrown around in January: the likes of Mat Ryan, Kevin Trapp and Neto all remained put, as was the goalscorer Liverpool need. Who that may be is still up for discussion: but while Daniel Sturridge remains fit and Lucas remains locked in his current run of form, the lack of movement is neither surprising nor emphatically necessary, but some reinforcements to ensure Liverpool’s run of form remains would not have been remiss.
Manchester United:
IN: Andy Kellett (Loan), Sadiq El Fitouri (Undisclosed), Victor Valdes (Free)
OUT: Wilfried Zaha (Undisclosed), Michael Keane (undisclosed), Anderson (Free)
Manchester United’s loss in January mostly stems from a purely financial perspective: not that it matters to them, obviously. The same side that forked out £10 million on a loan deal for Radamel Falcao also spent approximately £15 million on Wilfried Zaha, only to reportedly lose three quarters of that on Zaha’s permanent move to Crystal Palace. Add to that the failure to address a prominent need in the heart of their defence: the likes of Mats Hummels and Diego Godin linked, and Louis van Gaal’s January wasn’t as productive as many predicted it would be. That is, to say, except for Bolton’s Andy Kellett: who was planning for a half season loan to Plymouth Argyle, in league two. Instead, he finds the golden opportunity to learn from some of the world’s best at Old Trafford. Great for Andy, but United’s failure to address a shaky back three could cost them.
Chelsea’s Signature Prospects:
Mohamed Salah was once described as the man who could mirror Eden Hazard’s presence on the opposite wing of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side. Yet his £11 million pound move to Chelsea: one which mirrored the moves of Marko Marin, Lucas Piazon, Thorgan Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, and countless others, all ended in the exact same way: a loan out to a continental club. That’s to say, they ended prematurely, because though Chelsea’s abuse of the loan system is a financially sound, although morally implicit business style: the careers of the players who opt to ignore better moves to the likes of Atletico Madrid, Benfica, FC Porto, Roma or Borussia Dortmund – all clubs that would provide a significant improvement to the player’s skill, sufficient influence and playing time on the side and a possible stepping stone to something bigger – suffer as a result. Mohamed Salah is purely another name in a long list of players to suffer from Chelsea’s financial system, and they are the real loss in this: and possibly more transfer windows.
Thank you for reading. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Feel free to discuss this and other footy related articles with thousands at r/football.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
