Courtesy: Eurosport
If the soccer season is the male’s version of a soap opera with all it’s twists, turns, ups, downs and last minute drama then the transfer deadline day is a cross between the Antiques Roadshow and the Shopping Channel. A marathon day of expensive assets going for silly money, and it started off with one Welshman. I don’t mean Gareth Bale, I am actually referring to Billy Meredith. Over 100 years ago he played for both Manchester clubs and was heavily involved in getting a players union started and in 1908 the Union stated their aims to allow unlimited wages, transfer from club to club and for players to take a percentage of the transfer fee.
Fast forward to today and another Welshman forces through a World record transfer from the English capital to the Spanish capital. Maybe because it was so long in the making and footballs worst kept secret that it really didn’t have the wow factor when it eventually came off. So who were the movers and shakers in the last day. Team by team I will let you know what has happened so far.
Arsenal: It was important that Arsene Wenger pulled the fans back on board with a decent signing or two. Certainly nerves were there when Flamini going back to Arsenal on a free wasn’t exactly the kind of push the Londoners needed. During the final hours of the transfer window though Wenger did come up with a decent bit of business. In Emiliano Viviano, signed on loan, they have a decent keeper to pressure Szezesny and Fabianski for the number one spot. However the biggest signing coming into the Premiership has to be Mesut Ozil, the German signed from Real Madrid. Arsenal benefiting from Tottenham’s loss as surely the signature of Bale was the catalyst for the departure of Ozil.
Aston Villa: Out goes Stephen Ireland on loan to Stoke City who joins up with his old Manchester City boss, Mark Hughes. Stoke City I think will be a better fit for Ireland who never did recreate the form of his City days. Also departing was Barry Bannon.
Coming in is Czech Republic striker Libor Kozak. It will be interesting whether Paul Lambert will play him alongside or just behind Christian Benteke. Kozak is 6ft 3 tall and will wear the number 27 shirt but really hasn’t been that prolific while at Lazio scoring only ten times in nearly sixty games. Will he be more suited to the Premier League? Jury is still out.
Cardiff: Malky Mackay has done pretty well on the last day also with the capture of Peter Odemwingie from West Brom for $4m and Anichibe. In Wales he will join defenders Amondarain and Kevin Theophile-Catherine. Maximiliano Amondarain at 20 is one for the future but Kevin T-C will be looked upon to make an instant impact.
Chelsea: The special one had a relaxing day today with all the dealings already completed as the last 24 hours counted down. The only thing happening here were departures of Victor Moses and Sam Hutchenson to Liverpool and Vitesse Arnhem respectively. Both were loan deals so both will return at the end of the season with vital experience under their belts.
Crystal P: One of the busiest Managers yesterday was Ian Holloway with the signing of Mariappa, Jack Hunt and Barry Bannan from Villa who all join Jimmy Kebe who got his paperwork signed the day before.
Hunt is a promising young English defender who has spent his whole career on the books at Huddersfield. Can he make the step up to the Premier League? Questions too on Adrian Mariappa who at least have had two seasons in the Premier League, relegated last season with Reading and previously with Watford in 2006/07 season. His record in the Premiership is one season then down, sign for a Premier League team and then go down. Can he break this pattern with Palace, I am not so sure. Now Barry Bannan is an exciting prospect for Palace fans. A tough Scottish midfielder who will fight until the end. Holloway will know Bannan from their days at Blackpool, on loan then he is now Holloway’s boy.
Everton: What a day for Martinez. Lost Anichabe to West Brom and finally Fellaini moved to United and join up with his old boss. Despite that I think Everton have actually come out on top. Gareth Barry on loan from Manchester City is a good solid move for all three parties and finally McCarthy joins his old boss from Wigan for $18m. Certainly two different types of midfielders coming in from the one departing but I think McCarthy will be more of a success at Everton than Fellaini at United. Also joining on loan from Chelsea was Romelu Lukaku who at West Brom last season scored a goal every two games. Martinez will be happy with his signings but a little annoyed that Fellaini left it until the last minute to put in a transfer request.
Fulham: Despite saying he was ‘looking for one more’ before the weekend Martin Jol is how you were at least until January. Cauley Woodrow leaves for Southend but that will not bother the Fulham dynamic. To be fair though Jol had already settled most of the business before the madness. Taarabt, Bent and Parker all having a couple of games already.
Hull City: In for Nicklas Bendtner and came away with Gedo! Not exactly the attacking option the fans would want. Although he did play a handful of games for the side while on loan last season, scoring five goals, the Premiership is a completely different. It is possible Bruce is holding money back until January to see where the team are and what they need but it is dangerous to wait until then.
Liverpool: Best start to the Premier League for 19 years, top of the table, undefeated and all without Suarez and having loaned out Reina. Defenders Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Llori were wrapped up early on with Moses joining on loan from Chelsea a little later. Sakho joins from PSG and is the most experienced of the defensive duo. Llori signed from Sporting but at only 20 is still untested at the higher level.
Man City: Pellegrini had pretty much wrapped up the new signings way before the friendly matches really got into full flow, then injuries hit Nastasic and Kompany and the hand was forced. Demichelis signed over the weekend to add much experienced cover to the City backline.
Abdul Razak headed off to Russia on a season long loan and Harry Bunn stayed a little closer switching to Sheffield United, also on loan. Later on in the day Gareth Barry moved on loan to Everton to balance out the squad a little and maybe offload some hefty wages.
Man United: I am not sure who United hired to get new players in but if you said Larry, Moe and Curly it might make some sense! Let’s forget for a second all the names linked with United over the course of the window who then signed for other clubs. Forget that for a second. Focus instead on the audacity that is the United mentality. You want Fellaini and he has a buy out figure of $36.5million but you don’t bid and let it run out. Then cheekily you put in a $43.5 mil bid for both him and Baines! That is rejected and so late on deadline day you have to pay $6.2 million more than his release clause to get your man. If that wasn’t farcical enough you then fail to get in the paperwork in time to sign a left back Coentrao. At least Patrice Evra knows you were looking to sign someone for his position, that should go down well. Add to that rumors that United also failed to land Herrera because of imposters negotiating for an hour on United’s behalf and you have a transfer story more suited to the Blue side of Manchester a few seasons ago. It will be funny to see the fans reactions to this business at their club.
Newcastle: None in but more importantly none out either. Cabaye had played Saturday in his first game after being trailed by Arsenal. Pardew would be reasonably happy with the lack of movement at his club because with Joe Kinnear the ins and outs seem as if they are out of Alan Pardews hands. Sure he may have liked another signing but this team has enough I think with what it currently has.
Norwich: Despite being linked with a move for Vaz Te the Canaries did nothing on the last day. That will suit the fans down to the ground with Vaz Te not seen as a good option for City, especially as they already have signed numerous strikers.
Southampton: The other ‘second tier’ of big spenders were also quiet on the last day. Key is getting all your plans in place as early as possible and not getting in the business of panic buying toward the end. Pochettino did this, just like Hughton and as a result both teams have already managed to work on bonding as a team, which will be important as the season progresses
Stoke City: Kevin Gomez and Stephen Ireland both move to the Potters although Gomez will probably not feature in the first team. At 19 he impressed enough and will move to the Stoke youth squad for now. Ireland teams up with ex City manager Mark Hughes and will hope to recapture the form that saw him become one of City’s best.
Heading out late last night was Ryan Shotton on a season long loan to Wigan. He follows Kightly and Cuvelier who both go on season long loans to Burnley and Sheffield United respectively.
Sunderland: Having already signed too many players, in my opinion, Paulo Di Canio added more as the window closed. Borini joins from Liverpool on loan and Dossena from Napoli on a permanent deal.
So a ton of players leaving? Nope, just the one, Stephane Sessegnon joins West Brom on a permanent deal. Certainly the pressure will not ease on the Black Cats boss after this summers spending.
Swansea: A single incoming player on a season long loan was Alvaro Vazquez from Getafe. Not really sure this will benefit Swansea though as the striker hasn’t exactly set the Spanish league on fire.
Tottenham: Bale out. That’s it. Well almost. Tom Carroll and Assou Ekotto went to QPR on season long loans and Luongo signed for Swindon. As this is written no more additions have been made, but once again, several additions entered before the last 24 hours..
West Brom: Amalfitano (Marseille), Lee Camp (Norwich) and Sessegnon from Sunderland. Leaving the Hawthornes was Odemwingie. Steve Clark will be hopeful these signings, especially Sessegnon will help lift his side from the foot of the table.
West Ham: Big Sam must be pleased with his squad already as he took a back seat for this mad rush for last minute signings. During the summer good moves were made and so it was not a surprise to not see any action from the Hammers.
