English Premier League January Transfer Window Round Up

Total cash spent this window - £225 million spent in this January alone, the most ever spent in England since the January transfer window was introduced

Best buy of the window - Edin Dzeko (Wolfsburg to Manchester City) – This guy is just class. A complete striker. He can head, pass, finish and has brilliant strength. Not to mention he is 6ft3. Expect him to help Tevez & co to fire more goals more in. Expect him to score lots too. Here’s a piece I’ve written about the Bosnian - http://tiny.cc/8kfwh
Runners up – Fernando Torres (Liverpool to Chelsea) , Third place – Luis Suarez (Ajax to Liverpool)

Best bargain buy – Steven Pienaar (Everton to Tottenham £2.5 million) – Signed for £2.5 million. An absolute bargain! Pienaar can play across the attacking midfield positions, he can pass, he can finish and has brilliant movement. He is a fast little player too. The South African will fit perfectly into the Spurs system. Brilliant deal for Spurs. Adds even more depth for Spurs for a tidy sum. Earlier I wrote a piece about Pienaar’s move to Spurs, feel free to check it out -http://tiny.cc/ssta5
Runners up – Jean Makoun (Lyon to Aston Villa (£6 million)) Third place – Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille to Newcastle (£5.75 million)

He was brought for how much!? – Andy Carroll (Newcastle to Liverpool (£35 million) ) clearly one winner. Andy Carroll was brought for an astonishing £35 million. Making him the 8th most expensive player in the world. Carroll, 22, has a single England cap and has only scored 34 professional goals. And this is his full season playing at the highest level. Crazy transfer. A panic buy by Liverpool? Feel free to read my extended thoughts on this transfer. http://tiny.cc/i2225
Runner up – Darren Bent (Sunderland to Aston Villa £18million – rising to £24 million) read more about this deal at http://tiny.cc/8ag3n. Third place - Fernando Torres (Liverpool to Chelsea £50 million)
Thank goodness he’s gone! - Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City to Real Madrid - loan)) - Its fair to say Adebayor wont be missed at City nor by the Premier League. Even though he is a talented striker, he also has the ability to unsettle the squad by throwing hissy fits and starting fights with his team mates. He must feel very lucky that Real Madrid wanted to sign him even though he had an abysmal time at Man City. But I’m sure Adebayor feels this move is totally deserved. But, Real Madrid may dislike him too, he may well be back in City colours in 6 months. Beware.
Runners up – El-Hadji Diouf ( Blackburn to Rangers (loan)) – Third place – Paul Konchesky (Liverpool to Nottingham Forest (loan))

Shock signing of the window – Andy Carroll ( Newcastle to Liverpool) Probably a week before the end of the transfer window if you asked the Liverpool fans about which players are possibly coming to Anfield, not many would have said Andy Carroll. But rather surprisingly Carroll by the end of the transfer window he becomes Liverpool’s record signing. A crazy thought, not many would have even dreamt that Andy Carroll would become Liverpool’s new number 9.
Runner up – Fernando Torres (Liverpool to Chelsea) Third place – Darren Bent (Sunderland to Aston Villa)

The one that got away – Charlie Adam (Blackpool) – Adam has become one of the Premier League’s hottest assets. Aston Villa tried to sign the Scotsman, Liverpool tried and even Spurs right at the depth tried. All these teams failed. After the offer from Liverpool in the middle of January, Adam handed in his transfer request. It was rejected, Liverpool and Spurs offered a substantial amount more, Blackpool continued to reject. The players family and agent were furious with Blackpool for not keeping their word over the handling of the Adam transfer. They have a right to angry, to be quite fair. Feel free to read my extended thoughts on Charlie Adam's tranfser saga - http://tiny.cc/eqegv
Runners up – Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man City), Third place - Alex Chamberlain (Southampton)

Best loan signing – Robbie Keane (Tottenham to West Ham) – This is an invaluable deal for West Ham. They need to get out of the relegation places, and Keane is a proven goal poacher. Expect Keane to help shoot West Ham out of trouble this season.
Runner up – David Bentley (Tottenham to Birmingham) Third place – Stephen Ireland (Aston Villa to Newcastle)

Best transfer activity by a Premier League side – Chelsea (Signed Fernando Torres & David Luiz) Chelsea have shown the world that they still have deep pockets. They broke English transfer record fee by signing Fernando Torres for £50 million. Chelsea have signed another world class centre forward. Who is proven to be lethal on the Premier League stage. Chelsea’s strike force will no doubt strike fear into their opponents and respected title rivals. While the £23 million acquisition of David Luiz is quality buy by Chelsea. The defender is versatile and dynamic. Expect a Chelsea resurgence. But will these signings help their European assault? Read more here http://tiny.cc/lvoi6
Runner up – Aston Villa (Signed Darren Bent, Jean Makoun, Kyle Walker and Michael Bradley) Third place – West Ham United (Signed Gary O’Neil, Wayne Bridge, Demba Ba and Robbie Keane.)
Worst transfer activity by a Premier League side – Arsenal – Arsene Wenger continuously said throughout January that he may look to get another centre back in due to the long term injury of Thomas Vermaelen. But Wenger didn’t feel like it. Arsenal were apparently in pole position to sign teenage sensation Alex Chamberlain and the youngster wanted to join Arsenal, but Arsenal failed to progress the transfer. Oh and not to mention, Arsenal failed to buy a goalkeeper again. And guess what, Lukasz Fabianski is out for the rest of the season..
Runners up – Everton, Third place – Newcastle United.