Transer Window Winners and Losers in the Premier League, Pt. 2

By: Daryl | February 1st, 2008

Transfer window closed We continue our Premier League January transfer window roundup by naming the winners and shaming the losers. Part One is here, Part Two is below, with the last ten alphabetical clubs listed, their January transfer activity summed up (just the highlights) and then a verdict on whether each team is a January winner or loser.

Castillo Mexico Man City - Sven got rid of Rolando Bianchi and Georgios Samaras wanted to bring in top quality strikers in January. He wanted a reliable goalscorer so Elano doesn’t have to get all City’s goals form midfield, but got the unpredictable Nery Castillo (pictured, loan), Filippo (son of Roberto) Mancini (also on loan) and paid £5.2m for 19-year-old Ecuadorian Felipe Caicedo. Any of those could come good, but after Sven’s impressive summer shopping we expected better. The only hope lies in Portsmouth’s Zimbabwean goal machine Mwaruwari Benjani, but seems the paperwork was bungled and it’s still not clear whether the deal went through in time.
Verdict: LOSERS (without Benjani) WINNERS (with Benjani)

Man Utd - Brought in Angolan superstar in waiting Manucho, and sent him out on loan to Panathinaikos pending work permit problems. So no changes to a pretty well balanced squad, and Fergie has held on to wantaway squad players like Wes Brown.
Verdict: WINNERS

Alfondo Alves Middlesbrough - Strengthened up front with Alfonso Alves (pictured, £12m) but lost out at the back with Jonathan Woodgate leaving for Spurs. But Boro’s squad clearly wasn’t up to scratch, so one in one out isn’t a big enough improvement. Holding onto Stewart Downing is a bonus, but when holding on to Stewart Downing is your biggest success then it hasn’t really been that good of a month.
Verdict: LOSERS (needed more)

Newcastle United - King Kev came in, and was expected to make big changes. But despite interest in all kinds of players (Jonathan Woodgate, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermain Defoe etc) they got a few players no one has ever heard of. And Dennis Wise. In a suit.
Verdict: LOSERS

Defoe Spurs to Portsmouth Portsmouth - Harry Redknapp is well know for his transfer savvy (though I’d argue that there’s more to the man than that.) He brought in Lassana Diarra (£5.5m), Milan Baros (loan), Jermain Defoe (pictued, £9m) and others, so has a stronger squad than he did in December ‘07. He also sent Djimi Traore out on loan, which has to be a good thing, and may have accidentally held on to Mwaruwari Benjani by failing to file the proper paperwork for his move to Man City.
Verdict: WINNERS

Reading - Needed some extra defenders, or at least some better ones. In the end shelled out for Czech midfielder Marek Matějovský (£1.4m) and Malian midfielder Jimmy Kebe on loan. Also hung on to suddenly in-demand Dave Kitson (who’s a bit like the ugly girl at school who returns for the new term and is suddenly gorgeous and popular.) But no defenders.
Verdict: LOSERS

Andy Reid Charlton Sunderland - Roy Keane’s transfer policy has been hit and miss so far. This January he’s continued the stick-with-what-you-know policy (Irishmen and Man Utd reserves) by signing Phil Bardsley (£2m) and Johnny Evans (loan) and Andy Reid (pictured, £4m,) but has also gone outside the comfort zone with Jean-Yves Mvoto (Paris St-Germain, undisclosed) and Rade Prica (Aalborg, £2m.) Either way it strengthens the Black Cats for the second half of the season.
Verdict: WINNERS

Tottenham Hotspur - Juande Ramos needed defenders, so that’s exactly what he went out and got. Jonathan Woodgate (£8m) will be a good central defensive signing if he can continue to stay fit, while the fullback positions are suddenly stacked with the likes of Alan Hutton (£8m), Chris Gunter (£3.5m), and Gilberto (£2m). Good work Juande.
Verdict: WINNERS

West Ham United - Though Alan Curbishley’s team aren’t quite up there with Man Utd and Arsenal, he still oversaw an overhaul in the summer and didn’t really go looking for any new faces in January. Also sent Christian Dailly back north of the border to Rangers, thereby decreasing the prospects of comedy defending at Upton Park.
Verdict: WINNERS

Wigan Athletic - Needed a striker to support Emile Heskey and Marcus Bent and a left back to fill the Leighton Baines shaped hole in defence. Erik Edman (£500,000) will do for now, Marlon King (£5m) will be useful up front (if a little overpriced) and Antonio Valencia’s move was finally made permanent.
Verdict: WINNERS (though it’s all relative)

Disagree with any of the verdicts? Tell us why.