Halfway Through: The Transfer Hits

By: chris | December 31st, 2007

After checking out some of the swing and misses on Friday, it’s time to look at some of the transfers which have made suits look like geniuses over the first half of the season.

Fernando Torres

Atletico got, what, the GDP of Latvia for his services? Well, ask any Red fan and they’ll tell you to a man it was worth every damn penny, maybe a couple more. After Fernando Morientes left them wanting for more – much more – El Nino has come in just like his name indicates and taken the Prem by storm, scoring boatloads of goals with 15 in all competitions. More of the same will see him rocketing up the list of The 100 Players Who Shook The Kop next time around.

Luca Toni & Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)

The duo has cooled off in the league as of late (at least one of them is blaming the weather), but they both got off to a torrid start and sparked Bayern’s early meteoric rise to the top of the table. They’re still there, albeit with somebody in the passenger seat, but it doesn’t change the fact that these two have been pretty effective, including Luca’s 15 goals in 20 games in all competitions. And no, Olli Kahn did not serve as a consultant for this list.

* – Miroslav Klose is feeling left out. He should be on this list too. I think it’s fair to say Bayern had a pretty decent summer, and damn well they should have after spending a kajillion euros.

Alexandre Pato (Milan)

With all the suckitude Milan has been displaying at the top of the Christmas tree in Serie A this season, the constant reaction/reply has been “we’re waiting for ~~Jesus Christ of Nazareth~~ Alexandre Pato”. So while he hasn’t even been able to step onto the pitch yet, he’s at least being used as an excuse by Silvio, Carletto and Uncle Fester at the moment. Going so far as saying he’ll score 30…in the spring. Hope springs eternal, even delusional hope. That’s got to be a success in itself, right? We’ll get back to you in June….of 2010.

Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn)

After having the imprint of Bayern Munich’s bench permanently tattooed onto his ass over the course of the last few years, RSC has finally begun to display that much ballyhooed talent we’ve all been hearing so damn much about since the last millenium. Last 5 games, 8 goals for all of £3.5m. That’s some serious bang for your buck right there.

Juan (Roma)

5 months ago the only two teams knocking on his door were Roma and Sevilla. The Spaniards passed, he wound up in Rome, and he’s now bossing Serie A for all of €6.3m; and most importantly, making nobody in the eternal city miss that Chivu guy. That’s like 8 birds with one clearance-priced stone.

Oleksandr Hladky (Shakhtar Donetsk)

The New Sheva is all of 20 years old, has been with his new club 16 games and scored 12 goals. Methinks he’s not going to be in Ukraine for long.

Scott McDonald (Celtic)

£700,000, 14 goals. Nuff said?

Marek Hamsik & Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli)

How Napoli poached these two gems for a combined €11.5m will be slotted in between “Who was the second gunman on the Grassy Knoll?” and “How the @#$% does Jimmy Johnson get his hair to mimic concrete?” on the list of life’s greatest mysteries. Especially Lavezzi, who has become the 9,473rd re-birth of Maradona. (I’m guessing it has absolutely nothing to do with being a short Argentine with long hair wearing Napoli baby blue who has had some troubles with alcohol already. Nope, nothing whatsoever.)

Elano (Man City)

Man City is somehow pushing for a Champions League spot, threatening the Big Four, and he is a huge reason why. In hindsight, I’m sure Sven would’ve paid double his £8m fee.

Giuseppe Rossi (Villareal)

Last season: Mired in the ManYoo reserves, Newcastle shirt left collecting dust on the pine, then he (and The Tinkerman) spearheads Parma’s run to safety with 9 goals. So how does Sir Alex thank him? Ships him off to Spain in lieu of Portuguese speaking attackers rather than the Italian variety. And how does Beppe thank Ale’? 7 goals in La Liga while missing roughly 6 weeks through injury. His agent says nobody in Serie A wanted him. Maybe it’s just that nobody wanted ManYoo’s buyback clause? (I wonder if they can buy him back in January.)

Gareth Bale (Spurs)

This one is more for the future, but he looks to be every bit of the real deal.

This one’s tough as there are plenty which aren’t so easily available to the eye, or mind, without watching every league week in, week out. So there are surely some names deserving of a spot on this list which are watching from home.