extracted from soccernet.
Updated: Feb. 1, 2006
Through the closed windowNorman Hubbard
Archive
Arsenal
Theo Walcott: Signing continues Wenger's theme of looking to the
future.In: Abou Diaby (Auxerre, £3.5 million), Emanuel Adebayor
(Monaco, £7 million), Theo Walcott (Southampton, £5 million rising
to £12 million), Mart Poom (Sunderland, free)
Out: David Bentley (Blackburn, undisclosed), Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
(Spartak Moscow, undisclosed), Jeremie Aliadiare (Wolves,
loan)
Arsene Wenger and spending spree are rarely found in the same
sentence, especially in January. Nonetheless, the Arsenal manager
made three signings in six days which could cost the club £22
million.
Abou Diaby's physical stature - if not his callow performances -
fill the void Patrick Vieira left.
Theo Walcott and Emanuel Adebayor add to his attacking options, but
it is notable that, despite Arsenal's defensive difficulties,
Wenger opted against any additions at the back.
Poom apart, his signings are made with a typical concern for the
long term, but with the need to guarantee Champions League football
in the first season at Ashburton Grove, should Wenger have
prioritised the present?
Aston Villa
In: None
Out: Eirik Bakke (Leeds, end of loan), Stefan Postma (Wolves,
free), Wayne Henderson (Brighton, £35,000)
Eirik Bakke's significance lies less in his ability as a combative
midfielder than as an indication of Doug Ellis' mood and Aston
Villa's finances.
David O'Leary's continual refrain was that, while he lacked the
budget for new buys, he hoped to extend Bakke's loan from Leeds.
Ellis scotched that, leaving O'Leary with one of the smaller squads
in the Premiership. At least the unsettled Lee Hendrie and the
transfer-listed Mark Delaney did not reduce the playing staff still
further by leaving.
And in the same month when Villa were mentioned in conjunction with
David Beckham; there would have been so much more to report if the
fake sheikh was in charge...
Birmingham City
In: Chris Sutton (Celtic, free), Martin Latka (Slavia Prague,
loan), DJ Campbell (Brentford, £500,000)
Out: Walter Pandiani (Espanyol, £1 million), Njazi Kuqi (Blackpool,
loan), Andrew Barrowman (Walsall, free)
A belated reminder of the qualities of his squad seemed to have
stifled Steve Bruce. The Birmingham boss initially talked of making
three buys, but the return to fitness and form of some of his
underachievers coincided with a revival in their home form.
So his major signing involved a striking upgrade; out, at a £2
million loss, went Walter Pandiani, who scored against Liverpool
and Manchester United but no-one else; in came Chris Sutton, yet to
score but already central to Birmingham's gameplan. In a matter of
weeks, he has already shown the catalytic qualities Christophe
Dugarry displayed to save Birmingham from relegation three seasons
ago.
Indeed, defensive injuries mean Bruce could benefit from two
Suttons; instead, Czech Martin Latka is the late, and short-term
addition to his back four while Brentford's FA Cup hero DJ Campbell
represents a late impulse buy. Bruce finally got his three
arrivals.
Blackburn Rovers
In: David Bentley (Arsenal, undisclosed), Florent Sinama-Pongolle
(Liverpool, loan), Martin Olsson (Hogaborgs, nominal fee)
Out: Matt Jansen (Bolton, free), David Thompson (Wigan, free),
Garry Flitcroft (Sheffield United, free), Andy Taylor (QPR,
loan)
With a minimum of fuss, Mark Hughes has quietly disposed of three
fringe players; it is testament to the consistency of a small squad
that none got much of a look-in.
The one position where he sought to strengthen was in attack where
Paul Dickov's shoulder injury and Craig Bellamy's stop-start season
have increased their reliance on the game but limited Shefki
Kuqi.
Teddy Sheringham was one target; but a deadline-day double deal
made David Bentley's loan deal permanent and introduced Liverpool's
speedy striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle. But Bellamy's fragile
fitness remains crucial.
Bolton Wanderers
Allardyce: Cashflow kept him unusually quiet for a transfer window
period.
In: Matt Jansen (Blackburn, free), Oscar Perez (Cordoba,
free)
Out: Martin Djetou (released), Fabrice Fernandes (released).
A traditional conclusion to January involves Sam Allardyce
frantically faxing the FA with details of his three last-minute
recruits. Not this year.
To some, that is a sign of progress; Bolton no longer need
relegation firefighters. For others, however, it is indicative of
insufficient resources being made available to Allardyce. Captain
Kevin Nolan's call for the board to finance his spending was not
heeded.
The return of the quartet at the African Nations Cup will alleviate
a lack of numbers, Oscar Perez provides cover for the injured Ivan
Campo and Matt Jansen's versatility provides cover in the three
attacking positions, but should Bolton just miss out on a Champions
League place they could regret their caution.
Charlton Athletic
In: Marcus Bent (Everton, £2.5 million)
Out: Dean Kiely (Portsmouth, £750,000), Danny Murphy (Tottenham, £2
million), Jonatan Johansson (Norwich, loan)
Alan Curbishley has doubled his Bent quotient and, like Darren
before him, Marcus made an immediate impact with a debut equaliser
at Chelsea. With five former Ipswich players in his side,
Curbishley may not limit his scouting trips to Portman Road in the
future.
Danny Murphy's descent from automatic choice to fringe player was
completed by his late move to Tottenham, removing some of the craft
from one of the bigger squads in the division.
Dean Kiely's departure hardly came as a surprise but, after trying
three goalkeepers already this season, it was widely anticipated
that the Charlton manager would sign a fourth. He hasn't but the
names at the top of his summer shopping list could include Robert
Green; consistent clean sheets have eluded Charlton since that
excellent start to the season.
Chelsea
In: Maniche (Dynamo Moscow, loan)
Out: Wayne Bridge (Fulham, loan)
The solitary flaw in Jose Mourinho's theory of two players per
position always appeared to lie in midfield. Being reunited with
Maniche should provide the remedy and, if the Portuguese is unable
to show the stellar form of his Porto days, Mourinho's
try-before-you-buy agreement means he will not prove costly.
Wayne Bridge's star has waned to the extent that he is now third
choice left-back; William Gallas' versatility means the England man
can be allowed to leave on loan.
Everton
In: Alan Stubbs (Sunderland, free)
Out: Marcus Bent (Charlton, £2.5 million), Per Kroldrup
(Fiorentina, £3 million)
The sequence of four successive wins, meaning that the threat of
relegation has receded, removed the element of panic-buying
associated with desperate managers.
Everton, after rediscovering their form of last season, recaptured
the reliable Alan Stubbs while preserving the proceeds of Per
Kroldrup's move for the summer.
A £2 million loss on the lesser-spotted Danish defender was,
however, an admission of failure and after Marcus Bent's move and
the failure to sign Nicolas Anelka, among others, Moyes looks a
striker light for the rest of the season. But surely reports of a
move for Robbie Fowler were far fetched?
Fulham
Wayne Bridge: Now visible in his search for a World Cup
place.
In: Simon Elliott (Columbus Crew, free), Antti Niemi (Southampton,
£1 million), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea, loan), Michael Brown
(Tottenham, undisclosed)
Out: Liam Fontaine, Adam Green (both Bristol City, loan), Zesh
Rehman (Norwich, loan)
Few have as much to show for their January work as Chris Coleman,
despite limited outlay. Benefitting from Jose Mourinho's trust, the
Fulham manager has borrowed Wayne Bridge and reunited him with
Antti Niemi, regularly among the Premiership's top five keepers and
available cheaply once Southampton's prospects of promotion
disappeared.
Enterprising in attack, Fulham's defence has been porous at times,
but that could change. The combative Michael Brown joins a midfield
marked by a spiky streak but with a willingness to play attacking
football.
Simon Elliott, the fourth addition, is a product of Coleman's
scouting in MLS. The Welshman is one of the few to tap in to the
American market; perhaps he is looking to add Craven Cottage to
Harrods on the tourist trail.
Liverpool
In: Jan Kromkamp (Villarreal, swap), Daniel Agger (Brondby, £5.8
million), David Martin (MK Dons, undisclosed fee), Paul Anderson
(Hull, swap), Robbie Fowler (Manchester City, free)
Out: Josemi (Villarreal, swap), John Welsh (Hull, swap), Florent
Sinama-Pongolle (Blackburn, loan), David Raven (Blackpool, loan),
Mark Gonzalez (Real Sociedad, loan)
Rafael Benitez, we thought, was predictable. Not in his team
selections, or his substitutions, but in the transfer market.
Signings centred on Spain, much as long balls are aimed at Peter
Crouch.
So what, then, is Robbie Fowler's homecoming - an inspired gamble,
a rare show of nostalgia from Benitez or a public rebuke for more
profligate strikers?
Elsewhere, he has concluded his lengthy search for a central
defender (Daniel Agger, kept under wraps so far) and appears to
have got the better part of a swap deal with Villarreal, trading
the ineffective Josemi for Jan Kromkamp.
But whoever Benitez targets in the summer, the focus will be on
Fowler when his short-term deal expires.
Manchester City
In: Albert Riera (Espanyol, loan), Georgios Samaras (Heerenveen,
£6million), Matthew Mills (Southampton, undisclosed)
Out: Robbie Fowler (Liverpool, free), Jonathan D'Laryea (Mansfield,
nominal fee)
The Premiership is preoccupied with the search for a new Vieira.
Stuart Pearce took the rhyming option and added a Riera. The
consequences may be felt most by Kiki Musampa after the arrival of
another left winger on loan from Spain. Riera has been quickly
acquainted with the reality of City - uplifting derby victory
followed, almost inevitably, by drab defeat.
Robbie Fowler bowed out with a salute to Manchester United fans;
Pearce seemingly prefers pace in attack. In his place, some of the
Shaun Wright-Phillips revenue has been spent on Heerenveen's
Georgios Samaras, though, with Pearce forced to virtually double
his bid to secure the Greek, an early example of his ability would
be timely.
One talented youngster - centre back Matthew Mills - was secured,
but his arrival was overshadowed by Joey Barton's sudden wantaway
tendency and an unsuccessful attempt to borrow Wright-Phillips. The
midfielder, however, remains in Manchester, the winger in
London.
Manchester United
Keane: No replacement found. The saga continues at OT.
In: Nemanja Vidic (Spartak Moscow, £7 million), Patrice Evra
(Monaco, £5.5 million)
Out: David Bellion (Nice, loan), Sylvain Ebanks-Blake (Royal
Antwerp, loan), David Jones (NEC Nijmegan, loan)
For a manager who has often professed a dislike of mid-season
spending, Sir Alex Ferguson has been active, and wishes he could
have increased his outlay.
The arrivals of Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, besides yielding an
uncompromising centre-half and speedy left back, may have rid the
defence of complacency, with greater competition for places.
But injuries to Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and John O'Shea
accelerated his hunt for a midfielder; had any been signed, the
newcomer would have been burdened by comparisons to Roy
Keane.
But an approach for AC Milan's Johan Vogel failed, and the search
will resume in the summer. The sight of a striker and a centre back
paired at the heart of midfield at Wolves was both an indictment of
previous buys and an indication of the urgency of finding Keane's
replacement in the summer.
Middlesbrough
In: None
Out: Szilard Nemeth (Strasbourg, nominal fee), Abel Xavier
(released)
Trapped by the footballing equivalent of negative equity, Steve
McClaren is stuck with what he has. Attempts to shift his big
earners have failed, and now the Middlesbrough manager has a
coterie of disgruntled players in his squad.
Ugo Ehiogu agreed to join West Brom only for injury-hit
Middlesbrough to veto the move while Steve Gibson's demands that
McClaren sell before be buys, together with the failure of a late
bid for Joey Barton, precluded any arrivals.
On the plus side, at least the sacking of Abel Xavier will mean he
no longer needs to wear sunglasses on the training ground.
Newcastle United
In: None
Out: Laurent Robert (Benfica, free)
Graeme Souness has had his gold credit card cut up. Without a
budget to buy, he made the most optimistic of approaches for
Nicolas Anelka - lacking only a transfer fee. But no signings do
not mean it has been a quiet month on Tyneside.
Instead of arrivals, Newcastle have had scarcely-veiled verbal
sparring between chairman - conscious of a £50 million outlay - and
manager, unable to swing the proverbial cat in the vicinity of the
treatment table lest he decapitate Kieron Dyer.
The presumption is that Newcastle would rather extend their
overdraft to fund their next manager and not the current
incumbent.
Portsmouth
Loanee Wayne Routledge will get a chance to put his best foot
forward at Pompey.
In: Benjani (Auxerre, £4.1 million), Emmanuel Olisadebe
(Panathinaikos, undisclosed), Pedro Mendes, Sean Davis, Noe Pamarot
(all Tottenham, combined cost £7 million), Wayne Routledge
(Tottenham, loan), Dean Kiely (Charlton, £750,000), Ognijen Koroman
(Terek Groznyi, loan), Andres D'Alessandro (Wolfsburg, loan)
Out: Laurent Robert (end of loan), John Viafara (Real Sociedad,
loan)
If a computer dating programme never matched Harry Redknapp with a
wealthy Russian, it is a wonder. Redknapp, rapidly revisiting his
estimate of players required upwards during the month, has enjoyed
spending Alexandre Gaydamak's money, though Portsmouth's
predicament has restricted him.
Porto's Benni McCarthy rejected a move to a club with 'no
ambitions' while the Celtic pair of Chris Sutton and John Hartson
both declined the chance to become the third striker signed in
January alone. But Redknapp responded in typical fashion to coach
Joe Jordan's suggestion that eight additions were needed. He got
nine.
Benjani is a club record buy, Wayne Routledge rectifies a lack of
right-sided players while the other former Tottenham trio
strengthen the spine of the side and the dependable Dean Kiely has
displaced those bought by Velimir Zajec and Alain Perrin in
goal.
Perhaps the most interesting signing of all is Andres D'Alessandro,
a latent talent eyeing the World Cup and signed by the man who
revived Paolo di Canio's career. But while Redknapp has recruited
extensively - and still laments the 14 that got away - Portsmouth's
results have taken a turn for the worse.
Perhaps buying the players was the easy bit.
Sunderland
In: Kevin Smith (Leeds, free), Rory Delap (Southampton, free)
Out: Mart Poom (Arsenal, free), Alan Stubbs (Everton, free), Carl
Robinson (Norwich, £50,000)
Such is Sunderland's predicament that January, usually a
last-chance saloon for the relegation-threatened, is less of a
concern than detoxing for the Championship.
Hence just two low-profile additions; Leeds reserve Kevin Smith and
Rory Delap, the Southampton squad player who is the replacement for
Carl Robinson. while the experienced Alan Stubbs' return to Everton
allows Mick McCarthy to give his younger defenders a greater taste
of the Premiership.
The summer, when the vultures may come calling for Julio Arca or
Dean Whitehead, may prove the pivotal transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur
In: Danny Murphy (Charlton, £2 million), Hossam Ghaly (Feyenoord,
undisclosed)
Out: Pedro Mendes, Sean Davis, Noe Pamarot (all Portsmouth,
combined cost £7 million), Philip Ifil (Millwall, loan), Reto
Ziegler (Wigan, loan), Wayne Routledge (Portsmouth, loan), Michael
Brown (Fulham, undisclosed fee)
Having accumulated 12 midfielders, it was evident that a little
pruning of Spurs' squad was in order. Aided by Portsmouth's
new-found largesse, Martin Jol now has a trimmer squad and a bigger
budget.
Danny Murphy, who almost joined Spurs instead of Charlton, finally
makes the move to White Hart Lane and offers the versatility and
technique to fit into any of Jol's many midfield
permutations.
Hossam Ghaly, signed from Feyenoord, is the other new face in the
centre of the pitch but the failure of the bid for Jonathan Zebina
means the defence is unchanged.
But Mido's absence in Africa showed Spurs' reliance on the Egyptian
to provide an aerial option in attack and Jol's inability to add
another striker to strengthen their push for a Champions League
place may have been his major regret when the window shut.
West Bromwich Albion
In: Williams Martinez (Defensor, loan), Nigel Quashie (Southampton,
undisclosed)
Out: Darren Moore (Derby, £500,000), Riccardo Scimeca (Cardiff,
free), Rob Earnshaw (Norwich, £2.75 million), Lloyd Dyer (Millwall,
free)
As a player, Bryan Robson was noted for the timing of his arrival
in the penalty box.
As a manager, he just beat the transfer deadline to secure the
signing of the forceful Nigel Quashie, a belated triumph in a cruel
month.
Because West Brom have haemorrhaged players, even though none were
considered a first choice by their manager, while there has only
been one other addition.
That Ugo Ehiogu's on-off transfer resulted in the centre back
remaining at the Riverside was a particular frustration. Robert
Earnshaw's goals saved West Brom from relegation last year, but
there will be no repeat after Robson sold the reserve to
Norwich
West Ham United
Dean Ashton: A heavy gamble at £7million
In: Dean Ashton (Norwich City, £7.25 million), Yaniv Katan (Maccabi
Haifa, £100,000), Lionel Scaloni (Deportivo la Coruna, loan)
Out: David Bellion (end of loan), Moses Ashikodi (Rangers, free),
Tomas Repka (Sparta Prague, free)
Few would have imagined that Tomas Repka would prove irreplaceable.
He nearly did, though; the search for a replacement for the
widely-derided and homeward-bound right back was fruitless until,
in the closing minutes of the window, Deportivo la Coruna's
Argentine defender Lionel Scaloni squeezed through.
In attack, however, Alan Pardew now has five forwards and still
repelled Spurs' inquiry about Teddy Sheringham. That even his board
wondered if he paid over the odds for Dean Ashton, however, means
West Ham's record buy has to vindicate his manager's
judgment.
Wigan Athletic
In: David Thompson (Blackburn, free), Neil Mellor (Liverpool,
loan), Reto Ziegler (Tottenham, loan), Paul Scharner (Brann Bergen,
£2 million)
Out: None
Paul Jewell could be forgiven for thinking he has the Midas touch;
for three signings to score debut goals within a month is a
remarkable success rate.
It also brought welcome options to a small and injury-hit squad.
Scharner, the giant Austrian, has already made his presence felt in
both the centre of defence and midfield while the versatile
Thompson's combination of competitiveness and incisive passing
makes him well-suited to Wigan.
After also recruiting Henri Camara, Arjan de Zeeuw and Pascal
Chimbonda in the summer, Jewell should expect calls from his peers
looking for a few tips.
