Transfer Deadline Day, especially in January, is always something of a roll of the roulette wheel. Clubs could acquire a midseason signing that completely transforms the second half of the campaign, they could end up paying well over the odds for a mediocre player or they could hit double zero and end Deadline Day empty-handed.
With such high stakes on the line and untold fortunes being bandied about, every Deadline Day inevitably has its own winners and losers. Football FanCast take a look at who fell into which category in the Premier League…
Winners – Arsenal
After begrudgingly parting with Alexis Sanchez, Deadline Day couldn’t have gone much better for Arsenal. Not only did they pull off a club-record swoop for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Mesut Ozil reportedly signed a new contract prior to the Gabon striker’s arrival – ending any chance of him following Sanchez out of the Emirates Stadium during the summer transfer window.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan included, Arsenal have revolutionised their forward line in a matter of weeks. And if we include Ozil, Arsenal have secured the immediate futures of three top-quality players – the calibre of which usually isn’t available in January.
Losers – West Ham
There was plenty of work to be done for West Ham on Deadline Day, but deals for Ibrahim Amadou, Leander Dendoncker and Feder Smolov failed to materialise and the Hammers were eventually forced to settle for Preston North End’s Jordan Hugill – a rather speculate addition considering the 25-year-old forward has scored just eight goals in his last 27 Championship appearances. Although the addition of Joao Mario earlier in the window softens the blow, David Moyes must still contend with an injury-stricken squad for the next few weeks.
On top of that, the club now find themselves amid something of a racism scandal, suspending Director of Football Tony Henry after allegedly telling agents the club didn’t want to sign any more African players because they ’cause mayhem’ and can have ‘bad attitudes’.
Loser – Riyad Mahrez
For the second transfer window in a row, Riyad Mahrez retreated to an unknown location hoping he’d be allowed to leave Leicester City for a major club. But just as the Foxes snubbed Roma’s advances during the summer, the former Premier League champions turned down a player-plus-cash offer believed to be worth £65million from Manchester City.
It remains to be seen how the Algerian international has taken the news but reports on Deadline Day claimed his efforts to push through a transfer had left several team-mates feeling ‘angry and let down’. A few bridges need to be rebuilt in the east Midlands and a defeat to Everton yesterday evening gave a glimpse into Leicester’s future without their talismanic winger.
Winner – Antonio Conte
Arsenal may have signed one of the most potent goalscorers in Europe but it was arguably Chelsea who came out on top in a striker merry-go-round also featuring Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud. As the suppliers of Aubameyang’s replacement at Dortmund, the Blues essentially held all the cards and they used that leverage to drastically reduce Arsenal’s asking price for the France international.
The Gunners initially wanted £35million but Chelsea ended up paying around half that sum for a striker who perfectly suits the template of what Antonio Conte wanted this month – an old-fashioned centre-forward who can provide a physical foothold in the final third. At the same time, the Italian offloaded a striker in Batshuayi who has caused him relentless frustration this season and finally acquired an understudy to Marcos Alonso – Emerson Palmieri. Unfortunately though, all that impressive business was overshadowed by a shock 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
Loser – Jonny Evans
Former Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has been tipped for a return to the top end of the Premier League since last summer and was once again linked with Arsenal and Manchester City heading into Deadline Day. But the Citizens signed Aymeric Laporte in a club-record deal instead on Tuesday, while Arsenal saw a late bid yesterday evening rejected because it was far below West Brom’s asking price – it’s alleged the big-money deal for Aubameyang affected their capacity to further spend.
The Northern Ireland international could leave for just £3million due to a release clause if the Baggies are relegated. But aged 30 and not exactly a modern style of defender, you have to wonder whether clubs of that calibre will come calling again.
Winners – Tottenham
Tottenham have been crying out for a player who can provide them width and pace in attack and former PSG man Lucas Moura would certainly fall into that bracket. The Brazilian international scored 19 goals across all competitions last season and has only been pushed out of the starting XI this term by the summer arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in two of football’s most expensive transfers of all time.
Furthermore, in stark comparison to those deals, some typical Deadline Day shrewdness from Daniel Levy saw Tottenham pick up the 25-year-old for just £23million. That could prove to be a real steal a few years down the line.
Losers – Southampton
Without a Premier League win since November, a draw at home to a Brighton side in equally dire straits only compounded concerns at St. Mary’s after a quiet Deadline Day from Southampton. Although Saints signed Guido Carrillo earlier in the window to add some much-needed firepower to a squad that has averaged just a goal per game in the Premier League this season, there’s a feeling that more signings were needed to change the balance of a team lacking any real dynamism on the counter-attack.
Quincy Promes was the perfect remedy to that but CSKA refused to sell because they couldn’t find a replacement before the deadline. Saints hope to rekindle the deal in the summer, but by that point they could well be preparing for Championship football.
Winners – Swansea City
The good momentum gained by shock wins over Liverpool and Arsenal seeped into Deadline Day at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea’s late additions were certainly closer to sardine than lobster on the seafood spectrum but the important thing is that they’ve got bodies through the door to bolster what is undoubtedly the weakest squad in the Premier League.
Furthermore, both of those proverbial fish come with proven credentials in the top flight. Andy King, a hardworking midfielder with an eye for goal, is a former title winner with Leicester City and Andre Ayew returns to the club where he scored 12 times in 34 appearances throughout the 2015/16 season. If Carlos Carvalhal can rekindle that form in the £18million signing, he could well be the final piece of the jigsaw in pulling off a great escape in South Wales.
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