As we make our way through the January transfer window we review 2 of the best January transfers and 2 of the most unsuccessful.
The best January transfer window signings and the worst
The January transfer window is upon us and managers are either trying to fix gaps in their squad through injury like Pepe Reina to cover for Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton who’s out for the season or add a player to provide depth for the competitions ahead
History shows that getting signings right in the transfer window relies on luck similar to who you would need for free bingo games to play. Here’s some where a lucky number came up and some that didn’t.
2 of the best
Luis Suarez – Ajax to Liverpool £22.7m 2011
This name will instantly put a smile on the face of fantasy premier league managers. The Urugyuan striker now at Barcelona arrived at Liverpool in January 2011 signed by Kenny Dalgleish after scoring 111 goals plus 68 assists in 159 matches for Ajax. That incredible record however was no guarantee due to the very different level of competition in the Eredivise and the different levels of success that various imports had managed.
His first season was a relative success with 4 goals and 5 assists in 13 appearances at around a goal or assist every game. However after that he exploded for Liverpool with 82 goals and 47 assists in 133 appearances becoming a virtual perma captain in fantasy premier league.
2. Nemanja Vidic – Spartak Moscow to Manchester United £7m in 2006
It’s hard not to laud the genius of Alex Ferguson which is something that grows further and further with the continued stutterings of the current side and managers that have gone before the beleaguered Solskajer.
The transfer of the Serbian Centre Back was yet another example of his ability in the transfer market.
Vidic went on to be play 300 games for Manchester United and win five Premier League titles, one Champions League, three League Cups and a Club World Cup. In those 300 games he scored and incredible 21 goals. His clean sheet record was even more incredible. In 211 premier league appearances he amassed an astonishing 95 clean sheets.
2 of the Worst
1. Andrej Kramaric, Rijeka to Leicester, £9.7m in 2015
Now if you thought that transfers from the Eredivise come with risk. The Croatian League is even more of an unknown in terms of adaptability. However when you come from that league as like the striker did with 55 goals and 7 assists in 64 appearances you at least know where the net is.
However his January transfer was a disaster with 6 starts and 7 sub appearances netting single goal. The following season he made 2 appearances for just 22 minutes before being shipped off to Hoffenheinm where he has had a relatively successful career to date with 138 appearances resulting in 64 goals and 28 assists.
2. Oumar Niasse, Lokomotiv Moscow to Everton, £13.5m 2016
It’s hard to imagine many worse transfers than one that involves just 2 starts and 3 sub appearances in the 15 available games between signing and the end of the season. Those 142 minutes for the striker involved no goals or assists. Again he was relatively successful with Lokomotive with 19 goals and 14 assists in 42 appearances. Incredible he is still at Everton although he did have 2 unsuccessful loan spells with Hull and Cardiff.
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