January Transfer Window Roundup

And that’s a wrap!  As the January transfer window slams shut, the Premier League has seen the last dabblings of the 2015/16 season.  The squads are set, as both incoming and outgoing players look to make an impact for their new clubs.  For better or worse, this is your last look at some transfer analysis until June.

AFC Bournemouth

In:

Lewis Grabban (transfer, Norwich City)

Benik Afobe (transfer, Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Juan Iturbe (loan, AS Roma)

Marius Adamonis (loan, Atlantas Klaipeda)

Rhoys Wiggins (transfer, Sheffield Wednesday)

Out:

Jayden Stockley (loan, Exeter City)

Elliott Ward (transfer, Blackburn)

Yann Kermorgant (transfer, Reading)

Lee Tomlin (loan, Bristol City)

Alessandro Cannataro (released)

Tomas Andrade (released)

Baily Cargill (loan, Coventry City)

Probably the most shockingly successful in the January window has been newly-promoted AFC Bournemouth.  Grabban was one of the best forwards in the Championship, and a striker that Bournemouth had their eye on this time last season.  Iturbe is a renowned young talent that lost favor in Italy.  One of the best ways for the Argentinian wide-man to regain his confidence and form is to tear up the Premier League and keep Bournemouth afloat for next season.

Benik Afobe, thought to be more of a squad player until he gained some top-tier experience, has been an integral part of the side since his arrival.  Having already scored two goals, Afobe and the Cherries alike will surely hope that form continues through February.  The next month or so will be crucial to Bournemouth’s chances of staying up.

Bournemouth have also added Lithuanian goalkeeper Marius Adamonis, whose youth offers the prediction that this signing is one for the future.  Rhoys Wiggings was another that joined late into the deadline day madhouse to support the back line from the left-back position.

Also late in the month have been some transfers out, including fringe players Elliott Ward and Yann Kermorgant.  Young Jayden Stockley and small-time squad player Lee Tomlin go out on loan for the remainder of the season.  Cargill was sent away as well with only minutes to go in the transfer window.

Arsenal

In:

Mohamed Elneny (transfer, FC Basel)

Out:

Gedion Zelalem (loan extension, Rangers)

Glen Kamara (loan, Southend United)

Mathieu Debuchy (loan, Girondins Bordeaux)

Yaya Sanogo (loan, Charlton Athletic)

Little done for the Gunners, but their first dip into the window was a crucial squad move.  Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta aren’t awful, but an upgrade in their position has been needed.  Though Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla have both returned from injury, purchasing a squad player that can grow into the first XI would be a good thing for Arsene Wenger.  Elneny impressed scouts for both Arsenal and former club FC Basel by functioning as the crux for possession as well as transition play.  Always the first to drop after his side loses the ball and the first to make an intelligent offensive move after winning it back, Elneny could be a wonderful January signing for the Gunners.  Based on his cup appearance, the Egyptian also likes a shot.

Debuchy, who was forced to the sidelines due to both injury and the emergence of Hector Bellerin at right-back.  Though he admitted he wanted to stay in England, perhaps a move back to his home country will help him regain his form.  If his hopes are to play in Euro 16, it’ll desperately be necessary.

In smaller news, Gedion Zelalem had his loan extended with Rangers and Glen Kamara was sent to Southend United for some first-team experience.  Sanogo, often loaned around the develop his game, is sent to Charlton for the remainder of the season.

Aston Villa

In:

–

Out:

Callum Robinson (loan, Preston North End)

Jed Steer (loan, Huddersfield Town)

Joe Cole (free, Coventry City)

Tiago Ilori (recalled from loan, Liverpool)

Gary Gardner (loan, Nottingham Forest)

Joe Bennett (loan, Sheffield Wednesday)

Jose Angel Crespo (loan, Rayo Vallecano)

Phillippe Senderos (free, Grasshoppers)

The Villans have spent the entirety of their transfer window offloading some deadwood as well as some youngsters.  After their huge summer spending spree with the influx of TV money, this was to be expected from Aston Villa.  Senderos and Joe Cole go on free transfers after being released by the administration, and the remaining players are largely youth team footballers that could use the experience out on loan.

Chelsea

In:

Alexandre Pato (loan, Corinthians)

Matt Miazga (transfer, New York Red Bulls)

Out:

Ramires (transfer, Jiangsu Suning)

Papy Djilobodji (loan, Werder Bremen)

Alex Kiwomya (loan, Fleetwood)

Charly Musonda (loan, Real Betis)

Patrick Bamford (loan, Norwich)

Christian Atsu (loan, Malaga)

Mitchell Beeney (loan, Newport)

Wallace (loan, Gremio)

van Ginkel (loan, PSV Eindhoven)

There’s been a strong increase in business done by Chelsea since the last time of writing.  A little less on the import of players, but again, the side still has plenty of quality.  With Diego Costa fighting injury and poor form, bringing in Pato could be a quick fix.  The 6-month loan deal could give the Brazilian the revitalization to his career that he must have been dying for since leaving A.C. Milan.  Miazga, who was a staple and widely-favoured young American for the Red Bulls, will come in hoping to make an impact on an aging Chelsea defense.  Looking forward, a Zouma-Miazga partnership would be a sight to see.

As usual with Chelsea, there has been quite a few done deals in terms of loaning youth players out to prove themselves elsewhere.  Young goalkeeper Wallace was the first to go, but Djilobodji, Kiwomya, Musonda, Atsu, and Bamford all follow with the hopes of coming back in the summer and delighting whichever manager is running the club at that time.  The sale of Ramires, the lone transfer of the window, was both a good and bad decision – good for the money, which amounted to £25 million, but poor for the squad depth.

Crystal Palace

In:

Emmanuel Adebayor (free)

Randall Williams (transfer, Tower Hamlets)

Out:

Jake Gray (loan, Huddersfield Town)

Jack Hunt (transfer, Sheffield Wednesday)

Jonny Williams (loan, MK Dons)

Jerome Binnon-Williams (loan, Leyton Orient)

Crystal Palace made some moves late in the window.  Having some trouble scoring goals in January, Pardew and the Palace administration are giving Adebayor a chance to come back to the Premier League and show that he’s still got goalscoring ability when leading the line.  A bit of a risky choice, but considering the money spent in the summer, at least it’s a relatively cheap one.  Speaking of risky, they’ve also brought in young Williams from non-league Tower Hamlets, who had previously been on trial with the club.  Though he must have made some impression on the coaching staff, the 19-year-old will have to continue to impress if he’d like to stay beyond his short-term contract.

Out on loan are Binnom-Williams, Gray and Jonny Williams, all young players from the academy.  Williams, previously on loan with Nottingham Forest, didn’t quite make the cut in the Championship.  Instead, he was recalled back on 3 January and sent to lower league side MK Dons.  Jack Hunt, one of the first moves Palace made this past window, was transferred to Sheffield Wednesday.

The last move by Chelsea of the January window was sending Marco van Ginkel, who had been performing well enough for Stoke, to Holland for more consistent playing time.  With the purchase of a particular defensive midfielder, van Ginkel might have received less minutes than Chelsea might have liked.

Next five clubs are on the next page (buttons below)