For the past month, we’ve been more consumed with Euros, pounds, dollars, speculation, gossip, rumors, transfer fees, speculation and medicals than the actual game itself. Yes, the January transfer window, typically lacking in major activity and big news, was action packed with very substantial deals in 2018.
With the January transfer window having closed yesterday, let’s take a look at how some of the big clubs did, and analyze the most significant deals. In this article, we take a look at two London clubs, who accomplished a lot this January transfer window, but weren’t exactly outstanding. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur did much better than average transfer business this past month, but there are certainly some nits to pick.
Chelsea January Transfer Window (list courtesy of NBC Sports)
Inbound
Ross Barkley (Everton)
Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)
Emerson Palmieri (Roma)
Outbound
Michy Batshuayi (Borussia Dortmund) Loan
Jake Clarke-Salter (Sunderland) Loan
Jordan Houghton (Doncaster Rovers) Loan extension
Todd Kane (Oxford United) Loan
Kenedy (Newcastle) Loan
Charly Musonda Jr (Celtic) Loan
Baba Rahman (Schalke) Loan
Ike Ugbo (MK Dons) Loan
Given what manager Antonio Conte has had to say about recruitment, it almost sounds like he’s asking to be sacked at this point. Maybe it’s just mind games as he actually accomplished a pretty decent window, which ended with Olivier Giroud arriving from rivals Arsenal on Deadline Day.
Ross Barkley may not be what he once was, but at that low price, it’s worth taking a flier on him, and finally bringing closure to the bizarre situation from the summer. Emerson Palmeri is an underrated signing. Over time, it’s a signing that will age well. The Blues certainly strengthened their squad this Janury, with Michy Batshuayi going out on loan the only significant departure.
Chelsea added depth and talent to their roster, and they didn’t lose any key players during the window either. Owner Roman Abramovich, named to the U.S. Treasury Department’s “Putin List” this week, has got to be happy about that, right? Maybe not.
Even though Chelsea put themselves in good position to stay in the top four and qualify for Europe next season- at Stamford Bridge that’s not enough for a manager to keep his job.
Tottenham Hotspur January Transfer Window (list courtesy of NBC Sports)
Inbound
Lucas Moura (Paris Saint-Germain)
Outbound
Luke Amos (Stevenage) Loan
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Ipswich Town) Loan
Marcus Edwards (Norwich City) Loan
Ryan Loft (Exeter City) Loan
Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Burnley) Loan
Anton Walkes (Portsmouth) Loan
Spurs only bought one player, Deadline Day arrival Lucas Moura, but it was one fantastic bargain. The Paris Saint-Germain attacker came in at £22.8 million, the fifth most expensive player bought by a Premier League team this window, but it was still a steal, because the former Real Madrid man could give them exactly what they need in their push for the top four.
This deal didn’t receive some of the hype and media coverage as other transactions, but the Brazilian winger could step into the first team right away.
Spurs also accomplished addition by subtraction in their loaning out a few fringe players/deadwood.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune corporation blogging community Chicago Now.
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