For anyone wondering if the financial credit crunch had impacted the business dealings of Premier League clubs, then today was proof that even Premier League teams are feeling the pinch. The vast majority of moves on the final day of the Januayr transfer window were loan’s as teams did not have the capital to invest in new players.
Fulham for example added two new players to their squad: AS Roma striker Stefano Okaka and Aston Villa fullback Nicky Shorey. Both of these players will be on loan until the end of the season.
Last January Harry Redknapp spent about 40 million pounds during that transfer window. This season he sent fullbacks Alan Hutton and Kyle Naughton on loan to Sunderland and Middlesbrough and also shipped Robbie Keane to Celtic.
One of the few teams that was spending cash in this transfer window was West Ham. The Hammers have new owners and they spent 2.5 million pounds to sign South Africa striker Benni McCarthy from Blackburn. More goals was obviously a need for West Ham, who are mired in a relegation battle, but McCarthy and Mido, who they got from Boro, should score enough to keep West Ham safe in the Premier League this season.
Wigan was another relegation candidate that spent some money, singing rising star Victor Moses from Crystal Palace. The England under-19 international has scored six goals in his last nine games for Palace.
Finally, Manchester City barely waited until Robinho left to go back to Brazil before turning his number over to former England under-21 winger Adam Johnson, who they signed from Middlesbrough on a 4 1/2 -year contract.