ANOTHER year, another record breaking transfer window. Over January, Premier League sides looked to bolster their teams as they gear up for the final run to the title. Some came out on top and others failed to get make the moves they needed to. Below are the winners and losers from the month of madness.
WINNERS
Chelsea
TURNING Oscar into £52m by dealing him to Shanghai SIPG is a massive plus for Chelsea. They managed to turn over a huge profit with the transfer, having paid £19m for the Brazilian mid four and half years ago. Seeing most of their top rivals stand pat throughout the transfer period would leave a smile on Antonio Conte’s face as well.
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Crystal Palace
THROWING Liverpool outcast Mamadou Sakho a lifeline, while adding Jeffrey Schlupp, Patrick van Aanholt and Luka Milivojevic definitely meets Crystal Palace’s immediate needs. They needed to strengthen their defence and midfield and they have done exactly that for a reasonable price.
West Ham
TURNING Dmitri Payet into £25m was a solid move by West Ham, who also added names like Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte. Both of those players could flourish into great contributors for the club, who will try to push themselves clear of the mid pack muddle in the table.
Burnley
SEAN Dyche added a touch of class to his midfield, signing Irish and Norwich City star for a club record transfer fee of £13m while also adding former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood. Couple the new additions with the return of Joey Barton from the Rangers and Burnley have all but guaranteed Premier League action for next season.
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LOSERS
Middlesbrough
WHEN your manager makes comments that question your chairman and you fail to land your top recruits over the transfer window, that could very well lead to him being shown the exit door. Aitor Karanka’s comments regarding the club’s failure to recruit their targets may not only see him fired, but could lead to Middlesbrough’s exit from the top flight at seasons end.
Liverpool
THE Reds lack depth and needed to bring in fresh blood, plain and simple. They didn’t do that. Looking like a title challenge around Christmas time, Jurgen Klopp’s first XI ranks as one of the best in the Premier League. Injuries and Mane’s absence through international duty means the teams ceiling is capped moving forward though.
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Sunderland
DAVID Moyes is either a genius or in serious trouble. Selling one of the teams few positives Patrick van Aanholt to be re-united with Darron Gibson and Brian Oviedo is still a head scratcher to most outsiders. They have flirted with relegation for years now, and failure to add some support for Jamie Defoe could mean the Black Cats may finally be out of lives.
Hull City
THEIR main source of creativity and offense Robert Snodgrass opted for greener pastures, which could severly hurt the Tigers. They did manage to add eight new faces, and one of them may very well step up to the plate and provide the spark they need. I won’t be holding my breath though.
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