As is almost always the case, the January transfer window closes with a ton of rumors still circling and the potential for a number of talks to resume in the summer when teams are able to go back to the drawing board and reload.
However, the terms could have, would have and should have don’t count for much. All that matters right now is the moves that were completed and the impact they will have on the way the Premier League season plays out.
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The theme for this year’s transfer window is that the rich got richer in the EPL. Chelsea and Man City bolstered their lineup, and then squared off in league play where the Blues managed to survive a tough test for Manchester City on Saturday to pull out a 1-1 draw. While the Blues maintained their five-point lead ahead of them for top spot in the table, they also improved their title hopes as the big winners in the January transfer window. Their star signing is a big enough splash to all but solidify their status as the favorites to win it all. Here is a look at this year’s big January transfer window winners.
Chelsea
Manager Jose Mourinho has made the most of the wealth of riches at his disposal and now he gets another major addition as Chelsea has agreed to sign Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina on an 18-month loan.
The Blues managed to hold City to a draw without Diego Costa or Cesc Fabregas in the lineup, and while they managed to secure a very important point, they were held to just three shots on goal which was their lowest total for a Premier League game in over a decade. Chelsea has been very fortunate so far and part of that equation is their considerable depth, but they can’t afford not to have a better alternative with the possibility that injuries could ravage their season. That’s what pushed the Blues to make a move. The result was the biggest transfer window addition of any team, which boosted their firepower up front while also solidifying their depth.
Manchester City
While Edin Dzeko rumors persist, the addition of Wilfried Bony up front stands as the second biggest move in January. City was desperate to add up front and the Premier League’s leading scorer from a year ago should make for a strong fit. The 26-year-old Bony scored 20 goals last season and will be asked to do what he does best up front for Manuel Pellegrini’s side. Part of the move was to fill a void with Sergio Aguero still out but even when he gets back, City will have far more depth to work with. This could end up being a move that puts them over the top.
Sunderland
Naturally, there was a big focus on the January transfers that came down to the wire but it’s important to remember that Sunderland didn’t procrastinate and struck early. They made a shrewd acquisition when they signed the services Jermain Defoe from Toronto FC earlier in the month.
Sunderland is only four points above the relegation zone, so they don’t have a huge buffer to play with. They desperately need Defoe’s touch up front in order to have any shot at gaining some ground in the table. Goal scoring has been a big issue for them as they’ve tallied just 21 goals in 23 games. Only three teams in the entire EPL have scored fewer goals. Defoe already has paid dividends, tallying his first goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley. Despite that Sunderland won’t compete for a Champions League spot or anything like that, it was a strong move for Sunderland to add a proven striker in Defoe before the transfer window closed.
On the whole, it was a fairly quiet January and it’s somewhat surprising that a number of top contenders failed to add to their rosters. At the same time, January spending doesn’t always pay off, so maybe some teams felt it’s better to wait until the summer.
