Friday 31 January 2014

From £50m Torres to £13m Arshavin... the most expensive deadline day signings (and it's no surprise some didn't work out!)



£50million man: Fernando Torres was the most expensive signing on a wild January 31 in 2011This year certainly has a lot to live up to. In the past decade deadline day has given us all the thrills and spills that comes with a massive transfer free-for-all.
Nobody will forget January 31, 2011 when Fernando Torres, Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez and David Luiz were signed for a whopping £130million combined
by Chelsea and Liverpool.
Here we have a look at the most expensive signings on deadline day every year since the January transfer window was established in 2003. And be warned, not all of them ended up a success!
£50million man: Fernando Torres was the most expensive signing on a wild January 31 in 2011

Jan 31, 2003: Jonathan Woodgate, Leeds to Newcastle, £9m
After five years at Leeds, where Woodgate showed he had the potential to be an England defender, Bobby Robson's Newcastle splashed out £10million for the centre back.
He only played a season-and-a-half at St James' Park but his displays there led Real Madrid to pile in with an offer in excess of £13million. Not a bad profit for 18 months' work.
First of many: Jonathan Woodgate moved from Leeds to Newcastle in 2003 for £9million
First of many: Jonathan Woodgate moved from Leeds to Newcastle in 2003 for £9million
Feb 2, 2004: Jermain Defoe, West Ham to Spurs, £7m + Bobby Zamora
He may now have secured a deal away from White Hart Lane, but back in 2004 Defoe was one of the hottest properties in England.
After refusing to sign a contract extension at West Ham, the striker left in January when Spurs offered money plus Bobby Zamora. Defoe went on to score well over 100 goals for Tottenham in two spells and could be considered one of the greatest winter signings of the Premier League era.
Worked out well: Jermain Defoe crossed the London divide by leaving West Ham and signing for Spurs
Worked out well: Jermain Defoe crossed the London divide by leaving West Ham and signing for Spurs

Jan 31, 2005: Nicolas Anelka, Manchester City to Fenerbahce, £7m
It is surprising, perhaps, that the man who has played for six different Premier League clubs (Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton, Chelsea and West Brom) is on this list when leaving the English top flight.
The lucrative move took him away from England for just 18 months before Bolton paid £8million to bring him back.
Turkey: Nicolas Anelka left the Premier League for a season when he went to Fenerbahce for £7million
Turkey: Nicolas Anelka left the Premier League for a season when he went to Fenerbahce for £7million

Jan 31, 2006: Robert Earnshaw, West Brom to Norwich, £3.5m
An anomaly if ever there was one with Championship side Norwich paying the most for a player on deadline day. Earnshaw scored 27 goals for Norwich before joining Derby, where he notched just twice.
David Bentley's switch from Arsenal to Blackburn was thought to be worth around £3million during the same transfer window. Once talked about as the new David Beckham, he's now a free agent
Surprise move: Earnshaw chose to leave West Brom and move to Norwich for £3.5m in January 2006
Surprise move: Earnshaw chose to leave West Brom and move to Norwich for £3.5m in January 2006

Jan 31, 2007: Matthew Upson, Birmingham to West Ham, £6m
Upson always had potential to be a towering presence in any team and West Ham were quick to snap him up six months after Birmingham had been relegated to the Championship.
Despite having a £4million offer turned down, the Hammers eventually got their man. We should remember Upson ended up as half of England's centre-back pairing when they lost 4-1 to Germany in the 2010 World Cup. He scored his side's only goal, too, although that was as good as it got.
Upson downs: West Ham's manager at the time Alan Curbishley (left) and owner Eggert Magnusson (right) signed Matthew Upson in the January transfer window of 2007 for £6million
Upson downs: West Ham's manager at the time Alan Curbishley (left) and owner Eggert Magnusson (right) signed Matthew Upson in the January transfer window of 2007 for £6million

Jan 31, 2008: Afonso Alves, Heerenveen to Middlesbrough, £11m
Middlesbrough's interest in Afonso Alves was very left field and his record after signing goes to prove their faith may have been misplaced.
The striker scored just 10 goals in 42 games and was shipped off to Qatar 18 months later. His eight caps for Brazil are just as astonishing as the £11million Middlesbrough forked out for him.
Underwhelming: Brazilian Afonso Alves made the headlines with his deadline day move to Middlesbrough
Underwhelming: Brazilian Afonso Alves made the headlines with his deadline day move to Middlesbrough

Feb 2, 2009: Andrey Arshavin, Zenit to Arsenal, £13m
The Russian's foray into the Premier League began with a bang when he scored four goals in a game against Liverpool just months after joining.
Despite things not working out in the end (he spent several seasons warming the bench) he had that match-winning quality all big clubs look for.
It's worth remembering that in the same transfer window Robbie Keane moved back to Spurs after a horribly unsuccessful six months at Liverpool where he scored just five times.
Gamble: Andrey Arshavin came from Zenit St Petersburg to London for a fee of £13million
Gamble: Andrey Arshavin came from Zenit St Petersburg to London for a fee of £13million
Fab four: Arshavin celebrates a goal during his famous performance against Liverpool shortly after his arrival
Fab four: Arshavin celebrates a goal during his famous performance against Liverpool shortly after his arrival


Feb 1, 2010: Adam Johnson, Middlesbrough to Man City, £7m
Blessed with as much talent as any English winger around today, it is surprising Adam Johnson's career has at times waned. Swamped by foreign players at City, most of Johnson's 73 appearances were from the bench and he lost his place in the England set-up.
City did, however, make a profit when they sold him to Sunderland for £10million in the summer of 2012.
Lost in the big City: Adam Johnson didn't quite make the cut at Eastlands despite his £7million move
Lost in the big City: Adam Johnson didn't quite make the cut at Eastlands despite his £7million move

Jan 31, 2011: Fernando Torres, Liverpool to Chelsea, £50m
Chelsea's unthinkable late bid for Torres has almost single-handedly re-defined the final day of the January transfer window. There were always suggestions that huge money would be splashed but it wasn't until Roman Abramovich dug deep into his pockets that it went crazy.
It's worth mentioning the madness that ensued afterwards. Liverpool felt they needed a striker and raided Newcastle and splashed £35million on Andy Carroll. Remember, They had already signed Luis Suarez for £22.8m. The England forward may not have been worth the money, but Suarez has more than made up for it.
Not content on just paying £50m for Torres, Chelsea also bought David Luiz from Benfica for £21m plus Nemanja Matic.There were clearly no concerns about Financial Fair play back then.
Over-priced? Fernando Torres has never managed to transfer his Liverpool goals to the blue shirt of Chelsea
Over-priced? Fernando Torres has never managed to transfer his Liverpool goals to the blue shirt of Chelsea

Double swoop: Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll both signed for Liverpool on deadline day
Double swoop: Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll both signed for Liverpool on deadline day


Jan 31, 2012: Kevin de Bruyne, Genk to Chelsea, £6.7m
After the madness of 2011, the year after was a much quieter affair. De Bruyne signed for Chelsea but stayed in Belgium on a loan deal. He may have wished he stayed longer seeing as a falling out with Jose Mourinho this season has seen him shipped out to Wolfsburg.
Off again: Kevin de Bruyne only lasted two years on the books of Chelsea
Off again: Kevin de Bruyne only lasted two years on the books of Chelsea

Jan 31, 2013: Christopher Samba, Anzhi to QPR, £12.5m
What a year 2013 was for Chris Samba. He started at Anzhi Makhachkala, moved to QPR during January, was sold back to Anzhi for almost same price in the summer, and then moved on to Dinamo Moscow when Anzhi's owner changed his plans for the club.
His job was to keep QPR up but not even a record fee for a defender already proven in the division could do that.
Jumping through hoops: Chris Samba presented with a QPR shirt after his £12.5million move from Anzhi

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