January Transfer Window: Who’s Done The Best Business? (M-Z)

January Transfer Window: Who’s Done The Best Business? (A-L)
January Transfer Window: Who’s Done The Best Business? (M-Z)

With the closing of the January transfer window, Sport Editor Jack Pethick grades each team’s business in the window and how it could help them achieve a place at the top or help them survive the drop. This is the second installment of the mini-series, covering Manchester City to West Ham.

Manchester City:

In: Anthony Caceres – Central Coast Mariners – Undisclosed

Out: Ian Lawlor – Bury – Loan, George Evans – Reading – Undisclosed, Patrick Roberts – Celtic – Loan

Grade: D

Manuel Pellegrini probably knew deep down before January even began that Guardiola was probably going to take over from it at some point, hence perhaps the reluctance to sign anyone major. That being said, you cannot really say that there are any particular areas City are short on at the moment, so unless someone world-class became available there was no real reason for them to spend in this window.

'Pellegrini was aware Guardiola was City's first target'. We lift the lid on Pep to City: https://t.co/AAZ52X2cT0 pic.twitter.com/Z0iAG7f7hf

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 4, 2016

Manchester United:

In: None

Out: Ashley Fletcher – Barnsley – Loan, Ben Pearson – Preston – Undisclosed, Liam Grimshaw – Preston – Undisclosed, Victor Valdes – Standard Liege – Loan, Kieran O’Hara – Morecambe – Loan, Nick Powell – Hull – Loan

Grade: D

Like with Arsenal, I was quite surprised that United didn’t look to make a statement of intent in this window, especially as a top-four spot, let alone the title, is far from a guarantee for them this season. United are desperately short of a centre-forward, but the Van Gaal stubbornness looks set to continue.

Newcastle United:

In: Henri Saivet – Bordeaux – Undisclosed, Jonjo Shelvey – Swansea – £12m, Andros Townsend – Tottenham – Undisclosed, Seydou Doumbia – Roma – Loan

Out: Kyle Cameron – York – Loan, Gael Bigirimana – Coventry – Loan, Shane Ferguson – Millwall – Undisclosed, Mike Williamson – Wolves – Undisclosed, Lubo Satka – York – Loan, Florian Thauvin – Marseille – Loan

Grade: A-

Newcastle have done by far the best business of the window. The additions of Doumbia and Townsend particularly mean that they definitely will have the capability to score goals in their fight for survival. However, I was shocked they did not add a defensive player, particularly as that has been their main area of weakness. Colocini looks as if he has gone over the hill and Janmaat is more interested in attacking than defending. As good as their signings were offensively, I’m still not sure it will be enough to keep them up come the end of the season.

Newcastle sign Seydou Doumbia on loan from Roma https://t.co/h5oPPfgaha (Photo: Getty) pic.twitter.com/QWnVxWSBMX

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) February 1, 2016

Norwich City:

In: Steven Naismith – Everton – £8.5million, Timm Klose – Wolfsburg – Undisclosed, Patrick Bamford – Chelsea – Loan, Ivo Pinto – Dinamo Zagreb – Undisclosed, James Maddison – Coventry – Loan

Out: Jake Kean – Colchester – Loan, Elliott Bennett – Blackburn – Undisclosed, Lewis Grabban – Bournemouth – £7m, Conor McGrandles – Falkirk – Loan, Gary Hooper – Sheffield Wednesday – Undisclosed, Harry Toffolo – Peterborough – Loan, Jamar Loza – Southend – Loan, James Maddison – Coventry – Loan

Grade: B+

As with Newcastle, Norwich have made some good signings. Steven Naismith is a proven Premier League goalscorer and Tim Klose should improve their atrocious defensive record. However, like with Newcastle also, I’m not sure if these signings will be enough to keep them up come the end of the season.

Southampton:

In: Charlie Austin – QPR – £4m

Out: Sam McQueen – Southend – Loan, Ryan Seager – Crewe – Loan, Steven Caulker – QPR – End of loan

Grade: B+

Charlie Austin for £4 million is an absolute steal. He proved with QPR that he can score plenty of goals in the Premier League, so I’m surprised no other clubs gambled on him, especially at that price!

Delighted to have joined @SouthamptonFC I will give everything to be successful here ⚽️⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/8DAxo1k8pP

— Charlie Austin (@chazaustin9) January 16, 2016

Stoke City:

In: Giannelli Imbula – Porto – £18.3m

Out: Steve Sidwell – Brighton – Loan, Eddy Lecygne – Doncaster – Loan

Grade: C+

Stoke are safe this season, so they didn’t really need to add anything this window. Imbula looks as if he could be a really good player, but £18.3 million currently seems a bit excessive.

Sunderland:

In: Jan Kirchhoff – Bayern Munich – Undisclosed, Steve Harper – Unattached, Lamine Kone – Lorient – Undisclosed, Wahbi Khazri – Bordeaux – Undisclosed

Out: Will Buckley – Birmingham – Loan, Danny Graham – Blackburn – Loan, Costel Pantilimon – Watford – Undisclosed, Christian Mavrias – Fortuna Dussledorf – Loan, Steven Fletcher – Marseille – Loan

Grade: A-

I’m a fan of big Sam, which is why I think Sunderland will be safe come the end of the season. He’s identified where they need to strengthen defensively and bought some good players to fill the gap in the form of Kirchhoff and Kone. They may not have Premier League experience, but big Sam will get them playing the way he wants and that’s all that matters if Sunderland are to survive.

Swansea:

In: Alberto Paloschi – Chievo – Undisclosed, Ryan Blair – Falkirk – Undisclosed, Leroy Fer – QPR – Loan

Out: Jonjo Shelvey – Newcastle – £12m, Ryan Hedges – Stevenage – Loan

Grade: B-

Jonjo Shelvey’s head was not in the right place at Swansea, so to get £12 million for a bit of a hit-and-miss player in him was good business by Swansea I think. I think Paloschi could be a good player for them, and Leroy Fer has enough Premier League experience to fill the hole left by Shelvey until the end of the season. Swansea will be fine, which is all the more reason I was so shocked they sacked Garry Monk so early in the season.

Tottenham:

In: Shilow Tracey – Ebbsfleet United – Undisclosed

Out: Kenny McEvoy – York – Free, Shaquille Coulthirst – Peterborough – Undisclosed, Milos Veljkovic – Werder Bremen – Loan, Federico Fazio – Sevilla – Loan, Alex Pritchard – West Brom – Loan

Grade: C-

Like with Leicester and other top teams, Tottenham have a good squad to last them for the rest of the campaign. I would perhaps have liked them to have added another forward to take some of the weight off Kane for scoring goals, but I can understand why Pochettino didn’t splash the cash for anyone in particular.

Watford:

In: Costel Pantilimon – Sunderland – Undisclosed, Nordin Amrabat – Malaga – Undisclosed, Mario Suarez – Fiorentina – Undisclosed, Abdoulaye Doucoure – Rennes – £8m

Out: Alessandro Diamanti – Atalanta – Loan, Conor Smith – AFC Wimbledon – Free, Uche Ikpeazu – Blackpool – Loan, Diego Fabbrini – Birmingham – £1.5m

Grade: B

Watford have looked a little sluggish in recent weeks, so I think they definitely needed to add some new players to keep the momentum going. Mario Suarez and Abdoulaye Doucoure look to be particularly good signings in this respect. Watford will be safe certainly.

IT'S DONE! #watfordfc is delighted to confirm Mario Suarez has signed on a 4.5-year deal: https://t.co/pzYkwdPCxc pic.twitter.com/wcKgjVfLK3

— Watford FC (@WatfordFC) January 30, 2016

West Brom:

In: Sandro – QPR – Loan, Alex Pritchard – Tottenham – Loan

Out: Anders Lindegaard – Preston – Loan, Adil Nabi – Peterborough – Loan

Grade: C+

Two good signings by the experienced Tony Pulis. They will be safe for sure.

West Ham:

In: Sam Byram – Leeds – Undisclosed

Out: Diego Poyet – Charlton – Loan, Lewis Page – Cambridge – Loan, Stephen Hendrie – Southend – Loan, Elliott Lee – Colchester – Loan, Mauro Zarate – Fiorentina – Undisclosed

Grade: C+

A very good signing for the Hammers, particularly as it appears that Carl Jenkinson will be out for some time. I think they maybe could have added some depth in further areas of the pitch, but Slaven Billić has done an excellent job thus far. They will be safe for sure.

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