So here’s the final instalment, the last bundle of new couples that I take a look at before I return to contemplating potential future moves again until the summer. Enjoy, it’ll be a while before this happens again.
Luis Suarez – Ajax to Liverpool £23 million
The only way to cheer yourself up when you lose your latino lover is to go out and get a new one straight away, and that’s exactly what King Kenny has done. Dalglish decided to spend around half of the proceeds from the divorce settlement with Torres on Uruguayan sensation Luis Suarez. Some potential suitors may have been put off after his goal-line handball in the World Cup quarter-final somewhat overshadowed his impressive tournament, but Liverpool have rightly, I would say, concentrated on his impressive goal return more than anything else. 81 goals in 110 games for Ajax really is an incredible achievement, and his goal scoring has been consistently good at all his three previous clubs and for the national side. There have been a few relationships forged after players have looked particularly attractive in the Eredivisie that have failed spectacularly, however there have been one or two that have blossomed. Luis is a natural goal-scorer, and given that he is only 24 he has plenty of time to adapt to English football, which shouldn’t take him long given his vast experience for such a young player. I think the match to really get excited about here is Luis with Andy Carroll, I for one am excited.
Match Rating: 9/10
David Luiz – Benfica to Chelsea £21.3m plus Nemanja matic
As Torres’ move stole all the headlines, the expensive acquisition of David Luiz by Chelsea has been much less publicised than perhaps it should have been. Ancelotti has brought in one of the hottest young central defenders around, and that is reflected by the hefty price tag he has wielded. It may seem like I am judging a book by its cover, but it isn’t just David’s daft curly hair that is similar to Carlos Puyol. Strong, agile and committed he could well go on to be as important to Chelsea as Puyol has been for Barca. It does sound a lot to be paying for someone who hasn’t played in a really top league, but he’s only 23 and he is going to get better and better. It all makes sense if you ask me, and finally Chelsea buy someone who isn’t over 25 so won’t have to replace them so soon.
Match Rating: 9/10
Obafemi Martins – Rubin Kazan to Birmingham City - loan
When Oba looks back at his list of ex’s it is a list that is getting longer and more varied by the season. After his first love Inter Milan cast him aside, he came to England with Newcastle, and since leaving them has had short, meaningless relationships with Wolfsburg and Rubin Kazan and now finds himself at Birmingham City. The reason Oba gave for wanting to leave Russia so quickly was he wanted to be closer to his family following the birth of his son, so maybe this time this relationship has some solid foundations to build on. As far as if he is a good match for the club, the jury is well and truly still out. The Blues, don’t score many goals, at all, and so it is no surprise that they want to bring in a man who has scored regularly wherever he has played. However, the only goals they do ever score are from set pieces crossed in to a big man in the box, or occasionally Craig Gardner pouncing on a loose ball in the area. Whether they can create chances for Oba to put away is debateable, but his pace will certainly improve the chances of this. With Bentley, Larsson, Ferguson and Bowyer in their midfield they do have passers of the ball, so maybe they can change their ways, we will wait and see…
Match Rating: 5/10
Roque Santa Cruz – Manchester City to Blackburn Rovers – loan
The first man I ever tried to match-make, and I certainly didn’t predict a return to his old stomping ground of Ewood Park. This further proves that the new clothes their Indian investors have bought them really have made Rovers look a whole lot more attractive. There is little or no chance that Big Sam would have been able to lure Roque back to Blackburn with his style of play, but under the new regime it became a possibility. This pairing has obviously worked in the past as Roque’s previous spell at Ewood was hugely successful and easily the most prolific, in terms of goals, of his career. However, going back is never easy, and the pain of the wounds left by the initial break-up may never be healed. Whether this relationship can blossom is completely down to Roque himself. After his performances for Rovers last time he saw himself as quite the catch and believed he belonged with an A-list girl like Man. City, however he has been proven wrong, very wrong. If he has realised this and will settle for playing for an average Premier League team then it could work, if he scores a couple and starts demanding the world again it will not.
Match Rating: 7/10
Conor Sammon – Kilmarnock to Wigan Athletic – undisclosed (around £600k)
I can hear a huge sigh of relief all round as I finally get to the new couple that everyone has been waiting for, don’t dare to suggest I’d forgotten about Conor Sammon’s move to Wigan. He might not be the biggest name moving in or out of the Premier League last month, but he was developing quite a reputation north of the border, banging in the goals for Killy. The young Irishman had bagged 17 in 25 games before Roberto Martinez snapped him up for what could turn out to be a real bargain price. This is, despite the low cost, still a big gamble though. Conor has only really hit scoring form this season with his last two campaigns in Scotland yielding only 3 and 4 goals. This would be understandable if he was 17 or 18 at the time but he is now 24, and past the raw development stage you would think. If he can continue his scoring form and adapt to the higher standard of English football quickly then it could be a useful signing because Rodellega aside, Wigan’s strikers are less than inspiring. If it means that we never have to watch Franco Di Santo again then it is also a plus.
Match rating: 6/10
John Carew – Aston Villa to Stoke – loan
I didn’t quite get this one right when originally sorting big John out with a date, but I was very close indeed, with the Potters being in my top three choices. The only reason I plumped for Blackburn at the time was the presence of Mr. Allardyce, without which I would have gone for Stoke all day long. It really is a match made in heaven as Tony Pulis’ blueprint of a perfect striker is big, strong, mobile and powerful. John is without a doubt all these things and the potential of him and similarly built Kenwyne Jones have to bully defences is untold. This could well be my favourite match of them all:
Match Rating 10/10
Andy Reid – Sunderland to Blackpool
Did Ian Holloway move a bit too quickly by securing a new lover before his divorce papers were signed, sealed and delivered? Everyone expected Charlie Adam to be on his way out of Bloomfield Road at some point during January, whether it was to Liverpool, Villa or the two late contenders Spurs or Manchester United. That’s why no one was surprised to see a talented creative midfield player being brought in at Blackpool to seemingly replace the Scottish international. However, Charlie didn’t leave and are there now too many cooks spoiling a midfield broth on the west coast? I don’t think so myself, and in fact I think you can’t have enough high quality players in your team and I certainly rate Andy as a high quality player. The way Holloway sets his team out as well shows that having players that create chances and score goals themselves will fit right in to his plans. It might not have been exactly what was planned, but I think this relationship will work just fine.
Match Rating: 8/10
Demba Ba – Hoffenheim to West Ham United - undisclosed
Part of Avram Grant’s strike force revolution along with Robbie Keane in order to save the Hammers’ season and fire them up the league. I’m not so sure that this in fact will come to fruition, but can Demba make an impact at Upton Park and forge a successful relationship in East London? He has a decent scoring record throughout his career and has pace and power which will equip him well in the Premier League, it will certainly be a step up for him though. The Bundesliga is obviously a good standard, but not up to English levels, and he only has eight international caps for Senegal and so is unproven on that stage as well. This doesn’t mean he won’t turn into a very good player for West Ham, but their perilous situation at the bottom of the table may well not allow him the time to develop in the first team. However, their situation could also allow him to become an instant hero for the Hammers if he scores two or three goals to pinch some crucial points. I think this is a distinct possibility…
Match Rating: 7/10
El Hadji Diouf – Blackburn Rovers to Rangers – loan
Let’s all rejoice, dance in the streets and praise the day that El Hadji Diouf has finally left the English game and we don’t have to watch his despicable antics anymore. Maybe I’m being harsh, it isn’t every week that the man causes football managers, players and fans to hate him, but it is on an irritatingly regular basis. What happens on an irritatingly irregular basis, for fans of any of his former clubs, is him scoring any goals. 24 goals in 136 games for Bolton, 0 in 16 for Sunderland and 4 in 62 at Blackburn, totalling 63 goals in 410 career appearances. It is a shocking return from someone that has played at very least as an advanced winger, if not as a central striker. Scotland, then, could well be a perfect place for someone who has failed to score regularly in England as it has been for many other forwards. Whether he can deal with the harsh treatment he is almost certain to receive north of the border is under question though. His underlying talent might just shine through in Glasgow though as he faces much less talented defenders. I’m just glad to see him leave.
Match Rating 8/10
Steve Sidwell – Aston Villa to Fulham
Steve left his loving girlfriend Reading back in 2007, and could well have been regretting it ever since. Chelsea were always way out of his league and that was never going to work. Aston Villa looked like more of a match, but it just didn’t quite work out there, so now, can Fulham prove to be his saviour as his love life continues to falter? Quite possibly so I think. Fulham have been pretty dull this season, but also pretty unlucky in some of their performances and also with a fair amount of injuries. Without such things they are a pretty good side that Mark Hughes could well restore to the top half level that Roy Hodgson had them playing at. Sidwell and Murphy in the middle of midfield looks like a very solid option and could well prove effective for the Cottagers.
Match Rating: 7/10
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